Reflections

As we head to Mary-Kaylin's first check up following her surgery, I've been thinking about all of the love, support and prayers that have gotten us through these first couple of weeks. When we first learned it was a brain tumor, I'll never forget walking into the ER waiting room at Children's where my aunt was sitting with Mary-Kaylin and seeing the look on Memu's face when I mouthed "brain tumor" to her where MK couldn't hear or see what we were doing. I walked back to the room where doctors were deciding next steps. By the time I walked back into the ER waiting room to tell her what going to happen next, my parents, Martha and Elton Ballentine, brother-in-law, Jeff Johnson, cousins Mallory Hardin and Scooter and Avie Hardin, Unlce Lu Hardin, and Perry Jon's good friend and our minister of music at Immanuel, Eric Jones, were there. My sister, Angela, was on her way to take kids to Nashville for some fun and had decided to turn around and come home. That was the moment I knew that whatever we were about to face, we would not be alone. That evening Patti Cannady, Anne Pressly's mother and a good friend of the Hardins, came to see us. She was an amazing encourager and true inspiration. She looked me in the eye and told me several things that Beth Moore had said to her. She told me to pray Psalm 91. The next evening she visited when Mary-Kaylin was in a tremendous amount of pain after her surgery. It was just Patti and myself in MK's ICU room. Mary-Kaylin was in so much pain she could barely catch her breath and was crying. I felt so helpless and was in tears as her nurse scrambled to order more pain meds and a PCA. Ms. Patti came in and started describing the precious pajamas and hat she had bought for her. Her voice was so soothing and calm. Then Patti started talking in Mary-Kaylin's ear about the angels in her room and Jesus. She was speaking sweet scriptures to her. Within minutes Mary-Kaylin was breathing easy and resting. As I watched and listened to Patti and witnessed her faith and strength, not only did I know we were not going to be alone in this journey, I knew that God's provision for comfort, strength and hope was real in the midst of the most trying and scariest of times. I've known this for a long time, but on this day God knew I needed to experience it. Knowing what Patti had been through and experiencing her strength and faith as she encouraged us and comforted Mary-Kaylin was something I'll never forget. Michele