January 3, 2009

• Happy 2009 to Our Friends and Family!

  Happy 2009 to Our Friends and Family!

   

   

   

  We wanted to share an update with you because we have so much to celebrate.  Early 2008 brought Baby Vance into our lives and he will be celebrating his first birthday in January.  Hillary is absolutely crazy about him as are the rest of us.  He is such a happy baby and so much so that Ashley once called me and said, “Mom, I know I was so horrible growing up but PLEASE don’t wish a terrible baby on me just because I deserve it.”  I said, “Honey…I would NEVER do that!  You were a great baby….just a terrible teenager.  The “wishing on you” regarding Vance is coming later.  Enjoy!”  (Though it is impossible for us to believe he will ever be anything but perfect.)   Ashley and Billy are wonderful parents and its fun to watch these two special people learn to adjust to parenting.  Though Ashley was sure she raised our kids for us, I think she’d tell us now this round is a little more complex than her first rodeo in “raising her siblings”.

     

  Hillary continues to be our miracle as she improves every week.  In some ways this year of her recovery feels like it began only yesterday; yet in other ways it seems like it began a life time ago.  In November our girl moved into a brain injury residential facility (which is practically in our neighborhood).  While the move was very hard on her at first, she is finally settling in and trying to understand her time there is necessary and a step in the right direction for optimum therapy and healing.  In some ways it is hard on her because we are so close by.  But the facility is the right place for her without a doubt.  Traumatic brain injury is a 24-7 rehabilitation process, and Paul and I were becoming more of a crutch than what was best for her progress. Hillary’s son visits and every time he comes home for a visit we see pieces of his radiant smile coming back.   A friend and caregiver of Hillary’s said it is plain to see our grandson’s weekends at home make up for his time away and unable to view her progress first hand..  We pray that is the case.  He is soooo happy his mommy is finally at her new place, because to him, it is the proof of progress.  It gives him the belief that some day she will be back to the life they knew before. While their lives are no doubt changed forever, we are grateful for the outcome.  We have our Hillary with no vision problems, no headaches, no hearing loss, no seizures, and no pain.  And though she still struggles constantly with her short term memory, it is getting so much better every day.  The challenges on her left side will hopefully be resolved with a new therapy which uses electrical impulses to “splice” the missing links between her brain and muscles to begin the process of complete hand and foot control.  She will begin that therapy right away in Nashville. We still look at her sometimes and can’t believe this has happened and we can’t imagine how hard it is on her as she “wakes up” more and more to face her challenges.  Yet every day she finds a way to let her smile transform someone and light up a room with her beauty.  Thanks be to God…and as Hillary will tell you, also to the Angels that saved her by the side of the road.   

   

  Alex finally became legal turning 21 in August.  He celebrated in text book fashion with his sisters and their guys in Nashville.  He’s in his third year at the University of Louisville and working long hard hours at UPS in the brutal midnight to morning hours.  He’s got a great attitude about juggling both work and school and we are proud of him for the under taking.  The Louisville professors are learning a great deal from him, of course. LOL!  We are celebrating six months without Al totaling one of the cars…..though last weeks wreck was just a fender bender.  In truth, we are so grateful he has found his way to safety through all his wrecks and are pretty sure Hillary’s Angels are there for him too. 

   

  Brittany and Josh are engaged and we are thrilled to have sweet Josh in the family.  He’s been around long enough that there should be no surprises as he tries to settle into life as a part of this crazy family.  As we watched Josh help our oldest grandson put together his toys all Christmas Day, we realized once more just how blessed we are by the choices Ashley and Brittany have made for husbands.   

   

  

  Paul and I realize for the first time in our lives we are truly empty nesters.  (Well, except for Boomer, of course)  It’s so unbelievable to us to look at each other and realize sometimes we really don’t have anything we absolutely HAVE to do for the first time in our lives. (Except pet Boomer Paul reminded me)   It feels pretty wonderful!                                   

  It also feels really wonderful to have you in our lives.  We are eternally grateful for your prayers and your love  and we know it is the very thing that has brought this family through the hardest year of our lives.  You have moved mountains to a miracle that many thought was impossible 16 months ago. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

   

  Happy 2009 and much peace,  love , and joy!

  XOXOXO

   

  The Coltharps

  • 9:31 pm
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