Holiday greetings

This is what we sent out to family and friends. We appreciate all your help always.

Dearest Family and Friends:

This year’s Christmas note is difficult to write, as you can imagine. It has been two months since we lost Mason and it has irrevocably changed our lives. We grieve and struggle to find the strength every day to keep going. But as we reflect upon the last year of our lives, there have been many good times, laughter, and bittersweet moments that help us remember we did the best we could to bring our boys joy in the midst of pain and sorrow. We enjoyed their laughter, fighting, their happiness, frustrations, tears, and loved them with all our hearts and souls. We could not have survived without our family and friends. You have given us so much support, phone calls, e-mails, money, food and many special gestures and invitations. You have gone beyond what any community of people needed to do for us. Our boys knew they were loved, cared for, prayed for and embraced by pure positive energy and love from those around them near and far. It made all the difference and continues to make a difference as we put our lives back together again.

As we have said before, if love and prayers could have saved Mason, he would have been healed a million times over. But it was not meant to be- for reasons we will never understand. We are committed to love each other the best we can and find a way to give back so much of what we have been given.

A good friend who lost her son to cancer told us that there will always be the pain of losing Mason. That never goes away. But she said that you learn to live with that pain and learn to live again. It may take us awhile to come to that point, but we, together with you all, will get there, somehow, someway.

We all know the holidays are crazy times with families and stress. Breathe. Try to love those around you for who they are. Laugh. Love your kids even when they are making you a bit loony. Love them every moment they are here, for life changes in an instant and you are never the same.

You, our family and friends, are treasured by us and you help us keep going every day. We will continue to post updates on the blog to inform you on what we are doing with your generous donations to the hospital. Please check it periodically for updates.

Thank you for all your patience with us as we try to piece our lives back together. Bear with us. We will get through this with your love and support.

With much love and gratitude,

Kirk, Danielle, Mateo and Francisca