BMT Birthday

Remember this? Well it's been another year and Megan and I got to celebrate our BMT (bone marrow transplant) birthday for the 9th year yesterday. It seems crazy that it was that long ago. We have both come a long way since then. I was looking back at all the pictures that were taken around that scary time for my family and it just boggles my mind how young we all were! Crazy that I am still alive and fulfilling so many things in my life right now. We celebrated it this year by going up to Park City and bowling here. I highly suggest you go there if you have not. So much fun! I won for the first time in my life (seriously....sad) with a score of 101. My dad and Jake were having a bit of an off day. We have also started a tradition (9 years ago) where my parents give each of us kids an ornament to put on our own tree when we are older. Jake and I totally forgot to pick up an ornament at Disneyland (also tradition) while we were there so they picked one up for us.

I love my family so much and am so grateful for this time when we can all be together for the holidays. Grateful for Megan and for this experience that brought us close together. I'm also very grateful for the chance Heavenly Father gave me to continue my journey in life. Hope you all have been enjoying this holiday season and hope you ate a lot of good food because I sure did!

Here is another journal entry from my time in the hospital that I would like to share from my dad.
Nov 21, 2001 11:16pm
"On my way to the hospital on Tuesday I heard a radio add for a new book called the Angel of Eleventh Avenue. I thought it was just a new little Christmas "feel good" book that I might enjoy reading with Heather so I asked Ruth to pick me a copy. We started reading it together and I was surprised to find out that it was about Primary's Children Hospital and a little girl who is 12 years old being treated for leukemia in 1966. Many of the emotions of the last two weeks came flooding back as I sat with Heather in her bed and read to her. More than once she had to take the book and continue reading when I couldn't continue. She would say "That's alright dad, let me read for a while". It helped us both pass the time as we waited for her first chemo treatment to begin. After they got her started with the Cytoxan we finished up the chapter we were on so Heather could try and get some sleep. Before she went to bed I asked her if she would like a fathers blessing to help her through the night. I am so grateful for the Priesthood at times like this when I feel so powerless on my own. As the tears were flowing from both of us during the blessing, Heather put her arm around me and held me tight. So much for me being strong for her. I hear her breathing getting heavy now, she is resting well...thank you."