In November the reality of the loss of Jax was setting in. I was in a very dark space and my dear friend, Patty, attempted to lift my spirits by dragging me on a girls trip to Miami.
The trip was helping in that 1. I got some quality time with my amazing friend who lives 4 states away, feels like a sister and makes me laugh no matter what and 2. Got me distracted from my grief.
On our second day we decided to take a trip to the Wynwood Walls area. Wynwood Walls are a unique set of huge, colorful street murals by artists from around the globe. After hanging out and walking around the neighborhood it started to storm so we ran into a bar for some cover and a cocktail. It was the middle of the day and there were only two other people there.
We started talking to the two girls (Christy and Madison) sitting near us and we ended up having a great time. When they asked why we were in Miami, Patty explained the reason. Well it ends up Christy and a share a bond over having a family member with a disability. Christy shared with us she has a special needs brother named Enoch who lives in Chicago with his mom who is his primary caregiver. Enoch is about Jacksons age and they both had the same level of disabilities. We cried and hugged and shared stories of the difficulties and the JOY have having someone you love dearly who is differently abled.
I felt like I got to understand the relationship from a sibling perspective better and it was remarkable the similarities she and Caden share in personality, determination and empathy.
We spent the entire day and evening with Christy and Madison and gave them a puffer fish to spread joy. We are now friends, we text, they send pictures of the puffer on their travels and the Puffer and Enoch met at Christmas. I tell Christy each time I chat with her I would love to meet Enoch and would watch him anytime.
Patty and I would have probably never met, made friends and bonded with these sweet girls had it not been for Jax and his puffer and his JOY.
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