ONE YEAR!

One whole year and I'm still here. Ha HA take THAT diablo! Yeeeeeeee!

Yesterday was my one year anniversary of my double lung transplant!  I know, I didn't write anything, I am a bad blogger.  Not to say I wasn't thankful, I am, I was just so busy...

THIS YEAR HAS BEEN CRAZY AWESOME!!  It definitely goes down in the books as one of the best years of my life, and that is saying a lot because I have had some pretty great years.  It is weird to think it has only been a year in a sense because it seems like a distant lifetime ago that I was sick.

They say it takes a village to raise a child.  Literally though it really does take close to a village to give someone a lung transplant.  From my great CF doctor, the CF team, the surgeon, the transplant coordinator, the anesthesiologist, the nurses, respiratory therapists, physical therapists the transplant doctors and I'm sure a bunch of other very important people that are slipping my mind at the moment.  It really restored my view of the human race as a whole, and made me realize that there is some good left in this crazy world of ours.
I am eternally grateful.

Yesterday my dad brought up to remember the donor's family and that a year ago they lost a loved one.  It was a somber moment, remembering my donor.
I am eternally grateful.

We had a little celebration last night at our house.  I had so much fun.  Most of my good friends were there and I just had a blast.  I get by with a little help from my friends (Actually A LOT of help) and the close friends that I have are more important to me than ever before.  I'm a lucky girl with really great friends.
I am eternally grateful.

And . . . last but not least :  Abba Father God.  I am thankful for this life he has entrusted me with... I am unworthy of it, but am so glad he sustains me and lets me live.  Not only has he let me live, it has been a year of enjoyment and blessing, fun and partying.
I am eternally grateful.

- - - - - - 

In other news . . .  

Seth and I have decided to pursue adoption!  We are very excited about this.  We are slowly working our way to getting licensed through the county.

We both totally have a heart for adoption and it has been an idea we have thrown back and forth since we first got married almost ten years ago.  There are so many kids that need a loving and caring home.  We believe adoption is biblical and not only will the child benefit from it, we will too.  

Weeeeell, things were moving along slowly/normal ... we still have a ton of stuff to do before we are anywhere near being licensed.  But wanna hear something cool?  Yesterday on my one year lung anniversary I got a voicemail on my cell phone.  It was about the possible placement of a two year old little boy!  (Which is exactly the age range/gender we are hoping for)  She said she wanted to expedite the process.  I don't know how much I am allowed to say on here, but eeeeeeeeeeeee!  

We don't know for sure if this little guy will be ours yet or not, but we do get to meet him soon and he may even get to stay with us as early as January depending on how things go.  

I just wanted to let you know so you could be praying!  Like I said... nothing is for sure but it is a possibility that we could be adopting very, very soon.

I think God has fun blowing my mind.

Mike & Rachel

A couple of weeks ago we had our family from Ireland come for a visit.  Seth's sister, her husband and their boy.  We only get to see them once a year at best... and we are always thankful they make the trip to come and see us.

Mike (our brother-in-law) is the pastor of a Calvary Chapel in Cork.  He taught at our church while he was here.  It was pretty rad - here is the link if you want to check it out.

http://ccmv.org/

Me

Lately I feel like I am rediscovering who I am.  That sounds cheesy, but I don't know how else to put it.  I think we all do it from time to time without even realizing it.  A few days ago I was listening to some blues music that I used to listen to when I was a child.  I realized that I still liked it and have similar taste in music to my seven-year-old self.  I made mention of this to Seth and he said something along the lines of we are still the same person we once were we just build upon and add tastes.  Am I that same person I was as a child?  Where memories blend with dreams and everything is kind of clouded over?
I didn't think so.  Two years ago I would tell you how absolutely different I was from how I was when I was young.  All of the pressures and struggles - I was definitely an adult.
Hmmm.  If we stripped all that away and had the luxury of being carefree I think we are more like the past versions of our miniature selves than we realize.  I feel like I was one sort of person as a teenager and then the last couple of years, someone else.  This has been such a significant year, and now I am recognizing old characteristics that I thought were things of the past.  It's like going back in time except without erasing the future.

And I am starting to feel more like myself now than ever before.