Support

I have been meaning to write about this topic for a while. Now that I'm finally sitting down to do it, I hope that I can adequately explain what is on my heart.

One of things that I have been most grateful for over the past year is the tremendous support we have received from others. By others, I mean not only the "usual suspects," like immediate family and close friends, but also the less likely bunches, like friends of friends, relatives of friends, friends of relatives, friends of friends of friends, and even TOTAL STRANGERS.

And then, of course, there is our church family--a wonderful group of men and women who genuinely care about Claire and who have embraced us and made us feel welcome from the very moment we walked through the door for the first time, the first Sunday after we received Claire's diagnosis.

As I am taking stock of all those who have provided support, I can't forget the incredible organizations we now belong to, like the Center for the Visually Impaired and FOCUS. Nor can I forget our Facebook friends, those "Hydro Families" who have walked, or are currently walking, in our shoes. And, of course, there are the doctors, nurses, therapists, and counselors who treat or see Claire on a regular basis.

While I could spend all night listing the various people and groups who have provided invaluable support over the past year, I don't want my post to turn into one big "shout out." Rather, I want to convey what it means to me to have received such wonderful support.

The support we have received has come in all forms: Meals, hospital visits, home visits, gifts for Claire, gifts for us, donations on behalf of Claire to organizations we care about, telephone calls, letters, emails, notes left on my desk at work. While I am grateful for each and every gesture, what resonates most with me is the kindness of others. It is so touching (and humbling) to feel love. And, when Claire is having a particularly bad day, a kind gesture or a note cheers us up and helps us overlook some of the rotten things we have had to face.

It means so much to me to know that others care about Claire, and when I receive a note letting me know that someone has prayed for her or a Facebook message telling me that someone thinks she is just precious, it just makes my heart burst with pride.

With all of Claire's challenges, I often fear that people may not see the value in her. As her mom, I want more than anything for others to love and accept her for who she is and for her to feel loved and accepted. I fear that she will be hurt or mistreated by others and that she will not have a voice.

I am so grateful for the moments of support, because, with every gesture, I get to feel, even if just for a moment, that Claire matters to someone else. And that matters to me.

So, my apologies if I missed a specific person or a group, and please know that I am thankful for every ounce of support we receive, no matter how big or small, how frequent or infrequent. I hope that one day I can repay everyone who has shown kindness and love to our family, or at least pay it forward. In this area, I know I'll probably never measure up. But, to the extent that it is even a start, please allow me to extend a big THANK YOU to everyone who has done anything for our family over the past year.

THANK YOU