Mixed Nuts: Makes it all worth it

Quotes

"There is no better way to thank God for your sight than by giving a helping hand to someone in the dark." - Helen Keller
When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, "I used everything you gave me." ~Erma Bombeck
You may never know how strong you are, until being strong is your only choice.- Unknown
Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see a shadow' ~Helen Keller
Promise me you'll always remember: You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.
Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened."- Dr. Seuss
"Life is 10% what happens to you, and 90% how you react to it."
"God doesn't give children with disabilities to strong people: He gives them to ordinary, everyday people, then He helps the parents to grow stronger through the journey. Raising a child with special needs doesn't TAKE a special family, it MAKES a special family."Author Unknown
I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go – Abraham Lincoln
Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man. ~ Benjamin Franklin
There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as if everything is a miracle - Albert Einstein
The journey of a 1000 miles starts with a single step
Sometimes in the middle of an ordinary life, love gives you a fairy tale
Where there is great love, there are always miracles - Willa Cather
The Difficult we can do immediately, the impossible takes a little longer
Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness
There are two lasting bequests we can give our children. One is roots. The other is wings.
Be the change you want to see in the world
Don't tell God how big the storm is, tell the storm how big Your God is..........
Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it
Fall down seven times - get up eight - unknown
Despite our differences, we sink or swim together
Life may not be the party we expected, but while we are here, we might as well dance
"The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones." -Confucius

Monday, April 18, 2011

Makes it all worth it

Today in the mail, I received a CD of pictures from the University of Penn's photographer. The day we were there in March, she took many wonderful pictures. She wrote her article, and then sent me a copy of all the photos that she took that day.

After staring at Finley's lip for the last few days, knowing that she did that because she doesn't see well, and after attending a seeing eye dog class with her knowing that very well could be in her future, it made me smile to look at those pictures.

As upsetting as it is to see Finley's sight continue to diminish, I know that this group of people is working hard to stop her from going completely blind. I look at their faces, see that our RDH12 Fund for Sight magnet now hangs on the fridge in their lab, and know they think about our kids every day. And hopefully work twice as hard to find what we need to give our kids back their vision.

So - even though I took most of these same pictures the day we were there - I would like to share what the photographer took. The large group of people who work for Dr. Bennett. The people who we met that day who now know our kids faces, and their stories. RDH12 research has taken on a whole new perspective now that they have met Finley, Bella, and Abigail, and know about Bill and Lily. We made it real for them that day - we showed them RDH12 in our kids and how it has changed our families forever.

So enjoy the pictures. Look at their faces and know that everyday, they think about RDH12 and all the money YOU all helped us raise to get to this day.

Okay - this is the whole lab and the families. Dr. Bennett is in the middle - in red, along with Dr. O'Brien (chairman to opthomology department) Also Dr. Bennett's mom and her daughter were there.