This week I celebrated a graduation and I also held my friend’s newborn baby. It was just the pure happiness that I needed.
I feel like it was literally yesterday that I was holding baby Izzy. Watching her graduate from nursing school with a GPA that might be double my college GPA- left me speechless and amazed. So many emotions but above everything else, I am grateful. Very very grateful.
Izzy’s love of medicine definitely came as a direct result of Bensten’s accident. At a young and impressionable age, she saw how the care and kindness of nurses changed the trajectory of her brother’s life. She juggled a lot in her 4 years at BC, but this weekend we hung out with the greatest group of girls (and their families) and my heart literally could explode to see what great people Iz met while also getting a pretty great education.
And the sweet, perfect baby I held was also sorta the result of Bensten’s accident. The baby’s father was super kind to Bensten as he was rehabilitating. You know I love to bake to show my appreciation, so I started baking for him to thank him for going out of his way to be so nice to my son. Eventually, he mentioned that his then girl-friend wanted the oatmeal carmelitas recipe- which is how I first met Taylor. (She loves to tell the story of how I don’t really measure, so the skeleton recipe was less than helpful!) It has been about 7 years now- and Taylor has become one of my dearest friends. We have baked together, raised puppies together, celebrated her wedding….To hold her sweet baby and see what a beautiful family they have created made my heart explode. Pure happiness.
It really is crazy how life might not always take you in the direction you planned, but somehow- there is a plan. When Boss passed away a few weeks ago, I was so sad and felt like it wasn’t fair. But after realizing he was here exactly when I needed him most, I do wonder if there was a plan. Sure, I wish the plan had been for him to live a whole lot longer. But I also wish my son was never hit by a car!!! But the fact that Bensten is still here, living a very full life, and Izzy has become nurse at the very hospital that saved his life, and Taylor, who brought Boss into our family, has become a lifelong friend and I get to be ‘Auntie Heather’ to her sweet son…..I am just very grateful for how the plan is evolving!
And speaking of gratitude, you all know I love INOVA Children’s Hospital. I love it even more now that Izzy is employed by them. We have been running the INOVA Star Kid race since its inception in 2006- well before I knew they would be saving my son’s life!! This year Izzy created a team “Schone’s Scones” and we would love for you all to join us! There will be walkers, joggers, and crazy fast runners like Bensten- so everyone can participate!! We would really really love for you to join us!!!
A few more items are still available for tomorrow. Hop on our site to order!
And some pics from the StarKid
And I took this pic as my brother drove....the day they transferred Bensten from INOVA to the rehab hospital. Perhaps one of the scariest days of the whole ordeal. Lance rode with B, Ty drove me- and I cried hysterically so scared for the next phase of recovery. (If I am ever able, I will fundraise to build a pediatric rehab wing at INOVA.)
