Vivian was discharged from the hospital on New Year's Eve following her heart surgery. So much has changed since then.
A year ago I had never taken Vivian anywhere except doctors' appointments. Now we are on the go all the time - and she is my perfect adventure companion: to the beach, to Texas, to Target, to the ice cream shop.
A year ago, with heart surgery just barely behind us, I was overwhelmed as all the other pieces of Vivian's CHARGE syndrome diagnosis came together. I'm still overwhelmed a lot of the time, but I'm also at peace.
In the space of these 365 days, Vivian has become a smiling, giggling, rolling, sitting, pivoting, silly-ing, signing, eating, babbling and playing machine. She works hard to achieve milestones. Nothing is a given.
I'm pretty sure I have learned more this year than all my thirty years before it. Lessons in hope, love, faith, patience, advocating, not sweating the small stuff, finding and choosing joy, living each day to its fullest (and forgiving myself when I don't), asking for and accepting help, making a mess and loving it...
I have so much more to learn. With Vivian as my teacher, I'd say we're about to enjoy another year of adventures, mishaps and beauty in the midst of it all.
Thanks for coming along on the journey with our family. Happy New Year, Friends.
Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com
Song is "Knock, Knock" by Lenka. I like the idea of opening a new door to the new year. ..part of the journey.
7 comments:
Miss Hannah,
I cannot imagine how many memories you must have revisited to compile this wonderful video.
I LOVED watching it!
So much love and joy, so many miraculous moments captured. I watched it twice... once with Preston earlier, and again just now!
I can't believe how much Miss Viv has blossomed in a year. She is amazing! I SO look forward to what she has in store for us this year!
And I cannot wait for us to transition from "not-yet-met" friends to "met" friends!
If the words exist to describe what your support, sisterhood and friendship mean to me, they elude me now. It is amazing that this medium exists for us to be so connected without having met in person. Your kindness of heart, your honesty, your words in every post - - who you are - - speaks to me in the way that my dearest "met" friends do... and in some ways even more because you "get" it in ways that they just can't. So... thank you, dear "not-yet-met" friend :-).
Love,
Kristi
Wow Hannah. I love watching your photo collages. Big smiles and tears... What a year precious Vivian and her amazing parents have had! I'm so glad we connected last January. You are a dear friend and I am very excited to watch our girls continue to grow and blossom. Here's to 2009!!
Oh Hannah! This was so wonderful to watch! I am just stunned at how much little Viv has changed and I just loved revisiting the last year with you! (sob, sob) This was so special, thanks for sharing!
That was beautiful and I love the song I never heard it before!! Thanks for sharing Vivian with us and we are so blessed to know you and your wonderful family.
Here's to a blessed new year,
Crystal and Eva
What a beautiful montage Hannah. I love your description of what you have learned in the last year - what a true gift that knowledge is - but I especially liked the "(and forgiving myself when I don't), asking for and accepting help, making a mess and loving it..." What truth that is.
You have a beautiful family and Vivian is simply darling.
-Libby
I love the video montage, Hannah! Thanks for sharing! ~ Susan
So very lovely. I remember not long ago you wondering how you could get Vivian to sign and now look at where she is! Amazing!
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