Just Say Yes - Merry Christmas 2013

Merry Christmas to all our family and friends! This Christmas has been quite fun watching Meagan explore her new surroundings, the lights, the paper, etc. With her recent sitting, it is allowing her to play with a whole new perspective.  This year, although she has had her share of surprises, surgeries and challenges, she has barreled through them with no hesitation.  Seizures have also stayed away for the most part - which has been a huge blessing as we have seen her blossom and progress without the epilepsy showing their rude interruptions.  We pray her meds continue to work as well as they have been and we have a similar seizure-free few months ahead of us as well. I am excited to see what next year holds for Meagan.

It's surreal to think back to our talk with the specialist who after officially diagnosing Meagan asked if we wanted to continue the pregnancy.  For us personally, that question was already answered when we became pregnant - we said yes from the first pregnancy test and no hurdle or condition could change that.  But considering the time of year it did make me think of Mary and what she must have felt.  Young, alone, and pregnant, and in a much different and less tolerant time than we live now - she still said yes.  She was also accepting the unknown - a completely uncertain future but trusted for whatever reason that it was supposed to be.  What courage and faith that took to not only say yes to God and the pregnancy, but to say yes to all the unknowns that come with it.  In that sense, I find comfort in asking for intercessions from Mary -  especially when times are challenging.  Hydro is essentially the unknown as well.  There is no timeline, no certain outcome, and no shortage of multiple other diagnoses and setbacks that can appear as the child grows. Yet I would not change my answer of yes. Not for a million dollars. Not a billion. Not any one thing in the world could ever make me want to rewind time and not have Meagan in our life.

Sometimes saying yes to a tough situation is a bit short sighted - we know it is the right decision at that moment, but we do not see the long term challenges that lie ahead by doing what is right.  Likewise, we also don't see the long term rewards that will come into play from those challenges to keep that faith alive... and so we must focus on those to keep moving forward and realize the true blessing of this life.  This Christmas, it is a perfect time to reflect on that concept.  That saying yes to the right decision not only means making the right choice at that particular time, but also saying yes to the good bad and ugly that comes along with that right decision as time goes on.

Today among our gifts and festivities and celebrations, let's make sure to take a moment and remember how one little word changed humanity.  One simple leap of faith... one extension of trust to accept whatever came her way....one small, yet immensely loaded word - 'yes'.... and the Savior came to save us all.

This Christmas, I relish in all the new-found strength we have found as a family pushing through the challenging times, and all the good that has come from that since saying yes to Meagan... all the rewards, the blessings and the miracles we have witnessed along the way that make the hard times seem like just a blink of an eye.  I hope many more people continue to accept making those difficult yet right decisions - remember, just say yes, and you  never know how it may change the world.

"Today as we gaze upon the newborn Savior, we can indeed rest knowing that God is there to calm our worries, ease our fears, and alleviate our anxieties.  

He has given us the greatest gift this Christmas .... the gift of life and salvation."  

- Michelle Fritz, Catholic mom and blogger

Merry Christmas to all!