Mom, sister (Nora), and Sharon at Ronald McDonald House
This Christmas I was reminded at how blessed Jay and I are and how grateful we are to be so blessed. We are finishing up on a great year of accomplishments and good fortune. Yesterday, Christmas Eve, my mom invited my sister Nora and I to join her at the Ronald McDonald House. She volunteers there every Friday. Nora and I met my mom there, working our way through the daily chores list unloading the dishwasher, cleaning, and straightening. We also had time to chat over coffee since the house was pretty empty for the holiday weekend.
Ronald McDonald Houses are located near hospitals all over the world and provide a place for families to stay when they have a child undergoing treatment for a serious illness. My sister, who was diagnosed with cancer at her 6 month check up, stayed in the Ronald McDonald House in Baltimore as a toddler when she was getting a bone marrow transplant (from me) at Johns Hopkins. Our family was very grateful for this home away from home at such a stressful time.
The Ronald McDonald House in Falls Church is connected with Fairfax Hospital which has a well renowned NICU and therefore a lot of the families who stay at the house are there because they have newborns who were born prematurely or who have life-threatening illnesses. Today, in the wee hours of the morning, my cousin gave birth to a beautiful healthy baby boy. We are so grateful. So blessed.
Merry Christmas. Happy Holidays.
Jay Holt
sharontb
