Amanda and the Hendersons

5 years. I just cannot believe that it's true. It doesn't seem possible. 5 years is such a long time...Its almost as though a few lifetimes have passed since that day. Can you remember what you were doing 5 years ago? I remember each moment....like they were yesterday. The day that Parklen received Paysen's life saving gift of marrow. Parklen has now lived as long after as he did before . Day zero  is the center point of his existence thus far. The thing that all of his pain led him to.... and the moment that has made every moment since possible. Life today isn't what I thought it might be back then. As we trudged forward toward the transplant....believing in faith that Parklen would make it to the other side..... No, life isn't exactly how I had imagined..... But the heartache that would have been without that day....cannot be measured. You kind of paint an unattainable image of how the years to come will look. When you’re faced with such an i

Life is full of seasons... Winter, spring, summer and fall... Childhood, teenage years and adulthood... and about a million others lived within those all.... I am in a season. A season that has placed me where I would rather not be. With the gift of four children, I expected some chaos...some exhaustion... I never imagined what my life has become. Exhausted. Tired. Insecure. Disorganized. I can honestly say that most moments that have happened since our latest sweetie was born, I remember close to none of them. Our baby cried. And not like a baby cries....but cried constantly. For at least 20 hours a day.....he cried.  Being the mother of Parklen, I was worried. I thought for sure he was sick or something terrible was happening....  The doctor assured me.... colic. He had colic. I don't know what you know about colic...but it was designed by the devil...to attack a mother and family while they are vulnerable... expecting the sweet sensation of a newborn baby

Wow. Its been a minute.... Today was a long day. All days recently are long days. On this particular day, Parklen and I find ourselves in the local hospital. He is getting his usual infusion in a very unusual way. Its been a Murphy's law type of day.. and that's all I am going to say. But as things around us are going wrong, and the list of troubles pile up one by one... This boy remains the same. He is so sweet. So kind. and so full of God's love. Being with him today has reminded me of a lot of things. Our past. The hard days, The good days. The scary days... The moments of fear, and joy. The hope we had, the hope we have... Parklen reminded me today of the road we've traveled. and, Parklen reminded me today of just how far grace can go.... Kindness. Smiles. They can make all of the difference. When things are going wrong, you can choose to let your attitude go right... and THAT....can make all the difference. B