I’d like start off by wishing Sarah a very happy 13th Bone Marrow Transplant Anniversary. (Jan. 10.) It’s really hard for me to believe it’s been that long!
Yesterday she posted this photo and caption on Facebook:
Thanking God today that I have lived to see my beautiful nephew and niece when I wasn’t supposed to live to see the first grade
If you would like to read about her transplant in more detail, you can read a post which I wrote on her tenth transplant anniversary here. Another piece talks a little more about her diagnosis and is one of my more vulnerable posts. it is called Ten
Here are the rest of our Family Christmas photos. There are captions underneath some of them.
(Click on any photo in the group that you want to view larger or click on the first one and scroll through them all using the arrows.)
So happy Sarah is doing so well.Thank God! Love the pictures, especially the convertible one!
Michele,
Yes, that picture makes me smile, too. 🙂
So glad to celebrate Sarah’s anniversary. Wow, I’ve been following the Smiths for a loooong time. And I continue to be inspired by you all!
So, does Noah wear athletic shorts as much as his daddy?!
My husband and I are fairly new grandparents. I laugh at how much my husband has totally turned into a grandpa. I see the same in the photos of Steve!
Love all the photos!!!
Wishing you all a happy HEALTHY 2016!
Ann O.,
No, Nathan is the major athletic shorts wear-er in the family. It always kills me that he wears them in the NC in the winter!
And yes, I agree that it is great fun to watch the first time a husband turn into a grandpa. Such a sweet process.
Enjoyed the pictures. So thankful for Sarah’s “bonus” years. God is awesome!!!! Glad we have been a part of the group since the transplant. We have truly been blessed. Love Nathan’s “fun” pictures and the one of Steve and Noah in the little car.
Ann,
I loved seeing Noah in the convertible. His eyes were huge when the top went down!
Glad you and Jim have been on the journey with us all these years. Thank you!
Happy 13th Birthday Sarah! What a beautiful life you share with us. We are so grateful to all of the Smiths for having us on the journey!
Courtney,
Truly hard for me to believe it’s been that long. You have been a special part of our story and your caring, compassionate heart has blessed me many times.
Congratulations to Sarah! And what a wonderful photo of her holding Madison and positively glowing with health and happiness!
All the photos are so wonderful. I think my favorite is the one of two cool guys in a sports car convertible…complete with pacifier. Also loved your three guys with silly looks on their faces. Nathan and Noah were making plane sounds; what was Steve’s excuse? Loved Nathan’s athletic poses. Well, I loved all the photos.
Keep posting pictures!
Jan,
What? You didn’t know that all the really cool guys have pacifiers in their mouths when they’re tooling around in their hot rod?
You need to get out more! 🙂
Beautiful pictures! I am wondering if Sarah still has to do occasional scans or bloodwork for monitoring purposes i.e. relapse. Or maybe at this point, only if ‘symptoms’ show up? I know there are side effects of her treatments that you do keep an eye on.
Lesley,
Nope, no monitoring at all once she hit the 5-year mark. She has regular check ups every year and that’s it.
Of course, if any symptoms popped up, things would change pretty quickly!
Happy anniversay 🙂
Good to re-read the 10 years post.
Becky: Wierd question here but I am curious. Does chemo has any color? I remember readinng a old post about morphine and and it was blue and Sarah rather eat green banananas. But does chemo has any color?
Trine
Trine,
Yes, some chemos are colorless but I’m not sure about all of them.
And actually, Sarah’s famous statement was that she would rather eat green beans than gargle morphine. 🙂
Someone posted on Facebook regarding their 8 year old son who was just diagnosed with neuroblastma, tumor behind his left lung. Told them about Sarah, that she was diagnosed when 6 and is now 20?. The Lord is able!! Enjoyed your pictures and especially Nathan and his Tim Tebow stance and John Travolta stance – well, at least that’s the way it looked to me. Beautiful family Steve and Becky. So happy to hear of Sarah and this special anniversary.
Sharyn,
Thank you for giving a little ray of hope to that family. May God be with them on their journey.
I’m glad you enjoyed the fun pictures of Nathan. He always brings joy when he’s around.
Sarah,
You are absolutely beautiful! Inside and out.
Happy and healthy anniversary!
Ebu,
What a sweet thing to say. Thank you! 🙂
I had no idea I’ve been “part of your family” for more than 13 years! Wow!!!! So happy Sarah is still here, and that she’s enjoying her “bonus time” on this earth. Clearly, she is a very special girl. 🙂
~Stefanie in St. Louis
Stefanie,
Thirteen. Years. That is a very long time to hang around with someone you’ve never met and we are incredibly honored that you would chooses to do so. Thank you for being a part f it, and especially for all your comments over the years.
know Noah and Madison are thankful to have their Auntie Sarah, too.
Mrs. Pam,
Indeed, they are. I can’t wait until they get old enough to hear and understand (and rejoice in) her story.
All I can say is WOW and Thank You Lord for a transplant that went so well and definitely worked!
Nicole,
Saying “wow and thank you, Lord” right along with you. Thanks for rejoicing with us!
It can’t get any better than to have family home for Christmas. Family is what its about and your fun pictures capture it all. Thanks for sharing. Happy 13th Transplant Anniversary to Sarah too…wow, God is good
Wendy,
I still can’t believe how quickly that family time at Christmas went by. They walked in the door one day and it feels like they left the next day. Glad we have the memories and the pictures!
Oh those photos just make my heart so happy because the looks on their faces are the same looks I see on my family’s faces when we are all together. Pure joy and contentment indeed. 🙂
Happy anniversary Sarah! You defied the odds and we are SO thankful right along with you!
LeeAnne,
I love the avatar of your granddaughter. What a sweet smile!
I had no clue that I have been hanging with you all that long. God truly blessed Sarah and I believe she is going to continue to do great things. Love all the family photos – wish for you your time with them had been longer
Becky,
Thanks so much for hanging with us all these years. Amazing to have several readers who go that far back. Completely humbling and so touching.
What a great collage of photos. What a wonderful family. Sarah said it best in her post. Nothing more needs to be said other than HOORAY and thank you Lord!
Mary,
You have always been so good to jump in there and hooray when hooray-ing is called for and cry when crying is called for. You truly have been a long distance friend!