Dave made a profound announcement last week that made me grateful, prayerful and joyful. He said, “We are able to have another Thanksgiving and Christmas together.”

One can only rejoice when thinking of the past year and where perseverance, determination and prayer have taken us. It’s been a year that has humbled us. It’s been a year that has brought us and those who we love to our knees. And, it’s been a year that has given us miracles beyond measure. 

As we approach this special season of thankfulness, prayerfulness and festiveness, looking back on this past year reminds us to keep looking ahead. 

We are thankful for the nurses and doctors who never once doubted our determination to make it to the holidays this year. I believe they all understood the grit we have and the “never say die” attitude. I know that might have made you wince, but it could not be more true. 

We have never hidden our faith and our belief in the power of prayer. If you said one prayer, or if you said 100 prayers, you proved your faith and the power it holds. When we crumbled in immense grief and succumbed to “thy will be done,” it only gave us the momentum to move forward and follow His direction. We continue to pray and place our faith in the One who guides us. 

Never short of celebrating the miracles we have experienced along this journey, we look to the coming month with anticipation. It’s an important one in so many ways. The clinical trial to heal his mouth sores will conclude Saturday. Thanksgiving will be a celebration for all that we are thankful. Being that Dave will be able to eat anything and everything is a bonus. His blood counts are still solid, and he is gaining the much needed weight and strength that were zapped from his body during this entire ordeal.  

We will also look to November 29 as a milestone – Day 100. But, December 7 will go down in history for a different reason. It will be Day 108 after the transplant, which is one day beyond our hopes of many more holidays together. Each day thereafter is truly a gift, including the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ on Christmas morning. Another gift. 

The festiveness of another Thanksgiving and Christmas together cannot be put into words. It is one of our greatest gifts that we have received. 

We celebrate all that was and look forward to all that will be.