Friday, June 19, 2009

Friday, June 19th Home

Clay made a triumphant return home today thanks to the many kind hearts in our hometown. He was met out side of town by three fire trucks and two ambulances. With lights flashing in front and behind he was trying to grin from ear to ear. As he sat in my lap, he was wiggling with excitement when the lead truck started their sirens and blew their horn to signal our approach. There seemed to be half the town lining main street as we pulled in. There were signs, balloons and many smiles. Clay's right hand is in a cast, and seems to be out of commission for a while, but he tried to give everyone a wave with what is left of his left. I was a little concerned in the passenger seat because Deidra was driving and I know her vision was blurred by all of the tears. We are so grateful to our community for all they have done. We have all heard that there is no place like home and the Fites agree. Thank you to the firemen and EM Ts that took the time to see a little boy home. Thank you to everyone that came out to wave encouragement for the future. Thank you to everyone at Hamilton Hospital that helped Clay when he was first brought in. Thank you Channel 3 for keeping everyone updated. The list could go on for days, and I am sure to have left someone out. Thank you to our friends, neighbors, and coworkers who have been so gracious. Thank you to Tower Extrusions for standing with us through this trying time. Thanks to Olney. Thank you to all the friends and workers across the country and around the world. Most of all thanks to God for seeing Clay safely back home where we can love and heal and help him grow into a young man. We will be posting a couple of times each week now and whenever something noteworthy happens. We appreciate everyone who was faithful in prayers and comments on the blog. Good night from Olney, Texas

46 comments:

  1. You truly have some great friends and fellow townsmen.....WOW. What a great welcome. Wish we could have been there!
    Lori

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  2. What a blessed day!!! Lots of love and continued prayers to your whole family. You continue to say thanks to all when I know I speak for not only myself...the thanks should be to your family and that precious Clay for leading by example in your belief in God.You are all such an inspiration. Best of wishes to you all.

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  3. There is no place like home!! We are so glad you are there Clay!

    We love you guys,
    Chris, Bambi, Mia, and Ryder Barrett

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  4. What a wonderful homecoming!! Just wish we could have been there to be part of it!! We have been a part here in our part of Louisiana even though you may not have heard us, but hope you have felt us cheering from here!! Over these past few months Clay and your family have become part of ours, we wish you all the joy that life can bring in the years to come! You have all earned that!
    Cheering and routing from LA,
    Love, Jay, Shauna, Lane, and Bryce Vallery

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  5. Beautiful and touching! Our hearts are full of joy for y'all!!

    Pray it will be a great weekend!! :)

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  6. If we ever move, We're going to Olney! Welcome back home, Clay.
    Love the Pittmans in Cimarron, NM

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  7. What a great homecoming. Welcome home to sweet Clay! ~Zane, Traci, & Natalie Grace

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  8. HAPPY DAY!! This is the day we have all been anxiously waiting for. Glad you are back home as a family again. You have put many encouraging and touching comments on the blog. Thanks for keeping us updated during this difficult time and for your faithful example. Lots of hugs,
    Bob & Tammy

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  9. I wish I could have been there to welcome you home as well! What a blessed day! So happy for all of you! I am praising HIM for all the answered prayers! Love from Mexico! Missy

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  10. We are so happy you have made it safely home. Now we are hoping you can all relax, unwind and get some much needed rest. You mean alot to us and we are anxious to see you again. Our love. Us 2

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  11. Very touching post. So happy for you all!!

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  12. My thoughts have been with you all today. A milestone has been reached. Love & care, Susie

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  13. We kept holding our breath today...hoping n.o.t.h.i.n.g. would stop the homecoming! Thankfully, you are home. We are so happy for you!

    Steve & Donna

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  14. Happy Father's Day, dad and mom, I am so happy for you all. I will keep you in my prayers and thoughts. What a nice way to end the day for me to read this post.

    I'm just so touched by your family, I pray that you will continue to feel the prayers of the saints and the presence of the Father.

    Blessings.

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  15. I could hardly read your post tonight for all the tears - what a beautiful, touching homecoming!! Just want you to know we have come to love your family, along with everyone else, and will never stop praying for you all, especially Clay, just because he's home now! We will still be watching for your updates on this blog!
    WELCOME HOME, CLAY!!

