Posts filed under 'Uncategorized'
It’s been several months since i have updated this blog- and it is time. i have received tremendous results from the stem cell therapy i received in June of 2009 in Qingdao, China. My speech is still much clearer and my students tell me this on a regular basis. My energy level is better as well- which allows me to have more of a life outside of my job- which is priceless! i can roll over and get comfortable in bed with much more ease, getting in and out of the shower is easier, putting socks and shoes on is a much easier task, i am also able to stomp snow off my shoes which was impossible last year because i had no strength in my legs. But the most important change has been my attitude. China gave me the hope that enabled me to be more positive about my future and be a better mother, teacher and friend. i have been able to be more involved with things i love- i have just been happier. Modern medicine doesnt offer me that- no pill gives you hope and the feeling of peace that i have today. My trip to China, prayers, and support from the thousands of people that help me get there gave me more then i could have ever imagined- and that is why we are traveling back- half way around the world to continue to fight to be better, stay better and live my life the way it should be lived- with hope for the future.
Noah and i have been so blessed to have been given so much- from so many people and remain confident that our second trip will prove to be a positive step toward a better quality of life for us both.
March 1st, 2010
We are back into the swing of things as Noah has started school and our lives have continued right where we left off back on June 5. And although we are back in the routine of school and homework and housework and trips to the grocery store and my many doctor appointments- we are different- both of us are changed.
My speech is unbelievably better- so much so that people are astounded at how good i sound- but Noah and aren’t. My chiropractor, who i have seen every week for the past 3 years, is amazed at how well my muscles are responding to her adjustments and how little adjusting she has to do- but Noah and I are not. My mom and several colleagues have told me that i seem to be walking better, that i walk more sure footed and with a straighter posture. I have more energy and am making it through my days and nights with more energy. And in the mornings as we head to the car and i maneuver over the curb without any help from Noah- we are not amazed- because we know in our hearts that the trip we embarked on back on June 6th was God’s will for our lives. We knew every time we were unsure of what we were facing- and wanted to come home that God was there holding us in the palm of his hand.
I have said this before- our trip to China will be the hardest and the best thing we will ever do- and now, being home and back to our life- we realize that more then ever. We were given a gift that most will never receive, because our experience in China was something that we will forever cherish- for so many reasons. Yes- the best thing that is happening is i am getting better, and we are so thankful to the many nurses and doctors and Beike staff that made that possible- but we owe it to God- and we know that now. We knew that He was not going to allow us to travel all that way, with so much hope in our hearts and not show us the love He has for us by not only healing some of my muscles, but the healing our hearts.
No one can really know what it has been like for Noah and i to live the life we were dealt- but that doesn’t matter anymore- it used to- we used to feel like we got the short end of the stick withno man in our home to be both father and husband- and then being diagnosed with a disease that was making it hard for me to be the strong parent that Noah needed. But now that we are here- we are back in our lives- and we feel the presence of God’s miracles working not only in our lives, but in the lives of all of the beautiful people we met in China- we know that not only are we blessed, but God’s will is at work in our lives because we have opened our hearts to it. And we now know that- we are no longer the family that doesn’t have what we think we need- we have more- so much more- and it is because allowed God to work in our lives and journey to China.
This realization did not happen over night and when we were in China there were so many times i questioned what the i had gotten myself into, but it has become crystal clear to me now. And none of it would have been possible if the people in our lives wouldnt have wanted what we wanted- a better quality of life- and a renewed attitude.
This morning on the way to school i told Noah what my heart had been feeling since we returned home- i had not verbalized it to anyone, but this morning i told him what was tucked deep inside my heart. I explained that i had this feeling, this ache, a realization that what we experienced was so monumental in our lives and how i knew we would most likely never see anyone of those people again- and certainly not all in one place. And we would never have the feelings we had when we were there. It is a sadness of sorts because it was such a beautiful experience- the sharing of lives and hope with so many wonderful families with the same dreams of a better life for themselves and their loved one. And i told him that little part of my heart that remembers it all is always there- i always feel it and it brings me joy at times and sometimes sadness. I miss everyone that i met on the part of my journey that landed me in Qingdao, China- and i will have those memories tucked deep in my heart forever. After i was done telling Noah this i looked at him and with tears in his eyes he said, “Mom, i feel exactly the same way.”
