"Me too"

By jenrvball - August 30, 2017

We had walked into AUMC 3 years in a row for Preschool Orientation and meet the teacher. But never for Charlotte. Not last year. Brian and I usually turn the parent orientation and meet the teacher evening into a dinner date beforehand, and we did so again for this year's kickoff to the start of preschool. After dinner, down the street from our church, we strolled hand in hand into AUMC to begin the parent orientation night, back into the old familiar surroundings of this preschool which is part of our church. But we quickly saw familiar faces and feelings began to flood our hearts and we knew that being here at this moment meant so much more. This year, our Charlotte gets her "me too."

It is her turn to go to school. It is her turn to get dropped off and come home with news and important tid bits of her day in which we were not a part of. It's her turn to wait in a car pool line, have her door opened, pull her school bag on her shoulder and look back with a smile to wave goodbye. It is her turn to make new friends and come home to tell us all about it. It's her turn to have independence in making choices and decisions in which mommy and daddy are not there to help her make. It's her turn to be surrounded by other 3 and 4 year olds instead of nurses and doctors and IV medications that save her life while at the same time making her feel so sick. It is her turn damn it. And I write this with the happiest and proudest of tears forming. She's here. She's wanted this for so long. God, we are so grateful for this moment in time. For this day tomorrow where she gets to go in for a meet the teacher. And for next Tuesday, September 6, for her first ever day of school.

We saw many people within our church and preschool family tonight who have cared for and prayed for our Charlotte over the past 17 months. Seeing her be able to be at this moment in time is true evidence of God's amazing work. When we saw our Pastor Tim tonight and he threw his fists up in a cheer when his eyes met ours. He came to greet us and reminded us of his visit back in December when Charlotte was in bone marrow transplant and at her most sick. He showed her a video back then of Christmas chapel with one of the 3 year old preschool classes. She must have watched the clip over and over 10 times. He smiled and we prayed that she would get to be here this coming year, at a preschool having chapel. And she will. God has carried her here through what is hard for any of us to imagine and she is rising out of this darkness like a bright rainbow. She is taking her turn. How many times over this last year and a half has Charlotte watched her brother and sister or friend or neighbor or another child have an experience and she would look up at us and ask "me too?" Yes baby girl, you too. Now, it's your turn. Thank you God. Thank you village. She is here❤️🌈

Charlotte says she wants to marry Parker all the time. Yesterday she said "mommy? I want to marry Parker but he says no. Will God help him with that?" 😂 This morning I caught them together having such a sweet moment as he sat with her while she played at her vanity. She asked him to help her put on a necklace ❤️