Parks, Pedicures and Pharmacies...and then back to Packing

As you can imagine, planning and packing for a 4-6 month transplant trip, when you are driving over 2000 miles to get there, is extremely stressful.  There is so much to do, and not near enough hours in the day, or days left in this week.  However, I am really trying to allow Rowan to have a good send off.  So today, we took time out for some fun and some more farewells.

First we met our hospital buddy Walker at Landa Park for a picnic and some playtime.  They kicked a soccer ball around, climbed on the equipment, rode the train and fed the ducks.  As you can see, they had a good time and we were grateful for the chance to say goodbye for now.  Walker is 2 years post transplant himself, and doing great, so getting to enjoy each other outside of the hospital is a rare and new thing for these two!  Thanks for meeting us Nicole, and thanks for being such a great friend.

Next up, we met Zoe, and took Cindy (Rowan's home nurse) for pedicures.  Rowan chose everyone's color.  All blues, to remind us of his blue eyes:)  It was a nice treat, one Rowan thoroughly enjoyed!

Our next stop was to our local pharmacy, Comal Drug.  Quite honestly, they are more like family than a drug store.  They take such great care of Rowan and I, and Rowan we are lucky to have found them. Rowan hugged each of them, and they all wished him well in person and in a beautiful card.  Then we took a group photo.  This is what good customer service looks like.  This is what community support looks like.  It's what caring, love and kindness looks like.  Thank you for all you have done for us over the years Mr. Mendez and to your entire family and staff.  We love you.

(They have 2 pieces of Rowan's artwork framed on display in the store.  He did them for the Mendez family when they lost their granddaughter this past year, so they are a part of the tribute to her there.  Rowan was really honored to see them next to her beautiful picture.)

It was back to packing the rest of the day and night, but after spending time with everyone pictured in this post today, it was a lot easier to handle the stress tonight.

Appreciate the people in your life, family, friends, and small businesses alike...and tell them.  It makes life so much nicer.  It really does.

"I miss her already..."

Rowan doesn't always get to spend a lot of time with friends, but when he does, he definitely makes the most of it.  Before we head up to Seattle for the next 4-6 months, I've tried to make sure he could get together with as many of them as possible. This past Sunday he had a very special playdate...with his beautiful friend from the hospital, Charlotte.  Thanks to Jaxon's Frogs Foundation, they were able to go to Build-a-bear together and make stuffed animals, then we went to one of Rowan's favorite French fry places...Dickey's BBQ, and to round out the day, I took them to the "Doseum" Children's Museum.  I will let the pictures do most of the talking, because these two together are two of the most photogenic children I have ever seen.  These two little fighters have hearts of gold, and they shine bright through their smiles... and their eyes...I just have no words.  This playdate will down in the books as one of my top favorites of all time.  I enjoyed following them around, listening to their giggles, and snapping all of these precious photos.  I hope I captured their bond...I think I did.

Build-a-bear

Dickey's BBQ

The Doseum

Saying Goodbye...

See what I mean...those smiles, those eyes, those souls...so beautiful to witness.  They really had a good time together.  Thank you again to Jaxon's Frogs Foundation for the private Build-a-bear experience.  Charlotte made a pink bear named "Donut Sprinkles" and Rowan made a longhorn named "Cutie Bevo Windham".  The best part though, is that they each recorded their voice and put it inside each other's stuffed animal.  If you squeeze Rowan's longhorn hoof you hear sweet Charlotte saying "I miss you Rowan".  If you squeeze Charlotte's bear's stomach, you hear Rowan's voice saying, "I miss you Charlotte".  It makes me want to cry, they are so sweet!

When we left Charlotte's house I only got about a mile away before her Dad called to let me know Rowan had left something there at their house, so we turned around real quick and went back.  As I pulled back into their driveway, Charlotte was on the front porch and yelled, "Rowan! You're back from your great adventure already?!" And laughed and yelled back, "Yes, and I'm all healed now!"  It was adorable.  They are adorable.  And as we left once again, Rowan told me, "I miss her already."

I hope you all have friends like that...that you miss even before they're gone. 

Friends like Rowan and Charlotte.