A Day of Friends and Family

I will start off by saying I don't have nearly enough pictures to fully express the greatness of the day. Phyllis and I traded placed at eleven. Just after Phyllis left, Sam's teachers brought their Oak Terrace spirit front and center right to Sam's doorstep. It was incredible to see them, and Sam loved talking with them, learning and playing learning games. Here they are all smiles. Sam is holding his class picture before adding it to his wall of love photo collection.

A little bit after that, lunch was delivered in person. Our good friend, Adam Froelich of citypizzaovernight.com showed up bearing a new toaster oven for the HOT unit and fifteen of his special 10" pizzas to feed the whole floor. Sam talked and studied with his teachers while Adam set up in the small kitchen and cooked pizzas for everyone. All the staff loved the new toaster oven and the pizzas that just kept flowing throughout the floor.

Just after that Uncle Josh stopped by to say hi and drop off David and Yael to spend the afternoon with Sam. Sam's smile was ear to ear. Yael was super happy to find pizza served hot upon her arrival. Lunch Part II!

The day just kept getting better and better. After Sam's teachers left, and Adam headed home, Yael and David hunkered down to a day of Socker Bopper Fights, drawing, talking, playing Dragonvale, talking Dragonvale, and visiting the Dragonvale parks of all their friends. Before David and Yael left, Bubbe and Zeyde came to visit and sit with Sammy. While they visited I walked David and Yael down to the van where mom and baby Solly were waiting for them. Packed in for the car ride home, "I love yous" and "goodbyes" all said, I headed back up to the room for the rest of the evening with Sammy.

Sammy loved drawing pictures on his Boogie Board while I read some Harry Potter 3 to him. Sam drew a great impression of a Dementor from the book.

Sam's art work never ceases to amaze me. He gets better and better each time he picks up a pencil or a pen. Sam also enjoyed showing me how he loved his new Bears Hat. Always one to show his team colors in the middle of Packer's Country, Sam fears no fan.

Of course Sam makes all his fit models model his fashion choices before he makes his final decision.

There were so many incredible moments throughout the entire day. I only have mental images of David and Sam sitting together, watching a movie and discussing Dragonvale. Yael's response when Nurse LA sauntered into the room was explosive as she greeted her friend who she hadn't seen for a while. A floor friend and his mom wandered over to the HOT unit to check in on Sam and drop off an incredible selection of off the beaten path film titles. Sam took his leisurely evening bath before movie night. Right now Sam is watching the Spy Next Door as if he discovered Jackie Chan and is introducing him to me for the first time! Thanks Jake and Kimberly!!

I am exhausted in that good way after a day spent with some of my favorite people in the world. At times I felt like I was hosting a party for the whole floor in Sam's honor as I made sure everyone had some pizza to eat. I loved watching the joy Sam took in having his brother and sister in the room with him. I love how Sam takes each day a single moment at a time and wrings every ounce of specialness out of each moment that he can. In hard times it doesn't get much better than this as I marvel at my son who makes it seem that he can do anything while balancing on one hand.

May he always take such joy in the days ahead as his counts continue recovering and his days on the HOT floor fade to none.
Thank you all for making the days pass so quickly and making the love and prayers felt each and every moment of every day.