Firsts?

Twenty-five weeks ago Patrick, making his bed on a hard tile floor, and I, desiring a little uninterrupted rest, were experiencing our first visit to a German hospital in order to welcome our fifth blessing into our family. 

 Present-day Belle awaiting first bite of cereal while cameras focus and flash



Please note a vital adjective tucked away in that first sentence ... I may have just given it away ... yes, "first" is the word that we will focus on this evening.  

In our almost-eighteen years of marriage and almost-almost-sixteen years of parenting, we could count the number of trips to the hospital on four fingers (this is accurate, of course, if you do not include the birth of babies).  We won't go into detail on the nature of those four visits, but will simply state that they involved the two oldest males in our family, each recording two visits.

Now move this same English-spoken-here family across the world and into a foreign country.  Within seven months and eleven days of leaving Frankfurt International Airport, we have visited three different German hospitals a total of five times.  This number would increase were we to include the consultations with surgeons and the appointments with anesthesiologists that preceded the actual surgeries and "procedures."  

And yet, our Heavenly Father graciously plants and continues to water seeds of gratitude in my sometimes rocky, weary heart.  I am thankful for:

• Skilled doctors and nurses who speak better English than I will ever speak German
• Medical insurance that covers our medical needs ... completely
• The Health Care Finder at the clinic on post -- wonderful lady who speaks fluent German and sets up initial appointment with the German doctor for you
• A work environment and superiors who allow Patrick the time off to take care of his family
• Successful surgeries and speedy recoveries
• An overall lower average for hospital visits than most large families
• Authors like J.I. Packer, who writes in Knowing God,

"We can be sure that the God who made this marvellously complex world-order, and who compassed the great redemption from Egypt, and who later compassed the even greater redemption from sin and Satan, knows what He is doing, and 'doeth all things well', even if for the moment He hides His hand.  We can trust Him and rejoice in Him, even when we cannot discern His path."