June 19, 2008
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To our wonderful friends:
We ask your forgiveness for our lack of updates since heading to court. As you probably already suspect, we are still waiting for Court decisions to be entered and felt we must respect the court as we await the orders. Obviously, we don’t want to wait another minute after reading your many concerns, but realize this note may be our last one. That is a scary thought for our family in light of the power your prayers have provided for our injured angel, her son and our entire family. It feels terribly like letting go of a life force…and the true champions who interceded with God on our behalf for the miracles we are able to see every day. Each one of us realize it was against so many odds. We will never let you go…and we hope you will continue to hold on to her (to all of us) as well.
Just today, our cousin wrote:
“I petitioned for God’s comfort, mercy, and will for a part of my family that was in great need. I got back so much more than I gave in reading about His answers to those petitions….”
We can’t even tell you how hard it has been to see your notes and not respond. But again, we felt we must be respectful of the court and still do. We knew you would understand once enlightened of the situation. That said, we expect to hear from the Judge tomorrow regarding our summer and can not wait another minute to tell you all is OK.
Hillary is doing great and continues to improve every day as her very proud medical team was happy to report recently. She is out and about as often as possible, yet it is often not enough for her. She was in hospitals and then at home for so long, getting out with her family and friends makes her feel like she is “in the real world” and a little more back to reality as she remembers it. We have to admit she is beginning to grieve for her former self. Remember when we were in McDonald’s and met the beautiful young Brittany from Indiana who had experienced a traumatic brain injury? She stated the hardest part of her journey was the mourning she endured as she realized she might not completely “return to herself” once at the end of her recovery. We have such greater understanding of what Hillary is feeling and trying to describe to us having met Brittany and hearing her own heartbreak and challenges of the recovery process.
But still, every day is absolutely better here!
Hillary is climbing our full staircase multiple times per day in preparation for her weekend with her sisters and BSILE and Josh in Nashville while Paul and I celebrate our anniversary. I don’t know which one of us is the most excited as we count down the hours before hitting our separate trails. This week, Ashley called Hillary and Big Sis had absolutely no idea who she was speaking with until Hillary actually repeated herself. (It was pretty clear then it would have to be me or Hillary once repetition entered the picture) All of our girls sound so much alike, and Ashley said, “…it was her voice inflection. It was incredible because she had more ‘Hillary animation’ in her voice!”
We hope we will be able to let you hear from her very soon. She is dying to say “Thank you” and we hope we might be able to post a video message from her to you within the next few days. Please know why if she does not.
Thank you again from the bottom of our hearts: First, for your fervent prayers and support…and secondly, for your understanding in the last few days.
XOXOX
–Shawn
PS–Hillary’s email is hilltharp@hotmail.com. She would LOVE to hear from you! You may get the same message more than once until she can build the footprints for each note to tell her she has completed that process, but we know you will understand when that happens.
