Surprise!

Dear Friends & Family,

For the last few days thoughts of what I would post tonight rolled around in my head. I figured I should write something about being thankful since it is Thanksgiving week. But that didn't seem honest. Where thankfulness normally resides in my heart, for the last week, it has been filled more with sadness and resentment about this disease and what it is doing to our family. Still, I wanted thankfulness to be the topic. I tried so hard to concentrate on all we have to be thankful for; I made a list of things people have done for us, gifts that have been given to us, and all the comforts that surround us. Still up until this afternoon I knew I couldn't write about thankfulness.

I got home from work and was in the middle of greeting Curt, his mom and the kids, when the doorbell rang. Clarissa said, "Mom there is a surprise for you." I opened the door and was completely surprised to see Melissa and Rose standing on my front porch. They had flown in from Texas to surprise Curt and I. Clarissa had picked them up from the airport this morning and surprised Curt earlier in the day.

While I attended college in Jacksonville, Texas I got a job babysitting for the Banks Family. The job grew into a special friendship not only with Michael and RoseMary but also with each of the Banks kids. Two years after I left Texas we were still in close contact, so much so that the kids; Michele, Melissa and John were in our wedding in 1988. Our friendship has continued all these years with visits to Texas and their visits to California. We have traveled to Texas for each of their weddings and our kids have been a part of their special days. Melissa has always been a great friend and now more than ever she is such a support to me and all that our family is going through. We had been texting most of the day today and I pictured her at her home with her three girls and husband, Mike. When I opened the door this evening and she was on my porch, I was speechless.

As I was pondering ideas of what to write, the thought of how God gives us the friends we need at certain times in our lives was something I had been thinking about. I am always amazed how friends come and go and different circles of friends come around at different times. Having Melissa so far away is not always easy. We wish we could see eachother more but we talk often, especially the last few weeks as we were both struggling physically and emotionally and have been talking several times a day. And then today to see her in person....I felt like God had hand delivered her. Bam....here....will this make you thankful? Will this pull you out of your funk? Yep, thank you God!

Love,
Cindy, Curt, Clarissa, Cayden & Corbin

Clarissa, Rose & Melissa at the airport.
I can't believe they have been scheming this for a few weeks.

Surprising Curt!
Clarissa walked in with Rose, Curt knew it was Rose and was looking over his shoulder for Melissa.

Curt & Rose bonded instantly!

Cayden has such a way with girls....

Surprising me....I am speechless!

Corbin has been begging to go to Texas to see Rose since she was born 9 months ago.