What I am Grateful for....

     So lately, I have been feeling SOOOO grateful for so many things, but especially people. This is for many different reasons, but one in particular. I just feel like I should express this to as many people as I can (especially those I want so badly to meet and thank), and I suppose that would be on our blog, and I pray that a lot of those people will maybe find this somehow and know how grateful I am for them.) And I figured, what better time to do this then Thanksgiving? (sorry it's late...)
     Okay, so on weekends, when we actually have time to just be with each other, with no distractions, Trevor and I will read his journal. It is so humbling to me, and makes me cry most times we read it, because of the people that Trevor writes about. But how can you thank hundreds of people who have helped your husband survive one of the biggest challenges of his life? How could I possible seek them all out and give them a hug and the most sincere thank you that I can muster? I really can't. But I am still so sincerely grateful for those from every part of this trial.
     For instance, his mission president and his wife who were always there inspiring and looking out for Trev. Than there were good members who were always looking out for him. There are the few missionaries there, mostly natives to the D.R., who were supportive of Trev's efforts to be exactly obedient. I'm grateful for Sister Bair, the mission president's wife who was close enough to the Spirit to recognize a problem with Trevor and got him to the Doctor that same day. I'm grateful for the doctor's in the D.R. who recognized the severity of Trev's condition and for all those who helped to get him home to Idaho that same night. I'm grateful for the missionary who drove Trevor to the hospital and to the airport. I'm grateful that Heavenly Father kept Trevor alive, long enough to get the real help he needed from the doctors specially placed in Idaho Falls, who were willing to take the risks it took to keep Trevor alive.
     I am SOOOOO grateful for Trevor's family. Not just his immediate family, but his extended family as well, who would call and cheer him on while he was in the hospital in I.F. and who would come visit him in the hospital there. I'm grateful for the members in his ward and stake who took time out of their lives to visit him consistently, and bring him gifts (even if they were treats and he wouldn't eat them.) And I didn't mean to just skip over his family, aka: his parents and siblings and sister-in-law. They were there every step of the way. I admire them so much for their courage and love and strength that they offered him. I know it wasn't easy for any of them to see their brother and son in the hospital for months, and to see him so close to death. I'm so grateful for his mom! What an amazing woman she is. She was his best friend the entire time. I can't even count the number of times Trev says in his journal how grateful he is for her and his dad. His mom literally spent every moment with him and never gave up on him. She was also close enough to the Spirit to know what he needed most through this all...to serve and keep strengthening his faith through personal and companionship study. She became who she needed to be for him to get help, but was still so sensitive to how he might feel. She is a true believer to me of relying on Christ. And his dad! Oh my! What a man he is. He is more quiet in what he did, but he also never gave up on Trev. He did a lot of things for Trev that meant a lot to him. Such as getting some plastic fish for his hospital room, and bringing him on walks in his wheelchair outside. They have so much in common, that I think he just had that special mindset of what Trev needed. Trev is not someone who likes to stay cooped up for weeks in one room, or to sit still. They are active, and fun, and adventurous. His parents made many sacrifices for Trev, and I know that he noticed a lot of them and was so so grateful, and so am I.
     But also, his siblings. I don't know if they know it, but they helped him a ton. I think a big thing they did that helped Trev was that they didn't treat him like he was strange or needed special help with things. They just treated him like normal. We'll go one by one. First there is Richard. Trevor writes of times when him and Rich would go biking or hiking (this was before Trevor had to stop exercising). They would ride scooters and his long board. They did fun things with the whole family when in Utah with Rich and Dusti, like Disney on Ice and shopping (which Trev loves). I don't know Rich all that well, but I do know one thing for sure, Trevor loves Rich. Everytime he speaks of Rich he gets this light in his eyes. He loves his big brother. Then there is Brad. Brad was Trev's roommate before he went on his mission and Trev just loves Brad. They love to play games and Trev was able to watch Brad dance while he was sick, which Trev loved. Brad did a lot of things that helped Trev prepare for this trial. :) Then there is Craig. He'd go visit Trev in the hospital a lot, and bring his friends, which Trev loved seeing everyone and anyone. I love the picture where Craig came to the hospital for Prom or something with his date, and his friend and his date and they are all dressed up in their formals and such. He's very thoughtful. And I know that Craig was a support for Trev even after Craig left on his mission and Trev was recovering from the after effects of anorexia. Then there is Kristen. I have been through Trev's emails from his mission and saw many emails from Kristen. She was a good friend and would watch movies with Trev while he was sick. And then while Trev was about to come home from the Johns Hopkins Hospital, she was in a pageant and had her platform on anorexia and showed her support that way. She is very understanding and non-judgmental, and I know he loved when her and Craig and I'm sure others, who would push him in his wheelchair before he went to Baltimore, as fast as they could. Then there is Taushalyn..aka: Fuzz. I know one thing that Trev LOVED while he was in the hospital, and that was when Fuzz would come and get in his bed with him and play games or watch movies. She was a great support for him, and I know that Trevor loves her and appreciates the happiness she brings to his life.
