One Beautiful Life

My Girl

Abby is watching.  Abby is taking it in.  Abby is loving Brenda being here.  Abby is starting to copy.

Brenda makes her bed in the morning.  Abby made her bed yesterday before going to school.
Brenda dresses herself.  Abby dressed herself yesterday and took much pride in letting me know so.  She usually asks me to help her get her pajama shirt off.  "You can do that yourself Abby," I respond.  "I NEED your help mommy!" she replies and then enters the daily morning tension.  It continues with her wanting help getting her shirt on (which she can do) and then buttoning her pants (which she can also do although it is trying for her).  I ALWAYS struggle with the following... does she feel rejected when I won't help her?  When I help her, everything is much more smooth.  Does it make her feel loved when I help her?  Is that her love language?  Or am I enabling her?  Or is she just being controlling, manipulating, and lazy?  This is just PART of the daily battle I have in my head for her/with her each day.

So I was thrilled when she did it all by herself... INCLUDING getting her jacket on by herself that usually causes a good moment of tension with us as she insists she can't do it and I insist she can.  She was proud of herself.  She was a big girl... like Brenda.  And she didn't even mention she had made her bed... I noticed that when I walked by her room to go downstairs and so of course I had to make a big deal out of it and she gave me a sweet smile.

She wants to wear her hair like I have fixed Brendas.  She wants to hold Brenda's hand.  She wants to sleep in the guest bed with Brenda.  She wants Brenda to go to school with her.  She is patient with Brenda and is remembering that Brenda doesn't speak English.  And Brenda is being so sweet with her.  It makes my heart smile... it then overflows to my face!

Abby has also gone over two weeks without a seizure and we Praise our generous Lord for that gift.  She is on the fourth drug that is milder than topamax and we have gone down on the topamax again and are still holding... and we Praise our precious and generous Lord again for that one too!  Our prayer is that we can get off topamax and the new and milder drug will hold her.  Our prayer is that God has and will continue to heal her... we are claiming that one!

I spoke with the chaperone for Brenda's group yesterday.  She spoke with Brenda on the phone for about ten minutes.  When Brenda gave the phone back to me, she was so sweet and loving to me.  She told me that Brenda loves being with our family, LIKES hanging out with the kids and LOVES the dog!  It made me laugh.  When I told her "thank you" in Latvian... she gasped and giggled and thanked me for saying it.  It was obvious that she was touched I had learned it... really sweet. 

We get to meet her tonight at the New Horizons welcome party.  We'll also get to meet the little boy who is in the foster family with her... Toms.  Oh... we thought she was in an orphanage... but she is in a foster family.  I hope to find out more info tonight on all that!

Be blessed.  And thank you so... so... much for sharing our joy in this... for being a part of this with us.  Our friends have and continue to touch my heart so much as they are so genuine in wanting to know about and be a part of this with us.  It makes me see God everywhere... in all of you... just cheering us along and loving us and smiling with us.  It moves me.  Thank you is just not enough.... so "paldies"... "thank you" in latvian!  "Es tevi milu," "I love you."
Dawn