A Series of Unfortunate Events

Have you ever read the book series titled A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket? They’re children’s novels, and a bit sad, but I loved reading them growing up. Recently, I had the series title in my mind because I felt like a series of unfortunate events unfolded in my life.

It started with my brother having a cancer scare. My brother. Who is only a few years older than me. Cancer. I felt like those words just couldn’t go together. After some testing and a medical procedure, all is well, and he doesn’t have cancer.

My brother and his wife, Racquel.

A few weeks ago, my mom and I planned an little date together. We ended up at the Monroeville Mall. We were walking around Macy’s when my mom said she was super hungry, so we left around 4:30 PM to grab dinner together. Just a few hours later, there was a shooting that injured three people in that very store.

Lola also gave Jimmy and I quite the scare recently. I roasted a whole chicken for dinner one night, and we had packed the leftover meat from the chicken in Tupperware and placed it in our refrigerator. We left the roasting pan with the chicken carcass on our counter and left home to run a few errands. When we came back, Lola wasn’t barking as she usually does. We found her hiding in our closet looking a good ten pounds heavier than normal (which, when I think of it now, was pretty funny). She ate the whole chicken carcass off of our counter. All of the bones. Everything.

It was late at night, and our veterinarian’s office wasn’t open. I called an emergency vet and was informed that since Lola is a pretty big dog (about 68 pounds), she would be able to digest the bones she ate and was told to just keep an eye on her. I can’t even explain the range of emotions I went through in that ten minute time span of finding Lola/figuring out what she did/calling the vet. Whew. That incident made me feel like such a bad fur mom.

I also cut my thumb pretty badly in February. Jimmy and I were going through a few boxes of kitchen items to donate or keep, and I reached into a box and happened to slice my thumb on a food processor blade. I would post a picture… but I don’t think anyone really wants to see it. I’m so glad Jimmy was home because I took one look at my thumb and almost passed out. Thankfully, I didn’t need stitches (though a nurse at our church told me I really should have got them… oops). A few other adverse things have happened lately, including water flooding mine and Jimmy’s basement.

But you know what? I see all of those instances as a series of almost unfortunate events. My brother doesn’t have cancer. The shooting at the mall wasn’t fatal. Lola didn’t die… she just got a super tasty meal that almost gave me a heart attack. I didn’t need stitches. Nothing in our basement was damaged.

I see those unfortunate events as God looking out for me, my family, and others. I see situations that could have been much worse. I’m thankful for the way things are, and I’m thankful that scary/sad/hard things make me see how amazing God is in the midst of this crazy life.

20 comments

I am glad everything is okay with your brother, your dog, your thumb, and that you and your mom got out of Macy’s a few hours before that shooting. That is all really scary, but you’re right that God is looking out for you and the events weren’t unfortunate. *hugs*

Oh wow, how scary! God was definitely looking out for you and your family!

I would be a mess if Elmo did the same thing! My dog ate an entire bag of peanut M&Ms when I was younger. We were SO afraid he was going to die, but he was just hyper all night. I think there is something to unfortunate events. I believe they do happen to make sure you’re appreciating everything in your life and to just slow down a bit to embrace everything around you. I’m so glad you and your mom are okay!

Wow. That’s quite the series of events. You have such a great attitude about it though. God is good. No, scratch that – God is GREAT.

Goodness!! Talk about a streak of bad luck! Glad everyone is ok! I have a feeling this means some good things are coming your way 🙂

I’m so glad all is well, Ali.
Way to frame it and to trust. (0:

Wow, I’m so glad all is okay! Cancer is SO scary! And I understand all too well that panic when your pet eats something she or he shouldn’t have. Oreo is the worst about getting into food that he shouldn’t. He ate a whole pan of chocolate muffins once (CHOCOLATE!). And an entire loaf of unbaked bread that I had left out on the counter for it to rise. That one really scared me because I was afraid it would keep rising in his tummy. 😦 Thanks to Google I fed him ice cubes that supposedly killed the yeast in the bread dough he’d eaten. Either way it worked! He also ate 7 1/2 pounds of cornmeal mix once. All of those instances were in the first year we had him. Now we know him well enough to know to keep ALL food (or food like substances, haha) way out of his reach. 😉

Wow! You have quite a month! I am so happy everything worked out the way it did and that you and your family are okay. You’re right…these were all ‘almost’ incidents and it’s clear that you have a greater purpose that is keeping you safe and sound!

God has blessed you in so many ways Allie! He must have great plans for you (even more than He has already given you). I hope Lola feels better and your finger heals. I know how annoying cuts can be.

I’m truly glad everything is okay with you and your family. I cannot imagine how stressful and hard a cancer scare would be.

I am so glad your brother is doing well! And I can’t believe all that has been going on at the mall/other public places. Truly sad and crazy. You are a great dog mom! I wonder how tasty Lola’s meal was??? She looks like she’s feeling some regret in that photo! 😉

I’m glad everything is okay! What a series of scary events.

lucky stars shining over you dear girl. a friend of ours recently had a cancer scare too – they found a tumor but it wasn’t cancerous (thank the heavens!!) and lola? hopefully she enjoyed the meal – i would have been so, so worried about how the bones were affecting her stomach cheers to hoping things turn around a bit with the spring ❤