February and March brought several birthdays in our family and many gifts. Since February, Will has progressed by leaps and bounds. He has begun to work on pulling himself up into a standing position and is able to support his weight on his legs. He is using the parallel bars and assistance from his physical therapist to work on taking steps. His right leg has become increasingly stronger and it’s so encouraging to see the range of motion and degree of voluntary movement that he now has! It’s hard to believe that it all started with a little wiggling of his right big toe.

 Hope is a tricky thing. It’s a natural instinct to self-protect and for me that has meant guarding my heart against hope. I have prayed for hope, for faith, and I’ve wondered if God was listening.

 On March 1st, we were traveling with friends and we stopped at a rest area.  I decided I wanted some Skittles from the vending machine.  I put my money in the vending machine and reached my hand into thebottom of the machine to pull out my candy.  When I pulled out the candy, there was a coin with it.  I assumed it was change that someone had left behind, although that didn’t really make sense since change typically come down a separate chute.  As I looked at the coin in my hand, I realized it wasn’t a regular coin at all.  Instead it was a gold coin with an angel imprinted on it.  I had an upwelling of feeling come over me that I couldn’t define and I thought to myself, “Maybe this means something good is coming.  Maybe this is a sign.”  I went back to the car, my quickened heart rate a sure sign of what my mind didn’t want to accept-that upwelling was a surge of hope.  
 I was afraid to give voice to the thoughts that had popped into my head unbidden, for fear the hope was too fragile to sustain being released into the real world, but I said to myself, “No, I’m going to do this.  I’m going to have faith,” and I turned to Geoff and our friends and I told them about the angel coin and what I thought it might mean. I put the coin in a small pouch in my purse and kept it with me from that moment on. 

 On March 15th, Will drove home from Tallahassee for his Spring Break.  I rushed home to see him, excited to have him back.  Victoria was over and complimented me on my purse.  I went to show her that it was reversible and out came the angel coin.  I told Will the story and I repeated that I thought it was a sign that something good was coming.  Will replied, “It’s interesting that you should say that because I have something to show you.”  He then told me that he had discovered this about half an hour before on his drive home.  Will sat on the couch and told me to watch closely.  As I looked on, I saw what we have all been praying for ceaselessly, small but definite movement in his left thigh.  This was the first movement in his left leg since his accident. Despite Will telling me to, “try not to freak out,” the waterworks commenced!

 The rest of Spring Break held so many special moments- having Will, Robert, Jenna, and Victoria all home, family dinners, birthday celebrations, and a trip to Will’s most beloved place, Palm Island.  Our dear friends made sure every single detail was covered so that Will could fish and get to the beach easily.  They put us up in their 100% accessible home, cooked us amazing food, and we shared many laughs around their kitchen table.  This was the type of weekend that we had been having at Palm Island since the boys were young, and one of our most cherished family traditions.  Being able to experience that normalcy and having Will declare it, “a perfect weekend,” brought me true joy.  

 Other good friends loaned us a sports wheelchair and we all got to try out tennis with Will.  We laughed and competed. I was filled with admiration at the way that Will instinctively celebrated every time he was able to hit the ball and keep a rally going while paying little attention to the times he couldn’t.

 I’m so very grateful for our friends and the way that they keep knocking down any barriers that stand in the way of Will’s passions. Seeing him being the athlete he is…I have no words.

 Finally, the last day of Spring Break came and with it the goodbyes.  Before Will left he told me he had one more birthday present for me.  He asked me to stand in front of him and placed his hands on my shoulders.  He told me to try to stay calm and try not to shake.He then he proceeded to rise to his feet with my help, put his arms around me, and hug me.  It was the first time I had had my arms all the way around my son with nothing in between us in 9 months.  I shook.  I cried.  With great effort, he stood and continued to hug me.  It was the best birthday gift I’ve ever gotten.  We then sat back down together and he said, “We’re getting there.  We’re working hard.”  

 My heart could barely withstand the joy of the hug and then to be included in that “we.”  I haven’t always done my best in this situation, and there are ways that I feel I failed Will, and yet he persists and persists and persists.  He doesn’t give up- on himself, on his faith, or on me.  What a gift. Our friends and family never give up on us or accept that things can’t be done. Another gift.  God literally sent me an angel to bolster my doubting heart.  He never gives up on me, even when I’m questioning or fearful or angry.  Gifts indeed.