September 3rd, 2009
Well, it has been 2 months since my first IV infusion of stem cells in Qingdao, China. The doctors say you should start seeing results in 2 to 6 months and of course i am patiently waiting for something to happen. I will say that EVERYONE i have talked to agrees that my speech is better and i have noticed that i am able to talk for longer periods of time in the classroom without having to stop and take a drink or a rest. Last year i would choke easily when speaking and i would have to take breaks to have a drink of water or swallow and regroup. This year i am able to speak for much longer and do not feel the strain in my throat. This is a HUGE change that i desperately needed and am so thankful for. I need my voice to teach and to mother Noah- obviously, but when it was uncomfortable to speak, it made it hard to fully express myself- which is definitely frustrating. So although i have not felt much of a change in my legs- i have in my throat and i am so very thankful. The prayers continue to work.
August 14th, 2009
The final 2 legs of our trip went according to plan- we easily made our final flight from Shanghai to Chicago in business class, which was such a nice way to end our very long journey abroad. My Uncle Johnnie met us at the gate and drove us to Dekalb where we met my mom and sister Mindee. We knew we missed home, but realized just how much once we were back safely, snuggled in our own new beds and freshly painted home. While we were gone we had a few repairs that were made- a new ceiling and pipes due to a leak a few months ago, and washer and dryer hookups added to the first floor kitchen so I would no longer have to make the trek to my basement to do laundry. What we didn’t know was that my brother in-law was going to put a fresh coat of paint in both bedrooms, the living room, the kitchen and all of the beautiful white trim. In addition my mom, Mindee and my best friends Jean and MaryJo came in to clean my beautiful hardwoods, dust, clean windows-basically gave my house a complete floor to ceiling, top to bottom overhaul. So imagine our surprise as we pulled up to our home. Along with my best friend Becky being there with Camey, we walked into our beautiful home and were stunned and so happy to be here. How thankful we are to all that came over to help when they could- my sister in-law Tammy was here as well as my sister Michele, my Uncle Tom, and our friend Eileen. My friend Andy did all the work on the new ceiling and it looks amazing- he even put in can lighting! It is so nice to look up and not see water stains and peeling paint. Our thanks to all who helped make our home look so wonderful upon our arrival.
We have been home since Tuesday at 10:30pm- which made our journey home about 26 hours- where we slept all of 4. The night before we left I slept maybe 4 hours and the night before that maybe 6. So needless to say I was running on empty and have had a very hard time getting back to feeling normal. They say it will take 1 day for every hour of the time difference- so that would be 13 days and we are on day 5 and I am already sick of feeling so yucky! Noah has bounced back a little better then I have- but it seems like every other day we wake up with a sore throat and feeling like we have a cold- then we sleep 10 hours and feel better and then sleep 5 hours and feel worse. We have our days and nights mixed up and have met in the hallway wide awake at 2 am more then once. Oh well- it will all work itself out and I am just thankful I have a few weeks before I start school again on August 3.
So as far as my progress physically- right now I cannot tell because my body is still adjusting, but I do know that the stem cells are in my system along with the growth hormone and now we wait. The next six months will show us if they are growing and helping to replace the cells that have died in my system which are causing the symptoms that I am experiencing. I guess we still need prayers. This treatment has worked for many people- it gave them back their balance, better speech and energy-which is one of my biggest struggles. There is nothing worse then having no energy to do anything. So if I have the slightest improvement in any of those areas- I will be happy!
So the blog will continue so I can keep not only my friends and family updated on my progress, but anyone else who might be thinking of heading to China. The unfortunate thing is- I may have to go back there- and I knew this- and as hard as this trip was- I would do it again next week if it meant I could continue to live the life I created for us. I want to mother my son, teach, and continue to live in my home, and someday be able to walk my dog again. So my prayer is asking God to give me back some of what I lost and if not- to give me the strength to deal with whatever He has in store for us. I am leaving it up to Him- today anyway- because many days I want it my way- but today I am putting my life in His hands.
