Rainbows in the Storm

     A year ago, my back yard was so colorful, green and beautiful. The flowers were perfect and growing back from the cold winter. I had picked a whole bouquet of blue and purple flowers. I was so proud and so happy. I loved going outside and working in the garden. The tomatoes plants were thriving along with all the other vegetables we had just planted a month before. I made sure to plant flowers that would come back each year. I planned out where each would grow the best, and look the best. It was a master piece. I went out for the night and came back to a disaster. A hailstorm had hit our house. I was devastated. All that hard work, and beauty destroyed in a 10 min hailstorm. I cried. I couldn't get it off my mind. I was sick to my stomach. We had just put our house up on the market and the backyard was a huge selling point. Every last flower and vegetable was gone. How would I ever get it back? Would it even come back after that much damage? Not just the flowers but our roof was completely damaged, the fence and so much more. The one thing I remember was the rainbow after the storm.
      I relate this whole story to my life again just in different terms. Life in Southern Utah was perfect, besides Paul working out of town. We had sold our house, we were planning on moving to Alaska in 5 weeks. The kids were growing and happy. Paul had graduated and soon was going to make the jump to  a flying job. I was finally starting to focus on losing all my baby weight and was doing good. I was really enjoying the slower paced life style. I was happy. I was starting to make new friends.  I remember feeling so complete and my heart was always full with what my little family was doing. I tried everyday to be a good mom and to get better everyday. Life was perfect. Then March 12, 2013 hit me so fast. No warning signs, no time to prepare. The storm of Leukemia hit hard and fast. It has devastated our life. I cried and still do. I'm sick to my stomach. I  have lost 15 lbs because I had no appetite. Our world was turned upside down. I often wonder how we will ever pick up this mess. I wonder often if life will ever go back to a more carefree lifestyle, where smiles are more prevalent than tears. So as in the above story I am trying to find the rainbow after the storm. Storms roll in and out of our lives in so many different ways. But after every storm comes a rainbow. No matter what storm you are going through if you look for them, you will find rainbows.
     I know that focusing on the storm and the damage it has created is counter productive. I know that it will get better, maybe not today or tomorrow, but it will eventually. Every storm comes to and end. Each time we witness or go through that storm we remember God is still there and that he knows our trials. We know this by the rainbow he provides. Rainbows come in so many different forms, doors that are opened, angels that are placed in your life, blessing that you would have never seen had you not seen that storm.
     Today the mail man knocked on the door and handed Paul two crocheted hats. He then went on to say, "I have noticed all the medical bills and your daughters bald head. I asked my wife if she could teach me how to make hats". Mr Mail Man was our rainbow today. Last night we had a meal brought to our house, another rainbow. Monday night when we got home a package was sitting on our door. It was an American Girl doll given to us by a stranger, that was a double rainbow. A gift in the mail was given to us whos' names remain anonymous, angel rainbow. Seeing Presley once again master her balance bike another rainbow in the storm. I could go on. These are just the rainbows in the past week. I wish I could list every rainbow we have seen. So many of you have been those rainbows. I know in years to come we will look back and almost forget about the storm but will always remember those beautiful rainbows after the storm.
     Many of you have asked how we are doing..I usually reply with "We are trying to find the rainbows!" The rainbows don't take away the pain, the struggles, the heartache, tears, devastation, fears, anxiety but they do provide that light or brightness to those hard days. So for today we will continue to chase those rainbows, we already have the gold at the end, each other.

Before

These were picked the day of the storm

Tomato Plants -After

Sad Day