As you can tell it's been a pretty uneventful week for us. Bill did have to have a blood test yesterday as his Prograf level was low. They added an extra pill and it's still low, even lower than it was, but Dr. Yip wants to keep things the way they are right now and they will check it at his biopsy. The only other thing we had changed was when he took his meds. We had been told that the Prograf and Cellcept should be taken on an empty stomach, but others weren't told that so I asked Stephanie and she said it didn't matter. We started taking them with the other meds after he ate. So, we're going to go back to taking them before he eats and then 2 hours after dinner and see what happens.

I'm really excited today, not because it's Thanksgiving and we have so much to be thankful for, but because my sister is coming to visit! She'll be here this afternoon. This is the first time that anyone on my side of the family has been able to come since the transplant, except for my daughter and her husband who got here jsut after the surgery. We haven't been together since August of 2011.

Since it is Thanksgiving and we have so much to be thankful for, I wanted to share a portion of one of my daily devotions. This one really hit home. It's from the book Jesus Calling and if any of you are also reading it, it is the devotion for November 12. It sums up my life for the past few years in just a couple of sentences.

"This is a time of abundance in your life. Your cup runneth over with blessings. After plodding uphill for many weeks, you are now traipsing through lush meadows drenched in warm sunshine. I want you to enjoy to the full this time of ease and refreshment. I delight in providing it for you. Sometimes My children hesitate to receive My good gifts with open hands. Feelings of false guilt creep in, telling them they don't deserve to be so richly blessed. This is nonsense-thinking, because no one deserves anything from Me. My kingdom is not about earning and deserving, it's about believing and receiving..."

While this recovery time may not be a time of complete ease, the stress of the past 6 months is over. I have learned so much during this time, about myselft and about God's comfort. I've also met some wonderful people just when I needed them, whether I knew it at the time or not. So, yes I'm extremely thankful...for Bill's life, for everyone who has seen us through this, and especially for Bill's donor. While this is joyous Thanksgiving for us, it is most likely a sad one for this family. We haven't been given the information for us to write to them yet. I only hope they have been comforted just knowing that they were able to help others through their tragedy.

I'm also reminded this morning of the words to a hymn..."I  know not what the future holds, but I know who holds the future, it's a secret known only to Him."

Enjoy your Thanksgiving, however you are celebrating. But remember to give thanks, even for the little blessings, like finding a parking space!