Just about a week until Christmas! If you know me, you know this is my favorite time of the year. I am pretty comparable to Clark Griswold…in many ways. I have everything so built up in my mind, and sometimes SO much so that I feel let down. But I don’t think that’s a bad thing. I just love Christmas so much, and I strive as I always have to make it unbelievably special for Jay and my boys.
I came across someone today who is not too much older than me who has an ill husband who she sadly had to put into hospice very recently. She has a 14 year old son. The conversation we had has struck me so deeply in my soul. Her and her husband of 24 years have built a wonderful life together full of tradition and love, specifically Christmas tradition. This time for her is full of sadness and grief, while still trying to provide Christmas joy to her boy. I teared up at least 3 times in this conversation feeling that feeling she has knowing that Jay and I have been through all facets of this. Yet, here I am, still able to have yet another Christmas with my family. This was a bold and tearful reminder to me to enjoy and appreciate (even more than I have been) this blessed opportunity to have Christmas with my family. Not to waste a moment. To really appreciate it. Way more than I would have before my encounter with this precious person.
I just can’t believe that I am here for another Christmas season. Sometimes I feel like I am dreaming. This has been a wonderful year for my family! The boys are both doing well, Jay is still loving his job, we did a few family trips and an adults only trip to Puerto Rico with our best friends, and did so many other things. My health has been better than I could hope! Doctors are happy, I have maintained my weight loss (which was SO hard and is so important to my health!), my lungs are maintaining, and I have been able to do most of what I want to do without much holding me back. My biggest struggle typically right now is just trying to not get sick considering my lack of immune system, managing my autoimmune disease flare ups, and just minor bumps in the road that inevitably lead to doctors visits and scares. But all in all, I can’t and should absolutely not complain. Life is good, and I am blessed.
As always, I am thankful to all of my friends and the people in my life who love and support me and my family. It never ceases to amaze me how my circle of friends grows and envelops my family on a regular basis. I have way more than I deserve in life.
More than anything, I am thankful for a husband who is also WAY more than I deserve. Always worrying about me. Always making sure I am okay. Always doing everything to make sure my quality of life is the best it can be. He probably doesn’t know that I notice these things, but the small things he does are truly what I am the most thankful for. A sweet example to explain what I mean…when I am not feeling well, I can feel him checking my forehead for a fever at night in bed over and over. I can feel him listening for my breathing. Just the general feeling of him not sleeping well, worrying about me. He has been through it all with me and dealt with so many of my health scares. His worry and concern is not surprising, but still has such an element of sweetness that I always notice and am thankful for. I hope and pray that I am writing this post next year, enjoying and appreciating another year of life with my amazing family.
Merry Christmas, enjoy all of your blessings!
Melanie Putnam 
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