Blessings and heartaches combine to make life

Miracles come at times in the quietest ways.

Many things have happened the past seven days that have left me laughing in awe and disbelief. And, at times, laughter might not be considered by our social conditioning to be the appropriate response.

But what I have learned the last two years, is that laughter is God's medicine.

And the little things that happen make a person think a moment isn't always random. They are placed before us to bear witness to God's or Creator's (or whatever name you choose to give that who is greater than us) work in our daily lives.

Last Friday, my best friend Trina's husband had an apparent heart attack and under went surgery on Sunday. Sam is home and well, and at 43 years of age, has had one heck of a wake-up call.

My other best friend's dear friend died Saturday after a long illness, and while that family still grieves the loss of Dottie, Dottie's best friend Alice, who due to a brain condition had (according to her doctors), permanently lost her sight, woke Tuesday morning with her sight restored.

Frannie's left to wonder if Dottie, once she arrived at her destination, didn't pull God aside and ask that for Alice.

And just when things started to smooth out, the phone rang again.

This was Trina again, laughing so hard I could barely understand her. Keep in mind, she and Sam just had one crazy weekend.

"Are you sitting down?" she asked.

"Yes," I replied, praying Sam hadn't gone back to the hospital.

"I'm a grandmother," she said through the laughter.

"What?"

"Sandra had a baby girl an hour ago."

"What?"

"Congratulations Great-Auntie," she said, still laughing.

About two months ago, Trina had called me to say she thought her daughter might be pregnant and was taking her to lunch to talk about it. The upshot is that Trina was told there was no pregnancy, that it was just weight gain and that everything was groovy.

Tuesday, Trina's work phone rang and she was told to come to the hospital because she was a grandmother.

Thankfully, Sam didn't have a relapse when he found out he was a grandpa, but we're all here, laughing and pinching ourselves and grateful this baby girl, who at this writing has yet to be named, has come into the world healthy and whole.

Grateful that we have been blessed by little miracles this week that were never anticipated.

"Welcome to my universe," Trina said. "I guess I need to plan a baby shower."

I'm left thinking, yet again, that life is such an amazing journey that we can't make up the really unbelievable parts of it. Those we have to wait for.

And when they arrive, sometimes all we can do is laugh, even if it's through our tears. And give thanks.

• Contact reporter Karel Ancona-Henry at kanconahenry@sierranevadamedia.com or 246-4000.