One thing that we have especially learnt so far on this journey is how kind the human spirit can be. Now don't get me wrong, I know that people can be kind, they care for others and can be empathetic...but I didn't know just how amazing people would be when it was our turn to hit a bump in the road. The support that we have received from family, friends and even strangers has been nothing short of amazing. At times it has been so overwhelming that we find ourselves holding back the tears. We have had messages and support from people who are related to us, people who we are really close to, people who we know by association, people who we only know by name and people we have never met. That support has come to us in many different forms but they all hold their own value and worth. Sometimes it's a text message, an email, a facebook message, a phone call, a card, flowers, a gift, prayers or a visit. I know that people who are not in Auckland feel like there isn't much they can do but we have really appreciated all the different ways that they've shown their support. All of the mentioned forms of support are precious and meaningful to us. They help us find the strength we need at times when we feel helpless, times when we just want to take the pain away, when Elliott is being poked, prodded and jabbed. It has been amazing to have friends and family in Auckland too. Their support comes in different forms to those far away. We have enjoyed lots of visitors as well as people coming in to sit with Elliott so that Frase and I can go and do 'normal' things like get a haircut, do the grocery shopping and go out for lunch. It's nice to have people come and just sit with us for a few hours. Not only does it make the day go by faster, it helps to see a fresh but familiar face and it's nice to hear about other people's lives instead of focusing on our own-stuck inside these hospital walls. When I was younger I didn't like the way that living in a small town meant almost everybody knew you and your business. Since we've moved back to Gore, I have really started to like that! I like the fact that when you go to the supermarket your trip is 20 minutes longer to account for all the people you stop and talk to. Double that time when you have a new baby in tow! Since this journey with Elliott began, we have been humbled by the ways in which the people of Gore have shown us their support. Firstly my class organised a mufti day to raise funds for Elliott. Ifm usually in charge of mufti days because I run the school council and with 170 kids we usually raise about $200 for worthy causes. Well my school community outdid itself and raised $1500 for Elliott! Simply amazing! Then we found out that Noel Leeming have a bucket at their counter for Elliott, Ray White Real Estate wants to do a sausage sizzle for her and apparently something is happening at the local pub this Saturday?!?! On Monday there was a quiz night held at my netball teams local pub and it was well supported by people from Gore and Waikaka. My dear friend Lisa sent me a wonderful story to tell us about the quiz that they had secretly held. One day a little family found out that their precious wee girl wasn't very well and they were going to have to fly to Auckland for an operation. A friend of the family wanted to do something to help and knew that her netball club was scheduled to host the local quiz night, so she spoke to the rest of the netball team and it was decided that all the funds would be donated to the family to help ease the financial strain they would be feeling having to be soooo far away from their home and the Big Daddy's work. The friend also knew that there were heaps of people feeling the same way as she was and would also be wanting to help out; so contact was made and a whole bunch of the mummy and daddy's friends and family got together and supported the netball team with their quiz. The friend's husband, Bolo, rallied support from local businesses, an advert was placed in the local paper, the mummy's sister created an event on facebook and word got out. The big night arrived and loads of people crowded into the Waikaka Pub, in fact so many people turned up some of them had to sit in the corner around a tea trolley on beer crates! The support was endless, raffle prizes were donated from Paper plus, Carvin, Pioneer rugby club, H&J's, Waikaka Transport, Stirling Sports, GFS, HRT, CRT, PGG, Liquorland, Bolo's Mum, the netball girls, and a whole bunch of the mummy and daddy's friends and family. A great night of fun, laughter and digging deep into pockets followed and the little pub in the little township managed to raise $2000 for the little family and their little girl! Everybody smiled and clapped and wished the little family many happy thoughts. THE END So what Ifm saying here is that we live in an awesome community and Ifve only touched on some of the amazing things they have done for us. Ifd like to thank anyone who has been thinking of us or has done something to show us that they really care about our dear wee girl. Your gestures do not go unnoticed and we are eternally grateful.
