Veya Hope VanderBrugghen

Just the other weekend, I was driving around with three upset kiddos, sipping on a flat bubbly drink that I had left in my cup holder from the day before, desperately searching for some extra sanity.     It’s been weeks now of on and off crying.   The girls especially are feeling big feelings and all three of them have been struggling with colds.   I know these little tikes aren’t GIVING me a hard time, they are just HAVING a hard time….but knowing that truth doesn’t grant me the magical ability to function on a few hours of very interrupted sleep.   It’s been a little tough over here.   On top of that, we have had a lot of big meetings covering some heavy medical topics the last little while for Veya, including a presentation to the transplant team and possibly another large surgery sitting on the horizon for her.   So I packed up the kids and started driving around looking at everyone’s outdoor Christmas decorations. They all needed to take a q...

One year ago I wrote this letter to Veya not knowing the journey we’d go down….   Dear little warrior, Induction is scheduled for tomorrow and after nine long months we finally get to meet you!   Shepherding you into this world has been an honor and one of my favorite life journeys.   You are so loved, you are so treasured.   You have been prayed for over by more people than I can count.   But, you have a long journey ahead of you, little warrior.   You’ll have to be brave.   You’ll have to find your strength.   You’ll have to learn how to fight for your life every minute, every hour.   But you can do it, I know you can.   God is here carrying us all. We will be next to you, always, every step of the way.   We promise to pray over you and love you.   We promise to hold your hand through recovery….read your favorite books…and sing you your favorite songs.   Above all we pray you will recover quickly so the world gets to...