A reflective thank you note

Overwhelmed.  In all the right ways.

So, as I sit here, just 4 days away from getting to meet our Abriana Mireille I realized that once Friday hits things are most likely going to launch into warp speed and I may not get this golden opportunity to be a little reflective for the people that have gotten us to this point.

Last night I was cruising around Facebook and saw a chain of posts.  A post of my blog from someone on my friends list, followed by a domino effect of posts of at least 3 other people not on my friends list sharing our story with their friends list and all of a sudden it hit me like a sack of bricks.  The depth of people out there thinking about us, or praying for us is so far beyond what I could have ever imagined and we'll probably never know just how many people have rallied in support for all we've been through and have yet to encounter ahead.  It's truly amazing, and my only regret is that there is not a proper string of words in any language capable of expressing just how amazing that feels.

So, this Friday, as years of waiting come to an end, and I get to look into my daughters eyes if you have ever "liked" or commented on a post on Facebook about Abriana, if you've ever taken the time to talk with us and ask questions, if you've ever held us in your thoughts or prayers, if you've had any sort of direct contact with us regarding this, you will be thought of.  For the multitude of people who haven't had direct contact with us but have taken the time to share our story even if we've never met, you will be thought of.  You will all be very much with us this Friday as everything unfolds.

Simply put, the road that's gotten us here has not been easy, but any road is worth traveling when it's lined with friends and family who are helping guide your way.  The road ahead is unknown with a touch of scary and there will be many bad days as we learn more about exactly how this condition will effect Abriana long term, not to mention the unpredictable responses in the first 4-6 months of her life before surgery as she lives with a craniofacial abnormality that's sure to make some people uncomfortable.  It's easy to say we don't care what those people think, it's easy to say our love for her is all that matters, it's much harder to be in those moments and not let them affect you.  It's remembering that there's a whole community of friends and family who have already accepted her sight unseen that will make those moments pass without forethought.

So thank you.  Thank you from the depths of our hearts for standing up and supporting us in so many ways.  No matter how small or large of a gesture, they've all landed with memorable impact on our hearts.