"7 Quick Takes Friday" #11: We Could All Use Some Prayers

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I wasn't planning to come to the 7 Quick Takes party today.  I wasn't even sure that the link-up was going to happen this week, due to the surgical procedure Jen had scheduled for today.  (I'm including a link about it for my small stable of followers, some of whom may not be aware of all that 7QT's hostess with the mostess, Conversion Diary's Jen Fulwiler, has been going through in her high-risk pregnancy.)  I see that the procedure has been postponed for now, but still must be performed before labor is induced on Monday.

When I think of all the complaining I did during my own routine pregnancies, I feel like a big fat baby.  My thoughts and prayers are with you, Jen.

Calling on St. Gerard!

That was only one of the reasons I wasn't planning to play today.  I also hadn't given a lot of thought to what I should write about, and I realized that by the time I figured it out, I'd be about #300 on the list.  Then I saw that this is the day the comments will be shown in reverse order, so...game on!

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My #4 son could use as many prayers as you want to send his way.  Today is his last day at home before he begins the process of traveling overseas to begin a six-month deployment to a very dangerous part of the world.  He will be saying good-bye to his serious girlfriend of over a year, and also to a ferociously (almost pitifully) devoted dog he rescued from the shelter about a year and a half ago.  I don't know how Finny is going to get through this deployment--at least my son's girlfriend will understand why his hero is missing, but he's going to be a wreck.

This is true love, folks.

I woke up in tears this morning, thinking about my poor boy.  My husband and I traveled down to VA last month to see him (and the brother with whom he shares a house); but now I'm having that panicky "I want to see him again before he goes!" feeling.  October won't come soon enough.

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Do movies about dogs make you cry?  If you saw Marley & Me or My Dog Skip (two enthusiastic paws up for both!) and didn't shed a tear or two, then you're a better dog's best friend than I.  What is it about dogs?  Some of my tears this morning were actually for Finny, who I fear will be heartbroken and spend the next six months looking like he does every time his master leaves for even a couple of minutes.

Watching the door, waiting for his favorite human.

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I probably shouldn't be here today.  My heart is too heavy.

God has been so incredibly good to me, blessed me in more ways than I could ever deserve...yet I can't help feeling very sorry for myself.  I'm ashamed of admitting that, especially when I know how much heavier others' crosses are than mine.  I'm going to finish out this post in pictures, I think, rather than subject you to any more of my maudlin musings.

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I thought my table looked very pretty for Easter.  (That is, if you disregard the spots on the knives
in the foreground...and maybe line up the silverware a little better.  Martha Stewart I am not, I guess.)

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Some people have way too much self-control when it comes to chocolate bunnies,
and some people don't have any.
Take a guess whose bunny is still in the basket almost a week after Easter:
my husband's or mine?

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Please keep these three beautiful creatures in your prayers!

God bless you, Jen.  And God bless our troops, and all those brave Americans who put themselves in harm's way on our behalf.

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!