Hey friends, what a whirlwind the past few weeks have been. Since returning home from Dallas it has been such a wonderful, time reuniting with friends and getting ready for Christmas and the celebrations that come with that time of the year.
Still enjoying my newly redecorated house and of course the beautiful Christmas decorations that were done by my dear friends from Ms Cayce's. I find myself just sitting and taking it all in over and over again and I see something new every time!
Dr. Carr has urged me to stay in as much as possible until the middle of January. With transplants the first three months are crucial and rejection is possible anytime. They described my immune system as being "infant" and I can get sick very easily. I had only been homes five days when I got a cold and that made a believer of me. I realized I am not invincible and must give myself time to recover. You would think I had learned that already but obviously I forget easily. I came back thinking I would have all the energy in the world and be able to take up where I left off and I learned very quickly my endurance is short and my limbs are weak. They say that it will take up to a year to build myself back again and as you know my patience is on a short fuse. I have done a lot of talking to myself lately and not expected so much and tried to listen to my body as it continues to heal itself. Definitely a lot of help from the Lord as I pray He will show me what I can and cannot do.
My days at home have been filled with getting ready for my kids to come home for Christmas. I have burnt up cyber space ordering gifts and as they come in getting them wrapped. Friends have been able to come in periodically and visit and that has been so fun. I so miss being around people and being able to see friends at work and at church. I must say the middle of January can't come soon enough.
Wes and I are so excited about our new grand babies that are coming soon. Melissia is due around the first week of January and we are so ready to welcome our Sebastian Outlaw into the family. Then in early March Weslee will be ready to have our new little Zela Lynn into the family and we will be holding babies all the time! WOOHOO! Then of course we continue to enjoy our Shiloh Celeste as we watch her grow and learn. What a joy it is to hear her sing about Jesus in her sweet voice. Grand babies are so fun!
This Christmas is so special. Seems when you have a year with leukemia and have a stem cell transplant you realize that you may not have been around for Christmas if someone had not shared part of their life with you. I so appreciate that young man and all the doctors and nurses who gave of themselves so that I could be here to celebrate the birth of our Savior.
I look so forward to having all of my family home and in one spot for a part of the holidays. We are so blessed to have such wonderful children and doubly blessed to be able to share with them this season. The smells of the holidays are sweeter, the lights brighter, the music more beautiful and of course the meaning of the holidays is deeper than ever before. As we read the Christmas story this year with the family, I know it will not be just words but a deeper promise for a sweeter walk with our Jesus this coming year. I look forward to a brighter 2012 and a chance to give back to all who gave to us this past year. I can never express how truly blessed we have been!
As I reflect back over the past year, I marvel at how far God has brought me and what He has taught me through this journey. Amazing-I am not who I was and He still isn't through.
As always God's word speaks to me and can say what I feel---"The Lord will do (has done) great things for me, and I will be filled with joy. I will sow in tears, then I will reap with songs of joy. If I go out weeping, Lord, carrying seed to sow, I will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with me." (Ps. 126:3, 5-6) I pray I have sown seeds along the way of this journey and others have seen Jesus along the way. I pray for joy to remain in my heart regardless of what lies ahead.
Beth Moore has prayed and I pray that as well-"Please help me be willing to sow the seed of Your Word and to water it with my tears, believing You, in the midst of my pain. If I do, You will be faithful to fill me with joy again. You will faithfully bring a harvest forth from my life. My suffering will not be in vain."
"You, the God of all grace, who called me to Your eternal glory in Christ will restore me and make me strong, firm, and steadfast after I have suffered a little while" (1 Pet. 5:10). Lord, I pray the suffering is over for a while and I can serve you with my whole heart.
Merry Christmas-enjoy every second of it!!!
God is good--------all the time
