WELCOME HOME KENZIE! Sunday morning, September 14th, 72 days since Makenzie’s accident and I had tears of joy knowing we were finally going home to be together as a family again. We couldn’t believe it was actually happening! We had stayed an extra night in Salt Lake, so she could have a fun homecoming date that had been planned before we knew about her early discharge date. She had a wonderful day, and it was the perfect way to begin Makenzie’s new chapter on her journey to recovery. Grandpa Lasson drove while Makenzie sat in the roomier and more comfortable front seat. Grandma Lasson, Jake (Makenzie’s homecoming date) and I sat in the back seat of Grandma and Grandpa’s Honda Pilot. The rear cargo space was packed full of all Makenzie’s and my belongings that we had collected or received over the past 2 ½ months in the hospital. It was amazing how much paraphernalia we accumulated while living in a small hospital room! Almost immediately, as we were leaving Salt Lake City, I began receiving texts asking our current location and our projected time of arrival. I quietly replied to the texts throughout our drive home. Our family, thoughtful friends, Makenzie’s awesome soccer team, and our incredibly sweet neighbors were planning a surprise to welcome Makenzie back home, so I didn’t tell Makenzie about the texts I was receiving. Surprisingly, our 4 hour drive went quickly. We made a short stop along the way in Beaver to stretch and use the restroom. Makenzie had her gait belt on so I could help her walk and stay balanced. The Flying J was busy, and many people glanced our way as Makenzie concentrated on each step and focused on keeping her balance. We felt the glances, and I told Makenzie to just keep walking and keep smiling. She said, “I am, but I wish I could tell them what happened to me.” And with her quick wit and darling sense of humor, she added, “But.....its okay, they can just think I’m on a leash.” We both started laughing like two close friends who were sharing an “inside joke.” Her positive attitude never ceases to amaze me, and I’m grateful for this special gift of hers, as it will continue to make her journey to recovery more enjoyable and more successful. On our way back to our car, we met the aunt of one of Makenzie’s close friends, Jennifer, who recognized Kenz from Facebook. She was so sweet to introduce herself and gave us hugs as she shared that all of her family, even though they didnt know Makenzie, had been praying for Makenzie since the day of the accident. It warmed our hearts to feel such genuine love and friendship from someone who we just met. The closer we got to St. George, the faster my heart pounded and my eyes filled with tears as I reflected on the events and emotions we had experienced since July 4th--the horrific fears, the glimmer of hope, the endless faith, the countless prayers, the unselfish service, and the infinite love. It seemed that every time I regained my composure, my eyes would fill with tears again as I contemplated our many miracles and blessings. Finally, as we entered our neighborhood, we were greeted by lots of beautiful, yellow balloons, yellow ribbons, and a brightly colored banner with a big red heart on it, which read, “We love you Kenz!” Along the streets, bright yellow ribbons adorned trees, shrubs, pillars, and lamp posts. In spite of the intense St. George heat that afternoon, as we drove up the hill we passed excited neighbors on their front lawns waving signs, cheering and yelling, “Welcome home, Makenzie!” As we traveled on, we saw more cheering friends and neighbors, which also included Grandma and Grandpa Lewis, Gage, and Madison. Gage enthusiastically ran on the road along side of the car while he filmed Makenzie with his iPod and yelled, “Mom, look! We’ve got the whole Thunder team!” As we turned the corner to our home, we saw the whole Deseret Hills girls’ soccer team lined up along the street, and they were all wearing bright yellow warm-up shirts with “Makenzie’s team” printed on them. They cheered and held signs and a banner that read, “Thunder Family 8,” “Happy Day,” We love Z,” and “Welcome Home Kenzie!” As Grandpa drove into our driveway, we saw another huge banner that covered our large garage door. In colorful letters, it said “Welcome Home Kenzie!” and was signed by many of Makenzie’s wonderful friends and our amazing neighbors. As he stopped the car in the driveway and I helped Makenzie out of the car, Makenzie and I were suddenly surrounded by our family, coaches, teammates, friends and lots of neighbors cheering, hugging her, taking photos, and welcoming Makenzie home. They were so kind to take time away from their busy afternoons to help Makenzie feel welcomed home and loved. Tears filled my eyes especially as I saw her sparkle and smile when she saw her dad and siblings! We are so happy to be back home again as a family, and we are SO grateful for all of the miracles for Makenzie. Thank you for all the faith, love and support you have so generously offered to Makenzie and to our family. We will be forever grateful!
Posted on: Fri, 26 Sep 2014 22:19:18 +0000
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