Wow, we’ve had full days of blessings and encouragement! Thank you all for making this Christmas such a great time as a family, not only blood relatives but I mean our family across the nation and around the globe! Thank you for the overflowing generosity that has poured into our lives in so many ways! We were blown by the financial support in Noah’s benefit fund! We were humbled by the nation wide care package brought to us by our dear friends, the Goodmans! We were nourished by the wonderful meal from Whole Foods provided by Jason’s home church in South Dakota, Watertown Family Worship Center. We were flabbergasted and humbled by the gift of money they sent with Jason’s mom!!! We’ve been so encouraged by the visits and calls. Noah has gotten visits from so many kind hearted volunteers. There are the boys from fire station 8 up the street (see picture below), Ace Young and his family (see American Idol) came and serenaded Noah this afternoon (he was a patient here as a kid and has come to sing carols to kids for 9 years now…), many gifts from families that had kids here during the holidays at one time or another…the list goes on. One girl who had met Noah while he was in the PICU asked her family for money for Christmas and then brought it up and gave it to Jason for Noah! The carolers, the serving…this whole experience has been the true spirit of Christmas for me. It hasn’t given me the nasty taste in my mouth that I’ve had in previous years of consumerism and American over abundance. Instead, it’s been just right! I can’t remember if I’ve written it or not in a previous blog, but as contrary to circumstance as you can get, this has been the best Christmas celebration I personally have experienced in a lifetime…I am a very blessed woman. Thank you, thank you, thank you! I have the most amazing husband in the whole wide world, I love my two beautiful children deeper than I thought I was fathomable, the “family” I feel a part of is ever expanding, I am in awe of God’s love for not only me, but His unconditional love for the whole world like never before, I mean, I’ve believed in Him my whole life, celebrated the “birth of baby Jesus”, but it’s real, it’s good, it’s true…I know my purpose on this earth, wholeheartedly for the first time in my own existence and there’s not one part of it that has to do with me! I love it! Don’t get me wrong, my friend Nanc’ in MN always said, it’s not about you, so I got that, but I’ve just never been in more of a place of surrender than I am today, at 11:59 pm on Christmas night in Denver, Colorado. I want more than anything for life on earth without God’s physical presence to be over! I want Jesus to come and get us! I am over thinking that this world has anything to offer except good, temporary pleasure. I, along with all of you, was designed to live in the physical presence of God. Remember the Garden? That’s how it was supposed to be…that’s where I long to be because there there is no sadness, no hurting, no dying, no questions or insecurities…it’s total freedom, ultimate fulfillment, and the fullness of joy. I think everyone should want to go, too (not a new idea, Jesus had it first…) so…let’s get busy! I can’t wait to have the big reunion in the sky!