Through Eli's Eyes

I wasn't sure when I should write about this, but why not today?

A few weeks ago I got a message from a mom here in our area named Robin. She follows my blog (Hi Robin!) and was also in my child birth class last year. After I mentioned my frustration with not having an official organization or foundation to do my projects under, she sent me a note that she would like to help change that. She just so happens to be an attorney who currently has some extra time on her hands. How amazing is that? We met today and she gave me the paperwork to get started. I wish I had the words to express how much it means to me that someone cares enough about me, about Eli, about all the families affected by SMA to do something like this. I have shed tears of happiness each and every time I think about it. I will be eternally grateful for her help and support.

The foundation will be called "Through Eli's Eyes". My good friend Brandy, who traveled all the way from Baltimore for the funeral, sent me the name right after she arrived home from her trip here. She had already decided that a foundation would one day be started and had a name for it. In her email she said "it has double meaning. You were talking about how beautiful his eyes are and I was talking about how they express his personality. But it also can be that the children with SMA (that the funds will be supporting) are seeing life in the same way that Eli did". How could I not name it that after those words? Thanks Brandy.

In this journey of grief, I keep meeting so many amazing moms and families. I've talked about Laurie and Helen, now Robin, and some of you may go and read Victoria's blog that is on my sidebar. She and her husband Bill started the petition that we are always asking everyone to sign. If you have visited Eli's Our SMA Angels website, you have witnessed the work of my friend MJ, who has SMA but does so much to help out all the families and goes to college too! I love all of my fellow SMA folks, but I do wish we had all met under better circumstances. My love goes out to each of you tonight.

And a special thanks to Robin for sharing lots of beautiful baby smiles and laughs with me today.