what a year- and it just started!!

I realized, today, that it has been so long since our last blog! So much has happened over the past 6 months that it is hard to even capture in a blog. Our lives have forever changed-

Brasen went on the transplant list in January, Brian was approved to be the donor after lots of tests, we were scheduled to go to OKC on the 29th to schedule Brian and Brasen's surgery but instead we got a phone call at 4:30 a.m. that day informing us that there was a potential match for Brasen and we needed to get to OKC immediately. After a long day and long night of waiting Brasen received his kidney transplant on the morning of the 30th of March and here we are- whew!- did you catch all of that?

So, now our lives look a little bit different- even through our own eyes. We have learned that within a matter of seconds things can change drastically- for the good or the not so good. One second we can be asleep and the next second we can be on our way to OKC emergency room with Brasen while our dear friend waits for a family member at our home to care for our other two kiddos. We take nothing for granted and we realize (even more so) that life is an incredible gift that we don't deserve but our savior so freely gives us.

We have a new appetite for life and health and we are on a mission to live the life that Christ has given us to the absolute fullest. We are thankful for each second we have with each other and with our family and friends- if you are reading this you are more than likely included in that statement!

Worship- which is something we have always been passionate about- also has a whole new meaning. The absolute Joy that our God gives us just can't be contained- our son lives because some stranger lost his life and chose to give the gift of life to others. WE live because a man, Jesus, chose to give his life in order to give life to US!!!! Isn't this crazy! Salvation comes to life when you look at this situation in this way. What an amazing thing our God has done in our lives and hopefully in the lives of countless others as they hear our families testimony.

We pray that God will use this situation for the good- and we know that he will. Would we have chosen this path for our son?- ABSOLUTELY NOT! However, we CHOOSE to look at it as a gift- a way to reach others in a way that we may have never been able to do before.

God is there- in our hurt, our pain, our sorrow and in our JOY- we choose to live in the JOY and to be grateful for the hurt, pain and sorrow because in the end- JOY comes in the morning Psalm 30:5. WE choose- you choose.

Here we go on an incredible journey and we are thankful that you are along for the ride with us!