July 13th, 2009
My father sat in his living room last week and told my sister Mindee that if someone would have told him a year ago that half of his family would be in China during the 3rd week in June he would have laughed. But they sat, wondering if my mom and sister had made it and worried about Noah and I. China is not the place you think of when someone is ill and needing more answers then they are getting from their DR’s. We think of the Mayo Clinic, and not China. It is certainly off the beaten path and a road that few have traveled. We are the minority, the weary “mum” of a beautiful 2 year old boy named Cody from the UK. The father who came alone with Ella who has 3 older siblings at home in Iowa is on the same journey of hope that Noah and I came in search of. Or there is Michael who is 37 and here with his mom Debbie, blind from a bike accident or Kit who is paralyzed from a drunk driver who is here with both of his parents. No matter who makes up the family dynamic- they are here, we are here, with so many loved ones left behind in search of hope. As we have shared our stories we have the same sentiment as 3 of families leave tomorrow and another 2 on Wednesday- “no regrets!” We would all do it again because- yes- this journey is about hope, but it is also about faith and love. We would go to the ends of the earth to help ourselves and the people we love more then anyone else in this world have a better quality of life. So although Robert Frost’s poem is appropriate for me to say to all of you- to the people I leave behind- that road became a beautiful path when I joined-Cody and Stacey, and Don and Ella, and Michael and Debbie and Autumn and Kathy and Arjay and Angel and the many others who have not only helped me down the path, but are giving me the courage to keep on the path that only we have traveled together. And when the next opportunity comes for me to seek “the road less traveled” what will I do? With hope in my heart I will have “took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.” And when I step on that path all my friends here from China will be there too.
| TWO roads diverged in a yellow wood, |
|
| And sorry I could not travel both |
|
| And be one traveler, long I stood |
|
| And looked down one as far as I could |
|
| To where it bent in the undergrowth; |
5 |
| |
| Then took the other, as just as fair, |
|
| And having perhaps the better claim |
|
| Because it was grassy and wanted wear; |
|
| Though as for that, the passing there |
|
| Had worn them really about the same, |
10 |
| |
| And both that morning equally lay |
|
| In leaves no step had trodden black. |
|
| Oh, I marked the first for another day! |
|
| Yet knowing how way leads on to way |
|
| I doubted if I should ever come back. |
15 |
| |
| I shall be telling this with a sigh |
|
| Somewhere ages and ages hence: |
|
| Two roads diverged in a wood, and I, |
|
| I took the one less traveled by, |
|
| And that has made all the difference. |
20 |
July 7th, 2009
So once again song lyrics come into play here in China from Toto- one of my all time favorite 80′s band, but so appropriate for the journey we are on and the one I will embark once I come home and put all of the knowledge I have been taught from this beautiful culture.
On Thursday during my PT with Jason I was trying to do the hardest thing I have done in therapy which is getting up from a step that is about 18-20 inches off the ground. This is very difficult for me because I have no strength in the my thighs. I have done it once or twice per PT session and today I was a little worn out and when I went to try my second time I was off the step and couldn’t get up and my knee buckled, but Jason was there to catch me- but in that split second I felt the same feeling I felt a couple of years ago when I fell and my knee buckled and no one was there to pick me up and I ended up in a wheelchair for the next 3 weeks. So as he grabbed me and pulled me up, I was so very thankful to him- and as I looked in his eyes he said, “it’s ok, ok, ok.” Jason knows very little English, but he knows- “pain, a little bit more everyday, where’s baby, baby good, baby strong, Obama, Michael Jackson, Bruce Lee, you stronger, tired, all done- among a few other words. I welled up with tears (no surprise, right?) and he said, “all done!” and walked me back to my room and came in and sat down. He has a little computer about as small as a phone that he can write something in Chinese and then shows me in English. That day once I got to my room- I started crying and he was consoling me and even though I could not explain to him why, he knew. He started typing and then showed me his little computer and I saw- “hold the line.” Something that my father would say although in his words it be, “bump and grind” or “when you go to the altar, bring back the fire and not the ashes,” among many other Tonyisms. But I knew that he knew what I was feeling and we know each other in a way I have never known anyone else. He will be the person I miss the most- and I want him to know that, so we are thinking of what we can give him to show our appreciation for helpiing me to see my potential- helping me to do things I never thought I would do- the whole time cheering me on in his own special way.
