Join with me as I embark on a 31-Day Writing Challenge! Inspired by Lisa-Jo and created by the Nester, this exercise takes writers on a journey to write on one topic for 31 days straight.

Me? I’m attempting to go through our journey and countdown 31 things I used to have to do for Danny, that I don’t have to anymore. This exercise has already taken me down roads I haven’t traveled in my mind in quite some time. It has, and will allow me to be reminded just how far we really have come since August 16, 2005.

21. Introductions

Who knew if Danny would know us when he began to wake up? There were no assurances that he would even know who he was.

There were times when I would ask Danny who I was to him. One day, I’d be his wife, but then I’d be his sister or his cousin.

I never knew if he was playing with me or if he was seriously confused.

With Corbin, he would most often call him Noah, our nephew’s name. Noah was the only baby boy that Danny could remember and it seemed that Danny had no recollection of me being pregnant; at least when he did remember I was his wife.

One of our first outings as a family was to church on a Wednesday night. We felt it would be less crowded and we could slip in the back. Afterwards, we went down to the choir room where they were rehearsing. The choir had been praying for Danny and we felt it was good for them to see his improvements.

They were singing when we swept into the room, but it wasn’t just singing it was worship. There were a lot of tears and audible prayers above the music.  It was a powerful moment.

When the music stopped, I stood in front and began to speak. I’d walked away from Danny’s side, where he was with his mom.

He started calling my name.

“Allison. Allison. Allison.”

He knew me. He used his voice to call me. And, I shared with the choir just how monumental that was at that time.

Eventually, obviously, he grew to know that Corbin was his son, but that took time.

The good news is that my husband knows me. He knows our son. He knows we love him. And, he calls us by name.

It seems so small at this point in our journey, but at that time, it was so exciting.

To be known, and to know and to be loved, and to love-sometimes it starts with a simple (re)introduction.