The Rainbow.
I can’t quite describe what the past 24 hours have meant.
Yesterday, Brady was discharged from CHOP after having gone 24 hours with no fever or neurological episodes.
Looking back at the boys sitting together as we drove to the Airbnb had me in all of the feels. Such extreme gratitude for what we were all a witness to.
Sure, Brady will have to continue to go in for follow up appointments and won’t officially be released to go home until January 10th, but this was a major milestone.
Seeing Brady laughing and being goofy made my heart want to explode.
We got back to our Airbnb after dropping my mom off to the airport and got lunch and some hot showers.
A few moments later Aubrey ran through the door to give me the biggest hug I think I have ever had in my life.
I don’t think we let go of each other for at least 3 minutes.
Her and her aunt, uncle, and cousin had all driven here to Philadelphia.
A couple short hours later Chris, Brady and I drove to the airport. Cooper and his grandma Martin were being flown in by some super generous and amazing men who are connected to Brady and our family from their school.
We watched as they got out of the plane. I thought for sure I was going to burst into tears.
It had been 18 days since we put him down for a nap, cried a million tears, said our goodbyes, and headed for Philly.
18 days of not hugging him. 18 days of not kissing his cheeks. 18 excruciatingly long days.
When they came through the glass doors our hearts rejoiced in such an incredible way.
Our family was complete here in Philadelphia.
I gave him the biggest hug and he squeezed me so tight and I told him, “Cooper I love you so much! I’m so glad you are here!”
“I love you too mommy,” he said into my ear as I squeezed him back, “I was missing you so so much.”
A million Brady and dad hugs too and we got in the van and headed back to Aubrey and Blake. We ate pizza together and Brady tried to rest. He forgets sometimes just how much he has been through.
We were all sitting on the couch when he got up and went up to his room.
“Mom!” He yelled from upstairs, “I need your help.”
I walked upstairs to find Brady trying to bring down some gifts he had gotten everyone. Earlier that day he had been given the opportunity to pick out five gifts through a Christmas program at CHOP.
Of course, he picked out something for all of them.
One by one he played Santa giving them each the gifts he had chosen.
But the greatest gift, was him out of the hospital and all of us together again.
I’m not sure if I have ever felt more loved then I do right now.
As I lay here next to Cooper taking his nap, I can hear the rain on the rooftop.
After the 40 day flood, Noah and his family got to witness the first rainbow.
But before that rainbow they experienced enormous loss. Pain. Suffering. Isolation.
They endured months and months of agony.
That rainbow was an incredible gift to a family that was in desperate need of knowing they weren’t alone.
That rainbow was God’s promise to them, and mankind, that never again would a rain flood the world.
So now we can listen to the rain without fear. We can let it be a gentle reminder of what we have been through as we search for the rainbow at the end of the storm.
And as a family that has had to endure more storms then we would like to remember, I’ll tell you this. The rainbow, to us, never loses it’s significance or glory.
In fact, it seems it is brightest and most vibrant when it comes on the heels of the darkest of storms.
The harder the rain, the more majestic the rainbow.
So don’t fear the storm, but rather embrace it. Embrace the rain. Let it wash upon you to clear your eyes so that you can see. So that you can see the promise in the distance.
Shields up.
Swords out.
Cherishing the moments, Kristin
“Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.”
#waytobattle #waytobattleBrady #leukemiawarrior #clinicaltrial #childhoodcancerawareness #survivingthestorm #livingamiracle #enjoyingtherainbow #family #miracle #Jesuscan