Later that evening I talked Noah into going to a restaurant called, Yo Yo Hot Pots- a place where the menu is in tanks because it consists of all fresh fish and they have an area with fresh veggies and noodles and beef and poultry, but to order you walk with the waiter and point at what you want. A few people here had gone last week when I wasn’t able and I had not been out for a few days and knew with my spinal on Friday I would not be able to leave again until Sunday- so we we’re off with the offer that if he didn’t like it he could order a pizza when we got back. As we were heading to the elevator we saw Jason and asked him to come with us- and he did! What an experience- I only recognized a few things: live lobster, prawns, noodles, and very thinly sliced beef. Jason ordered and we sat down where we each had our own “hot pot” with boiling chicken broth. First they brought out a clam for each of our pots and then the food came. Jason had us open our pots and started putting things in for us- the we covered the pot. They also brought a bowl of very watered down peanut sauce and hot red peppers, cilantro, garlic and scallions to add to the sauce which I gladly did. Then we watched Jason take out the different meats and veggies and put into the sauce and eat. I did pretty well with the chopsticks for about the first 10 minutes and then we asked for a fork. The food was good and fresh, but bland. At the end of the meal you then took your spoon and drank the broth in the hot pot. Noah ate the beef and was still hungry when we got back and so he had a pizza. Jason was such a gentlemen making sure I had his arm the whole time we walked in and out and making sure I was comfortable. Normally when you have someone join you for dinner it is a translator so they can help order, but our Jason was the perfect dining companion!
My spinal was on Friday- as I sit here today it is Saturday at 12noon. Dr. Chen was the DR on duty as Dr. Tony #2 was at a seminar. It took him several tries, but he got it! My back is very sore today, but no headache or leg cramps- yet so I am praying I will feel better tomorrow for the zoo! Noah is off with yet another new family showing them around the Jima Market- he is the official tour guide of the Jima!
We are counting down the days and pouring on the prayers for all to go well- my last IV infusion is Monday and we leave Tuesday!
Our love and prayers go out to our family and friends as we are taking Jason’s and my Dad’s advice and “holding the line” here in Qingdao, China.
July 4th, 2009
We are officially leaving Qingdao on July 7th instead of the 9th! We have had all of my treatments moved up. I will be receiving a total of 7 infusions- I have already had 5 as of Monday which was an IV. Friday July 3rd will be my last spinal and Monday July 6th will be my last IV and we fly out of Qingdao on Tuesday July 7th at 10:15am to Shanghai where we hop on a United flight at 3:55pm headed for O’Hare and will arrive- get this at 4:16pm July 7th! So on the return trip we lose no time, but we gain jet-lag you can be sure of that! Now, we are flying on stand-by tickets so we need lots of prayers to get us on that flight! We are very excited to be coming home a few days early as I will have about 3 weeks left before I head back to school. Noah keeps reminding me that he will have 6 weeks until he goes back to Seton for his last year- he will be in 8th grade. He has grown up here in China, both mentally and physically. He was definitely a favorite of many- and I am proud to call him my son- and am hoping I can get him out of here- because many would like to take him home with them- they tell me he’s a keeper- but I already knew that.
Will post more soon- our love to all!
