A day to remember

April 19, 2006 - -a day to remember... the day two little boys came into my world, and stole my heart -- for good! 
It was near summer, and the heat in Georgia and Florida was already bad... my car wasn't the best in the world, and I had little money and less time off from work.I worked full time at the time as a customer service rep at a large firm... and we were just coming out of tax season, our busiest time. But, when the phone call Shawn had been waiting eight years for came... we answered it without hesitation. 
Can you come get the boys? she asked... We have to move and might be in a shelter for a little while in between, and they need to get to know you anyway... she said.
So we hopped in the car, and drove from NW Georgia straight through to Central Florida... about 10 hours. We arrived at about 10 am, since I had to work the day we left and we didn't get out till close to eight that night. I stopped and 'napped' a couple of times, just to keep from sleeping behind the wheel... 
The trip was miserable for Shawn, he hadn't had his second surgery yet and his back was in knots... he could barely walk on a cane -- and sitting in that tiny car for all those hours was horrific for him. 
But it was worth it... every miserable, hot, boring second....
We arrived to both boys sitting outside the tiny trailer... DW was the first to move, he immediately 'swarmed' the car installing this gadget, and that gadget, designed to speed us up, protect us, and guide us on the trip... I couldn't help but laugh at his precociousness... SG didn't move as quickly, it was easily ascertained that he was totally out of his element and very uncomfortable. After all, he hadn't seen or heard from his dad in eight years... his mom had seen to that... he was scared, and reasonably so.
I met her for the first time that day too... and now for all the world wish I had had the knowledge then I have now... she'd not have been breathing when I left there that day. 
The house didn't smell *too* bad, however it was filthy. There was no food in the kitchen... nothing to drink,  unless you count rotten milk. 
I took the liberty of using the facilities while I was there, mainly to check out the other parts of the house. 
The room the boys shared was tiny, big enough to fit a bunk bed, the kind with a double mattress on bottom single on top... no sheets, blankets, or pillows... well -- they might be packed with the boys things... When I got to the bathroom I found a pile of laundry nearly the height of the counter directly in front of the toilet and tub... apparently she'd been trying to find all the boys things... in the laundry.
Her room at the end of the hall (the door was open... I'm not THAT nosy) was immaculate, bed made, everything in place... perfection -- and it smelled good in there too!
Past the nasty laundry, back past the boys room -- more laundry and filth on the floor in there -- no toys?! Maybe they're packed too.... hmmm...
In the living room I perch on a brand new (yes... NEW!) chair and gaze at the brand new computer, 42 inch television, and Xbox. Games for the computer and xbox everywhere... Well, here's where the money went! 
We talked for a short time, getting an update on medical histories, school stuff, etc... we weren't sure how long we'd have them, so we wanted to get everything. And they were still in school for another month...
Homeward bound... finally, we loaded up a cheerful chatty DW, and a sullen and crying SG and off to GA we went. Of course our first stop was the nearest McDonald's for food -- the boys had never been inside a McDonald's, and we were happy to let them play and experience it for the first time. 
Once back on the road, DW happily kept everyone entertained with his constant banter... and questions... SG occasionally engaged with us, asking a question or two - but DW really dominated the conversation all the way home. 11 hours of talking... I don't know how he did it... but I bet he could do it again, every single day!!
After a night of stop-and-go traffic, and 36 hours total on the road, we finally made it home early Sunday morning.... I was so exhausted that dinner was PB&J...
Sunday was spent going through the meager possessions the boys had brought, as well as getting to know them. We determined that a trip to buy clothing was definitely in order... sooner rather than later...
And those blankets, pillows, and toys I thought might be packed... yeah -- nothing. 
The first week was nothing short of a miracle... two very different boys came into our home, and learned some really neat stuff... like how it felt to be full... how it felt to sleep on a bed with sheets, pillows, and blankets...It was definitely an eye-opener for us, because the more comfortable DW became, the more pronounced his issues became -- and by the end of a week, we were in it hook line and sinker... Love that is -- he was and is the most precious of children... and we'll do anything, anything in this world to get him well and happy! 


It has been a long and winding five years. We stand today nearly the same as we did then with DW... two parents on the edge of nowhere -- hoping for a miracle. We're armed with hope, faith, prayer, and love... and we'll fight this battle for as long as it takes... Our precious miracles are worth that, and so much more!