+1,460
It has been 1,460 days since Parklen's transplant.
Four YEARS.
I lose my breath when I think about that.
It has been four years since my Parklen was dying....
since we prayed that God would spare his life....
Four years.
That day is fresh in my mind....and I believe that it always will be.
I remember the sights,
the smells,
the sounds
and the feelings as if they were happening today...right in front of me now....
That day is burned into my memory.
Always and forever.
Where have we been in the four years since that day?
We've traveled many mountain highs,
and gotten reacquainted with the valleys.
We've watched miracles happen,
and hardship return.
But through it all....
We have remained safely in the hands of God.
The creator,
Our creator...
He has held tightly to us as our life ship has sailed through the waves...and rested calmly on still seas.
In four years we have watched Parklen change from a dying boy, to a survivor.
We have watched as his story has changed the lives of many...
his story that is far from completion.
Parklen has a gift with words, and a gift with perspective.
He is happy to be here.
Happy with opportunities that come his way.
He doesn't waste his energy...
He is in school for a couple of hours a day...
his class voted him onto the student council, which upon learning of this....brought tears to his little eyes.
He played baseball this summer,
He has friends and confidence....
but...
He still has hard days.
Quite a few, really.
He struggles to make it through just a couple hours of school....
He falls asleep often on our drive home...
He wakes up feeling tired and run down...
He never wants to miss school, but has to often.
His neck shows signs of lymph nodes that grow and shrink, (reminiscent of his disease)
He travels to Denver every 4 weeks for a check up and long infusion...
He takes daily meds,
He has bad dreams....
He tries not to remember where he used to be.
His fight is not over,
our fight is not over.
He has won many battles...but the war goes on.
Paysen has grown so much since the day he donated his marrow.
He is no longer a small freckled face boy...
He is taller and more mature....
But when I look at him, I still see him that way.
My little hero.
My brave little boy who takes on the stress of the world....
He gets more now,
understands more about his brother....
He is starting to comprehend the weight of the gift he provided Parklen.
He worries about him in different ways now...
Devan is done with school and working in his chosen career.
He has a normal schedule that includes dinner with us each night and breakfast in the mornings...
He is no longer burdened with the stress of achieving a masters degree...
He's made it.
Phin is no longer the tiny baby that we all hold and pass around...
She is a pixie still for sure...
But she has grown into a little girl that is full of life...
She still remains our shining light...
I think she will always be that.
She came when we needed her most and she continues to brighten all of our days.
Our new baby...
not yet born,
but changing us already.
We look forward to meeting him and kissing his face..
introducing him to his super siblings...
helping him to find his place in our incredible story....
and me,
I'm not the same woman that I was four years ago.
I have grown more tired.....weary.
I have changed for sure.
Ive grown more lonely as the time has passed.
Beaten by the waves of our surrounding seas...
I have, however, remained the same in my faith.
Believing that God is writing an incredible story for His glory...
That me, that our family...that Parklen are playing an important part in that story.
That all of the pain from days passed and the pain that continues today is for something.
For His something.
That no matter how bad I might hurt some days...
no matter how hard things might be for Parklen now and then....
The struggle is worth it.
It has to be.
Four years.
1,460 days.
35,040 hours.
2,102,400 minutes.
A lifetime.
A moment ago.
Celebrating the victories that our family has lived.
The miracles,
the blessings.
Being thankful for who Parklen is today...
Four YEARS.
I lose my breath when I think about that.
since we prayed that God would spare his life....
Four years.
That day is fresh in my mind....and I believe that it always will be.
I remember the sights,
the smells,
the sounds
and the feelings as if they were happening today...right in front of me now....
That day is burned into my memory.
Always and forever.
Where have we been in the four years since that day?
We've traveled many mountain highs,
and gotten reacquainted with the valleys.
We've watched miracles happen,
and hardship return.
But through it all....
We have remained safely in the hands of God.
The creator,
Our creator...
He has held tightly to us as our life ship has sailed through the waves...and rested calmly on still seas.
In four years we have watched Parklen change from a dying boy, to a survivor.
We have watched as his story has changed the lives of many...
his story that is far from completion.
Parklen has a gift with words, and a gift with perspective.
He is happy to be here.
Happy with opportunities that come his way.
He doesn't waste his energy...
He is in school for a couple of hours a day...
his class voted him onto the student council, which upon learning of this....brought tears to his little eyes.
He played baseball this summer,
He has friends and confidence....
but...
He still has hard days.
Quite a few, really.
He struggles to make it through just a couple hours of school....
He falls asleep often on our drive home...
He wakes up feeling tired and run down...
He never wants to miss school, but has to often.
His neck shows signs of lymph nodes that grow and shrink, (reminiscent of his disease)
He takes daily meds,
He has bad dreams....
He tries not to remember where he used to be.
His fight is not over,
our fight is not over.
He has won many battles...but the war goes on.
Paysen has grown so much since the day he donated his marrow.
He is no longer a small freckled face boy...
He is taller and more mature....
But when I look at him, I still see him that way.
My little hero.
My brave little boy who takes on the stress of the world....
He gets more now,
understands more about his brother....
He is starting to comprehend the weight of the gift he provided Parklen.
He worries about him in different ways now...
Devan is done with school and working in his chosen career.
He has a normal schedule that includes dinner with us each night and breakfast in the mornings...
He is no longer burdened with the stress of achieving a masters degree...
He's made it.
She is a pixie still for sure...
But she has grown into a little girl that is full of life...
She still remains our shining light...
I think she will always be that.
She came when we needed her most and she continues to brighten all of our days.
Our new baby...
not yet born,
but changing us already.
We look forward to meeting him and kissing his face..
introducing him to his super siblings...
helping him to find his place in our incredible story....
and me,
I'm not the same woman that I was four years ago.
I have grown more tired.....weary.
I have changed for sure.
Ive grown more lonely as the time has passed.
Beaten by the waves of our surrounding seas...
I have, however, remained the same in my faith.
Believing that God is writing an incredible story for His glory...
That me, that our family...that Parklen are playing an important part in that story.
That all of the pain from days passed and the pain that continues today is for something.
For His something.
That no matter how bad I might hurt some days...
no matter how hard things might be for Parklen now and then....
The struggle is worth it.
It has to be.
1,460 days.
35,040 hours.
2,102,400 minutes.
A lifetime.
A moment ago.
Celebrating the victories that our family has lived.
The miracles,
the blessings.
Being thankful for who Parklen is today...
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