After the Storm

Tonight after a raging thunderstorm and tornado warnings, sirens going off, and frightening claps of thunder.....the sky was painted with a rainbow. I could see it between the trees, stretching over the cross that sits atop the tallest spire of the church across the street.

Everytime I see a rainbow, I am in awe of such magnificent beauty! It always comes after rain, storms and dark weather. What child do you know that hasn't drawn a rainbow arcing across their page with red, orange, yellow, green and blue? I know I drew many of them as a child!

But the thing that really strikes me is I feel like rainbows are a reminder that God is with us in the midst of storms. He has not forgotten. He makes beauty from ashes.

I was feeling alternately sad and thankful today. Sad because I had to say goodbye to one of my closest friends today. She came and introduced herself to me about 3 years ago, right after she had moved into our building with her husband and baby girl. We have spent so much time together over the past few years, talking about everything under the sun, driving our husbands crazy as we would "pop" over to each others apartments for a few minutes and then hurry home an hour later! Our families have grown as we have shared this close friendship. Our children became best buddies; her beautiful little girl calling S and Z "the boys" and now Samuel wanting to name our little girl after her! She has added 3 more children to her family and we are adding another one. We've seen each other through many illnesses, encouraging each other as we have supported our husbands in school, celebrating birthdays, watching Twilight movies together (I totally just admitted that outloud! And I'm not ashamed..) and consuming much chocolate!

My friend, if you read this, I have shed many tears today over the thought of us not living one floor apart anymore. I know distance makes friendships a little harder but I am determined to hang on to you as a friend! Not to mention, we do have a marriage to arrange between A and one of the boys. She has plenty of time to pick but we should draw up the papers soon....:) I will miss you so much.

We left a lot behind in our old neighborhood and it sounds silly, considering we are only 30 minutes away! But we formed a community there and made so many friends that are like our Chicago-branch family. And we had to tear away a little bit to create something new here. Because we feel so strongly that we should be here and that God has a lot in store for us this next year.

It was a really tough winter for us, in ways that I shared here on the blog and in other, more heartbreaking ways that only a few people know about. And in the midst of a wearying storm, we got our first rainbow blessing: baby Thomas on the way. And we've had more rainbows since then that give me such hope for a future that contains so many unknowns and the knowledge that God is with us, through the storms and after.