July 1st, 2009
We had a very nice time with my mom and Michele over the past few days. We had to lay low on Saturday and so on Sunday we went to the Jimo Market. This place is huge and Noah has been many times with the other caregivers here to buy gifts or help them carry their packages or even watch young Cody who is 2 and in a wheelchair so his mom could shop. I have only been there once and only on the main floor- it has 2 floors that go up and 2 lower levels as well as buildings across the street. It is quite an experience as everybody is peddling their wares and when they see Americans coming they raise their prices, because they think we are rich. They certainly couldn’t get one over on us- we had the master negotiator- NOAH! That boy knows how to bargain- every time the price was too high we would yell for him and he would come and say, “no, no, no, too much” and work his magic! We found really good knock-offs of everything, because it is not illegal here like it is in the states. So all the markings look real, where in New York there has to be a definite mark in the logo to make it look like a knock-off or they do have the secret back room in NY where the knock-offs look real, but aren’t and here they look even better and are cheaper! Does that all make sense? Anyway- we had a great time and then headed back to the hotel to stay in a little comfort before Michele and my mom had to leave.
I must apologize about the delays in my blogs. I still cannot access from my room and I have not been feeling the best over the past few days either. I have not been sleeping well and although the treatments are going well- I am wishing I could feel a little more improvement then I am. It is a little tough not knowing if anything will be different for me in the coming months and although I am trusting that it will- sometimes it is hard. Of course we all hope that we will come back changed and we will to a certain extent- but we want physical changes that we can feel and see. That has not happened- and as our departure date gets closer- I, of course, am anxious about what the future will hold. So tonight I pray for patience and I ask God for a miracle- for not only me, but for everyone here in Qingdao- who have flown in on hope and faith that their lives will be better after China.
We are getting new families all the time- a man and his daughter came in last night from Mount Pleasant Iowa! Doesn’t get much closer then that! We were stunned! Please keep all the families here in your prayers- we have made some lifelong friends that is for sure.
We miss everyone so much and are anxious to start out journey back home.
July 1st, 2009
I had my 4th stem cell infusion via the spine on Friday June 26. My mom arrived about 10 minutes before I went into the procedure room and was able to pray with me. We had a pretty good week besides the fact that my Internet has been down since Tuesday, I thought I had the flu on Thursday, my mom and sister were stuck in Shanghai and didn’t arrive here in Qingdao until Friday and when Noah went with the driver from the hospital to the airport to pick them up, they missed each other. But none of these things were in my mind as I lay waiting- already hooked up to saline, thinking they all would be showing up any minute- I had time to be still- and when I was, with my rosary in hand- I prayed and prayed for the Lord to be with me, all of my family and friends and also with the doctors. What I thought was going to be 30 minutes turned into 2 hours and it was a perfect time to pray them rosary and reflect on my journey thus far. And in those moments this bible verse came to me- “Be still and know that I am God.” How appropriate for me, for all of us to sit and reflect and know that he is control. And I was still, and I prayed and was still- and then I asked him again for a miracle- for not only me, but for all of us here who are sick, because we all deserve it. If we are in China seeking treatment then we have journeyed out of our comfort zone in search of a better quality of life- and for that God will reward us- for not giving up- for the search to get better and be better. So as they gave me a dose of valium in my IV and asked me to relax- my Dr. Tony #2 found the “space between” on the very first try. I was done in 20 minutes and back to my room where again I was greeted by my beautiful mother- and I knew that God wants this for me- I knew he was in control. I have written about my difficulty with spinals in the past and I love how my God will prove doctors wrong every time because I was told, “no one shoud EVER do a blind spinal on you- your vertebraes are too narrow and it is impossible without the use of an x-ray machine.” But Dr. Tony was guided by the greatest Physician of all- God- and got it on the first try!
So we had some obstacles to overcome this week and they seem so trivial now- the treatment is the most important thing and us all getting home safely. We have less then 2 weeks to go and we are gettng excited to be back home, but we have a little bit more here to do and with God all things are possible- even miracles!
Our love goes out to everyone as we keep you all in our prayers!