    I really haven't even said hardly anything for what people have done. There is still more. Such as the nurse at the hospital in I.F. that made sure Trevor would eat all he needed to, and wouldn't fall prey to his evil tricks. (he's such a pill). And then the doctors who did things that a lot of other doctors wouldn't have done, to keep him alive. I'm grateful for the psychiatrist and psychologists and dieticians and nurses and doctors, etc, etc, who helped him recover both in I.F. and in Baltimore (where he was for 2 1/2 months.) I'm grateful for the other patients at Johns Hopkins who showed no willingness to conquer their eating disorder, and helped Trev to become even more firm in what he wanted to do....which was to recover and have a normal life again. I'm so grateful for Trevor's good friend from high school, Shalee, who called Trevor every single day while he was in Baltimore and a lot of his stay in I.F. and was a good friend after he got home as well. I'm grateful for the nurses who put up with Trev...the ones who watched him 24 hours a day. Who made sure he wouldn't sneak in exercise or who wouldn't put up with his attitude. I'm grateful for all of the help and services Johns Hopkins provided him. I'm grateful for the missionaries who would come visit Trev in Baltimore and play games with him and the other patients, and helped Trev with spreading the gospel to those there. I'm grateful for the LDS doctor from another section at Johns Hopkins who heard about Trev somehow and went out of his way completely, to befriend Trev and take him to church/ home teaching, and would visit him. I'm grateful that members all over in the east were helping him and went out of their way to bring him to LDS activities and such. I'm grateful that Heavenly Father helped Trev to be a missionary in Baltimore so that he could have his "2nd mission" and feel joy. I'm grateful for his family again, who would visit him in Baltimore.
     There are many others, who I haven't been able to mention by name or exact action, but who have affected him and me, and were angels in his and his families life throughout this time. Thank you!
    But there is one I still haven't mentioned, who deserves so much credit. Our Savior, Jesus Christ. It is because of Him and His Atonement, that Trevor was able to do this. He is the reason that Trevor is alive today. He is the reason for the testimony that Trevor grew and strengthened and has maintained through all of this. He is the reason that Trevor was able to obey the doctor's, even when he didn't want to, and felt peace. He is the reason that Trevor was able to get the help he needed to overcome this disease. He is the reason that Trevor is still alive and wants to be alive, even today. He is the reason that Trevor now lives a normal, healthy life. He is the reason for all of it. He loves us all so much, and I know that He lives, and knows us each, so personally. He knows what we are going through. He is the one who has made it possible for us to live with our Father in Heaven again someday. He is the reason that there is hope. He is the reason that we can be happy and experience true and lasting joy. He is the Son of God, and I'm so grateful that He came to earth, willingly, and that He suffered unimaginable things and died for us, willingly, that we might always have a friend and who is always on our side. I know He is real, and that His Atonement is real. I know that He is our Everything. I love getting to know Him, by striving to become like Him and through reading of Him in both the Bible and the Book of Mormon. I KNOW He lives. I know it. And I know that He wants each of us to succeed and is coming to earth again someday soon. I hope to be ready for His coming. I love Him. And I'm excited for this upcoming Christmas, that we can celebrate His birth and life and all that He is!

   But I hope you all know how grateful I am for you, Whether you helped Trev through this tough time or throughout his life, or have helped me in my life, by being amazing examples and good friends, we are SOOO grateful for you, and all that you did and are doing still. Sorry if I didn't mention you, but know that your service has not gone unnoticed, esp by our Father in Heaven. You will be rewarded for all you have done for both of us in our lives. We love you! And we hope you had a great Thanksgiving and have a wonderful month of December. Merry Christmas!!!

Love,
Kaylee and Trevor Steiner

Here are a few pictures of some of these special people...
 (p.s. The picture of Christ is by David Bowman. He is my favorite artist! You can check him out here.)

Here are President and Sister Bair the night Trev came home... and then some members from the D.R.

Here he is with his parents when they brought him to Johns Hopkins Hospital.

And here is his amazing family...minus his parents and Craig and Rich..(those are his grandparents)

And then here is the hottie today. :) Sorry for the awkward thing he is holding. :)