Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas!

Love, Macey

(and her mom and dad)

The most wonderful time of the year!

It's Christmas time! I love this time of year. Normally at Christmas we look forward to eating a lot of yummy food, mostly desserts, seeing family we haven't seen in a while and hanging out with friends. This year I got to add one thing to that list and it was running a half marathon. I actually was looking forward to it, believe it or not. I started training a LONG time ago and was just ready to see what I could do.

On December 13 I ran with 20,000 of my closest friends in the Dallas White Rock Marathon, and 10,000 ran the half marathon. Early on a set a time goal for myself of 2 hours 15 minutes. I had kinda slacked off the last month, so I really didn't think I would reach it, I was going to try. Well, much to my surprise my finish time was 2:14:09! Here are some pictures from the day.

Cutest little cheerleader!

One tired mama!

Later that day we got to do one of our favorite Christmas traditions, spend the evening celebrating with the Swansons. This year it was at their house and Priscilla made yummy chicken tacos, they were so good. It was a great night to celebrate as Aaron ran the full marathon earlier that day. I believe this was his fourth one, amazing!

We ate dinner, the kids opened some gifts we ate dessert and we had a great time hanging out. We don't get to spend as much together as we would like to, so this is a very special time for everyone.

Macey reading her new book

Merry Christmas from the Swansons and McNeelys!

One year ago!

A year ago today our sweet Macey was just finishing up her surgery. What a day that was! I was a nervous wreck as my 3 month old was going into surgery, knowing that she was being cared for by skilled doctors and, most importantly, our Lord. I remember waiting and waiting, as the surgery was a bit more complicated than expected, wondering when I would see my baby's new face. Text messages were being sent from me to family and back again, and the support of my "sister" Priscilla was the most calming thing of all. It was a year ago, but it all comes flooding back if I just stop and think about it.

I took a trip down memory lane and looked at the pictures of her before her surgery, right after and today. As tears roll down my face I can hardly believe all of the things we have learned, not only from being first-time parents, but from having a child with a facial anomaly. The fear of the unknown that gripped us as we waited for her to be born, and then the anxiety we felt knowing that surgery would be commonplace in her life was much more than we could carry. We know there are more surgeries in her future, and we also know that she will experience life much differently than most of us, but to think that God trusted us to raise her is simply amazing!

Here are a few of the pictures from surgery day, and one of the perfect smile she displays today.

Just moments before the surgery

Getting a little fussy, as she couldn't eat when she wanted to

Here's our baby as she recovered just hours after her surgery

Here she is today, when we tell her to say "cheese"