Treasured moments
Today was a day that I surely won’t forget for a long time.
Moments come and go, some make you laugh, cry, smile or just make you realize for whatever reason, you won’t forget that moment.
Eight years ago in September Eli and Ella were diagnosed with MLD and eight years ago in August we went on a wonderful vacation with great friends and great memories! One of the memories is the pic below 
We went tubing and although Ella was 4 and Eli not quite 7 they did amazing and as you can tell by the smiles, they also had a wonderful time.
After diagnosis I didn’t think too much about this day but when we were around boats here and again, the reminders would come and I would wonder if they would be able to do this again.
Today thanks to our neighbors Jenn and Ron, we had that opportunity!
I went with Ella first, thinking she is strong and should be able to do this! We went up and down the river on the tube as it was being pulled by the jet ski and for some time I felt free… free from my thoughts and anxieties and I was simply in the moment. I have not felt this in a very long time and boy oh boy it will be something I cling to and cherish.
Next came Eli and I think we weren’t sure if one of the boys should go on the back of the ski to make sure we could get him when and if he fell off. I thought we would be fine so away we went. I was super nervous but after the first few seconds I could see the determination in him and the joy in his face. I knew he would hold on for the ride of his life!! We went up and down the river and I would ask him if he was ok and he would say “This is the most awesome day” I said do you want to stop? He said “NO, keep going”! Through the turns I thought for sure he might wipe out but as we spun around to the side he just laughed with his mouth wide open and said “come on mom, can’t you fall off?” I just smiled and thought what a wonderful day!!! As we were pulling in, I let go so he could ride in alone and he loved it!!!
For a few hours today I watched my kids ride up and down the river and the most beautiful thing about it was, they could ALL do it and ALL enjoy it! I can’t remember the last time we left the house and all four could do something together like this!!
My God, the gratitude I felt during those hours was simply something I can’t explain.
Thanks to MLD I have learned to cherish so much more than I probably would without such a diagnosis. I am grateful for that! Moments in life take on a different meaning and things that were once taken for granted are now looked at with a different set of eyes. Eyes that see the gift of today, the no guarantee of tomorrow and the ability to recognize the amazing things that can come from a life changing diagnosis!
Fear Not 