end of chemo party

Thank you!

Thank you, family, for your unrelenting support.  You have stayed with us, shopped for us, cleaned for us, cried with us, driven thousands of miles for us.  You have carried us.

Thank you, Emmaus Church Community, for joining us in this journey.  You have been graceful, supportive in so many practical ways, giving, encouraging.  You have been a safe place to grieve, doubt, hope, and grow.

Thank you, 5th Street Neighbors and friends around the world, for staying with us.  Thanks for taking out our trash, mowing our lawn, reading this blog, wearing "strong and courageous" bracelets, and loving our son.  

Thank you, Jesus, for your strength and peace.  You never let us go.  You were with us in the valleys and on the mountaintops.  You held us in the pain.  We are so grateful.

Bita's (Isaiah's grandma's) perspective: 

[Isaiah's] party was attended by about 140 friends and family.  With his little family in front, Nathan spoke to all of us first with words of gratitude.  Then he spoke specifically to Isaiah about his beating down this "foe" with such courage and lack of complaint.  Then, to Sienna, about her amazing nurture and sacrifice and selflessness over the last three years, spending one Christmas in the hospital instead of at home opening gifts and being with all her cousins, and spending one Thanksgiving  away from her family altogether when Isaiah's blood counts were dangerously low and she had been exposed to chicken pox. [she lived with us for three weeks till the danger had passed].  He spoke to Carmen about her refusing to give in to a broken heart and her wonderful mothering.  Then Isaiah took the mic and thanked his sister for "always being with me through everything".  It was so meaningful.