Joy caught me doing Bella’s hair before school. Mornings are kinda crazy around here.
Brother’s happiness when he is swinging! Sister Lyman gave us a bunch of toys that her son has outgrown. One happy girl!
Monday was the night to attend the 5th Grade Strings presentation and try out the instruments. Lizzy choose the viola. Is it bad that I recognized so many of the high schoolers performing and could have given their pep talk? Walking back to the car I was shaking my head and saying to myself, another one in Orchestra? At least I know what I am getting into.
Tuesday was Sammi’s open house. All of her teachers know her! Sammi is always smiling and talking to her teachers. Good to know!
All of this stomping our feet has had a great benefit. She was willing to sit in Joy’s tomato chair. She is so gravitationally defensive! She freaks out just to sit in a chair at the table. So putting her in the chair and playing this game was helping her work on that fear. Awesome! All of this hard chair sitting also has another objective – to strengthen those muscles. See the second picture? She is at the doctor again, sorry Bella. (It was just endocrine, she’s fine) See how she’s slumping forward? We have to strengthen those muscles to get her to sit upright. Sitting in a hard chair without a lot of support (what she usually has) is excellent therapy for that!
Wednesday for mutual was Ice Blocking. To be honest, I had my doubts, but it was fun!
Wednesday was also the day of a huge blessing for me. My life is crazy busy on a good day. Hard, really hard on a less than ideal day. Throw in a Daddy who has been in a vicodin fog who can’t pick up babies, change diapers, drive the Seminary run, get up two or three times a night with littles, or help in any way and life gets interesting. I was driving to yet another thing and thought, “Where are You?” Crazy that I even think these thoughts since He constantly gives me the energy and strength to do all of this. Crazy since He has proven Himself six million times in six million different ways. But that morning my smile gone, I sent up the thought. And being so kind and gracious to me, he responded. Lately I think He’s really trying to drive home a new lesson – the “you need other people to help you” lesson. Not my favorite lesson. While Jason has been down, the low tire pressure light has come on in not one, but two of our cars. I had a few minutes (miracle right there!) so I pulled into Wal-Mart expecting a screw in the tire or to need new tires. The back two were just low. He filled them up for me – no charge at all. Really? Thank you. (so much) I ran into the store for panko and coconut milk and grabbed a couple of cute Halloween shirts for the babies. As we were waiting to check out, the lady in front of me turned around and told me she wanted to pay for my purchases. “Thank you, but we’re OK.” (hoping she didn’t think we needed the help – I know my shirt is old, does it look that bad?) “But I want to.” She proceeded to tell me that she liked how I had been talking to my kids. Quick memory rewind – hmmm…talked and signed with Bell, said something to Alex. Nothing special. OK. “Thank you very much” I replied. I had Bella sign “thank you” to her. She started crying. I was standing there dazed by her kindness but also wondering about this woman. What prompted this action? Is there something in her past that responded to my children? I will never know. But I know that two people showed me that day that He is there – even if He had to show me through two complete strangers who probably don’t know that they were angels in disguise for a rather tired and worn out, but grateful Mama.
Thursday I was down. So sick. Poor Dad. It was his first day to attempt a meeting in the office and he had to run kids to and from school as well. It was a bit much for his incision, but we survived. Classic line – “Mom’s in pajamas and watching TV?? Yep, she’s sick.”
Friday we took Sammi out to lunch
There was a character parade lead by the high school band at the school. Lizzy wrote a story about a Commoner Queen, so that is who she was. She had the wave down! It was pouring that afternoon – I thought Joy was so cute covering her head with her back pack. She is such a cute little person.
Hanging out and Bella cuddling with her Daddy
Loved watching Bella trying to eat some of the chocolate milkshake She was a mess, but she got some in her mouth! So impressed with her trying to eat!
This one was great! We were reading scriptures and Bella crawled over to the table, stood up (holding on to the table), cruised a little(!!!) to get to the side of the table with the books, got a book, crawled back over to us, and sat down to read. A lot of effort, but I was so pleased!
Seeing if we can’t entice her into using Brother’s walker. She needs so much support when she walks – that left leg just can’t support her weight, but she just doesn’t like walkers. When she’s ready and not a second before!
Brother’s new braille book!! We brought his little room back out to use in Speech. He took some time to reacquaint himself with it. We are hoping all of those echoes and the resonance board it all sits on will help him want to vocalize. Sammi was making all kinds of sounds with her mouth and Brother had to investigate!
Saturday was the Hydrocephalus Walk. That was fun. I love being around these families. We fit in in these places so much better. These are my people. I’m comfortable with the medical lingo. People aren’t turned off by wheelchairs, feeding pumps, and scars on the scalp.
They gave whoever had hydrocephalus the gold bandana. Brother looked so cute!! That tiny thing Liz is holding is a stress ball shaped into a brain – fun!
Loved the back of the shirt! Alex tasting the wind!
Jessi and Lizzy were invited to Mandy’s 10th Birthday Party. Bowling! Lizzy loves bowling! Happy birthday Mandy!!
And Petsmart – just another errand, picking up bedding and crickets for the lizard, but I love seeing this sign. It was in this parking lot that we got “the email” about Brother and our lives changed forever! Love that boy!
Wondering where Jessi has been all week? This about sums it up:
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