Gratitude

Family. This is what it’s all about – to live, learn and grow with one another. It’s what we’re most thankful for. It’s our reason for being. And each day we have together is a gift to cherish.

We really enjoyed the past week with the girls home from school and Courtney home from the hospital – especially since she’s doing so well. It was great being able to spend so much time together. Like all ‘vacations’, we only wish it could have lasted longer.

Last week my Mom left on Tuesday, so I stayed home Wednesday to help Courtney with the kids. I was able to take them to see the movie Enchanted. I have to admit that I was a little apprehensive, but we all loved it. It would have been a lot better if Courtney could have gone with us, but she still has to be cautious about being in public places. Movie theaters don’t seem like the most sanitary places. Anyway, as much as my masculine side hates to admit it, I highly recommend the movie – just not when the Cowboys are playing.

Courtney’s sister, Susan, arrived on Thursday, just in time to go over to our friends’ home for Thanksgiving dinner. After everything we’ve gone through, and after everything they’ve done for us, it was especially meaningful to celebrate Thanksgiving with the Perkins. They are some of the many people that we could never possibly thank enough for what they’ve done to help us during such a difficult time in our lives. We are truly blessed to not only know them, but to be friends with them.

Friday was when the rest of Courtney’s family arrived: her mom and dad, her sister Tracy and two kids, Alex and Paige, from Italy, her sister Kelley (Susan’s twin) with Jimmy, and her brother Chris with his wife Leticia and their precious girls, Lindsay and Christiana. All in all, we had 18 people in our house for three days. With all of Courtney’s family here, we celebrated Thanksgiving again on Saturday. (Isn’t that why the holiday starts on Thursday – so we can celebrate it for four days?) More great food and great company. It was so much fun to hang out and enjoy everyone’s company. It was awesome seeing Courtney doing so well and in such high spirits. Again, you just want times like these to last for more than just a day or two.

The family picture was taken on Friday morning at our friend Becky Eastman’s home. She has her own studio and always does such a great job with our kids. It was the first time since before Aidan was born that we had our family picture professionally taken. Thank you, Becky, for squeezing us in during such a busy time and for doing such a wonderful job! I told you all that Courtney had a beautiful head!!

Today (Monday), Courtney went to the clinic with Tracy after having to say goodbye to Susan. (Goodbye's are always difficult these days.) Courtney and Tracy both had their blood drawn and both received a clean bill of health. Of course, Courtney’s “clean bill” was relative to her post-chemo condition. She’s still slightly anemic, so she finally got her million dollar Procrit injection. All I can say is it better do something. Oh, and thank you insurance company.

So, despite the crappiness of cancer, we really do have a lot to be thankful for: the love and support of friends and family, remission, a bone marrow match in Tracy, relatively good health, our faith that has helped us through this and our children, who lift our spirits more than anything else and give us something great to wake up to each and every day.