MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Tree of Life Draper, Utah

The Tree of Life in Nicaragua when we visited in 2012.  The year the Mayan Calendar ended. 

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

I hope you have all had an amazing Christmas weekend!  It's so great to spend time with family, friends and have a few days off to reconnect with loved ones and re-connect with our inner thoughts.  The family time, the love we share, the peace we seek and the memories we create are all wonderful things, but we cannot forget the reason for the season.  The reason for the season is to CELEBRATE the birth of our Savior Jesus!  The GIFT given to us from God.  

As I sit here and reflect 2016!  WOW!  I received another amazing gift!  A gift that is too good to be true and a gift that is way beyond me!  Way Beyond me! (click link to listen)This is a song that makes me think about this year!  I honestly still can't believe that it all happened as it did.  I can't believe I had a heart transplant?  It's really weird to think about it to be honest! I somehow think that I should be different, but I am the same person.  Which is a good thing, I guess or not???  hahaha!  That's why I really try not to think, I just keep going, keep busy!  Once again, back to my "Denial, not just a river in Egypt"!

We had a lot of Great moments and not so great moments in 2016.  The Miracle Boy got his Scuba Diving certificate, I received the gift of life with a new heart, my Rock can now be referred to as the Colonel received his promotion, my aunt and cousin from down under came up to visit us in November.  The sad note this year was that we lost The Colonel's uncle, he was battling cancer and is now at peace, I know that he was a great example to the Colonel, and was one of grandpa's best friends, it is very sad for those remaining.  We also lost our family dog "Lucky" also to cancer in December.  She was an amazing dog.  It's been a tough I have to admit.

As a family, we were planning on going to Africa, Egypt, Turkey etc. this December, unfortunately, those plans had to be cancelled since I can't leave the country for a year! On the brighter side, we can make plans to do it next year WOHOOO!  Hey, small price to be to be around for a long time, RIGHT?  I am all about counting my blessings!

As we were driving to my mom's house today, we reflected about CHRISTMAS being the only day most retail stores are closed, only to drive by Starbucks and realize that they are open??  WOW!  I do wish we weren't a society that was so caught up in being BUSY!  I am so guilty of that, but I wish I could step off and realize, it's OK to slow down and it's OK to be silent.  Someday, I will learn these things.  

It's ALMOST 4 months since my new heart.  At first, I was paying more attention to the things that really matter, as the date gets further and further,  I find myself back into the things that don't really matter.  I also find myself being a little more careless about hugging, germs etc.  Family matters, friends matter, time for self matters, listening to the intuition matters, and putting GOD first, matters.

I am not too funny today, a little more deep in thoughts.  Next time, with the NEW YEAR, I will be back to the funnies.  It's ok to be real sometimes.  

I love you and am so grateful that you are a part of my life!  I am so grateful to the prayers, the positive thoughts and the amazing support through the journey we call life.

Check out another fun song by Toby Mac.  Back seat Driver  (Click to listen)

Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones.  Keep Christmas in your heart ALL DAY and ALL YEAR!  One song for you that is a Christmas song.  Noel by Lauren Daigle (Click to listen)

Faith, Hope, Love!

Claire

What is your BASELINE!

Good Morning!

As we get a few snow flurries, I realize my love/hate relationship with snow!  I am not sure what it is for sure about snow, but I know how much I love that it makes everything look very pretty when it first comes down, and it seems to silence the chaos.  I would really enjoy it I think if I could just sit in front of a fire and drink hot tea and not move until the snow is all done.  On the other side, I know I have to drive in it and that is the part that makes me not love snow!  Right now however, it looks really pretty outside and I am going to allow myself to enjoy the moment.

We have officially kicked of the Christmas Season.  The trigger for me is an annual "girlfriend" Christmas party, followed by a Christmas Program at church.  My miracle boy was not in the program, but he was assisting in the sound booth!  That's totally what he loves to do!

My friends made me cry, tears of joy and overwhelming gratitude!  Having them in my life for over 26 years, it is pretty amazing!  We reminisced over our first Christmas get together at La Frontera.  Yours truly, yes that would be ME, went to 1300 EAST and of course the restaurant was 1300 WEST!  OY VE!  Memories with these ladies!  Never a dull moment!

My girlfriends decided we would make a contribution to help others out and rather than our usual gift exchange.  They decided since I had an exciting year this year, I should decide what organization we should donate to this year.  We decided instead of donating to  a big organized foundation, we would find someone who actually needs assistance, and make it personal.  We also decided that in 2017, each birthday the birthday girl would decide where we would be volunteering!  I am SO EXCITED to see what kind of good work we do in 2017!!  

Friday, I had my BASELINE tests.  This includes a right and left heart cath, a biopsy, an echo, an EKG, and blood work.  All in a mornings work.  They kept on telling me I would need a ride home.  I asked why?  They responded that I would need to be sedated!  NOT I, I SAID!  They listened and I did it all without sedation, thinking I would be done super fast and I could hurry out of there! HA!  NOT SO FAST!  You can drive wherever you want AFTER you lay still for two hours.........REALLY?  ME?  SIT STILL FOR TWO HOURS!  Why do they like to torture me like that?  HAHAHAHA!  I worked on my phone, until the battery died :(  Then I tried to get up and go, but I realized they had me hooked up to something! MY! MY!  The things they do to keep you there!  HAHAHA!  Praise the Lord, all results came out good and now we have a baseline from which to measure for years and years.

While I had my HERO doc there, I asked him about the call on August 27th at 5:00am.  I said, I was not fully awake when you called, did you say something about this heart was really supposed to go somewhere else?  He said, "it was really amazing how it all worked out for you to get this heart, with where you were on the list and how this geographically ended up working out was truly amazing"  I call it "BIG GOD"!  I call it, GOD'S AMAZING TIMING!  

As I have been out and about more and more around people, I have let my guard down a bit and getting back to my usual self.  I hope it's a good thing, and not a dangerous thing! I do know however, it feels good to be "normal" again.  Well, normal is over-rated!  I think I am wild, weird and extraordinary as all my friends are!  LOL!  Wouldn't have it any other way!

Faith, Hope, Love!  I hope you truly find the TRUE meaning of Christmas and don't get caught up in all the things that the media and AMAZON and all the stores want it to be!  I pray that you find the true meaning and appreciate PEACE and GRACE!

SO MUCH LOVE,  UNTIL NEXT TIME!

Claire