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Well, the auction is over and it was truly one of the most amazing, crazy, humbling weeks I can recall. ‘Thank You’ feels ineffective every time I say it to express the depth of our feelings for every word, every post, every dollar, every element of support for our family and for Jonnie. I’ve been taking screen shots like to crazy to try and save your words to share with Jonnie someday, so he can know the depth of God’s love for him, shown by the countless hands all around the world. . @rosaliegwenpaperie, you started something so incredible the last few weeks. Thank you will never be sufficient. What would I give to crush you with the world’s biggest hug? Thank you for stepping out in faith for our family and this community. Thank you for answering the unspoken call. Thank you for giving purpose to so many of us. Thank you for leading. Thank you for being you. 💛
“There are no other people’s children, only children. Each deserves the same fight we reserve for the ones sleeping in our homes and wedged into our hearts for the long haul. . What if we did this together? What if we decided nothing more mattered? What if we truly belonged to one another?” @shannanwrites. . J is wearing his @littlest_warrior onesie all week as his many many Mamas fight for him, advocate for him and love him. Thank you to each one. ❤️
I have been wracking my head and heart for days to find the words for this moment. But the few that have come seem inadequate on the deepest level. . I told Cara this week that I wish there was a way I could open my heart up to show the deep gratitude and relief that reside there when I think about this auction. The feeling of complete overwhelm every time I come to this space and see all the generous offerings, words and gracious encouragement. . We know that Jonnie has it worse than some but better than many. We never want to take this lightly, nor do we take it for granted. We live every day knowing that we are caring for a true miracle in every way. In the minutia of caring for him day in and out, in the constant vulnerability of his medical fragility and it’s toll on our family, this auction pointed us back to the big picture. It reminded us how far he, and we, have come. And it showed us that when we have sat and cried together because we thought we were alone and misunderstood on this journey, that we couldn’t have been more wrong. . I have tried and failed to keep up with every auction post and re-post and story. I will keep trying to comment and share my deep gratitude with each of you who have donated and who will bid. But if I miss anyone, let me say here, THANK YOU. Your generosity has touched our hearts in a way that we will always remember. . (Check out my highlights, OR @rosaliegwenpaperie’s highlights for all the artists holding their own auctions today through Friday. 💛)
Today our family lost a precious friend. Our dear neighbor and adopted Great-Grandpa. In the four years almost to the day that we moved into this house, Harry was a joyful part of our lives. His stories, gardens, funny nicknames for the kids, inappropriate stories over holiday dinners and love for our family brought more joy to our lives than we ever hoped for when we chose this neighborhood to be our home. . I remember talking on the phone with him as I drove Jonnie home for the hospital from his heart surgery. He wept for the pain J was in, he lit candles for him and had the whole Catholic church choir praying for our boy. He even brought some of those lovely people to J’s birthday party last September, just so they could celebrate with our family. He and J were always close and sworn oxygen buddies. . We wept as we kissed him goodbye yesterday. As he slept and labored to breath, I thanked him for all he taught me about friendship and gardening. About enjoying every minute of the day and never pretending to be anyone but yourself. And about always having room in your heart for every person you’ll encounter in this crazy life. I thanked him for telling me once that I was like a daughter to him, because he and his partner had never been able to have children. I thanked him for his generous love and beautiful laugh. . Rest In Peace sweet friend. My summer nights will be empty without you in them, catcalling me from across the street and trading Tupperware back and forth. Our hearts are with you, and you are in ours. Always. . (Picture of Hazel wondering his gardens as a toddler.)