This week has been all about celebrations.  America celebrated Independence Day this week and we celebrated a big wish for Cade.

And then I started thinking about independence and what that means to me now.  You see, when I was younger, I thought that independence would me total freedom from needing or being tied to any other person.  I couldn’t wait to grow up and get my own place.  I would be free from anything or anyone.  I could come and go as I pleased.

And then I met a boy who started changing my whole perception.  I was slowly starting to realize that independence maybe had a different meaning than what I had originally thought.  And then this boy and I got married and I was now tied to someone.  Then 2 little boys came along a little while later and I was tied to even more people now.

And then I realized that independence didn’t mean not being tied to anyone or anything.  It meant the freedom to choose where to make our ties.  And I thought we were doing a pretty good job at those choices.  Then Cade’s diagnosis came into play and I realized that we had been neglecting a couple areas of our independence.

First, we needed to secure our tie even more to God.  I started searching the bible and found that God gives us free will to make our tie to Him.  He didn’t want slaves.  He wanted friends and relationship!  As much as we love being able to hang out with our friends, we needed to love hanging out with God that much too.  We just always seem to be too busy.  So now we are taking notice of some more moments in our lives when we can hang out with God.

Second, we needed to recognize that the people of our community would help us in whatever way possible.  We also now know that our community is so much larger than we ever thought.  We don’t have traditional community limits with definitive lines.  We have a wonderful tool of the internet and this blog to connect us to people we never knew we needed this much.

Through Make A Wish, we have met two ladies that have become ever so important to our family.  Not to mention countless others that have found our blog or our Facebook page.  Even though I haven’t met all of you, you have become a part of our family.

And so this large adopted family of ours, surprised Cade yesterday with the granting of his wish to travel to Alaska and meet the cast of Alaska:  The Last Frontier.  The North Platte Post covered the event live.  You can click on the link in the previous sentence and it will take you to the video.

We have been overwhelmed with emotions.  I don’t think anyone in our family has stopped smiling since yesterday.  NTV News also ran a story about us on their newscast.  The link for that is here.

We are forever grateful to the Baldonado Family for the gift they have given our family.  You are the best.  I don’t think words can ever adequately express the gratitude we feel, especially when as I tucked Cade into bed last night he said “I am going to dream of Alaska!”.

Blessings.  Lynnette