Well. Apparently we happen to have family members who think it is acceptable to surprise us with..say..a CRUISE.

And they are going to read this post and be embarrassed maybe because they are the type of people that are so humble and amazing and knowing them they probably don't even think it's a big deal. BUT IT IS. So, Jon and Caroline--love you guys SO much and now hundreds and hundreds of people are going to know it was YOU. muahahaha! Kidding. But guys--seriously what in the world.

Chris has one break and it's a week in the middle of August before his final semester of nursing school starts. Nursing school has been insane schedule-wise and it's just terrible that Chris hasn't been able to process everything with Ellie yet...we are so anxious for December when he's done so that we can finally take it easy and move on a little bit.

So we planned to use this one time break going down to Florida with some friends to stay at a beach house. Jon and Caroline saw this as an opportunity to surprise with a getaway because obviously they are CRAZY and ridiculously incredible. They told Chris before me because they had to figure some stuff out and I basically don't know how Chris got any sleep and kept this from me because HOLYMOLY.

So, my friends, in two weeks we're heading out from Florida for a week long cruise. And we are going to take millions of pictures and we are going to LAUGH and REST and PLAY away from this crazy crazy crazy time we've been having.

I woke up in the middle of the night and thought this was a dream. Literally. And then I remembered it wasn't and cried again. Generosity and love like this just floors me.

Which leads me to say that EVERYONE who has given to us and prayed for us and sent us cards and letters and gifts..guys.........you all are unreal. It doesn't even make sense.We are utterly amazed....I've never walked through anything like what we've been through, so clearly (and thankfully) we have nothing to compare it to....but I know that that it goes so far beyond what any person would ever expect to receive in a time like this. I can barely think past any memory of Ellie..much less our needs and cooking and anything like that. So...............just thank you so much. I hate that those words don't do any of this the justice they deserve.


'The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’