June 28th, 2009
Here in Qingdao people love the English language and gladly wear it- even though they don’t know what it means. In fact every t-shirt we see- we can read- which means they can’t. In the department stores the signs- the billboards are all in English- so we can read them- but again, they cannot. It is baffling to me how infatuated they are with Americans- our trends- our culture- but cannot speak it or read it. There are many, many oddities here in this seaside town off the coast of the Yellow Sea. For instance- yesterday around 5pm one of the mothers here with her son was gazing out the window across the street at the mall. The entire mall is going to be huge, but only a small section is complete. The rest is there, but uninhabited so there are many workers on site during the day. So this was quitting time and as she looked she saw this man standing near a large bucket of water washing his naked body. She ran and got another mother because she thought she was seeing things. But sure enough he was in his birthday suit and was squatted down and using the towel to dry off his backside by sliding back and forth while holding it with both hands. We also witness many people coming and going at the hospital. Yesterday a woman and her daughter were walking out of the hospital- the girl- in her 20′s had an IV still in her arm and her mother was carrying the bag high up in the air as they made their way to the car. They got in the back and as they drove off I saw the window roll down and here came the IV bag out of the window being held high as they drove out of the parking lot and onto the beautiful, tropical streets of Qingdao. So as much as these foreigners thrive on the American slogans- they surely have their own way of stating that they truly are from a different part of the world.
Today Noah and I had a really great day. We had PT with Jason and he is having me do exercises that I thought I would never do again and that are a part of daily life. For instance- simply standing up from the PT table- which is only about 2 feet from the floor. I can stand up straight without holding on to anything and I can do it about 15 times in a row. Then he had me with weights on my arms and legs stand in front of steps they have in the PT room which are about 2 feet high and without holding on put one foot on and take it off and then put the other one on and take it off. I did this at least 15 times without losing my balance and without holding on. Now coming from someone that needs help off of a curb- this is fabulous! I want to relish in these moments and believe me we do- and that includes Jason- but then when I go back out to the “real world” I still need help with the minor tasks of stepping off a curb. Now I know this is all going to take time- and I have nothing but that right now- so I think I will try to slow down and believe that in time- I will step up off that curb on my own with hands held high.
I then had acupuncture and electrowave therapy and I think I have actually lost some weight from all those needles being poked into me. Afterwards we headed out to the Pizza Hut again where this time I tried the pasta and it was pretty good and the latte was awesome. We then went to another mall connected to the Pizza Hut to look around. We didn’t really find anything interesting, but we did find a little place that gave pedicures- so I thought, “why not?” I’m not on vacation, but I can act like I am for the few hours away from the hospital. So Noah drops me off and he heads upstairs to look for…what else, but CARS! Just as he takes off the girl motions me to follow her- she takes me out the back of the mall into a high-rise building to the 5th floor where she leads me into an apartment where everything is set up as a salon. I’m quite impressed and thinking at the same time that I hope Noah knows enough to just wait for me at the little storefront salon that only does nails. I do not panic, because that is what my mom would do- plus Noah is smart… all he has to do is go back to the salon and they will know the American boy belongs to the American mom who is out the back and up the elevator in an apartment set up as a salon. They offer me some yummy coffee and start soaking my feet and within 10 minutes the door opens and in walks Noah with one of the other girls from the storefront downstairs. So we are reunited and all is good. The pedicure was phenomenal and only $15 so it was a good time had by all. Oh and Noah has another remote control to add to his collection- the Audi is about done in- it has a ton of miles and been crashed and jumped stairs and in and out of more elevators then I can even count. So… the great news was a white Lexus was on sale and in line to take over the spot with the boy the Audi had held for so long. So I caved -as you all knew I would- and now we have a white Lexus in tow.
So as we were in Pizza Hut the music playing was all American- “I wanna know what love is…” So when I saw a girl crossing the street with “tell me what love is…” written on her t-shirt- I thought- I know what love is and I began to make my list.
