What a gift
This week was a great reminder that sometimes our own plans pale in comparison to what God has in mind. We just simply hoped it would be possible to bring Charlotte to our family beach vacation for a couple days after she finished Chemo. But God had a better plan. Instead, she got to enjoy 5 fun sun filled days at the beach with her family! And today, she is back in the hospital beginning round 5 of chemo. Vacation is over. It's time to get back to work.
So, Brian drove Charlotte back to begin this next round while I got to stay back for an extra day with Taylor, Parker and the rest of the family. It was truly special to get some extra time with them and also wonderful for Brian to get one-on-one time with Charlotte. She is feeling so good this week. She was filled with happiness and enjoyed all the simple pleasures of being on vacation with her family. When she wasn't running on the beach playing "go feet go!" (a game she made up where she would run towards and then away from the waves), she chased and played with her brother, sister, and cousin Allison, or snuggled with a family member.
One afternoon, we took the kids to see the turtle rescue and rehabilitation center here. Charlotte remarkably related to a turtle she saw. There was an X-ray picture of its injured flipper and it was being given IV medication. With wonder, but recognition no 2 year old should have, Charlotte surprised us by pointing to and identifying the X-Ray picture. "X-ray? Boo boo? Why?" And then she said "Tubie? Medicine? Me too hospital" while grasping her own "tubies" (as we call them) that come out of an opening in her chest. Yes baby girl, that turtle is getting medicine in its tubies at the hospital just like you do. And we all watched the sick or injured turtles who were trying to live. It was sad in a way. Many of them will never recover. Never survive. And many who do won't be able to be released back to their ocean home. And I hoped that they could find some happiness in a zoo or an aquarium somewhere. But many will recover. Many will survive and live out the rest of there lives back in the ocean. And then I saw our little fighter, whose life mirrors theirs in many ways right now, watching them in wonder. Observing these creatures that also need help to survive. Drawing her little comparisons. But our girl, she will recover from this. And she will emerge back into this world as a person who has taught and inspired so many people. That alone, is a beautiful gift that she can give this world.
So, Brian drove Charlotte back to begin this next round while I got to stay back for an extra day with Taylor, Parker and the rest of the family. It was truly special to get some extra time with them and also wonderful for Brian to get one-on-one time with Charlotte. She is feeling so good this week. She was filled with happiness and enjoyed all the simple pleasures of being on vacation with her family. When she wasn't running on the beach playing "go feet go!" (a game she made up where she would run towards and then away from the waves), she chased and played with her brother, sister, and cousin Allison, or snuggled with a family member.
One afternoon, we took the kids to see the turtle rescue and rehabilitation center here. Charlotte remarkably related to a turtle she saw. There was an X-ray picture of its injured flipper and it was being given IV medication. With wonder, but recognition no 2 year old should have, Charlotte surprised us by pointing to and identifying the X-Ray picture. "X-ray? Boo boo? Why?" And then she said "Tubie? Medicine? Me too hospital" while grasping her own "tubies" (as we call them) that come out of an opening in her chest. Yes baby girl, that turtle is getting medicine in its tubies at the hospital just like you do. And we all watched the sick or injured turtles who were trying to live. It was sad in a way. Many of them will never recover. Never survive. And many who do won't be able to be released back to their ocean home. And I hoped that they could find some happiness in a zoo or an aquarium somewhere. But many will recover. Many will survive and live out the rest of there lives back in the ocean. And then I saw our little fighter, whose life mirrors theirs in many ways right now, watching them in wonder. Observing these creatures that also need help to survive. Drawing her little comparisons. But our girl, she will recover from this. And she will emerge back into this world as a person who has taught and inspired so many people. That alone, is a beautiful gift that she can give this world.
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| The kids at the turtle rescue |
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| One of the loggerheads being rehabilitated |
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| Watching the turtles |
A day at the beach
Hanging with mommy at the beach
With her cousin Allison
Charlotte photobombs a.Bocce Ball game
With Aunt Lynn and daddy
Just being cute
Go feet go with daddy
Playing with Choo Choo
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| Movie time |
Family picture at dinner
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| Charlotte loves selfies |
Me and Charlotte wading
Allison, Taylor, and Parker swimming
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| Our group at dinner |
A rainbow at the beach❤️
Love seeing all the smiles!! So happy you all had these five days together relaxing and recharging at the beach. Go Charlotte!! xoxo
ReplyDeletePraise God
ReplyDeleteSo happy you all got to spend so much time At the beach She is incredible
And the four kids were adorable and the video was priceless.
Continued prayers for Charlotte, YOU and Brian
"go feet go "
ILY
Pops
Beautiful memories that just top off this one of many chapters in Charlotte's book to recovery!!! 💖👑🌊💜🐠☀️🌈 Much love!!!!
ReplyDeleteLove these photos! It's great to see everyone enjoying life so fully. Thinking about Charlotte all the time and send lots of prayers that this round goes as well as it possibly can. Love you all!!!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful. Thankful you all got some much needed family time. Praying round five goes well and she continues to kick butt.
ReplyDelete