Merry Christmas Surprise!

Me and my main man, Santa Claus!

Merry Christmas Friends! Can you believe Santa came to see me in the hospital!! I guess that jolly man really is magic. Not only is this my first Christmas day, but as of about 5 minutes ago it is also my first day without a tube breathing for me since my surgery. Oh it feels so good to have that tube out of my nose and chest. My lungs feel really strong and healthy, and I can feel my heart getting stronger every day.

Mom was so happy when that tube came out that she cried. Dad was all smiles too, and I'm just so happy to see them both look a bit less worried every day. They came back last night telling me stories about their new friends Darren and Maureen and how nice these folks were to take good care of them and help make them feel a little bit of normal Christmas for a few hours. I can't wait until I can go all these fun places with Mom and Dad.

I don't know if Dad's work with the sick women and children and Mom's with the new babies at Thomas Hospital has helped get them ready for me and my heart trouble, but I know they are really strong. I think they are starting to get sad being around all the other babies and their mommies and daddies though. I heard Dad telling Aunt Jen that there is a little one here from Spanish Fort, AL, not far from our home in Daphne. They are here hoping and praying for a new heart for their 3 year old.

Dad says that sometimes it feels like everyone has the same story as us, only the details change. Lots of other mommies and daddies are here with their very special baby, having traveled thousands of miles and hoping for a miracle from these really smart doctors and surgeons and, for some, a little luck that a new heart will show up in time for them.

For all of the babies here at Boston Children's with me, and for all the mommies and daddies here loving them so much, I just want you to know that we are stronger than you can know. Nothing makes us happier than to see your loving faces smiling at us. And if all we ever had in our lives was a little time being loved by you guys, that would be enough for us. We love you guys and are so grateful to have been born to such wonderful people and we wouldn't trade our position for anything.

For all the kids who have moved on (whether they went to heaven or went home with their mommies and daddies from here): you are all my special friends. My Christmas wish for all of us is that everyone have some special time today, to just be happy and to appreciate how rare and beautiful life is, for however long we all have to live it, and that we remember to say how much we love each other every day.

Much, much love for a special Christmas Day for every one of you, coming from a special room in a really cool hospital in Boston!

XOXOXO
Matthew