Gratitude

I feel overcome with emotions today. This morning I bundled Carter up and took him to Children's Hospital for his first occupational visit for his Torticollis. I wasn't nervous about the appointment, I was nervous about the experience. Children's Hospital is this amazing place that people travel from all over the world with the hope to help their sick child. They have print and TV ads that make me cry when I see the sick little babies with tubes in their noses. The killer ones are on a local radio station that does a big radiothon for the hospital and to hear the stories of triumph and sorrow from the parents is almost too much for me to process.

Today while Carter's nanny and I were in line to get our badges I was overcome with this feeling of gratitude that my little guy just has a stiff neck. The family behind me in line was pushing a child that was probably 5ish, with no hair, and a multitude of stitches on his head that looked like a patch work quilt. I thought about this family and then I thought about mine. I wondered how I would handle the stress and pain that this mom experiences daily, to see your child suffering. I said a little prayer for them and then I looked into my sweet Carter's eyes and hoped that we would not be visiting often. I also realized how important it is to step back from one's own life and look around. There are many families that go to this hospital who can't afford it, and they aren't turned down. With my one hour experience this morning I now know that a small donation, or some volunteer work later in my life is something that will happen. I pray that Carter continues to be the happy and healthy baby he is, and if something is to change, I'm grateful for my experience today and witnessing pure strength and love today.


I hate this was taken with my Iphone, but I needed to have a photo taken of Carter and Kent right before we left for the hospital. I wanted to have this image with me.