Reminiscing

I hope you do not mind all these random entries where my mind is in a different time.  I desperately try to stay in the present, but sometimes something happens and I have this desire in my entire being to go back and remember.  Two years ago today, I took this picture:

She was 9 days post-transplant.  I did not know it at the time, but the following day I would have to watch her be intubated in the middle of her hospital room - on Christmas Eve - and I can remember as they were doing it, saying out loud "well at least this isn't happening on Christmas morning."

Today, I got up and helped get Ian and Luca out the door.  We told her where she was going for the day - to her grandparents house.  She covered her mouth in surprise, and squealed.  Ian told her to say good-bye to mama so they could leave.  She ran over to me, arms wide open, smiling.  She gave me a hug, a quick peck on the lips, then turned around and ran to Ian to go to the car.  My eyes welled up as I told her to go have fun today.

Independence.  Joy.  Innocence.  

How did we get this far?  She is so resilient.  She has endured so much, yet rejoices in the simplest of things.  I look at that picture above, and can barely recognize her.  As I wrap presents today for children spending the holidays in the hospital, I cannot help but reminisce as to how far God has brought our family.  Sometimes it helps to look back at those dark days to realize how full of light our days are now.  And there is one very little person who gives us perspective and reminds us just how blessed we are.