What is hope and what do you hope for?

For a long time after we learned that our daughter would struggle with severe mental and physical handicaps, I thought a lot about hope and wondered what it was. Sometimes I felt discouraged and sometimes I felt sad. But most of the time, I felt exhausted. There wasn't a day or even an hour that went by that I didn't think about her struggles. What will her future be like? How will we take care of her as adult? Will she learn to walk or talk? Will her peers accept her or will they make fun of her? How will we provide for her when retire? What will happen to her if we die first? I read the passages Matthew 11 28-30 countless times "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart and ye shall find rest in your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." I read these verses over and over again and thought "That's me! I am heavy laden! In fact, this is too much for me! Please, take it away! How do I give it to You?" It took me a long time understand the answer. I began to flesh out my own definition of hope. When I do my best to keep the commandments and to live the gospel of Jesus Christ, things are easier. I laugh more than I cry. I see more blessings than hardships. I can reach out to other mothers who were facing similar trials instead of avoiding them because I don't want to feel their sadness. The hour it takes to feed my daughter feels easy whereas before it seemed endless. I am able to handle one day at a time, and that is all the Lord asks of me for now. Faith is what yokes me to Jesus Christ but hope is when I feel Him pulling with me. It is when my burden is lightened. And when I falter and become discouraged, I know that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, I can repent. The Lord is always waiting for me, willing to forgive and strengthen me.