Fully Alive…Ready to Smile

I have butterflies in my stomach!  I’m so excited!  In one week from tomorrow I’m flying down to visit my Val!!!

Almost 2 years ago (October ‘07) I made the historic journey (in my books) to Illinois to meet in person, someone I’d met through this humble blog.  It was one of the more exciting and memorable moments in my life.  She has been the kind of friend to me that one searches for and hopes to have in life.  I don’t know if everyone is so lucky or blessed as I have been to have found someone who is so similar in personality, so caring and compassionate in spirit, and such a bright sunshiney spot in life.

**happy sigh**

So anyway, my darling Val has been through a rather turbulent time in her life during the past year.  I’m not going to go into many details (and Val, forgive me if I’ve screwed any of the details up), but she was quite ill last year and then she found out early this year that she was pregnant.  Her pregnancy was very crazy with being quite sick and having many, many, many doctor’s visits because of her prior illness and her history of miscarriage and whatnot.

Little Mr. Finley (Finn) Robert made his triumphant appearance into the world on September 10th (a week earlier than the scheduled c-section).

(picture taken by Val and stolen by me from her Facebook)

Isn’t he just a doll?  Look at his adorable expression!  I just love him already and I haven’t even met the little guy.  ONE WEEK!!!!  YEEEEE!!!!

Okay.  So anyway, a few days after she came home with him she was having terrible headaches and she ended up going back to the hospital because they were so bad.  It was discovered that she had a subdural hematoma.  I don’t know much about this stuff, but it’s bleeding in the brain and it’s very, very bad!  Through a complete miracle (and because of all the HUGE amounts of prayer, I’m sure) she did not have to have surgery because the bleeding didn’t get any bigger and she is back at home on bedrest waiting to have another CT scan later this week.

Needless to say, knowing all that she has been going through has made my heart ache.  I have felt so helpless here in another country wishing to be near her and helping in some tangible way.  Don’t get me wrong, I’ve been praying which I know is the GREATEST thing I can be doing for her.  But it doesn’t make me wish any less to be with her and her family.

I talked to her on Thursday and I expressed my desire to be of some help.  At first she gave mild protest because I’ve been out there to visit twice and she’s never been here to see me (she was planning on coming here this summer, but her health and pregnancy prevented her from coming).  I don’t care if she never comes here, she is my friend and I will help when and how I can…besides I love to travel  The circumstances are such that we are not tallying up who has been where how many times (although if we are going to keep track then she has a lot of travelling to do in the next few years, lol), I go because I care.

I have a wonderful support system in my own life that enables me to go and be of service to them.  I am truly blessed by the people in my own life who are willing to help me out so that I can go on such short notice.

So I booked my flights and I’m off in a week.  Even though I’ve only known her for 2 1/2 years and have only been to visit twice, it feels like I’ll be with an extension of my own family.  They are as close to my heart as if they were my own blood relatives.  And that sweet Finn has a special place in this auntie’s heart already.