It occurred to me tonight that often I am praised for my hard work with RWF and all of my blog posts and writing. Every where I go, someone tells me how amazing what I am doing is, and how much they appreciate my advocacy for this unsung cause.

However, we forget sometimes about the heroes behind closed doors. My husband, first of all, is my biggest fan and my rock. Without him, RWF would not exist and I would have been admitted into a mental ward by now. He created the idea for this foundation while putting the pieces of our life back together in the hospital; seriously, how many people do you know that would want to help others in the midst of going through the most horrific event of their life? Probably not a whole lot. He is selfless beyond words, and as many relationships go, I do not thank him or praise him nearly as much as I should. He is strong beyond measure and wise well beyond his years. Although I have never doubted it, I know now more than ever that we truly were made for one another. I thank God every day for him and for his passion and zest for life, because without him I surely would have crumbled by now.

And onto more unsung heroes. While my cousin, Kristen, is receiving her *well deserved* accolades and praise for her selflessness, her husband stands tall beside her every step of the way. This young couple reminds me so much of Jake and I, and I can see that their bond too will be strengthened by this journey. Lee is not only a man to be respected for serving our country, he is an amazing daddy to their almost-2 year old little boy, Hayden, and an amazing husband to Kristen. I have known him for years, even before his & Kristen’s wedding, and I have always sensed that he is head over heels in love with her. We all need this kind of marriage, and I am so blessed to know that someone I care about dearly is taken care of so well by a man such as himself.

The list goes on, but the importance of these people in our lives does not waiver. Our family, especially our parents, are supportive of us every single day. Our parents have relentlessly pestered everyone they work with, are friends with, or even come in contact with to sell wristbands, raffle tickets, or just get flat-out donations. They were there for us those dark days in the hospital, and the even darker days when “life moved on” for everyone else except us. We will never be able to thank them enough, but knowing what a joy our future children will bring to their lives gives us some sense of repayment.

And our friends, followers, and fans – we are blessed beyond words; period. Our foundation is barely 5 months old, and we have accomplished so much already. We are fortunate enough to be part of a community that is not only uplifting, but adamant about helping us achieve our dream of starting a family. There will never be another time in our lives that we doubt how much we are loved by all of these people, and even those who we have never met other than via the internet. I have never realized the strength of the thread that connects us as humans until such a tragic event takes place; it has been a blessing in disguise and a true eye-opening experience to see the good that truly is within all of us.

Thank you all, no matter what role you play in our lives. You have touched our souls; and although we would never be able to write a “thank you” card to each of you, we hope that you all know that each time we look at our future children we will see each of you in them. Because without you, they would not be possible.

Love to all, always!