October. This month saw Anna turn six years old. Six years old.... I can hardly remember her with a full head of blond curls. Now her hair is long and straight, but still beautiful.  I took her to the portrait studio today, she rocked it in her sparkly purple dress.  Amazing Anna.

The day before her birthday (which she had been anticipating for at least six months), we took her to get her blood drawn. "Happy almost-birthday Baby! Let's go and have you poked."  I didn't feel too good about that, but she took it in stride when I told her where she was going, and was wondering what kind of band-aids they would have this time.  Wow.  The doctors were checking her Vitamin D levels. She had been low in the spring and we had been double-dosing her for several months. I guess there was some concern that she would not absorb the extra, but it turned out she had the highest level she has ever had.

At her appointment with the CF staff there were no issues for concern. She had gained weight (Yes!), her lung function test was 125% (not sure how you do that, but it's all good!), and even the cold she had that day never went to her lungs.  We waited the week for the throat culture and got the call that she was clear. Yes!  This time last year was when she was diagnosed with pseudos... and that was devastating...at least to me.  So, that means we made it through the summer with no nasty creepy germs taking up residence in her lungs!

I was recently talking to someone with lung trouble who goes to Florida in the winter to avoid colds and have plenty of fresh air off the gulf to breathe.  Interesting....  He had also done research on how fast and far coughs and sneezes travel, especially in small spaces.  Please, whoever reads this, be aware of how you deal with your coughs these coming cold months, keeping aware of the spread of germs to others.  Every time I touch my nose, even to itch,  I sanitize my hands.  Every time we leave a store, church, bathroom, or any outdoor place, we sanitize our hands.  I think it helps us stay healthy.  I had a friend comment to me a week or so ago, "How come you guys never get sick? " Awareness. Caution. Prayer.

As we go into "cold and flu season" I hope that you and yours stay healthy. Please pray that me and mine are healthy too.