Thanksgiving week

I can hardly believe it is Thanksgiving already, I feel like we have lost a entire month of our lives. Kayli was straightening in her room earlier and realized her calender was still on October, and then when she started crossing out days- she came to me and said "mom, i lost like a whole month!" This whole month has seemed pretty surreal. It is certainly one of those "it could never happen to me or my family" situations. I still have so many questions I wish we had answers to, 'how did this happen?' 'why did this happen to Kayli?' 'how did we not see it coming?' I know God must have a plan for her, and for us...but sometimes it doesn't make it any easier to swallow. Kayli has never had any health issues like this before, and she was a healthy, very active high school freshman. Played softball, plays Tenor Saxophone, volunteers for her sisters theater group even takes some theater classes herself. Had many plans over the next few years- now what? We sit and wait and put things on hold? I don't know what do. I'm trying to get our family back to normal, but I don't think normal is what it was, so how will I know when we are normal again?

Kayli's doctor appointment last Friday was uneventful. It was more just for their information than ours. Emily and Granny both went with us to learn as well. We got her medication schedule straightened out, activitiy & diet limitations, and also discussed with the doctors the need to start screening Emily for any possible autoimmune disorders since they feel this may have been genetic. They did not draw any labs, but Kayli's next appointment is Wednesday before Thanksgiving and they will draw labs which is almost the hardest part for her. She has been feeling pretty good, though she tires easily. This weekend we had a family day at the movies! Granny & Emily went to see Planet 51, Mark, myself, Kayli & her friend Ryan went and saw New Moon which Kayli has been anxiously waiting months for. When we were walking into the theater the kids bumped into some school friends so we let them go sit together and Mark & I sat on the other side of the theater; this was hard for Mark to do. It was almost cute, I literally had to tear him away- his response being "what if something happens to her during the movie?"
She was fine, but obviously tired today. I think once she builds her endurance back up to make it through a full day without being exhausted, she will be fine.
This week, I am thankful for my family. I am thankful for my husband who doesn't hesitate to be worrysome for his little girls; I am thankful for my strong little obtuse Emily, who isn't letting her sister's illness affect her outlook on life; am thankful for my mother-in-law who is taking time out of her busy life to help us through this difficult time in any way we need; I am thankful for all of our prayer soldiers-friends-family-classmates-everyone who has wished us well in any way possible spiritually, financially, in the kitchern; I am thankful for Kayli's friends, especially Ryan, Cristine, Carly, Chris- they have all stood by Kayli and text messaged her, kept her informed of school happenings, visited her, cheered her up in the best ways possible by just being there for her.

Most of all I am thankful for my beautiful, brave, strong, stubborn daughter Kayli and her will to make it through this and fight it. For the first time in her life I praise God that she is stubborn, she won't even let a life-threatening illness keep her from enjoying life!