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  16. Welcome Home Clay!

    Your our Hero!

    Moslah Shriners
    Fort Worth, TX

    PA Smith

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  17. Praise God! Prayers answered!
    From Amy Osteen(Barrett Noble's sister)and all of Forestburg,TX. We have been praying for you and sweet baby Clay every step of the way. What a trooper. I'm soooo glad he is finally home! Oh Happy Day!

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  18. Imagine!!! HOME at LAST!! And what a hearty welcome. Keep up the GREAT Work little Clay!!
    I hope you got some pictures--a DAY you will NEVER forget!! LOL M&B

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  19. I guess the only thing to say is WELCOME HOME CLAY WELCOME HOME!!!!!!!!!God Bless you all!!

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  20. We are so glad...finally he gets to go home. I'm sure this has been a trying time for ya'll. I'm just soo glad he will be okay and get to grow up. Our prayers are still with you.

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  21. thanks again for sharing ....... so glad you are home.

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  22. This post brought me to tears. Welcome Home Clay!! I can't imagine what an amazing homecoming it was and wish we could've been there to experience it also!! Our thoughts and prayers are still being sent.
    Jeff & Aleigh Whitehead - WI

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  23. I could hardly read the blog through the tears! Tears of joy and what a beautiful picture of the town welcoming the whole family back home. What a wonderful day for the family to know how much the town people care for them; but a wonderful day for Clay to see how much he is loved by everyone. When one hurts, we all hurt, when one rejoices, we all rejoice. Today, we are all rejoicing. The road ahead may still be long, but this one big step is so momentous. We look forward to hearing and reading more blogs, no matter the time frame you choose to post. We love you and we are so happy for you! Love Dawn & Pam

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  24. Hunter came running to me read the post. I couldn't stop crying. It was a great day in Olney. To see clay so excited. Hunter and Brooke couldn't wait until 5:00 got here. Tell DeeDee that we all had blurred eyes. We love ya.

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  25. First, I will say that we have followed your journey every day and could not comment due to a glitch with posting...so I am trying yet again to post a comment. Thank you for keeping us updated. Our hearts have been with each of you everyday and will continue to be.
    Welcome home.....What a welcoming you received. You live in a great community.
    We wish you the best as your little family comes together again at home.
    Our love,
    Ronny, LaQueta and Ryan White

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  26. Thank you, everybody who was blogging us updates! That was the only way I could know what was going on with y'all. PTL!

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  27. We're so glad to hear that Clay has finally gotten to go home. Tell Clay the we love him! We love you all, you are special to us! Can't wait to be in meeting with you all again!!
    Love, Brittany and the rest of the family!

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  28. Yay!!! I was right there with you all for the homecoming...in heart and mind. Thinking of you all from Finland! With care, Laura

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  29. So happy thinking of you all being home again!!!!Yes, I think it would be a great idea to see pictures of Clay. We all love him, and can't wait to see him for ourselves. Have a great Sunday! Love, Joanne S.

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  30. Yay !!! I have never posted but have checked on Clay daily. I found this incredible poem and wanted to share with you folks. Take Care!

    "Tomorrow’s bridge as I look ahead,
    Is a rickety thing to view;
    The piers are crumbled, the rails are down,
    It’s floors would let me through.
    The chasm is spans is dark and deep,
    And it’s waters foam and fret;
    I’ve crossed the bridge a thousand times,
    Though I have not crossed it yet.

    It has crushed beneath to let me through,
    Although it is miles away;
    But strange the bridges that I have crossed,
    Have all been safe today.

    Perhaps I shall find when I reach that one,
    That lies in the distant blue;
    Some hand may have mended the rickety floor,
    And it’s piers may be strong and new.
    And I can pass over light hearted free,
    As a bird in the buoyant air;
    Forgive me God for my fearful heart,
    My anxious and foolish fear."

    Author Unknown

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  31. Hoping he had a great first day waking up at home! Love you! Missy

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  32. what a great day for the Fite family and for Olney! Clay is home, at last :)

    Chance, what a wonderful day Father's Day will be... at home with all three of your boys! We love and admire your family so much, and hope to meet some day.
    big hugs from Austin..
    the southerlands

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  33. We shed tears of joy as we read your post of Clay's Homecoming!! We were cheering for him here in Dallas, wish we could have been there to witness it!! What a wonderful Father's Day present!! Your little family has touched our hearts and we will continue to follow your posts. We will continue to pray for Clay's recovery.
    Lots of love,
    Al and Jill Russell

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  34. Sunday, June 21st Father's Day.

