Yesterday was so beautiful! I got in the pool with the girls and while laying on the float I started thinking about my life. In high school I played softball (ALL THE TIME) and had several scholarship offers to different colleges. I had every intention on going to school to become a Trauma Nurse. Then my senior year Saturday Oct 14 1995, my daddy had a massive heart attack. He came home after a week in the hospital. Then a week later while I was at school, he was rushed to St. Josephs hospital where in one hour he was "shocked" 20 time. (He was shocked so much that he had burn marks on his chest and bald spots on his head) He was pronounced dead twice, though he lived. (I came home to find a "goodbye note" from daddy. I believe in his heart, he did not think he would see us here again. He told me in the letter how proud he was of me, how proud he was to be my daddy, to help mama out and take care of my little sister. Oh and to graduate in '96.) For a month he was on life support. We spent day after day at the hospital. The doctors gave him no hope. At first it was, "Mrs. Alexander your husband has maybe 20 minutes" (our preacher even left to prepare his funeral) Then it was, "He'll never leave this hospital without a new heart", and lastly "He has maybe 2 years to live." When my dad left the hospital, he had 20% of a working heart.
By the time I went back to school, I had missed well over a month. I was so far behind. Dad came home sometime around the end of November. We hit hard times. Mom was a stay at home mom, daddy was out of work now (and would never go back after this) and I was in 12th grade, my little sister in 6th. We had very little food and no money. Then one night there was a knock on the door. Two people we had never met were standing there. They told us they were from New Hope church and had seen the sheet on our house (my uncle spray painted a white bed sheet with the words "PLEASE PRAY FOR HOWARD, ST. JOSEPHS HOSPITAL", and hung it on the front of our house with a spot light) they had wanted to do something for us. They came in with what looked like a hundred bags of food and other needs. They were at the time our angels. God had blessed us in a time that we had never been in before!
Every day I would go to school, and check out because I was "sick". I got further behind but I didn't care. I was so scared of losing daddy, that I did not want to leave him. I was ready to quit school when my softball coach took me in her office and said, "Becky, you have come so far. You have 6 months left of school. Finish it, if not for yourself, for your mom and dad." I told her of my fears of being away during the day (thats when everything had happened and being at school brought back those terrible feelings) She suggested night school. I could go from 4:30 until 10:00. SO, thats what I did. I even finished school early (in March) and got a job working at the local "Country Store". My principle was so kind enough to let me participate in all the senior activities even though I was not supposed to. In June 1996 I wore my cap and gown and walked with my class. There sat my MAMA and DADDY cheering for me. (My sisters 6th grade graduation was that same day in the morning and we were all there cheering for her)
I decided against college. I just did not want to leave. So I continued to work and play ball. In March 1997 I met Brian. April 1 was our first date, May 1 he proposed and May 16 we got married. I never had patience! Haha. Kayley came along January 5, 2002, the day we buried my pawpaw.
Fast forward to the future, its July 16, 2008. Almost 13 years later my daddy is still here. There's been alot of times we thought we would lose him, alot of up's and down's, but God has blessed us. Before the heart attack, Sundays were another day. If we went to church ok if we were on a ballfield even better. After the heart attack Daddy did get a new heart, from the Lord. We were in church every Sunday. We lived for the Lord. He always said God was not finished with him, that He left him here for a reason and if it was to lead just one person to the Lord then it was worth it all. Well he has seen his 2 daughters, son-in-laws, and now his granddaughter get saved. In fact, daddy played apart in leading all of us to the Lord and he got to Baptize Kayley. (Daddy was called to preach in January 2001)
13 years ago I was determined to go to college and to help save peoples lives. But you know what, though my life is nothing like I thought it would be, its better than I ever dreamed it COULD BE. I thank God for my life, the way it turned out. My daddy's heart attack changed the track of all of our lives. I might have went to college, and never would have been at Charlies ball field that night I met Brian. Kayley wouldn't be here and most importantly, we very possibly may not have had the Lord in our lives.
I've never had a career, I've always been a "housewife". I homeschool Kayley and babysit part time. I am so thankful for my life and the way it has turned out. I feel I am more successful than I could have ever been. I am richer then I could have dreamed with my family, friends, and Salvation.
There is a REASON FOR EVERYTHING. Even through the trials and tribulations, the mountains and the valleys, God has a plan. And for me it was a BLESSING IN DISGUISE.
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