Wednesday, May 07, 2008

• Weekend Warrriors--Saturday May 3rd and 4th

  There’s still no place like home and no one like our friends. 

   

  This had been the only time since Hillary’s accident Max had called the house and asked to stay in Wilder for the weekend.  Charlie was having a birthday party and we all knew how pulled Max felt about things.  We were too.  First of all, I am crazy about Charlie and I love his hugs, so thinking of disappointing Charlie as well as Max was really tough.  But we also knew Hillary has such limited time with Max.  As we talked with her about his request, she said several times, “I want him to do what he wants, but I miss him so badly, too.”   

   

  We had already planned a big weekend here as well with family friends of both Mommy’s and Max.  (And to top things off, Hillary’s God Parents, the Zacherettis, were on their way and surprising us as well)  On Thursday morning Max had called very early and we said, “You do what you want but we have big plans that we hated you to miss.   Within seconds of hearing the plans it was, “I WANT TO COME HOME!”  So much for trying to surprise anyone around here.  But that’s the way all our kids had been.  Over the years we learned we were better off letting them select their own surprise party invitations.

   

  Max’s first T-Ball game was scheduled for this weekend with many from his last year’s group on his team.  Though he isn’t able to practice with them until school is out for the summer, if he didn’t come home he wasn’t going to make their first game either.  Once here, Max started calling his “old day care buddies to check in. It was hysterical to hear them talking to each other; affirming who he could expect to see on the field and who had been slotted on a different team and would now be their opponent.   When Little Isaac called I could hear Isaac saying, “Wha’s’up, Buddy” with immediate giggles and screaming; making their conversation sound like another language.   And then it was Jack and then Barron who called right behind.  Thank goodness there was shopping to be done at the mall to keep him occupied instead of an endless wait for the game because Max was on fire with excitement for the day ahead.  Fortunately we had quite a few errands including securing cleats, “perfect” shorts since the team shirts weren’t in, time in the electronic batting cage and then Uncle Alex made the mistake of saying he was hungry.  It was off for chicken nuggets but this time we tried to mix it up just a little by going to Chick Filet.  Afterwards, we were on the move again and racing Paw Paul to Toys R Us.  I was at the “wheel” of Max and Hillary in her wheelchair while Paul drove his truck…and the race was on! Max was laughing hysterically through the ride…but no more than when he watched me trying to catch my breath as we bolted through the door to victory; beating Paw Paul by only seconds which made our triumph even sweeter. (We are terribly competitive in this family.)

   

  There are really no words to describe the rest of the day and even the pictures and video we posted cannot do justice to our weekend.  Some of the best moments were the way the boys played together in the basement afterwards and the funny things they said and did.  Apparently each one of these little guys had awakened way too early anticipating the excitement of the day.  Barron’s mom said her son had been ecstatic saying, “The guys are all back together again, Mom!”  And Jack could hardly contain himself as the first one to arrive. It was as if no time had passed between the two of them the moment they saw each other.  Their connection (or reconnection) was instant…and it had begun on the phone like a couple of older guys.  It was so funny (and sweet) to watch from afar.  But nothing was quite as funny as Little Isaac when the silly little cheap disc launchers were given to them for back yard play.  Apparently they had been a quite cool choice and my neighbor Susan said there were squeals of “Awesome!” and “Cool”, “Wow!”  But then Little Isaac yelled, “SWEET EASTER!!!!” and everyone just cracked up…and we are still laughing over that funny little guy. 

   

  At Sunday dinner (Did I just say that? I sound like my Great Grandmother It’s our new tradition--a big meal right before Max hits the road for Wilder…including vegetables much to his displeasure )  So during Sunday dinner, we were laughing at some family insider jokes and Max said, “This has been the best weekend of my life!”  And though he has said that on quite a few over his lifetime, it reaffirmed for Max and all of us he had made the right decision in coming home.  He and his friends had truly had a magical time together just being together again. And though it was too cold to have Hillary sit outside for the game, she was there to cheer her son on and he knew it.  He was so proud of her and so were we.  John Ryan joining the after party was the absolute icing on the cake.  And for the first time Max left all of us without tears and only a few minutes of lingering sadness knowing he would surely be back for Mother’s Day.  It was wonderful!  And as he ended his reassurance to himself that school was almost out with only three more weeks and that he’d be back, he started dialing his phone for Jack.  Max is just so “SMANDSOME”-- not at all “STUGLY”.  (And that was just one of the insider jokes we shared today and only Max and Hillary can tell you more about that--- which they are happy to do.)

   

   

  Thanks so much for pulling for us on this journey.  We feel your love and support and we appreciate the things you continue to tell us about our daughter and what her strong fight for her son and for her life with her family and friends mean to you.  Yesterday as we shopped, several of you introduced yourselves to us…and especially to Hillary.  I had even missed meeting a couple of you and as Paul told me about how touched he was at the things you said, he described you as Hillary’s angels.  We love it so much when you come up to us-- (to her)-- and let her know you have been praying for her and the hundreds in your churches and elsewhere who join you in those prayers.  As Paul reminded Hillary of the many times that has happened, she spoke a prayer just for each of you. 

   

  XOXO

  --Shawn

   

   

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