The gift of generosity

We have now been home a few days and Bodie (from the outside at least) is doing well. Really well. His rhythms are still not improving (which worries me considerably), but he has great energy and is eating better than he has probably in his entire life. We are feeling very blessed, but still very much in need of prayer that all of this somehow is translating to an improvement in his heart function.

I just want to take a moment to thank those of you who have so generously given to our family over the past month. We are overwhelmed by the generosity of our close friends and family, and even complete strangers who have been touched by Bodie's story.

To Becky and Cami, thank you a million times over for coming to our house, picking up all of our Christmas presents, wrapping them with unbelievably sweet extra touches, and dropping them back off. It truly was like having little Christmas elves!!! 

To the countless local Westchester moms and school friends who sent Legos Bodie's way, THANK YOU (another separate post about that coming soon). You helped Bodie feel like a little boy - instead of a kid stuck in a hospital!

To Lucy and Julia, who came to the hospital to sit with me and bring stuff for the kids - and see beyond my "I don't know how to ask for or accept help" to figure out a brilliant way to help our family. Thank you for your compassion and love.

To Yasuko and Brittany, who took Sierra without even questioning it (even when she had a fever and was probably infecting your kids), thank you. And thank you to those who so generously offered to help with Sierra. It means more to me than I can say to know that my sweet girl is being loved on even when I can't be there. 

To Alexander's entire family - getting the opportunity to walk beside a fellow fragile heart warrior and to see him rebound 100,000% from a heart transplant meant more to me than I can say. At a time when we are being asked to think more concretely about transplant, and possibly being thrust into a world we weren't prepared to enter for some time, we so needed that. I needed to see a post- transplant kid fly through recovery and get home at 19 days post transplant, doing far better than he ever did before. I know he was going to do incredible regardless - but thank you for letting me witness his journey. Thank you for letting me into the wonderful side of transplant.

To all of Bodie's classmates and teachers who sent cards, thank you. Bodie's face lit up as he went through the cards - and I shed a few tears. Thank you for being an open, loving community even when it's scary. Especially when it's scary. We are beyond blessed to be a part of your community.

To Shannon and all of the women who showed up to pray with me and over me and share your love for our family on Wednesday night, thank you. I was profoundly touched and strengthened by the time I spent with you all. I am so grateful to have such wonderful Christian women in my life.

To Michelle, who sent a cleaning company out to clean our house when I was too paralyzed by anxiety to do it, thank you. To be able to come home to a clean home after a hospital stay meant so so much.

To everyone who has donated money or gift cards, THANK YOU. That truly is our most tangible need right now. Many of you know I work part time - I do accounting consulting work. I freelance. Which means, if I'm not working, I'm not getting paid. We depend on my income to keep our bills paid. When Bodie is in the hospital, I'm not working. When he has been in heart failure for month prior to that admission and had lots of extra hospital appointments, I am not able to work as much. When he gets out of the hospital 6 days before Christmas, it is hard to fit in extra work hours amidst catching up on life and the holiday business. Combine that with the fact that I was SO on the ball this month that I made sure to pay our home mortgage not one, but TWICE. (Yes, you read that right.) And, because this is Los Angeles, and mortgages are over the top, it was a very costly error to our bank account. Needless to say, Christmas was looking lean. So, to have the outpouring of Target and Grubhub giftcards and checks come in unexpectedly meant more to me than I can say. It truly was God answering my unspoken (but very very deeply felt) prayer. THANK YOU. 

If you would still like to help our family, we do very much need and welcome help. My dear friends Lucy and Julia have articulated some wonderful ways to help here. (If you are unable to access it, please just let us know and we'll repost it.)

To all of you who have prayed constantly for our boy and our family. We know this is why he is here, running around full of energy. THANK YOU. God hears our prayers. Please, please, please keep praying.