Two Big Thank-You's (1 rather belated)

Yesterday my Mom and Dad made the drive down from Philly to visit Jeff and I.  Yesterday, the 10th, not only would have been Leah's 17 month birthday; 1 year ago on that day was when Leah needed her emergency tracheostomy performed.  It was the day we almost lost her; the day we were ushered out of her PICU room while Leah and I didn't break eye contact with each other for one second as she screamed at the terror of not being able to breathe; and all the multitude of strangers faces crowding in on her.  It was the day we realized the road we were travelling with her would come to an end; sooner rather than later.  I remember sitting in the totally empty operating waiting room with Jeff - blankly staring ahead, gripping one of Leah's binkies in my hand; praying she would make it.  Because honestly, at that moment, we didn't know if the doctors were going to save her.  

Her trach was made an emergency because no one could intubate her; it was literally impossible with how narrow her throat was.  We were taken into a consult room where the resident basically said (in a very kind and calm way): "It's either let her go or trach her.  It's either end this now, or go on with more stress and work than you're already doing with her.".  We signed the paper to allow the surgery without a second thought.  

So, suffice it to say my Mommy and Daddy wanted to make sure we had a good day this year.  So we all went out to a nice dinner, and then to a baseball game; which ended in a fireworks display.  (The stadium for the Bowie Baysox is literally about 7 minutes from our house).  So I guess I need to add to my thank-you's and thank them as well! : )

But; to explain: the address that used to be listed on the sidebar here for which people could send any kind of card or gift to us was actually my parents address.  So I could only retrieve those things whenever I went up to Philly, or they came down here.  And since it's been 2 months since either of those things happened, there were 2 things waiting for me to open.  (The address listed now is my work address: so I would assuredly get any mail quickly).

So first: a big belated thank you to Tina; who went to high school with my sister, and whose letter went unopened for almost 2 full months.  Tina sent me a beautiful letter, on beautiful butterfly stationery, and a $50 gift card to Massage Envy.  Tina won the gift card through Jonah's EB Auction - but said she wanted to pass it along to me, rather than use it for herself.  How sweet!!!

So thank you Tina!!!

Secondly: a big thank you to the Verret family in Louisiana.  They made, and sent me this:

A butterfly quilt!!!


Here are some close up shots:

This block says:

Little guardian Angel,

Fly high above the sky,

We'll be again together,

In the blinking of an eye.

And each block has a butterfly shape quilted in:

How precious is that?!?!

So again, huge thank yous!!  I still can't get over people's generosity with these types of things.  I have gotten so many kind and beautiful cards, letters and gifts from people I don't know and have never met!  Believe it or not, some of my close blood relatives have sent me neither card, email, etc ... but these 'strangers' out there in the 'blogmosphere' fell in love with Leah's face and story and continue to share their hearts in this way ..... it's really unbelievable. But it helps me to remember that the world is still full of some really good people - and that the faceless 'strangers' out there across the world and in every timezone, carry memories of my little girl - just as I do.