One Year Anniversary....

No, not our wedding anniversary! You mean you've forgotten already that it is on July 31? ;) If so, we'll give you a little hint - there is a count down timer at the bottom of our webpage! Feel free to cheat as much as needed (of course, to do so, you probably need to do some math or have a calendar nearby)!

Today is the one year anniversary of Mark's first retinal eye surgery. On this day in 2005, MeLissa was a bit of a basket case. She wasn't used to this eye surgery "thing" like Mark sort of is. She was scared that the doctors wouldn't be able to help, but she was praying non-stop that they would. She was reminded in the hospital waiting room that day as she conversed with a mother and daughter who were patiently waiting to hear about their husband/father who was having a cancerous tumor removed, that no matter how bleak it seems, there is always someone with worse problems/concerns to deal with.

She forgets this sometimes...not because she doesn't care about anybody except herself, but because she's human. Humans sometimes get caught up in their own drama and forget that there is a whole world out there dealing with drama, too. :) In MeLissa's case, there were some other factors that contributed to this inward view. She's so proud to say that this year, she's made great strides in focusing on others' issues. She's still not perfect, but at least she's grown. :)

Based upon some news we had the other day at Mark's eye doctor appointment, our year-long battle with detached retinas may not yet be over. It appears that a portion of Mark's retina in his right eye (the one that just had the oil removed and that we were hoping would be out of the woods) is slightly detached. The doctor is hopeful that it will not detach further, but if so, it will be back to the operating room for Mark. We are thankful that we have excellent health insurance coverage...we'll make sure to maintain it if MeLissa decides to pursue her wedding and event business full-time.

Speaking of the business, MeLissa received her temporary business cards yesterday. They're quite attractive - pink with a green border and should make an excellent first impression on her guests! She's also been speaking to many graphic and web design folks and hopes to have her print and web plans squared away very soon!

We hope you'll continue to keep Mark in your prayers. He's really been through enough at this point (we both have!) and could use a little respite from surgeries, doctor visits and the added challenges these bring to his educational pursuits (which are going very well!). MeLissa is so very proud of him for being so strong-willed and not letting any of this get him down. And, we're both thankful for the opportunities these struggles have given us to strengthen our bond and craft a marriage and relationship that is sure to stand the test of time. Thank you all for being there for us during this time! :)