Love and prayers will find the way.

    We are so proud of the progress DJ has been making and the strength he is showing to regain what he had lost. Every day he seems to be doing something he hasn't been able to do since his operation. This past week after DJ's afternoon therapy Kara (his therapist) had him walk back to his room instead of putting him in his wheelchair. When I opened the door for him I realized Kara wasn't helping support him as much as usual. I sat down so he could walk (with Kara only holding the waist of his shorts) all the way across his room to me! What a special moment for me as a mother!  His balance and strength is improving more and more each day. Just a few days later he gave us a wonderful gift by walking 65 steps unassisted down the hospital hallway, what a beautiful site. Now when the therapist come to get DJ he doesn't have to use his wheel chair anymore, yay!!! He is working so hard! Dino let DJ know that it was Grandma's Birthday on the 5th so they called her to say Happy Birthday.  He then amazed us by singing the entire Happy Birthday song to her. Our little man brought so many happy tears to all of us! God is wonderful!!!

    It has been a month since DJ's operation and the doctors are looking at Oct. 14th being the date we get to go home....I guess you don't really know how much that word truly means to you til you spend a long period of time away. As I walk through the hallway my heart goes out to all the parents and children that have been here for such a long time. Some of them have traveled from different states to give their children the best care here at the Children's Hospital. We are so proud of Tiana because every time she visits she wants to go down to the Chapel to pray for DJ and all the other children here at the hospital. As Tiana prays I find myself thanking God for giving DJ three wonderful sisters who I know will be close to him and watch out for him for the rest of their lives.

    DJ had another special day on Thursday when the Aurora Fire and Police Departments set up a pumpkin patch in the front of the hospital for the children and spent time with the kids. Since the event was outside we had to take DJ down in his wheelchair. That didn't last very long as he tugged at Daddy to let him know he wanted to walk through the pumpkin patch to pick that special pumpkin. After observing many different shapes and sizes he picked the cutest little one that everyone else seem to be passing up! DJ was also made a Junior Police Officer & Fireman with badges to top it off. These men and woman are wonderful for doing that for the children who otherwise might not be able to pick out a pumpkin!!

    On Oct. 1st our family and friends in Arizona came together for a Benefit Dinner/Dance for DJ that was absolutely wonderful. Dino and I wished that we could have been there and are so thankful for having such great family and friends. Toby & Julian (our cousins) thank you from the bottom of our hearts for putting so much effort in doing all this for our family. We can not put into words how much this means to us. We love you guys! Please let every one who took part in it know just how grateful we are!

We have come to realize when times are hard and we don't know how to make it through we just look to God to guide us. God has been looking out for our family along the way and showed us by giving us such wonderful family and friends to be there with us through it all. God is Great!

"Once you choose hope, anything's possible" -Christopher Reeve