Claire was given the assignment to find an American Hero to
present him/her at the 5th grade Wax Museum at school.
Extraordinary Americans like Betsy Ross, Emilia Earhart,
Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King Jr, and so on.
Do you know who Claire chose??
Claire chose me.
ME!
I was so honored. I really, truly was.
It was so cute.
We have been preparing for weeks now, discussing who I am,
where I was born, my personal experiences, and what I have done
in my life to be considered for this honor.
She compiled it all in a short 1 1/2-minute speech.
Then we began looking for props and things to use on her
display table at the symposium.
I took her to the "chokie" where I have {proudly and happily}
packed away all my burn gear and contraptions.
We took some of the gear out so she could display it at her table.
As I pulled things out, she wanted to try it all on.
I put everything on her just the way that
Mr. Nielson put it on me EVERY SINGLE DAY.
And then she tried on the nighttime gear I'd wear every night.
(Excuse me while I THROW UP! Bad reminders!).
Then I cried, and then together we cried a little bit.
We're both so glad that chapter is over.
It's done. I did it- we did it.
All those contraptions, braces, compression garments, masks,
and pads, which made me sick to look at, also made me so proud.
It made me realize that hard times do come to an end at some point.
Sometimes and especially when we are in the middle of our trials,
it seems they will never end.
But they will- eventually!
I know I still have work to do, like more
surgeries, and I still (and will probably forever) experience some pain daily.
But it was nowhere near the way it was those first years after my accident.
I am so excited to see Claire at school and have her share my journey-
she is proud of me, I am proud of me, and proud
of her for enduring right along with me.
And then Oliver tried on my burn mask that looks like
Nacho Libre!
I laughed uncontrollably for about 15 minutes straight.
See, the photo is so blurry; I was laughing so hard.
I couldn't even take a pic!!
