Niagara Falls Vacation: Meet the Hydro Families

Here's how the story begins:

Oh, somewhere around four years ago, down in Virginia there was a very pregnant woman laying on a couch. While on bed rest with her second child she pondered much about the sweet baby boy that she was carrying. Owen had been diagnosed with Hydrocephalus. She thought of all the many other families out there that had gone through it and will go through the experience of such a diagnosis. At that time the internet offered very little hopeful and helpful information on this condition. So she got a vision - an amazing idea to create a website to help those families with a child of congenital hydrocephalus.

I will be forever thankful that Michelle created that website. She has given me a friendship filled with encouragement and a warming compassion of support as we have journeyed through the winding roads of Hydrocephalus with our little Cayman.

And through that website I have made several connections with other hydro families from across the nation. Since I was pregnant with Cayman I have gotten to know many other hydro mom's - through their blogs, phone calls, emails, facebook. It's been fun!

Every single one of these friendships have mattered more to me than I could ever explain. There is great camaraderie between the hearts of those that truly know what you are feeling.

But while we have all known each other quite well (some for more than two years), we had never actually met in person.

Until recently...

This past week we traveled to New York - Niagara specifically - to meet 7 other hydro families.

Travis, Diane, with their little boy Tyler
Click here for Tyler's blog

Jill and Steve's family
kids: Megan, Mason, Matthew, and Micah
Click here for their family blog

Michelle (her husband was sadly unable to make the trip)
kids: Sammy and Owen
Click here for Owen's blog

Amanda and Kevin with Isaac

Donald and Lisa's family
kids: Alexandra, Lorelai, and Elisabeth
Click here for their family blog

Kirk and Jennifer's family
kids: Katelee, Grace, Sheri, Spencer, and Elijah
click here for their family blog

Nicole with her kids, Joe (in the back) and Ben

It was surreal seeing my friends face-to-face for the first time. I felt my eyes water with the sweet tears of joy as we hugged and were finally together in person - a moment I have dreampt of so many times since these friendships blossomed in my life.

More of this amazing time to come. So stay tuned. But give me a couple days to recoup first.