Today is your 12th birthday and I’ve spent the last few days wondering where the years have gone. How is it possible that my first born is on the brink of becoming a teenager? Where did the time go?
Every year I promise myself I will start this letter earlier and every year here I sit hours before your birthday staring at my computer screen.
Every year I’m certain of the feelings I want to say to you. All of the wishes I wish, all of the dreams I hope, that they will magically flow from my heart to my fingertips and yet, here I am, once again…. finding it close to impossible to put YOU – great big, extraordinary YOU into words.
What a year this has been for you, for all of us-the year 2020! Just after your 11th birthday we celebrated Christmas and then watch the calendar flip from 2019 to 2020 a few days later we watched our friends move to England, not the way we wanted to start 2020. A week later, we celebrated the wedding of Aunt Allison and Uncle Jordon. You were the most beautiful Junior Bridesmaid and melted everyone’s heart when your daddy pushed you down the aisle during the ceremony. A week later we flew to Orlando for a family vacation to DISNEY WORLD! Brianna joined us and we had the best time visiting Epcot and Magic Kingdom! You met so many princesses including, Mulan, Elsa, Anna and had a special breakfast with mommy at Cinderella’s castle where we met Sleeping Beauty, Jasmine, Ariel, Snow White and of course Cinderella!
In March, on Friday the 13th, you received your last Spinraza injection! This was also the day the world turned mad and everything shut down due to COVID19 aka Corona Virus. Our family immediately went into quarantine to protect us and especially you from this new, unknown and scary virus. The governor of Virginia closed our state from March to June with many slow openings. Unfortunately, this meant your 5th grade year was cut short and you missed out on so much. The ending to elementary school and your time at Greenfield but most importantly your time with Ms. Cindy. Of course, you handled it like a champ never letting it diminish your sparkle. We had a big graduation party after your “drive-thru” graduation, where we celebrated YOU! We were and are so proud of this huge accomplishment and are so proud of how you are rocking middle school!
Summer was low key but something exiting happened in August! You qualified for the early access program to receive Risdiplam, the first oral SMA treatment! Your first dose was August 12 and you gave it to yourself! In September we took another family vacation to the beach with Ninny, Papa, Grammy, Great Grandma and Great Grandpa Kelley, Jeramie and his family and Brianna.
Once we were home you officially started middle school! You have handled this new chapter in your life with so much grace and determination. Mrs. Kirby continues to be your homebound teacher and the relationship the two of you have is so special and fun to watch! You have “google meets” daily with your middle school teachers. You love your two new teachers Mrs. Young and Mrs. Meija and enjoyed Art this fall with Mrs. May. You continue to have therapies in the home with Jayne and Catherine and have a new OT, Cary who you have grown to love. You are blessed with 4 wonderful nurses who love you dearly! Brianna, Emily and Miranda alternate shifts and Leah works occasionally when she is missing you and off from the hospital.
In the blink of an eye our little girl has grown up. Your preteen years are almost behind us and soon we will officially have a teenager! You continue to amaze us with your strength and determination! You are still our sweet Addy Grace but also have the preteen sass that reminds us every day just how strong you are! We are so proud of you and can’t possibly put into words just what you mean to us and everyone you met. Continue to let your light shine and show the world just how strong you are! Happy 12th Birthday my sweet girl-we love you to the moon and back, always and forever.
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