homecoming

There’s nothing like being welcomed back home with a homemade sign made by your six year old neighbor, and hundreds & hundreds of cards, letters and gifts from people you've never met…

Just as we had hoped, we were released from the hospital on Monday morning. A moment that all of us had been looking very forward to.

They’d asked us to stay close by until her follow-up appointment on Thursday, and so we found a nice hotel with restaurants nearby where we could take lots of walks together and a lobby that could double as a living & dining room in the evenings, when friends tended to come bearing gifts in tupperware, wrapped in tin foil.

And when we got adventurous, we’d make outings to local bookstores and ice cream shops.

And so it went, until yesterday morning, when we made one last visit to the hospital. Dr Fraser and his team said that Indy is doing amazing and gave her a big thumbs up, and told us we were free to head north to Waco.

Back home.

But before we could go - after receiving numerous calls from the mailroom there - we had to stop by (again) and pick up more cards, letters and boxes that had come in while we’d been at the hotel.

A couple of hours later, when we pulled in the drive here at our little house, we were blessed to find lots of welcome notes, flowers on the counter and food in the fridge…

And that our sweet neighbors had moved Indy’s things down the hall for us…into her new big girl, friend-friendly bedroom (rather than her bunkbeds which would be hard for her to get in and out of right now).

Before long, the Tahoe was unpacked and Indy was surrounded - and more than a little overwhelmed - by all of the love and prayers that had been being poured out this past week from people from all over the country.

There are literally hundreds and hundreds of letters, and cards from everywhere you can imagine. Big cities and little towns. From old folks, and little kids. All letting her know that they’ve been praying for her, and for us. And hoping that she would get well soon.

While Mama unpacked, did laundry and settled us back into the house, Indy and I spent most of the afternoon opening and reading cards and letters together and opening gifts that people had sent to her.

Now and then she would open one from someone she knew - which was fun - but mostly they’re from complete strangers. People who don’t know her, or us. But who care enough to have taken the time to buy a card, and sit down and write something and mail it out.

Love, truly is an amazing thing.

Indiana has so enjoyed seeing all the different states that they have come from… California, Michigan, Rhode Island, Idaho, Oregon, Missouri, Alabama, North Carolina, Illinois, Virginia, Arizona, Washington… just to name a few.

It’s going to take us many, many days to open and read them all, but we made a pretty good dent in the first batch of them yesterday afternoon.

By evening time, Indy was worn out. We all were.

And so after her shower (her first since last Thursday’s surgery) and one more round of Uno with Mama and Papa before bedtime, it was time to just sit and read a while on her new big bed, in her new big room.

It’s been a long week and a half, since we loaded up and headed to Austin, with more than few worries and fears in tow. But the reality is, it’s not been near as long, or hard, as it could’ve been.

And we’re SO thankful.

Thankful to be home. Thankful to have the surgery behind us. And especially thankful that she’s recovered so quickly and so well.

And we’re thankful for all the love and prayers we’ve received from everyone.

This is, God-willing, the last post and story I’m going to share about Indy’s heart journey. The full recovery time they say will take about six weeks. And while that’s happening here at home, there are lots of other stories that I want to share, and adventures that God is going to take us on.

See you then.