Hayleigh: Homecoming

Exactly one month after almost saying goodbye to our Hayleigh from this life, we welcomed her back home today....

Our First Picture Together as a Family

Thank you SO MUCH for your prayers.  Thank you for all who have helped our family over the past month in big ways and small.  Thank you for the meals, for the many hospital visits, and for opening your homes to our children.  Thank you for the notes of encouragement, the gifts, the donations to the girls' Kenya shoe project, the registrations to the bone marrow registry, and thank you for the cards.

Thank you as well for emails like the one below...for sharing with us what our journey has meant to you...

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I get CS Lewis "readings" each day - he is one of my favorite authors.  When I read this I thought of you.  

In the following passage, the children learn they will not be returning to Narnia again and "there" is England.

“It isn’t Narnia, you know,” sobbed Lucy. “It’s you. We shan’t meet you there. And how can we live, never meeting you?”

“But you shall meet me, dear one,” said Aslan.

“Are—are you there too, Sir?” said Edmund.

“I am,” said Aslan. “But there I have another name. You must learn to know me by that name. This was the very reason why you were brought to Narnia, that by knowing me here for a little, you may know me better there.”

From The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

Reading this you came to mind and I was not sure why... then as I reflected I felt that during this time the "Scott family's Narnia" you have introduced people to Jesus who would not have heard about him.   As you've opened the door to your family, you brought people into "Narnia" and we have once again come face-to-face with Aslan.

As your family and we return to normal life, we and you will know him better "...That is the very reason why you were brought to Narnia, that by knowing me here for a little, you may know me better there."  My prayer is our MTG group and all people touched by Hayleigh's adventure, will learn to know him "...by that name."  

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I named this blog 'The Journey' back in February and explained its purpose in the first post (link opens in separate window).

There are one or two more posts I intend to write about Hayleigh's story.  There was a wonderful surprise reunion with her classmates today and some beautiful moments at the hospital.  But I felt this particular post was supposed to be simple and direct and so that is how I will leave it.

One Request

If you have shared Hayleigh's story with anyone, please take a moment and send them this message.  I know there are many who we will never know who prayed for Hayleigh or sent positive thoughts her way in the days around October 5 when we didn't know that today's joyous Homecoming would be the result.  I'd like those wonderful people to know what happened.  So, please....however and whoever you sent this story to, send it one more time.

The Blog

Finally, I don't know exactly what I will be doing with this blog.  I've received a few notes encouraging me to continue to write.  My inclination is to leave it alone after the next couple of posts about our journey with Hayleigh, but maybe God has some other plans.  If you think I should keep writing, send an email to

EmailTheJourneyBlog@gmail.com

I'll take my que from the response and interest.

Finally, The Greatest Thanks....

Psalm 145: 1-3

I will extol You, my God, O King;
And I will bless Your name forever and ever.
Every day I will bless You,
And I will praise Your name forever and ever.
Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised;
And His greatness is unsearchable.

We thank God for this day and each day.  In all things, both good and seemingly not so good we glorify Him.

God bless,

Andrew
EmailTheJourneyBlog@gmail.com

Previous Post (includes many 'thank yous' to caregivers):
http://tsfga.blogspot.com/2013/11/hayleigh-out-of-icu.html