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It’s a funny story
The ABC’s of Survival continue with I for It’s a funny story.
If you know me, you know that I start a lot of conversations with:
It’s a funny story.
Hospital life wasn’t funny too often, but I still got by through the art of storytelling.
Today, I’ll share a couple of stories with you, including how Sammy won the hearts of so many of you on the Substack app last week. I’d say it’s a funny story…
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When I lived in Phoenix, a lady at the DMV told me I was a little too friendly for riding on the valley’s train system, the metro rail.
She must have peered into my soul to learn my agenda for that day was as follows:
Finish at DMV (while talking to people in the process), go back to the hot dog vendor I met on the way into the DMV, pet the vendor’s real dog instead of buying a hot dog and give him a tip for letting me pet said real dog. Then, head to the train where I would ride by myself and get off wherever felt fun, if for nothing more than enjoying a Saturday in a big city where anything was possible. I didn’t see any problem with this.
I meet people… everywhere.
I’ve gotten myself into a pickle once or twice, but I’ve also met a lot of strangers turned friends. I guess why I’m telling you this is I generally find myself in interesting situations where no one could even trace back how it started.
True to form with nearly all my good stories, I don’t know how the recent Note I wrote about Sammy on Substack app went….viral.
I’m no tech genius - just ask my husband - so it wasn’t anything amazing I did. I still don’t actually know how posts go viral. It’s a strange internet phenomenon.
One minute, I was watching Sammy start to crawl for the first time. The next minute, a few THOUSAND people were cheering for him on Substack.
All of a sudden, it was as if I was meeting with all these new friends on a very big train.
I kept thinking people would get off the train, or that it would get too crowded, but more people are still joining in as of today.
It feels so welcoming.
I feel seen, with many of you taking time to cheer Sammy on to his own gold metal: crawling.
After 2 weeks in NICU last May, back-to-back heart surgeries putting us in the hospital three times over the holidays, months of him on oxygen, feeding tubes, and sternal precautions, getting to the stage of starting to crawl is very huge.
Just wanted to say thank you for being there and also, welcome to Julie’s Notes.
I’m Julie, Sammy’s mom, for those of you who are new. You’ll learn a lot about me from these posts. I’m a dreamer, creative, later-in-life mom who loves her kids fiercely and can’t believe I get to be the one to walk with them every day.
Sammy’s dad, Ian, has been there for our family and Sammy in so many ways, at all of our 13 ultrasounds, the one who rode in the ambulance twice when his heart was failing. Moms (often) have to hold onto the details, hold their babies in the middle of the night, and hold on tight to the ride of pregnancy and postpartum. Dads, they bear a silent and often lonely weight, especially dads of kids with intense medical issues. We’re grateful for him.
Sammy’s big sister, Lu, is a girl after our hearts, too. She had to be brave through all the hospital stays, like her brother, and leads the way for him in how to keep going. She is energized by his very presence, in love with him in every way. She teaches us all how to love unconditionally.
Sammy’s dog, Moose Tracks, is the glue that holds us all together. Sammy is his best friend, his twin, and they are both the boys who lived. Moose often gives me a reason to keep going, if nothing else than he really is the best dog. And his life reminds me that all is grace.
It’s a dream come true that his beautiful life is bringing thousands of people together with our family.
*I still keep all Sammy’s ultrasound pics and have them hanging by the fridge.*
Sometimes we need reminders that the little guy, the underdog, the champion of our hearts can make the internet go wild.
I’m still not convinced you all aren’t unicorns. Or angels.
Either way, we need each other.
Ever notice how a peanut butter sandwich tastes better if someone else eats it with you?
Having complete strangers get excited over my baby with me will never get old.
Thanks for being part of this joy.
Thanks also for the funny story, the story of how I met so many of you this past week without any effort of my own.
It’s a funny story because I usually have to try hard for everything.
It was a grace to be able to show off my Sammy to so many of you. As I was writing this, I had to stop several times because he’s getting on his hands and knees a little more and I had to shout HANDS AND KNEES!
Thanks for your kindness to read and journey with us. Thanks for getting excited with me.
Bless you, all.
Feel free to comment in the notes sharing a little about yourself! I have wanted to connect with you all but this is a way we can meet a little bit more.
Thanks to all my OGs for being here from start!
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Here are a few more posts for those who want to know a little more:
What a beautiful family! Cheering on Sammy!
Sending love to you and your family; cheering for sweet Sammy ❤️