I’m writing this just after midnight in OK City, while our dear Jordan and Cady are together in ICU. Marriages are forged through fires, and this couple is shining like gold just four months in. My dear husband is sleeping beside me. What a valiant patriarch he is.
It’s such an interesting mix of experiences over the last two days in the hospital waiting room. Nervous stomachs, moments where tears just have to flow. Tired tears, sad tears, happy tears, tears of triumph. We’ve had our share of all of these the last two days. Our last tears tonight were tears of joy and relief.
Yes tears, but we’ve laughed a lot too. Memories of Jordan when he was younger, fun moments of their wedding in June which feels like about five years ago now. Laughing as we dream about their bright future. Children to be borne, trips to be taken, souls to be saved, stories — THIS story, to be boldly told for the Glory of our Great Healing God.
We wait. Talk. Do emails. Update Facebook. Look at Christmas decor magazines. Sit and stare. Eat funky food in the cafeteria, and finally do a Whole Foods run because we just can’t take it anymore. When the Operating Room calls Cady with hourly updates we stare at her face to perceive what’s being said.
We’re not the only family in the waiting room. Many interesting characters here. Children, parents, siblings, cousins, lots of Oklahoma accents, twangs and even an apparent hospitalized prisoner or two. We heard someone vacuuming in the waiting room late last night, oh wait, they’re blowing up an air mattress! Today someone put out what appeared to be a potluck spread for anyone who was hungry. Cady’s mom passed out snacks. Make yourself at home in the waiting room. It strikes me that not one person in this room would choose to be here but are here because they love someone.
Reflecting tonight on all the hundreds and hundreds of prayers we knew were going up on our behalf, it’s as if they were like the sound of soldiers going out as one company for battle. Some went up the mountain, others around the side, still more under rocks and in woods. The soldiers don’t all know one another, but all are focused on one common enemy, and only one acceptable outcome of victory. Today, the company WON a major battle, and it’s only fitting to stop and reflect on victory.
Tomorrow Jordan will heal. Cady will comfort and care. And we will keep waiting, watching, and being grateful. Life is full of waiting rooms. We’re bent on beating cancer in ours. Confident and convinced that ultimately, waiting on Him means we will not be disappointed.
