Thanksgiving reminds me of what a joyful November we had 5 years ago, when Patrice, a stranger turned friend, offered to donate to Jenna. The surgery date was set for the following January, 2007. My heart is full of gratitude, knowing that a person could be so generous, so selfless, and willing to give our daughter a kidney. There's never enough ways to show or say thanks for what Patrice did. But I wanted to mention her - we are forever in awe of her loving gift.

And even though Jenna lost much of the kidney function through rejection, she has been stable nearly 2 years afterwards, Patrice's Brave Little Kidney still keeps running, steady and strong. We have a lot to be grateful for.

Jenna's 26th birthday - with her brother James