Dragon Boats / 5K

Dragon Boat Races, 5k fun run/walk and transplant team check ups, all part of our busy week . 

Last weekend our Daughter in Law Laura's Company came in 3rd place at the Dragon Boat competition .  The girls loved watching Laura compete in the race . 
This  weekend we participated in Brittany's Hope  5 k run/walk.  Brittany's Hope is a wonderful organization that helps to bring home special needs orphans.  Emilia is a Britts Kid , so every year we participate in the walk to help raise money for other orphans to be brought home .  This year she brought her best friend  Mayzie with her . She loved showing her to all the participants .  When someone would ask if they could pet  her dog, she would smile ear to ear  and show off her dog.  Mayzie has helped her in so many ways that we could never have imagined .  Mostly with helping her to come out of her shell . It's amazing what the love of a dog can do .

On Friday Teresa had her monthly visit to CHOP with the Transplant Team .  She had a fantastic check up . Her Echo looked great (well, great for Teresa ,no further signs of heart failure ) blood work and EKG also looked good .  Each month we are meeting a different member of the team .  This time we met the head of the transplant team.  He reassured us that Teresa was stable (at the moment) and should continue to be fine as long as she did not get any viruses . ( these could potentially damage her lungs more and could take her off the transplant list )  With Flu season coming and school and all kinds of new germs we are trying to be extra cautious to keep Teresa as healthy as possible .

School has been a big adjustment for Teresa.  It started out great with lots of excitement but that has quickly faded . She is having to get used  to not being the boss.   A concept that is very difficult for her .  She  can't understand  having to sit down and wait for everyone else  to figure out what day of the week it is and what the weather is outside .  She has already moved on to ... lets play , and that means dress up and houskeeping . Her 2 favorite things in the world to do .  We are also struggling with not being able to dress as a princess EVERY day for school .  She can't grasp why EVERY little girl in her class isn't dressing up as a princess too.  It is so funny listening to her talk about this .  She is one sassy mamma.  .  Friday after the Head of Transplant met her he said now he can see how she has made it this long . She has medically defied ALL odds of survival but her  iron will has carried her so far . 

Some people just go through their life planning for this or that and waiting for this to happen or that  but never fully living in the moment  .    Teresa embraces EVERY minute of every day . If she is not feeling well , is too tired or can't run and play , she simply finds something fun to do laying on the couch , making a fort out of blankets with Gemma or painting her fingernails for the one hundredth time . Always making the best out of the situation she is given . Yes, when she is not feeling well she can be quite the un happy princess.   But all we have to do is remind her that "Princesses" don't act like that and it snaps her right out of her unhappy state.

I read a quote from  Depak Chopra the other day -" The secret to a happy life is to recognize that no matter what the situation , there is a creative opportunity in it .  Also finding meaning and purpose in your life to make a contribution.  And ultimately the secret is to make other people happy. "

To make other people happy... When someone  in your life is taken away , you realize how much you miss them and needed them  .  But when someone is added to your life you realize how much you needed them all along and didn't even know what you were missing until they arrived.

For us this was Teresa. What an incredible gift she has been to us .  Stressful , anxious,  trying and at times very difficult but YES an incredible gift . One that I would not trade for anything .