Aidan's birthday recap

Was amazing! "My Susan" (my bereavement coordinator/some big wig title of being the backbone support of starting Aidan's Book Corner) surprised me on Aidan's birthday. I thought I was going to the hospital to meet up with Jeff from Barnes and Noble of Noblesville to collect their donation from the Holiday Book Drive. What really happened is I walked into a surprise party for "National Aidan's Book Corner Day". It was perfect! My friend Melissa, from support group, was there along with reps from both the Carmel/Westfield and Noblesville Barnes and Noble. There were nurses and other staff from the hospital were standing there clapping as I walked around the corner. Mind you, I was crying when I saw what was going on and of course they had photographer there.

The community donated, are you ready for this, fourteen HUNDRED books combined to the two Barnes and Noble stores. Talk about being blown away! I also had friends sending me pictures of books that they were dropping off to their local hospitals. My friend Stephanie, who started Run 4 Everett in her son's memory, donated 63 books! Talk about being overwhelmed with books. Thankfully, the Noblesville B&N store donated a hand painted cart (by one of their employees) to store the books in Susan's office.

It was a perfect day. I laughed, I cried and I napped (hey, I had the day off and had been overwhelmed). The day was exactly what I wanted it to be, a celebration of Aidan's life. A celebration of what I have created in his memory. This year has been the most manageable in terms of anxiety and guilt. In fact I didn't play the "what-if" game that plagued me last year. I'm not going to say it's getting easier, because it's not. I miss my Aidster, but I know he's smiling down on us. 

Tomorrow is Chris birthday/Aidan's angel day. We are going to celebrate the birth of Chris (Thanks Larry and Nancy) and also mourn Aidan. We will visit him and cry and then be off to eat birthday cake. This is the first year (I know it's only been 3) that I'm making the focus be on Chris' birthday. Aidan is always in my heart and my mind, but I have to make sure that Chris gets to celebrate his birthday.

I love you Aidan Christopher and Lucas Alexander!

Maggs