My magnolia

We've lived in Kentucky for almost twelve years now. I've found that to be intriguing because both of my grandparents were from here. Well, southern Kentucky. Grew up in tobacco farming families. Once WWII ended, they moved up to Indiana to find work. Times were very hard. So that's where they lived and still (my grandmother) are. As loyal as I am to Indiana, my heart is in Kentucky. I grew up coming here to visit aunts and uncles and had always loved it. So I've felt I brought the family back home to it's roots:) When we moved here into our home, it was new. We were the first owners so that being said, there was nothing but clay and rock for a yard. Richard swears that he's dug up 3 tons of rock in the eleven years we've been here:) So we've done a great deal of planting, especially trees. One tree in particular is my Magnolia. My mother talked me into getting it. I had heard of a magnolia, had no idea it was a tree, just thought it was a flower. So I got it, and over the next three years or so it didn't do much. I planted it in the summer of 98, but in June of 2001 it did something magical. At least it was to me. I was pregnant with our fourth child, Katie, and had been to a checkup with the doctor. Richard was home watching our other three and when I got in he told me to come outside quick. He took me out to our magnolia and pointed. At the top of this tree, was a beautiful white bloom. At this point the tree was a good 8 ft. He pulled down the branch for me to smell the bloom and to me it was like smelling a piece of Heaven. That was the only bloom we had and didn't have another for the next two years or so. Then in 2003 the ice storm hit and it was devastating. Ice fell from the sky all night. The next morning I woke to find my tree had broken in half. The whole top portion of the tree, laid on the ground. I stood staring, heartbroken. That following spring though, I decided to fertilize it. Wouldn't you know it, that summer it had a fullness to it that it had never had and there were a couple of blooms on it. Again, more pieces of Heaven. Over the next five years I continued to fertilize it and sometimes I had blooms and sometimes not, but this past summer that tree was full of them. I think the Lord gave me a gift because He knew what was coming. Two weeks ago another big ice storm hit and again, the top portion of my tree broke off. When I woke on Wednesday morning and looked out and saw it, it took everything in me not to cry. I still have a hard time looking at it. That tree has grown with my children. I have other trees; pears, a maple, and a crape myrtle, but this tree has been through so much. Should I just go ahead and cut it down? Or should I give it a chance. I had thought it was a goner in 03, but it surprised me and grew to be even more beautiful and full. So I may just sit back, be patient and give it a chance to grow, become fuller and blossom with blooms. The Lord is patient with us when so many times we've fallen and broken in half. He's given us the chance to blossom and bloom, shouldn't I let a simple Magnolia do the same?