Day of Celebration and Thanks

* I intended to finish and post this yesterday 12/12/06, but I did not see my computer at all, so here it is one day late*

You are officially invited to share in the joy of this day with me!!!

Today is a great day. Today I celebrate life, specifically my life. I celebrate modern medicine. I celebrate waking up in my own bed. Today I celebrate the changes this year has brought me. New friends, wonderful memories, and a beautiful new child.

Today is an anniversary for me. God saved my life one year ago today. One year ago I awoke in a bed in Mercy hospital. Many of you will know this story, so I will try not to drag it out.

Last year I got very sick, thought it was a stomach virus, had intense pain and was convinced by family and friends to go to the ER. I ended up having emergency surgery for an ectopic pregnancy. I had lost the baby, and also ended up losing my right fallopian tube. I had to be given two pints of blood in the morning when I came to. It was a scary night, and the worst was that Justin was flying home from London, where he had been visiting his brother Brian at Oxford.

But now a year later I am so grateful for my life and everything that night brought to me. While I was so sad to lose that baby, all I have to do is look in the other room, at beautiful Caleb, and realize that without this loss I could not have had him.

So this post is to celebrate my life, this event, and all those that while difficult shape us into who we are. But it is also to thank those people who brought me through that day. (Not that most of you will probably ever read this blog...)

Thank you to:
Betsy: For trying to take care of Elizabeth, even when she wouldn't let you.

Kyle and Krista: For entertaining my child all through the day and staying the night with her when I couldn't. For encouraging me to go to the hospital and then being my ride. I could not have made it without you.

Sarah: For coming to the hospital in the middle of the night, to pray with me and hold my hand before I went in to surgery. And then staying around so someone would be there when I woke up. And finally after that long night for going to my house and taking Elizabeth all day and bringing her up to see me, so she would know I was okay.

Mom: Thanks for hoping on a plane the first moment you could and coming to take care of us. We couldn't have survived that week without you. And thanks for the talk on the couch, where I could cry and mourn and not be alone. I love you.

Allison: For being my first visitor at the hospital, watching The View with me, and then taking me in as your friend from that moment on.

Tim & Cathy: For all the long distance phone calls trying to reach Justin, and getting him the news. For the flowers and prayers.

Justin: For praying constantly on the flight on the way home, and for calling me as soon as you landed. For cleaning up the disaster that had become our house. And for spending almost my entire hospital stay with me, even though you were in the midst of finals.

Renee': For words that you said years ago that brought me strength and comfort in a time of deep grief. I clung to those words then, and see the truth of them now.

For all of you who prayed for me. I love you all. Thanks for making my life what it is.