What a Day

Lucy and I were out of the door at 7:00 this morning.  Ready to tackle the day.  Once we arrived at St. Jude, we got to start our day with the sticking of the needle.  I hate when they have to start an IV.  I really will never, ever miss the central line that ran to her heart via the whole in her chest, but I sure hate when Lu has to get an "ouchy."  She quickly recovered and we read what seemed like a million books until we were called back to prepare for her procedure.

Today we were greeted by a new-to-us nurse and a great new Anesthesiologist.  They waited on Lucy hand and foot and treated her like a princess.  After a little dose of Versed, all was well with the world.  These pictures are from our last surgery.  Nurse Jody is a nut, but he's definitely one of our favorites!  

 This is his best impersonation of a shark ninja.

  

What an answered prayer today ended up being!  Lucy woke up in Recovery in the best mood she has ever been in since our beginning at St. Jude.  Our usual nurses...oh, how I LOVE them....were amazed.  We all just went on and on about how awesome she did.  After we loaded up, we headed to Pei Wei (Lucy's favorite spot) to grab some honey chicken and gluten free spicy chicken.  She ate like a champ.  Then, as we drove past a Chick-fil-a she nearly jumped out of her seat wanting ice cream.  It really is as if she instantly felt better once the Mic-key button was removed. She has felt wonderful this afternoon and seems to be sleeping peacefully.  I don't understand it, but I am so very thankful.  

And speaking, of thankful.  Wow!!!!!  You guys ROCK!  Thanks to you all, the girls raised over $3700 for the St. Jude Trike a Thon!

I am just blown away by the support you guys offered.  I shouldn't be, though.  You people, the friends I have never met, have blessed our family in so many ways.  This outpouring of donations to St. Jude is just one more way that God has shown His mercies through this trial.  Thank you all again so much.  We are honored and humbled.  Although we have exceeded our goal, there is still time to make a tax deductible gift to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in honor of Lucy and Ella (the best big sister in the world.)  Just go to http://www.mytrikeathon.org/Ellalucy if you would like to donate.  

And speaking of the Trike a thon (horrible seguays I know), it almost didn't happen for us this year.  Today my mom called and we started talking about the trip we are taking next week during Spring Break.  It went something like this:

Mom: "What time do you want to leave Friday morning for the airport?"

Me: "Mom, we don't leave until Saturday."

Mom: "No, we leave Friday.  Go check your email."

Me: (hysterical) "But we can't leave Friday.  That's the Trike a Thon.  We can't miss it.  St. Jude is sending photographers and everything.  This is a huge deal." 

Ok, so you get the picture.  After I hung up with her, I ran inside and found the dreaded email.  In a series of errors, I had written down the wrong dates of our trip and unwittingly helped the school schedule the trike a thon for the day that we were set to leave for our trip.  Now, before I go any further I have to try to explain why this is such a big deal.  

Last year when the school planned the Trike a Thon we were in the heat of battle.  I was at a very low place in our journey and I was pretty convinced that the next trike a thon was going to be in memory, not in honor, of Lucy.  Those first few months were bad.  Really bad.  We had some dark, dark days.  I remember praying, asking God to allow Lucy to ride a bike again.  At this time she couldn't even sit up in the bed unassisted.  Much less even dream of riding a bike.  So this is a big deal to me.  It's a huge milestone.  It symbolizes a lot to me.  I don't know if anyone can truly understand it, because it is so personal.  I need this.  Lucy needs this.  It's a big deal. 

On the same note, this trip is a big deal.  I'm taking my girls back to Colorado with my parents.  Erik will be home with Jack and his parents and we are going to miss them like crazy!  But this is another one of those milestone trips.  Although Lucy is a long way away from skiing, she has specifically asked on more than one occasion to go back to see the snow.  Last year, she skied 1 month before she got sick.  It really is my last fun memory with her.  Allowing her and Ella to see the snow and mountains will be such a blessing.  

Long story short, tickets have been changed and we will be taking our trip (not before I gave myself a near migraine from crying so hard.)   

To us, it's the little things that matter now.  We have no extra capacity for anything meaningless in our lives.  We have to make every moment count.  Because if we have learned nothing else from the past year, its that we are guaranteed nothing in this life.  Tomorrow may never come.  Our priorities have totally shifted.  I've never been able to "let things go" before, but now I find myself walking away from the things that don't matter.  I can't be consumed with drama, worry or fear.  I have so many real problems to contend with that my energy is reserved of the things that matter.  And what matters most is God, my family and my great friends.  

Good night and thanks again!