Happy Birthday!

Exodus 12:47
"The whole community...must celebrate it."

Today is Tammy's first birthday! Really! Even though she came into this world more than 50 years ago, it was one year ago today that she got life back. It was April 1, 2009, when she received a bone-marrow transplant. God blessed her with the gift of life through the selfless act of donation of a young man we don't even know.

Just like with a young child, there is a whole world out there ready for Tammy to explore. She's not too far away from returning to a normal lifestyle. We'll take it slow, and not just because her energy level is still not where it should be. We want her to enjoy the journey, like a toddler exploring the world outside her crib.

After a year with the primary goal being making it through the day, the next year for Tammy may include: meeting her donor, traveling more than an hour's drive, returning to work, and, of course, returning to church. There are so many things we used to take for granted.

We are looking forward to traveling to Poland next spring for David Lee's wedding. We also hope to return to the missions field sometime in the next year or so. In the meantime, Tammy is anxious to return to the Sunday morning classroom. She has taught little kids in Sunday School since she was one step removed from being a kid herself. And, of course, she wants to continue to get healthier.

Later this month, Tammy will go through her one-year evaluations. If everything turns out the way they want it, we might have the opportunity to meet her donor. We'll update the blog if that happens. We'll introduce you to our friend as we get to know him.

It's hard to believe that it's been a year. We have felt the prayer support of people around the world. We thank you for riding along with us. We hope that every day is a new beginning for you.