Happy New Year everyone! We enjoyed a week in Atlanta over Christmas. This photo was taken Christmas morning after breakfast and before opening gifts. I'd taken time to dress but didn't put on makeup. We were with Vernon's mother and his brother and his family. Most of the time, the seven of us were together at their cozy, new house. One afternoon we all saw the movie "Charlotte's Web" and explored a new shopping area in Atlanta called Atlantic Station. Vernon and I arrived home on Dec. 29, thankful to God for another safe trip on I-75.

Vernon's birthday is January 12 and he'll be 60! Last year we were still waiting for his heart transplant at Shands so this birthday we can celebrate him being Vernon Version 2.0. Then his first anniversary of transplant is Feb. 4. We are scheduled to return to Shands on Feb. 6 for biopsy and year check-up.

We haven't had a response to our thank you letter from our donor's family and I prayed for them again this morning. I'm sure it is very hard on them as they approach the first anniversary of their loved one's death.