What a whirlwind of a weekend.
Taylor has had a better week overall, but Monday night into Tuesday and Wednesday was pretty rough. There were some touch-and-go moments where the lingering thought of another hospital admission was very real. Thankfully, with the help of her incredible team of doctors and Wayne and I working literally around the clock, taking things hour by hour, we were able to get TJ to a much more stable place. She has been up, walking, and pushing herself every single day to get stronger.
As we approach six weeks here in Cincinnati, our needs as a family are constantly changing. The needs of our children are changing. The needs of this journey are changing. But one thing remains the same—we are a family, and we need each other.
We have been blessed with the most amazing support from friends and family back home, but right now Ryan’s little heart needed his mom and dad. So, on a quick trip of just over 12 hours, Wayne stayed in Cincinnati to care for Taylor while I flew home to surprise Casey, Morgan, and Ryan.
Saturday morning we headed to rugby. Casey played one of the best matches I’ve ever seen her play, making more tackles than I can ever remember. Morgan took the pitch with her teammates and was even named captain for one of her games. And in those few short hours, I was wrapped up in the love of our rugby family through hugs, prayers, encouragement, and support.
The hardest part of the weekend was saying goodbye again.
Morgan stood there with tears streaming down her face—not because she couldn’t come, but because she simply wants all of us together again. She understands that her brother and sister have needs right now. She understands that we’re all doing hard things. Yet she also knows we’re getting closer, even when the light at the end of the tunnel still feels dim and far away.
She wrapped her little arms around my neck, wiped away her tears, and reminded me that soon we will all be together again.
Ryan and I headed back to the airport, and our rough-and-tumble, always-on-the-go little boy immediately fell asleep in my arms. Since landing in Cincinnati, he has melted right back into Wayne and Taylor’s arms as if he never left.
It’s an amazing feeling to finally feel stable enough to bring him here with us. At the same time, it’s daunting not knowing exactly what the road ahead looks like.
What I do know is this: we are surrounded by more love, support, and prayers than we ever could have imagined. And someday soon, we will all be together again under one roof.
Until then, we will continue to put in the work. We will continue to do hard things. We will continue to support one another. And we will continue to watch our children show us what true love looks like by putting each other’s needs ahead of their own.
One day at a time. One hour at a time. One step at a time. 💜
