Recital night

The six year old participates in a dance class with five other kids with cerebral palsy.  The class also includes non disabled dancers who support the kids.  M has really enjoyed herself.  Tonight was the recital.  Unfortunately only three of the dancers showed up but the helper dancers were still on stage and helped make it a beautiful experience. 

Waiting her turn to dance

malfunction in the junction

I am having some malfunctions on the blog but hopefully will be able to be up and running again with photos soon.

I am open to suggestions as to why my photos are loading sideways and upside down with no way to change it that I have found.

I can still post but it will then require all those interested to turn their monitors or bodies sideways or upside down.  Think of it as developing new skills and muscles that you never knew you had before.

I could actually be helping you really.

I only live to serve....

it rages

Went to another child's funeral today.  Seven years old.  Just barely.

Pretty as ever laying where no child should ever lay.

So quiet.  So still.  So cold.

I stood for a while stroking her hands, her face.

As much as I grieve for the family and their new loss and how the day was about this special girl I thought about my own.

In touching what is now only the shell that only days ago held the beautiful essence of a miracle I remembered that my daughter felt the same the last time I held her.  Stroked her face.  Kissed her forehead.

I would give most anything to hold Ailish one more time whether it be how she was in life or after her heart took its last beat.  I would take holding her physical self any which way.  Feeling the weight of her in  my arms, against my chest would be the most awesome of gifts.

It is an aching that has quieted itself during some days over the last 26 months though never ceased.  It rages today as much as it did the moment her casket lid was closed its final time.

If only wishing made things so....

I doubt it

It is possible I suppose.

It could be.

 I doubt it.

I'm way too young.

Not even middle aged really if you take into account I don't plan on dying until about 110 years of age.

The textbooks do in fact say that it might be the case.

Who uses textbooks anymore anyways?

Google said it could happen.

There is so much misinformation on the internet.

Hot flashes?

Me?

I think it's probably typhoid.

Fingers crossed

A dreadful tale

It's a dreadful tale.  Luckily....all ended well.

Pink dog went missing however no one knew but Phoenix that Pink dog was missing.

Poor child came and found me to illicit my sleuthing skills.  Problem was...I didn't know what I was sleuthing for.

Into her room we went.  She took me to her closet.  Nothing in there looked like what she would need to ask me for.  I had seen Brown dog on the bed so it did not occur to me that the toy that is attached to her hand morning noon and night was missing.

Finally it dawns on me that Pink dog is no where to be seen.  One dog is acceptable to the child while out during the day.  Two dogs are a necessity where ever else possible.

The big guns had to be called in.  Donovan knows where everyone's shoes and Phoenix's toys are at any given time.

Within minutes order was restored.  Donovan quickly saved the day when asked if he knew where Pink dog was.

Could life get any better?

Can I just say however that from my point of view that dang dogs be they real or plush are out to steal what remnants of sanity I may have had?

everybody helps

I give up!  You will have to look sideways.  I have spent way too much time with my limited capabilities to right these pictures so they will have to remain as is!
The six year old likes to be helpful so when the teens need the perpetual letter excusing them from gym ( I really should just write one and copy it to pull out every other freakin day that they ask for one) she likes to write it for them.

This one says "Please excuse Journey from gym as her stomach and her back hurt"

We all contribute around here

I blame the school

picture has nothing to do with this post but I like it

"You should exercise Mommy" says the "helpful' six year old.

"Oh I should, should I?  And what makes you say that?" I query.

"You should do bending and stretching.  You never do that ever" she says ever so innocently.

As I realize the child is not making a personal attack on my fitness level nor my abundance of loose flesh I do not tear into her by saying things like

1. "are you kidding me?!  Do you not realize how much bending and stretching I do in a day, picking up yours and everyone else's crap off the floor, balloons off the ceiling, scraping 'stuff' off of very high places on a wall that 'stuff' should never be on?!"  or

2. "take an hour in my shoes Sista and see the bending and lifting I do!  Next time you bend and lift a fifty odd pound wheelchair and chuck it arm pit height into the back of the bus!  You pick a ninety pound noncompliant child off the ground and 'encourage' said child to head in the direction away from the cracker drawer that will lead me to more bending and stretching to clean up the godforsaken fish crackers!" or

3.  "Exercise you say?!  Do you know how much power walking, bending and stretching it takes to make my way through Costco and any of the other three grocery stores I frequent on a weekly basis to get my shopping done in ONE hour so that I am not pulling a cart and pushing any number of your siblings who don't want to be there?!  Let me tell you Little Lady no one can clear a shelf filling a cart faster than yours truly ensuring that your bellies are all full of whatever the desired food of the week is!" or

4. "Do you know how quick on my feet I need to be to dash from a sitting position to the table to clear all projectiles from the path of a seizuring sister?!   You do because you have seen it and have also seen me lift said 100 pound seizuring sister in full clonus to a place of safety.

I say none of these things because the child had no ill intent and was likely repeating what she heard at school as to the importance of bending and stretching in a fitness regime.

No, I will not take it out on her.  I will however take it out on the school.

Makes sense to me....