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| Under our full moon together! |
My Dearest Zoe,
It is hard to imagine that it was so so long, over two years. since I was able to be with your mom. But the time and physical distance was really more than that as it was 5 years ago that she married your dad and moved to Australia. In that past 5 years Chief and I visited three times, once for the wedding and staying for our "Familymoon" rather than their "Honeymoon". This was when we got to know your daddy. Another time we came at Xmas time and traveled together to Tassmania. The third time Chief and I each came separately just before the Covid pandemic that shut down all travel to Australia. But before that your mom and dad came back to America for the Transplant Games and to visit your Auntie Sara and Uncle Ian in Maine. One other time they came to America and had to stay only two days as your mom had a health crisis that immediately sent them back on a plane and her right into the hospital. She had so much grit to be so sick and yet so determined to get home even though that plane ride is loooonnnnggg. That was a trip to forget for sure but a trip home to America to remember was the one when we met your parents at the 2018 Transplant Games.
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| Anna and Terry 2018 Transplant Games |
Your mom and dad met for the first time at the 2016 Transplant Games of America and returned to the Games two years later married and competing in the dancing competition. Now, nothing could be as romantic as that story Zoe! What a touching sight it was to see your mom and dad dressed in dancing clothes and sharing their moves with us and their transplant community. They took ballroom dancing classes right after they were married and practiced and prepared for this time on the dance floor. What a wonderful thing to do as newly weds. To learn to dance together, to follow the steps and the leads and the twirls and the attitudes of each unique dance they performed was a brilliant introduction to the beginning of married life. That demonstrated to us a commitment and love that was real and true and destined to be happy.
The day they found each other was a destiny that had to be fullfilled as it meant that you were to come later into the world. That fateful day was a magic one in so many ways. Following your mom's lung transplant she pursued competition in the Transplant Games on the same path as other dear transplanted friends. Her sport was swimming. She dove into the pool and that sport with the same determination that she had in everything she did. She was determined to gain strength and health through swimming and becoming an athlete. And she did! I will tell you more about her swimming in another letter that led up to this day when she found your father but on this day of magic she won the entire competition for the women of the Games. She was honored as the champion! This was an unbelievable accomplishment and filled with so much joy. After the award ceremony while gathering with other competitors and friends and the Aussie contingent to celebrate, it happened. They met and I heard they talked and talked and talked and then......it was meant to be.
Life changed for your mom when she met your dad. She had met so many challenges with her health and transplant and then recovery and athletic competition and now she had to look at even more challenges of falling in love with a wonderful man who lived on the other side of the world. Deep thought and concern went into what this meant for her and our family. It was clear to her that her heart ruled. It all made sense in one way and no sense in another. She would have to give up her medical care in the US and leave the world she knew, her friends, community and family and move to Australia, a place that existed in an opposite season, on a different day but under the same moon. It turned out that Melbourne, where you live, actually has similar weather and California has so many Aussie like eucalyptus trees it could feel like home. She discovered the medical care for her transplant would be excellent and she decided that airplanes would be a frequent form of transportation to reunite her with all of us.
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| Distant view of Melbourne at sunset. |
The distance and span of time separating us from each other was far greater than we all thought it would be. Life throws us curve balls as they say, like pandemics. But we are together now under that same full moon. Your mom has grown to be such a fantastic mother. Your dad is a fantastic dad. They learned their dance steps well. The challenges of the last two plus years gave them time to find a flow of parenting that is loving, supportive and inspiring. You have been gifted with two wonderful parents and they have been blessed with you. It all came from the amazing and magical day when your mom won that entire competition and found her love. Because of that fateful day where all of the stars aligned you are a part of our family joining your cousin Freyja and the new little girl cousin to come soon. So glad I am here to be with you finally and be in this home that your mom and dad have made for you that is so full of love and is a fantastical dance on the most amazing dance floor. And Chief and I must always remember that when we are not with you and your mom and dad we are still under the same moon.
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| Zoe with Mommy and Daddy |
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