We finally made it home on Saturday, January 01, 2005.  What a way to start the New Year.  I drove home in rain most of the way, just like when I drove to Memphis, in the rain.  Janelle and the kids flew home.  We met up with family at Uncle Jeff’s house and finally made it home Saturday night.  Sunday after church we met up with Janelle’s mom and dad for lunch then met more of my family for dinner.  Monday was Alexa’s first day of school after Christmas break.  Janelle, Daegen and I all went to drop Alexa off at school.  When we pulled up out front of school there was hardly anyone around.  It seems the school lost electricity sometime Sunday so classes didn’t start till afternoon.  Tuesday brought ice and freezing rain.  Alexa was dismissed at 1:00.  School was canceled Wednesday so her first full day of school was Thursday.  Wednesday Alexa and Daegen went sledding in our driveway with our neighbor Jalyn and her parents Jody and Dusty.  They had so much fun sledding and making snow angels and eating the snow.  It has been a long time since Daegen and Jalyn have been able to play with each other.  When we got home Saturday night there was a welcome home sign on our garage door from Jalyn and her parents.  They really have helped out with the yard and house while we were in Memphis.  

It took us some time but we finally unpacked our car from the return trip.  What a mess we have in our basement.  We basically have a second residence in our basement.  We are gradually making headway into getting our family back in order.  It has been fun to watch Daegen smile when he says it is great to be home and to see him and Alexa playing with each other.  Janelle and I both know getting things back to normal will take some time but we will prevail.  We have really enjoyed our nights in our own home and own rooms and own beds.  Daegen is so excited to rediscover his old toys and remember when he used to play with them.  He is finding toys he forgot he had.  I am not sure I can explain what it means to our family to be home and together again.  

We do enjoy cooking our meals at home and planning our days.  It is going to be quiet on our end until Thursday, January 13th when Daegen and I fly to Memphis for his appointments on Friday, January 14th.  Daegen and I will then fly home on Friday evening.  

Thank you to all who has continued to offer kind words of support and prayers.  I can’t stress enough how much that has helped us.  Continue to check the website for updated photos.  There are Christmas photos and sledding photos posted now.  Also photos of Alexa and Amy Grant and Vince Gill.  One thing I forgot in the last update is that during Christmas Eve mass Santa called and talked to the priest.  Daegen even got to talk to Santa on the phone.  That was neat to see Daegen’s smile as he talked on the cell phone to Santa.  

I learned that when a family is leaving St. Jude, it doesn’t necessarily mean it is good news.  When I told one of the employees of Target House that we were going home, she asked me if it was good news.  It never occurred to me that going home could be bad news.  Later I was talking to a mother of one of the other patients and she told me of another family that was going home but it was not good news.  Nothing else could be done for their daughter she they were being sent home.  I felt really guilty about us getting to go home.  Later I was on the elevator with a young mother and her daughter.  As she was holding her daughter I said how nice it would be for someone to carry us as we get older.  The mother agreed and then said she wished someone could pack for her.  She then said she was going home.  I told her that we too were going home the next morning.  She asked if it was good news.  I told her yes.  I finally realized she was the mother of the young girl who was being sent home because there was nothing else that could be done for her.  I told her that I had heard the news from another parent and that my family would say a prayer for her family.  She said with a straight face and with calm resolve that her daughter would be okay.  I thought Janelle and I have been strong but to see this young mother hold her daughter and know she was going to die soon showed me what strength she had.  I felt like a total goof for not telling her how sorry I was to hear about her daughter or for consoling her more.  The mother even showed her happiness for us as we got to go home and it was good news.  That amazes me about all the families at Target House.  No matter what they are going through, when a family hears about another family getting to go home for good reasons, they are excited for them.  



God Bless everyone.

Lance

www.dmanhero.com