To me Love is…
my beautiful boy by my side during this journey of hope
the sound of my dad’s voice every morning at 5:45 waking me up for school
my own RN- my mom
my sister Mindee’s beautiful smile and sweet spirit and her believing in me and my journey
my sister Michele’s generous spirit and willingness to travel here to be with me
my brother Mark, his wife Tammy and son Anthony who have us in their prayers
my niece and my nephew’s consistent love
the Holy Spirit who moves so fluidly through my friend Jean- as well as her love and humor that has gotten me through the past years with a smile on my face
the compassion, love and kindness that emanates from my friend MaryJo- and her loyalty in the pursuit to make me well
the generosity of my brother-in-law Ric
the loyalty and generosity of my best friend Becky and her family for keeping our Camey safe while we are away
the licking away of all the tears I have shed over the past years from my dog Camey
the love of my friends- Glenda, Rhonda, Dave and Nickola, Sue and Jim and Jeannie and Mark
the untiring efforts of Sue and Angie that made our fundraiser a success
the willingness of Marty and Sue, Heather, MaryJo, Mindee, my Mom, Mandy and Noah to serve on the Mia’s Hope Committee
the support and the compassion from the English department at UTHS- especially Brian’s generosity with his musical talents at my fundraiser
the hand-made notes that I am reading here in Qingdao made by the hands of my beautiful friend Heather and to her parents Judy and Tim
the words of encouragement from Cheryl, Patrice, Carol, Dianne, Carri, Laura, Erin, Eileen, Sally, Irma, Jen, Sandy and Theresa
the prayers that were said for me on the last TEC weekend thanks to my beautiful friends Devon, Kathi and Julia
the years of love given to my entire from Jean and Dick- Annie and Debi and their families
the prayers that are being said by my friend Marty on my grandparents farm in Neponset
the kindness of the Golbys and especially Sue
the smile of the nurses here in Qingdao- especially LiLi- my “Chinese Tawny”
the love of my cousin Tawny and her family- Kevin, Alivia, and Allie and my Aunt Jacquie and husband Joe
the generosity of my California cousins and my Uncle Jimmy and Aunt Barbie for providing me with reading material for the whole trip by buying me a Kindle
the Believer’s Together Center filled with family and friends whose one wish is to see me get better
the support and love I have felt from my students and the staff at UTHS
the generosity of the staff, students and parents of Seton School, Our Lady of Grace, Glenview and UTHS
the caring and kind spirit of Mary and Bill and their willingness to care for Noah every morning before school
the time and effort going into my home to ready it for my return by Andy, Matt, Julia, my mom, Mindee, Ric, Mic and Ralph
all the dollars given to wear a Mia’s Hope bracelet or t-shirt
the generosity of Jeannie, Mic and Chris, Carri and Cathie and all who attended Mia’s Hope
our ride to China paid for by my sister Mindee and brother-in-law Ric, but given by Pete and Rox
the willingness to pull my car up to the doors of UTHS when my legs were to tired to make the walk at the end of the day by my friend John
the countless prayers that have been said on my behalf
the comments that brighten our day and left on this blog
the lemon-aid stand set up in Glen-Ellyn on my behalf by my cousin Taylor Jane
my Uncle Johnnie driving 3 hours to be at my fundraiser
the shoulder of my friend Stacey B
the consistency of my friend Kate’s phone calls letting me know she loves me and cares for me- even if I don’t pick up
the love of my friend Nancy and her family and her husband Jeff who is looking down at all of this and smiling
the love that I have felt my whole life from my Aunt Phid and Uncle Tom and Aunt Joyce and Uncle Ron and Aunt Sandra and Uncle Obie (to my Aunt Phid- my feelings were never hurt, I just know that you love me so much that it was hard for you to let me go- and I understand because I love you that much, too!)
the support and love from my cousin Susan who has seen so many struggles of her own, but always has time for me
the total feeling of contentment that this journey is and will be the best and hardest thing I have ever done
the prayers coming from Heaven from both of my beautiful Grandmothers and both of my Grandfathers- who I still miss and think of daily
the fact that God gave his only Son to die on the cross for my sins, because he loves me that much
for anyone I may have forgot- only know I have felt your love and appreciate it more then you know
So… the girl on the streets of Qingdao may have to ask this question, but no one has to tell me what love is…because I feel it from the other side of the world- from all of you- I love you all.
Mia
June 23rd, 2009
Previous Posts
