Day 37

Matt and I love the musical "Rent."  We saw the show on Broadway many times.  We travelled around the country to see many of the original cast perform on one final tour together.  We even first-danced to a song from "Rent" at our wedding. 

So when the hospital's "music therapists" visited our room a few weeks ago and asked for requests, we jokingly asked if they knew anything from our favorite show.  They smiled and said they would learn one song and come back the following week to perform it. 

And they weren't joking.  This week, we heard Seasons of Love, performed by Bryan the Berklee College professor and Noel, the Berklee student (I think).  Because of Ari's infection, they had to wear protective gear, yet still managed to play guitar and serenade Ari with their beautiful voices and music and the song's message.

Not to get too metaphorical or emotional here, but I can't help but note the similarities between the story of the cast of Rent, and the children and families who are struggling through a dark period of time yet finding comfort and encouragement and the will to overcome through their relationships with friends and family and one another. 

We have only been here for half of one season, but I know that our journey ahead will take us through the leaves changing, the snow falling, the ice melting, the flowers blooming, and the humidity rising.  And then we will repeat the seasons rotating again and again.  And as we count the days and months and years, we will measure the time in jokes, in laughs, in hugs, in firetrucks, in playdough, in Elmo dolls, in meals delivered, in cookies, in balloons, in inches grown, in new words spoken, in friends visiting, in emails, in texts, in new teeth, in greeting cards, in smiles, in babies, in experiences, and in happy times together.

There truly is no day but today.  We will savor each second, and most importantly, we will measure this time in our lives in love. 
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Daily update:

Will you even believe me when I tell you that Ari's ANC count went from 30 on Monday to 190 on Tuesday to 1500 today?

What could it possibly be tomorrow...a million?  I'll let you know.

Love,