One Heck of a Week...

Well, as I've been getting caught up on reading blogs this evening, I thought I should probably add my two cents as well.  It's been a crazy week in our Brooks extended family.  Last weekend we had Brandon's younger brother Jacob spend the weekend with us.  With Jacob, every moment is exciting and will often leave your head spinning!  He's 7 and very busy!  After we took him back home to Columbus last Sunday after church, Jacob surprised and scared us all by having what has been classified as a warning stroke or a mini stroke...something that is not very common in children.  He had us all very worried as he was taken away in an ambulance, but has fortunately recovered from it without any lasting damage.  Brandon's mom was at the hospital with him for a few days, though.  We found out the next day that Brandon's sister had also been in the ER that night with chest pains!  Fortunately she is also back to her normal routine now.  Then Friday morning, Brandon headed out the door to catch the bus to take him down to campus, when he came rushing back in the door moments later.  He had checked his voicemail on the way to the bus stop and found out that his 17 year-old brother Austin had been in a major car accident where the van he was driving plowed into a utility pole, snapping it in half at around midnight.  He was immediately taken to the hospital where he had to undergo emergency surgery to have his spleen removed and some other misc. procedures done.  He's been in the ICU for the last several days, but should be in a regular room today.  Brandon's poor mother has spent the majority of this past week at her children's sides in the hospital.  Brandon immediately emailed his professors and called his boss to inform them all that we would be spending Friday up in Columbus with his family.  We were amazed at the outpouring of love from the members of their ward and neighbors up in Columbus.  Their phone was ringing off the hook all week long with friends sending their love and best wishes and offerings of dinners.  It was hard for us to leave to come back home late Friday night, but we knew that their family was in good hands.

With all that has happened this past week, I really wasn't expecting much for Mother's Day, but Brandon never ceases to amaze me.  He got up with Nicholas, our early riser, Sunday morning at 5:45.  Then he folded our laundry, fed and changed Nicholas, poured me a bowl of cereal, and attempted to entertain Nicholas while I slept.  When I got up at 7:30, feeling very much rested, I came downstairs to find Brandon sleeping on our tiny couch while Nicholas was running around in circles!  (I think he was a little tired!)  When Nicholas and I were finally able to rouse him, he and Nicholas presented me with some Mother's Day gifts.  Since Nicholas has decided to rip apart my scriptures a bit, Brandon took notice and told me that part of my gift was a new set of scriptures that we'll pick up when we're in Utah in a few weeks.  Brandon also got me a Sheryl Crow cd that he was able to have a friend who lives near her family in Missouri pick up for me at a concert she puts on there each year.  It was a nice surprise!  He also took Nicholas for the entire three hour block at church yesterday, which was really nice!  

I just want Brandon to know how much I love him and am grateful for all the support he gives me in my roles as a wife and mother!  And I am so grateful for my little Nicholas and my even littler Renae...I love being their mother!  I never thought motherhood would be filled with as much joy as it has been.  Finally, I am also grateful for my mom and my mother-in-law!  Both have influenced my life in so many ways!