Life Without Mom & Dad

Life Without Mom & Dad

   Losing my mom, first of all, was the most terrifying and difficult thing I've ever gone through. I not only lost my mom that night, but I lost my best friend, the person I could share my deepest most personal thoughts with.
   I dealt with extremely vivid nightmares for that entire first year. In those dreams I would be with my parents, but the me in the dreams would always know that one or the other would be gone by the end of the dream, or just reliving every detail of the night my mom passed away. It took a lot of prayer from both me and my friends and family for those dreams to stop, and they did for the most part. Occasionally I'll still have them.
    I wasn't on the best terms with my dad for a while before he passed away. He had suffered a stroke I think 7 years prior to his passing, and it was difficult for me to see him in the same way I saw him before he had the stroke. I'm sad and ashamed to say I was not a good daughter to him a lot of times after that, and if I had it all to do over again, I'd try to do a whole lot better. I think it took me a whole year before I could actually grieve his loss.
   These days, I sometimes think of all the moments my siblings were able to share with my parents that I never will. My parents were there for each of their weddings and to see most of their children. They won't be there for my wedding or the birth of my children, and that really makes me sad. I try not to dwell on it, though, because the Lord knows best. He says in His Word, the Bible, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. -2 Corinthians 12:9 (KJV) and He has proven that over and over again.
  God has blessed me with an amazing family who have always been there to help and support me. Sometimes that help and support was in the form of tough love, but everyone needs that sometimes.
  For anyone who has lost one or both of their parents, how did it make you feel? Please feel free to comment.

Introduction

   Let Me Introduce Myself

    Hey, everybody! I just started my very first blog. I'm not exactly sure what I'm doing yet, so I guess I'll just start with telling you a little bit about myself.
    My name is Lisa Neufeld and I am 26 years old. I am the youngest of 7 children: 4 sisters and 2 brothers. I also have 25 amazingly wonderful, lovable nieces and nephews; 12 nieces and 13 nephews, to be exact.
    I was born with a condition called Spina Bifida. Which is a congenital defect of the spine in which part of the spinal cord and its meninges are exposed through a gap in the backbone. It often causes paralysis of the lower limbs, and sometimes mental handicap (which I don't have). I also have hydrocephalus, also known as water on the brain, and when I was a few days old, I think, Surgeons had to insert a shunt into my head to guide the extra cerebral spinal fluid to my stomach. I had surgery to close the opening in my back when I was just a day old. Since then I've had several surgeries to help me get the best chance at life. :)
    My wonderful parents have both gone Home to be with the Lord a few years ago now. My mom passed away March 28th 2011 and my dad passed away August 12, 2013. Life has surely been difficult without their guidance, but I've learned to rely on the Lord more for everything. I've struggled with my faith as well since they've passed, mainly because of stupid decisions I've made that I thought I'd never make.
    Anyway, on with my story. I moved out on my own for the first time in December of last year. Again, it was a test of my faith, and God has been more than faithful, as always, with supplying all my needs.
    My hobbies/passions include listening to music, I do that all day, every day; and photography. I'll post pictures that I've taken as time goes on. I'm hoping to get more clients for my photography business, but it's slow going.
    Wow! I think that's all for now, so until next time, may the Lord be with you and bless you above and beyond what you ever thought possible.