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1949-2000!

1949. Being on the other side (well, almost anyway) of a trial
1950. Friends, family & even strangers - sacrificially loving and blessing our family in our time of need
1951. Not having to cook for almost a month
1952. My mom "just so happened" to live in Maine when I got my hip replaced
1953. Recognizing that every moment with my family is a gift - especially after coming closer to losing those moments (at least here on earth) than I expected to
1954. The ability to walk
1955. Extra love & attention poured upon Teal (both by those who babysat him recently & by his mama)- our fourth little guy got to be like our first little guy for a few weeks
1956. Time to work on our website
1957. Missing my family
1958. Quiet days
1959. Returning to the norm - Loud days :)
1960. People who donate their blood
1961. Doctors who save lives
1962. Picking up Avonlea
1963. Three weeks worth of help with our children...and it all coming together so smoothly
1964. Ugly/Beautiful - allergic reactions to tape...I'm not sure what the beautiful is/was - but ALL is grace
1965. Ugly/Beautiful - low blood pressure = no pain medicine after major surgery...again, I can't see the beauty - but HE does
1966. A calm, confident, Christian nurse who so patiently worked with me during my roughest hours
1967. Home health care
1968. Insurance
1969. Ugly/beautiful - deductibles
1970. My mom's cabin
1971. A friend of my moms de-tangling my hair
1972. Concerned phone calls & emails
1973. Snail mail
1974. Flowers that last forever - thanks GiGi :)
1975. My dad encouraging me to get this surgery
1976. Being able to get in my vehicle without using my hands to pick up my leg (for the first time in years)
1977. Medical equipment (walkers, crutches, canes, grabbers etc...)
1978. Attaching Teal's car seat to a walker so I could push him around mom's house
1979. A kind, sweet, perfectionist surgeon
1980. A comfortable chair - and a friend so close that I could ask her to borrow it (right out of her living room)
1981. Being able to nurse Teal through it all
1982. The ability to drive
1983. Middle of the night oxycodone visions...and my mom's expression when I told her that my future self was trying to communicate through my rash
1984. My own fridge
1985. A smooth transition back into family life
1986. My sister's visit and her help (even though she wasn't feeling so good herself)
1987. Cousins
1988. Ugly/beautiful - cousins fighting
1989. Boys climbing walls - literally
1990. Avonlea's language development - Bwake, Teawy, Cowe, Dolly (dowwy) - putting words together & imitating everything she hears
1991. Snuggle bugs - Avi & Cole
1992. Flip flops - all 10 pairs that Matt brought home for the boys...and the fact that somehow they still can't find a match when its time to go
1993. The kids playing outside
1994. Putting toys away - and realizing/remembering that less truly is more
1995. Two sweet helpers coming out of the blue to help me get a bit more organized
1996. Ugly/beautiful - unwanted goodbyes/a God who comforts & proctects
1997. Two beautiful baby boys - neither of which I've been able to meet yet, but hopefully will soon.
1998. Our first vegetable garden, Blake - a green thumb, who knew?
1999. Eating our own lettuce
2000. TWO THOUSAND BLESSINGS - and thousands upon thousands of those left uncounted!

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