January was pretty tough. My dad, who lives in Granbury, about an hour southwest of us, was in a near-fatal car accident on the day after Christmas. He had to be taken by helicopter to JPS Hospital in Fort Worth and has undergone six major surgeries and remains in the hospital on a ventilator. If you're interested in monitoring his progress, I've been posting updates on Caring Bridge (
www.caringbridge.com/blakebarker) since the accident. It's been hard on my dad, obviously, but its also been a huge adjustment for our family as well. We certainly did not expect to spend a portion of every day for the past 36 days in the hospital, nevermind juggling child care for the kids, jobs and taking over dad's bills and other responsibilities. Many times in the past month I've wished there were 3 of me, rather than just one! But, we're managing. We're doing what we have to do, prioritizing and re-prioritizing, and trying to enjoy the moments that Aaron and I are together in the same room with all three of our kids. It's been a rough ride, and we're hoping that February proves much kinder. :)
January wasn't all bad, though. Amanda has been such a wonderful support, watching the kids at a moment's notice when I've had to drop everything and be at the hospital. And my mom is amazing. She's made us meals on several occasions and even came up last weekend for an impromptu visit, which was wonderful. We are blessed.
