Two year celebration

I wrote about the significance of December 14th last year, and specifics of that momentous day.  (UPDATE:  I have added pictures from her transplant day to that post).

December 14, 2010 - Ian donated part of his liver to save our baby girl.  Two years ago.  When I see 4-month-old babies now, they look so tiny and it blows my mind that she was that much of a baby when she required a life-saving organ.  How we managed to go through that with our heads still attached, I am not sure.  She really was a tiny baby, innocent, perfect.  She still is in my mind.  Although maybe not so innocent when she looks at me with a smirk and is getting into trouble.

While her transplant journey has been one full of ups and downs, it was absolutely the right decision for her, and the right time.  I thank God that I married someone so devoted to our family that he jumped at the opportunity to save our daughter.  He really did not even know how massive a surgery it was going to be for him until the day before surgery.  He just knew it would help Luca and went with it.  I love that man.

So to Ian, thank you for giving our girl two more beautiful years of growth, for giving me two more beautiful years of loving our girl.  I know in every ounce of me that she would not be where she is today, thriving, catching up, happy, if she had not been transplanted when she was.

Today, we are celebrating life. (Come back here on Monday to check out how we celebrated this weekend, with pictures).

And I will use this day as a reminder to you to sign up to be an organ donor. Go to your state's Donate Life website to specify your donation preferences.