Today is the last day of 2012. I have to sigh and take a deep breath after that sentence. I can't begin to explain or sum up all that this year was, brought, taught me, and showed me.
Intense. That's the one word that fits this year. Intense. This year was intense. The pain was intense, the successes intense, the love intense, the joy intense.
This year I watched my girls be brave, bold, kind, empathetic, supportive, strong, resilient, amazing. Our family faced two surgeries and overcame them. This year my girls learned that amazing things can happen. Like growing 3.1 inches of new bone! They learned that you have to work hard for dreams to become realities. Like countless hours spent at physical therapy. This year our family relied on one another for survival, strength, comfort and hope. This year has changed us. Forever. We are stronger, resilient, humble, grateful, kind. I know that if we can survive this year, we can survive anything. We can always look back with pride. I am so proud of my family: Amaya, Lidie and Josh and myself. We faced a challenging year and survived. We not only survived, but found ways to thrive, to help others and to enjoy life. This fixator didn't break us. We survived.
Regardless of what 2013 brings we will embrace it knowing that as survivors of a lengthening we can endure it, we can get by, we will find a way to thrive and enjoy life. Yes part of me is hoping and looking forward to an easier year. A healthy year. A year without surgeries. But, I have no guarantee. The only thing I can count on is my family and love, and joy and hope and friends.
I hope that we have inspired you, challenged you, encouraged you even just a little bit. I hope we've to he'd your lives as you've touched ours. I wish good things for you. I wish you peace, love and joy.
Thank you. I'm grateful to you all for being a part of this year and our journey. You helped lighten our load. You sent your love in cards, emails, calls and gifts. We are so humbled by the love, help and kindness you all showed us. Thank you. Your friendships mean the world to us.
Thanks so much for this great look back at what really must have been an immensely challenging year. I wish you and your family a far easier and painless 2013 with joy, laughter, and time for leisure (instead of pt). Your blog accompanied us throughout this year, and I'm ever so grateful for your insights, honesty, and readiness to share the extraordinary things Amaya and your whole family went through. I'm just so glad things seem to work out for Amaya! Have a great 2013.
ReplyDeleteTake care,
Christa
P.S.: Benito is still continuing the lengthening process and we just reached the 5,5cm mark...
Christa,
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for reading along and your comment. Thank you for the kind words and well wishes. Best wishes to Benito and your family! Good luck with the lengthening (you're almost there)! 5.5 cm is great! Keep up the good work!