Suzette

Sometimes the people who change your life come from the other side of the world.

Suzette came into our lives earlier this year as our au pair, but it didn't take long before she became so much more than that. Now she's part of our family.

She is from South Africa and, since moving here, has reconnected with several other South Africans living in the states. I love that she's been able to build a little piece of home while making ours her home too.

The kids absolutely adore her. And the feeling is mutual.

You don't have to be around them very long to see it. The love between Suzette and the kids is genuine. She has this calm, gentle spirit that makes everyone around her feel safe and loved, and the kids naturally gravitated toward her from the very beginning.

Just a few weeks before my leukemia diagnosis, we had made the exciting decision to extend her stay with us for another year. We were all thrilled.

Then life changed overnight. Suddenly, what was supposed to be another fun year together became something none of us could have imagined.

The thing I'll never forget is that Suzette never hesitated. She didn't question whether she wanted to stay. She didn't pull back when life became complicated. She simply stepped in. She has done far more than anyone could have expected. She has helped care for the kids, adapted to schedules that changed by the hour, navigated the uncertainty that comes with a cancer diagnosis, and somehow managed to do it all with grace and a smile.

She has become one of the steady hands helping hold our family together while everything else has felt like it was falling apart.

She truly is one of the sweetest people I have ever met. She has this incredible ability to find joy in everyday moments and approach even the unexpected with kindness, patience, and optimism. It's one of the many things I admire about her.

As I prepare for my bone marrow transplant and my parents move into the house to help care for the kids, I know having Suzette there will be an incredible gift, not just for me, but for Gigi and Granddaddy as well. I can't imagine going through this season without her.

And all four of us love our Suzie more than words could ever say.