    Chance, you have the most wonderful Fathers Day gift in the world by having ALL THREE of your little boys with you and Dee Dee today. Couldn't have been a better week-end for his HOMECOMING.

    I know why Deidra had blurry vision, as there has been an epidemic of blurry visions over the last 4 months. It is hard to see through tears. Have a wondeful day.

    All our love to your family. B&E

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  35. What a wonderful way to end this report--Good night from Olney, Tx. We have all been waiting for that comment. I can just imagine Clay's thoughts as he walked into his home and knew he could sleep in his own bed. We are so happy for all of you and are thanking God for answered prayer.
    Thanks for keeping us informed during this difficult journey. WE know that there is still a long journey ahead and will keep the prayers going.

    Butch and Carol Willis Graham, Tx

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  36. So glad for all of you that Clay is home! We are friends from NC. Have followed your updates and appreciate so much all who posted. You have been a good example of faith - God's grace and strength showing through your lives.
    It sounds like you live in a wonderful town.
    Again, we have thought of you so much and so glad little Clay is home!

    Mel & Rudonna Pipgras

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  37. Our eyes were FULL of tears, yet again, as we read of that wonderful homecoming. We expected nothing less, as your "homefolks" have been so awesome since the beginning of this experience. We, too wish we could have been there to add our cheers! Clay deserved every bit of that, and it will be an encouragement to him every time he remembers it. How exciting for him to be Home again, and to see familiar sights and people. And...Happy Father's Day!! What a wonderful gift you have this year! Our hearts are full again, and we will continue to think of you all as you continue on your journey of healing. With love and care.....

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  38. So glad to catch up on Clay after being away from the computer for several days. A wonderful welcome home for the family..a thrill for a little boy. Look forward to updates. A picture? Whatever you feel comforable with. It might be helpful to children especially so that they can be prepared by their parents on what to expect and how to react. Would love to meet the family someday. Perhaps can when I visit my Tx. relatives.

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  39. What a beautiful picture of a triumphant welcome home for a courageous little boy and family. That was so thoughtful of Olney! Wish we could have been there to cheer along! We are so happy for you!

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  40. We missed the Welcome Home party by 15 minutes, just enough to see the firetrucks pulling back into the station. But we are so happy that Clay is finally home! What an awesome day! We love you,
    Kelly, Reno, Alyssa and Morgan

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  41. So happy you are home! Thanks for being so good to post everyday over the last 4 months! I think of your family so often and am so glad your family is all together again, at home, and hope you can all get some rest! We will look forward to updates as you get a chance! You are a wonderful example to us all! My boys have enjoyed getting to know you through the updates and please know we are cheering for you!
    Joanna and family

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  42. Dear Fites,

    Wow. We at Southern Bleacher have been reading the updates, as I've e-mailed them around the company. We are thrilled to know that the Fite family is back together under one roof. You have three amazing boys, each with their own uniqueness. Even as young as they are, I believe their heritage is already shining through and will continue to do so.

    Giving God the glory!
    Sue Gilmore

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  43. With a smiling face and tears shedded- Welcome Home Clay!! I know ya'll still have a long road ahead, but o what a milestone you've reached! Hugs are being sent ya'lls way! Your still in our thoughts & prayers everyday!!!! :)

    Love,
    The Woods' Family (Quanah, TX)

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  44. What a special, special, heart warming homecoming! I am so thankful you are home and know that the tender, loving care will only continue and we are so anxious to keep up with the progress. We're here through the valleys too! We are so touched...take special care and we'll think of you all often with many new experiences coming your way! :)
    Love,
    From the JD Wms in WY

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  45. Whew! This post is music to my ears but plays havoc with my eyes! Glory to God! My how we've all waited for this one. I was out of town and just got back and this is such wonderful news. I so appreciate your faithfulness to share with all of us the happenings. I know it is time shared for you. Much love and continued prayers, Carolyn

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