A sudden enveloping reality

Good morning! Merry Christmas Eve. This week has been full of hustle and bustle. With three kids and a wife at home for the holidays it has been crazy around the house. Every time that I go from working quietly day after day in my quiet office at home to working amidst the chaos, I forget how much I love having everyone around. For Ainsley there is lots of cuddling. For Graham there is lots of tattling, for Sydney there is lots of asking me how to do some of the secret things on Mario Kart Wii, and for Lynley, well, there are lots of dirty looks as I quietly and happily sit on the couch tapping away at the keyboard. This, of course, happens as she tries to clean the house, make lunch, and watch three kiddos all at the same time. I have tried to explain to her that this is the gift of that nice cushy job she has with all of the vacation time. She doesn't appreciate that very much.

I have discovered that I am a bit under the weather. I have a stuffy nose and a pretty good headache. This is also complicated by whatever the side effect is that makes one sound ike Elmer Fudd. My timing certainly isn't very good but I am hopeful that it will only last a day or two. I would make a couple of cracks about Santa Claus but with my new eager beaver reader around the house I don't want to give anything away.

I bolted out of bed this morning with a singular realization in my head. I don't recall exactly where the sudden thought came from but it went through me like a shock. I felt like I did a little over five years ago - almost to the day. I felt that shallow breathing and the intense fear of the condition. It is as if I almost went back in time. I don't know exactly how to describe the sensation but it was almost as memorable as the actual event. I felt as though I was reliving the whole experience of transplant with Sydney when I suddenly realized we were five years from that date. I felt intense joy and relief. Although it was only 2:00 AM in the morning I felt I just had to go give her a kiss on the forehead and share that with her. I let her sleep but as I looked down on her I had never felt so warm an at peace. I realized I lucky we have thus far been. For me, it was a Christmas gift early.

Thank you.

Thank you for my purpose.