Memory: Build-a-bear

COVID threw a wrench into a lot of things in 2020 for a lot of people. For our family it threw the biggest wrench into our typical summer plans. My oldest sister, Denise, her husband and two daughters live in Finland. They typically come home every summer for a few months. My middle sister, Stacey, and her hubby come home for the 4th of July. It's the one time of year all of us are all together.

Denise came to visit us in January 2020 after Greyson was born. Her husband and the girls couldn't make it then because of school and work. The last time I saw the girls and my brother-in-law was summer of 2019. Last summer was hard not having everyone home like we always do. Well, when we got the diagnosis, my sister and her family pleaded with the Finnish government to get their vaccines so they could make it home this year to spend time with us. Thankfully- they were able to get them and now my sister is in my living room with us, snuggling my son. Denise and my youngest niece were able to fly in earlier this week with the rest of their family coming next week. I'm so incredibly thankful for science... for allowing my family to be able to travel home and spend this important time with Grey.

COVID also caused the NTSAD conference to be virtual this year so they sent us a conference-in-a-box package. One of the little treats in the box was a build-a-bear gift card so we knew we wanted to use that gift card and use it as a fun day with Greyson. We loaded up the car and headed to the mall. Thankfully build-a-bear was quiet when we went today. We picked out a sweet little bear and got to work creating Grey's bear. We recorded a sound for him- Adam and I saying "we love you Greyson!", picked a "beating" heart, and made a wish while she put the heart inside of Grey's bear. I held it together until that point but thinking of all the wishes I have for him made me start crying. Adam and Denise both started crying too. It was one of those things- I had to tell the employee "my son has a terminal disorder" and she was so kind, reassuring us that this happens more often than you would think. She does a lot of memorial bears or kids who are sick. She ran and got us some kleenex while we finished up the bear. We saw a Green Bay Packer hoodie and had to snag that too! It was so fun having my sister and niece with us today. Again, thankful for science and NTSAD for the gift card!

xoxo,

Kim