I've been amazed at all the wonderful support we're receiving for our sweet foster baby. It's wonderful to have so many people treat him so wonderfully and serve us so much even though it's not your normal 'new baby' situation. It means so much to us. I just wanted to say thank you Mom and Dad for your visit, gifts, and all the love you gave him! Thank you for getting up in the night with him, for treating him exactly the same as all your other grand babies, and for welcoming him into the family so perfectly. Thank you book club (Kristi, Jaime, Katie, Meredith, and Alisha) for the shower you surprised me with. It meant a lot to me since our future with this baby is uncertain. Thank you Ully for the gift card. You are the sweetest. Thank you Liz, Leslie, Virginia, Deb, Kenna, and Deborah for the clothes, toys, and yummy food. Thank you Krist, Diana, and Steve for the packages with cute baby stuff! Thanks Amanda and Thevs for cuddling him so much at beach. Thanks Abs and Linds for the gift. I love the Puma outfit and all the awesome baby stuff! And thank you everyone else for the emails, phone calls, blog comments and offers to babysit! Our sweet baby is so grateful for all the love. And Catherine, you're the best. I am obsessed with your artwork. That is by far one of the best gifts I've been given!
(If anyone's interested she can customize one for you. Just let me know and I'll get you in contact with her.)I've noticed there's a great support system out there for new moms, I'm really grateful for that. As for chronic illness it's a different story. I thought I'd list some things that friends and family did for me during my most physically painful and exhausting times that helped to pull me through. Thank you family and friends for your examples of selfless service. I know oftentimes it's difficult for all of us to know how to serve someone that deals with different levels of physical illness day in and out. I want to raise awareness so that we can create a similar support system for people struggling with illness...
1. Meals
2. Hopeful packages
3. Calls, emails, or FB messages,
4. Financial help with the insurmountable medical bills and the inability to work
5. Asking how I was doing and really listening for the answer
6. Cleaning house
7. Showing genuine concern
8. Flowers
9. Small and simple thoughts to let me know they cared
10. Prayers
11. Advocating for me to others who don't understand chronic illness or invisible physical illness (when I don't always look sick, but feel it)
12. Researching new info on my disease
13. Remembering that it was a daily struggle and continuing to support and asking how they could help
Thank goodness I'm at a point where I can focus more on what others need instead of being in so much pain that I'm incapable of doing much. Thank you everyone for your amazing support during the last crazy painful years of my life. I'm in a much better place cause of all of y'all!
More good news...Yeah! I did a 10k. I walked it, (cause running increases my pain) but I did it. I feel grateful that I've come so far.
Woohoo!
