Thank yous, the day after a LBC kinda day...

BF89905 said:

An incredible and heart warming story about generosity, effort, and compassion. Well done to everyone directly involved with this GTL endeavour.

stina1118 said:

Last night, I spoke with the ticket donor. He truly is an amazing guy. Genuine, kind and a good personality. I hope to have a beer or two with him one day, I enjoyed chit chatting and learning more about him.

When he explained the story behind the donation, he wanted me to understand that the donation wasn’t out of sympathy or because of his condition… It was for Joshua and his passion for music.

This was actually one of the most touching things about this whole thing, those words.

When Joshua was young, I had to go through a process that many special needs parents go through. You have to grieve the loss of many things that you expect your child to experience.

Walking was one of them. He may do it one day and I believe in him. But, for a long time, I would obsess about it. Will he? Won’t he? Things like that.

Once I let go of the norm, I never saw the downside again. My son is beautiful and has an appreciation for life that most of us will never have. He doesn’t know fear, sadness (except when PJ ends). You know that “happy place” in your head. That’s where Joshua lives most of the time. In that sense, he’s luckier than all of us, especially in times like these.

When I posted last year about Joshua, I just wanted to know that we had support around us when we would take him to a show. We don’t exactly blend in and I was just hoping for a few smiling faces and maybe a couple high fives.

I wanted him. Us. To feel accepted. You guys surely accepted us and took it above and beyond. All of us here kind of suck at getting attention and it gets so (lovingly) overwhelming accepting gifts. It honestly pushes out of our comfort zone, which is a really good thing.

Enjoy your week everyone! Good luck getting anything done with PJ brain all week.

Hearts & thoughts,
Christina

stina1118 said:

@hedonist Thank you. That really means a lot to me. It's something I don't talk about frequently. Honestly, I feel very comfortable talking about it here with you all. I feel "protected".

I've probably opened up to you all here more than we do to some of our family and friends. It's why this is just so amazing to us. We have "friends" for years that know less about our life with Joshua than you guys do.

Tom and I talk a lot and he knows a lot about what we go through. He's been a good friend to us and he knows how guarded we are and he understands why.

We don't have much family to count on and, we don't receive any assistance or respite for Joshua's care. So Josh (Dad) and I just don't know how to count on people. We have very few in our life.

I have several back/nerve issues that have compiled from the wear and tear of moving Joshua. In addition to Fibromyalgia and autoimmune conditions. I don't look sick or in pain, but I am everyday. Most people in our life don't understand how difficult it is for me to raise two children when some days I can barely walk up stairs.

We're all fighters and we struggle a lot in this house. Neither one of us likes to complain or talk about it, we feel weak or needy. We try to do whatever we can to make it through each day.

So when I say how much this means to us. I truly mean it. Almost every time I come here, I get watery eyes. Each and every one of you has impacted us and made us feel supported and loved. It's something that our family needed.

If I unloaded a little, that wasn't my intention. Haha Thanks for listening to my rant. Getting ready to move has been very frustrating and another reminder how much people can suck. Hahahaha

Oh... One more thing...

And not to exclude my little 4 year old Maddy, she even gets excited for her brother. Even at her age she gets it. However, she wants to go to a concert and see Fall Out Boy.

I told her no concerts until she is at least 8... That gives me 4 years to set her straight!!