Time For a Change

 First we need to say thank you. Thanks to all who have followed Neil's story and continue to check up on his progress. Thanks for the kind words of encouragement and support in the blog comment section, in emails, and in person. You may not think it matters much, but it does. We try to keep things pretty positive here, but at times we get tired, sad, and discouraged, so knowing that people care can help to keep us all going. To the Burnt Mills neighbors, thanks for caring about Neil, even though he was just a stranger to you. I feel like we're friends now even though we haven't met yet!

Does it sound like we're ending the blog? Well, we're not, but it is time for a change. This past year our lives have been consumed with the aftermath of Neil's accident. And now we're finding that it's starting to define who we are. Like it's all we can talk about. I know we're really boring company. Certainly the consequences will follow us for the rest of our lives, and so many things we've experienced because of it have changed us for the good. But now it's time to move on and be the Stones--as a family, as individuals who are more than just "the boy with the brain injury", or "Neil Stone's brother", or "Neil's mom."

So, about the blog--I will continue to write, but it won't be exclusively about Neil. Yes, I'll post about his progress. I feel I owe that to all who have invested so many prayers on his behalf. After all, he's your miracle, too. But I want to be able to include pictures of Eric, like this one taken at the beach in December:

I want to be able to brag about Alison at the Jeopardy! audition. It would be nice to talk about something that doesn't have to do with brain injuries. (We've almost decided to ban those words from our vocabulary!)

So, be prepared for a new look and a new name if you're still game to continue on this journey with us. The web address will remain the same. And thanks again for all the love, support, prayers, and well wishes expressed both silently and aloud. You will never know how much we have relied on them.

Lots of love,

The Stones