Adjustments....

I logged onto the blog today to finally update because it has been so long since I have! I feel badly because so many people have emailed me and called me for updates and I have been so bad about doing that!

So moving on.... it has been quite a month of adjustments for all of us! Starting with David! He is doing great by the way! I am so proud of him and this new leash on life that he has taken by the hold. He is feeling good and has had no medical upsets since July. As a matter of fact as I type this I am sitting in the Stanford waiting room with him at his 6 month post transplant check up. He is still in San Diego going through the process of being retired from the military, and that is taking a long time. He is enjoying his time there and is passing the time catching up with his old ship mates. He is very anxious to get home though, and is looking forward to that day. He has really taken a hold of this new life with a new outlook, and we are so proud of him. He has started making some great goals for the future. He hopes to start college in January and he is just started some early training for the World Transplant Games. He really wants to compete in the 2011 games in Sweden! Thanks Joe for inspiring him!

As for the rest of us, it has been anything but easy to come back home and get back into the old routine. We love being together as a family again, but that did not come without some adjusting! Doug and I lived apart from each other for 8 months! That is a long time, so it has almost been like dating again, or early marriage days! Which has its good points and bad! The kids are loving me being home, and school started for them a couple of weeks ago. It has been hard for me to be home all alone after having a constant companion for the last 8 months, but in a lot of ways it has been good for me as well. I am finally starting to really grieve for all that we did lose, but at the same time use the quiet time for self reflection and appreciation for all that God has given us.

With all that being said, I have to say that the transplant was the easy part. It is the after that has been the hardest to deal with for all of us. I think we all expected to wake up on March 12th the day after transplant and just have life be totally normal. That has so not been the case, it has been hard for each one of us. Somedays it is just easier to smile and say everything is ok, then it is to really relay the truth. I just ask for constant prayers that the Lord will continue to protect and love our family.

Again, we are all so grateful for everything everyone has done for us, even if it wasn't ever said out loud, those of you who really know us, and really know our hearts know how appreciative we are of everything you have done for us.