Why this was the best Birthday

I am sitting beside Mallory and Jess on my birthday in this quiet, dimly lit, thankfully uneventful ICU room. Although I have learned a lot in 32 years …I think that I have learned more about myself, my family, my friends, and my faith in the last 17 days than at any other point in my life. There is one thing that I have learned that I wanted to share with you.

I have learned to be grateful. 

Grateful that God gives us all gifts and those here at Egleston and Children's have the gift of compassion and an amazing understanding of the heart and medicine. I have also learned that no matter what your job is, your attitude and outlook on life affects others more than you think. For that I am also grateful.

I am truly grateful to have gone through this experience with Jess and Madison and our families. I have learned more about love in the past 17 days than in my entire life beforehand.

I have also learned to rely on God to see me through anything – this is something that I’ve known to be important, but never understood until now. For that, I am grateful.

I am grateful that even in these difficult times there is joy to be found. It is the decision to focus on the positive aspects of our existence and to be content with our circumstances that allows us to see beauty in things we normally take for granted.

I am thankful that I have learned that gratitude should be a habit.

These are not the circumstances I would want for anyone to be in …but being forced to be a strong, unified front has brought Jess and I incredibly closer to each other. For that I am so very grateful.

I am grateful that I have realized that I cannot always fix the problem but I can be there through it.

I'm grateful I have been able to see just how much good there is in life, no matter who you are. Finding good is possible, if you’re willing to look hard enough and …look at the obvious. These are the things that you should be the most grateful for!

I am grateful that I now realize you never know what kind battle someone is fighting so be kind to everyone.

I’m grateful that I have learned that being vulnerable is actually a sign of strength,

I’m grateful that I have everything I need – food, clothes, shelter…

I’m grateful that there are people who care about me, and some I’ve never met, that are thinking and praying for Mallory and my family.

Most importantly I am grateful that God has a plan. A plan I do not know or understand. But he is in control which gives us all a sense that everything will be alright.