It's ME, and I'm home for Christmas!

Miracles. Yes, that would be the theme of this month! And I would just first like to thank my amazing sister Laura and my incredible mom Cheryl for keeping my blog up while I've been going through surgery and recovery the last couple weeks! Crazy as it sounds, I just got home yesterday from the hospital, and my sister Laura had to go in to the hospital today to have her baby boy! Congrats Laura! He came earlier than he thought, and I'm sorry she'll have to miss the Christmas parties and be there instead for the holiday. Hopefully she can do lots of partying when they get home with the new bundle of joy!

Well, I have lots of updating to do about Israel below, but I first want to say-- THANK YOU for all your many prayers, notes of concern, love, just really CARING! And I must say, some of said I have helped strengthen your faith, but in reality, I feel that my faith is strong because so many of you have helped build it through your examples of the years. I know I couldn't get through this without your support and love. Nor could I get through this without the incredible family I have. My parents are truly the best, and my siblings have all been awesome too!
Here's some of the miracles you have helped bring:
-I have survived major surgery!
-I have retained all memory and knowledge (that I know of)- which really is incredible to think about, realizing they opened my skill and operated under and right next to my brain!
-My family has been comforted and in good spirits.
-I have survived excruciating headaches, and been led to good doctors and medicines that work!
-I have retained vision in one eye allowing me to function in so many ways, and still have hope to regain vision in the right eye.
-My trip to Israel was awesome, uplifting, healthy, and safe.
-I developed no sicknesses prior to or during surgery.

As a quick update: I met with the radiologist today, and he plans to take MRIs of my brain every 3 months over the next two years and every 6 months after that if things stay as they are RATHER than do radiology because there are so many risks, especially with me being so young. One risk: developing cancer, and many others could slow down the healing of my eye to regain my vision. The next big goal is to work on helping my eye heal and be able to open again on it's own. The 3rd nerve is the one that controls the movement of the eyelid, and the surgeon found that it was so damaged by the tumor that it may be quite some time. I know I was blessed that it will be healed completely- it's just a matter of time now!

There are a lot of things I have learned to be thankful for. I am realizing now how I always should have been more thankful for two working eyes that can open on their own and see well! All in good time it will come back. That, I know, will be another miracle! I have also learned how to be a better friend and how to better show someone I care. Friends and family, especially my mom, have really taught me during this time. I have learned more what really matters- people, spending time with them, and really showing true concern. I have learned that little things- notes, flowers, comments, prayers, visits, phone calls- really do make a difference. I have missed running outside (I had a ball doing that in Israel with another young gal on the trip), I miss being with my cute students (love you guys!!), and being with awesome ward members and temple workers (love you all too)!

I have enjoyed the great words of the Book of Mormon during recovery. They have brought me strength and a greater spiritual focus. The Savior has taught me more about His healing power and I have learned more patience in suffering, appreciating more the suffering He had to SOOO patiently endure for all of us. I have felt the comforting influence of the Holy Ghost and the need to slow down, listen, and pay attention to things that matter most. There is more that could be said... but as I have been so touched by the scripture about Mary-- I have lots of things to "keep and ponder in my heart."

I learned so much in Israel as well, and since I only got home 3 days before surgery, I didn't get time to blog much about it! But I thought I could share some pictures! There are more I will post in soon days, but my computer is apparently having a hard time with more than this many for now-- so I'll add a few at a time. :)