Ronald McDonald House = Amazing.

I am floored at the awesome place we are able to stay at while we are in Philly. I was a little eerie at first of staying in a place where there are multiple people sharing common areas. I was afraid that I would be dying for privacy and tired of talking to folks.

Just the opposite.

This place is amazing. There are twenty rooms to house twenty families and the place is full today. There is a large kitchen with a large dining room to eat in. In the kitchen there are like six refrigerators. Two are "house" refrigerators that anyone can raid and eat out of. The others are floor specific where we can store "our" food. There are two large islands that have all the sweets you could every want. Talk about midnight snacks AND not doing well with eating healthy :(

Dinner is provided most every night by different people or organizations. Tonight, I type with my plate next to the computer filled with Roast, Veggies, Fruit Salad, and a green salad. All I have to say is I didn't have to cook.

The generousity of people who I will never know and never meet has floored me. Tonight's dinner was provided by a high school class and their teachers. They came not with the food in hand but with the ingredients to cook the meal in the kitchen.

There are three common areas - all outfitted with TVs, VCRs, and DVD players. Children's movies are in abundance.

In the downstairs children's area, there is a playroom with every toy known to man.

I'm actually typing while my 3yo plays with his new friends. Kids are funny that way. They are friendly with any and everyone. He is riding around and around the playroom, hallway, etc on a tricyle. He and another little boy are behind the other little boy on "wheels". His wheelchair is not slowing him down one bit.

Here is Jessie...giving Sumo a lesson in riding.

A massage therapist just showed up to give free chair massages for stressed out parents and caregivers. I'm about to go and get me one.

...OK...I'm back. The massage was great! And Sumo got a back rub too. The massage therapist shows up once a month to share her gift and talent with parents and kids in great need of some stress relief. How wonderful.

I've also had the great opportunity of getting to know parents from all over the country who have come here to stay while their children get the care they need. Some families are here for the week; others are have been here for months. It is so good to talk to parents whose kids have challenges of one kind of another.

Also, it's good to see other kids who look like Kano. I had never heard of Brachial Plexus Injury before Kano was born. Since, he was born, I have yet to see another kid like him. Being with others who "get it" is a neat experience.

In a weird sort of way, this is a mini-vacation. My children are happy and busy so I'm free to relax and watch TV, read a book, or....blog :) All is well in the world. Funny that it takes the Ronald McDonald House to give me a vacation.

Alright...too much time spent on this blog posting pictures and such. I'm off to update Kano's Online Journal with more detailed info about his day.