Brady’s surgeon asked us this question the day before he operated. Do you have a community? He told us we would absolutely need one, and he wasn’t wrong. In the moment, we were very honoured to be able to say yes, believing we did have a strong community of people who would come around us if we needed. Wow did we ever need! Goodness. No one predicted such a thing. I feel like in this last year, we have had the true pleasure to witness our community grow. Where I expected people to tire of us, we still regularly have people offer up help in different ways that are truly needed and appreciated. We have still had our laundry done from time to time. Sometimes meals still come. Just days ago, a couple bags of muffins were dropped off, as that particular gift giver knows that muffins make breakfast SO much easier. Eggs still are dropped off. Groceries are still purchased and dropped off. Even the occasional bottle of creamer is dropped off. It is unreal how the care from our community has not dropped off. I’m almost ashamed of myself that I thought it would. I figured we’d get some help while our situation was new, and that as soon as Brady was home, it would be over. And that has not been the case. It is incredibly humbling.
Now, we have covid in our house. Which is a total bummer. Not because anyone is SO sick, but because it throws a wrench into everything logistically. Now we really can’t go anywhere or do anything, even more so than before! And still, people have showed up in the ways they safely can. Groceries have still come. Multiple offers to pick things up and drop things off. Only compassion has been shown. Letting you all know we had covid yesterday felt risky, and I can honestly say I have no regrets. Thank you for your warmth and understanding.
I’ll admit that being at home without the option to go out has its good points, but also its insane aspects. I still haven’t made a big post about all the gifts Brady has received over the last few weeks, but what I can tell you is that we have accumulated a MOUNTAIN of garbage in our garage, hahaha! But we can’t haul it away. Because we can’t go anywhere. The cardboard can burn, and probably will soon, but the huge chunks of styrofoam 🤷🏼♀️What does anyone do with that?? We have to figure that out, haha! Because Brady is SO ready to work in the garage and its just SO stinking messy. Now is the TIME to get things figured out and moved around and arranged in a useable way, but of course now is the time we can only help ourselves!
In that one way, anyway. We are undeniably taken care of in just about every other way. More than I ever thought we would be.
We thank you, our community, for your amazing care and warmth towards our family. We’re coming up on a year since surgery and I can tell my body remembers the struggle all too well. Yet we have never been left. Ever. God has not forgotten us, and He continues to use the people around us to bless us.
Thank you for being good neighbours.