3/24 - Sam's Journey - Day 103

Sorry for the delay in posting. It's been a little crazy around here. We're trying to get everything ready for the Sam's homecoming, which in the middle of Holy Week is kind of a hot mess. I usually don't see Jim this week anyway unless it's in church, so we're just adding a new and different layer of insanity on top of that. We are grateful for all of the help we are receiving from so many people, from providing meals to cleaning up (thank you boy scouts!) to making sure everything is in place (thanks Jim!) We thank you from the bottom of our hearts!

Sam did very well on Sunday at the concert. The only real issue is that he shifted in his chair and was a little uncomfortable, which was easily fixed during intermission. He also just about jumped out of his skin at the beginning of the Chichester Psalms, which is a little jarring if you're not ready for it. (In fairness, he's not the only one who jumped.) He just kind of smirked and settled in for the rest of the piece. The only other issue he had was that he asked us several times to stop making him laugh, which in the grand scheme of things is really a nice problem to have. It is good to see him laugh. The concert was beautiful, and we are very touched that one of the pieces was dedicated to us. Prior to the concert, we even managed to get a family photo for the church directory. When they got him back to his temporary home, it didn't take long for him to fall asleep, and he was pretty tired the next day for rehab. Overall, though, it was a very good day for all of us. Thank you all for being respectful of his space! You helped make this outing a smooth one for him.

He continues to make progress as he gets ready to come home. Aaron is home for Spring break and has spent time with him in Dallas. They have been playing Wii games, which has been great for Sam's recovery. He continues to make forward strides in so many different ways. The biggest one this week--to me, at least--is that he is working on speech. While there is not a lot of talking going on, he did work on one word in particular. For the first time since December 12th, he said, "Mom." It was one of the sweetest sounds I have ever heard.

We are so excited to finally be back together as a family under one roof. While everything might not be completely ready physically, we are ready in every other sense. This crazy journey has kept us apart far too long, and we are overjoyed that we can finally be together again. Thank you for your non-stop prayer support. Just one reminder that if you wish to order your #TeamSam shirt, the deadline is approaching. The orders will stop being received on March 29th. The link (if it chooses to work today) is #TeamSam Shirts  Word has it that they're great for a half marathon!

I should probably get ready for work, but I'll end with a picture that one of our friends took at the concert. Sam should be easy to spot!  Have a phenomenal day!