Day 316: Merry Christmas!

We're back! We flew in last Wednesday, but it feels like yesterday since we are still considerably jet lagged. Ian had his latest clinic last Friday with all labs still looking great. Best Christmas present we could ask for. He's also now graduated to monthly clinic appointments, which makes life a lot easier now that he is back at work full time especially. This weekend we plan to drive to Tahoe to buy a car and then up to Reno to celebrate the holidays with family. I'm glad there are 12 days of Christmas, because we just started decorating our tree tonight :) 

What a journey we've had these past few weeks! It's been a bit of a whirlwind, but a wonderful one well worth the moments of sanity stretching delirium. We've played on an island beach with dear friends and sipped fresh baby coconuts, we've taken an elephant trek through river and jungle, we've fed parrots and even baby tigers by hand. But the best part of our trip by far was just spending time with good friends who made us feel right at home while half way around the world.  Here are some pictures from our recent adventures: 

A little crazy but...

The girls and I are at the gate at San Francisco Airport waiting to board a flight to Bangkok, Thailand. We are going to visit a dear friend in the north who sent her husband to be Ian's caretaker for a month at the monastery, and get a little fun time away after a long, crazy year. I'm excited and a bit nervous, and already missing Ian after saying goodbye an hour ago...

Yesterday was our 9th anniversary and this year we were able to truly celebrate! 

So thankful...

Please pray Ian's health remains strong while we are away and that our trip goes smooth. 

Thank you!!!

Day 292: Thanksgiving

Last year, Ian took Thanksgiving week off for a family road trip for the holidays. He was scheduled to go back to work the Monday after Thanksgiving. He never did. Tomorrow, the Monday after Thanksgiving, Ian is returning back to work.  His "doctor's note" (required by the company for his return) officially declares he has made a full recovery. Needless to say, we are very thankful!

On a sad note, our car was destroyed in a five-car-pile-up on a Los Angeles freeway yesterday. At impact, there was a semi truck on the right and no shoulder on the left due to construction. Our family walked away without a scratch.

 

Although we are a bit shook up and sad to say goodbye to our beloved family car, we are thankful there were no obvious injuries and that we made it through alive(!) We are also thankful that Ian works  close to home and can ride his bike to the office now that we have no car.

I confess, the kids and I are a little sad that we won't have Ian around as much anymore...

But I am super thankful that he still has a full-time position to return to, and that he enjoys his work. The people at Riverbed have been AMAZING, over-the-top, extravagantly supportive throughout this entire ordeal and I cannot express how much they have cared for us. For this we are incredibly thankful.

And so we will begin a new season tomorrow, off of quarantine and returning more to life as it was before leukemia took us for a spin.  Since returning to work full time will take a lot of energy for Ian, we will be slowly making our way back into social life and not jumping in all at once.

Thank you so much for all of your prayers and support this past year!