5/21

Soooo.....

did y'all get Raptured?

I did!

For the last 6 months I have physically felt like crap.  Just getting out of bed is hard.  For the last whole week it has been cold and raining cats and dogs and somehow that makes me feel worse.

Today however,  the sun was out, there was no wind, and it was warm.  I also felt good for the first time in ages so I thought it would be a good day to plant my canna lilies.  I love flowers and herbs so planting time is one of my favorite things.  Most of my hobbies and interests have fallen by they wayside as I do my best to figure out autism.  Cooking and planting flowers are the only things that have fit in with my new life.  Thank goodness K loves to cook and she loves anything that involves water or mud.

It felt so great to be elbow deep in the damp soil.  The feel of it between my fingers and the smell just made me happy.  If I do get to heaven they will let me have a little corner of the garden to plant and nap in. 

K got busy making a big mud pie and got the giggles. 

When I was finished with my work I went over to inspect her work.  I sat on the ground next to her and she gave me a kiss.  If you know K then you know she doesn't Just kiss you,  She grabs you around the neck and pats your cheeks and smells your hair...

I had mud on my face so she tried to wipe it off and smeared it All Over my face.   Somehow it got in my hair and cleaning it off didn't work out to well....   I got laughing so hard and that made her laugh.  So we just sat there hugging and laughing all covered in mud.

It was a little slice of Heaven!  I thought to myself that I wish I could bottle up the feeling and save it forever.

5/15

For the last few years K has pronounced the words "computer" and "noodles" exactly the same.  It sounds like "new-der".  If you think about it, phonetically it makes sense.

I always ask her to tell me again and she will show me what she wants in sign language.

Last night I was cooking dinner and had a pretty big mess going when I hear "New-der Momma!"

I assumed that she was saying Noodles because she has been sick all day and had not eaten a thing.   I really didn't want to stop what I was doing and turn this into a teaching moment so I just told her that I would do the noodles in a minute.

Then I hear "Momma...compu.  Want compu".

aaawwwww....  My new favorite word is compu!!!

This makes me cry a little just sharing it with you.  Every word, and I am talking EVERY WORD she has, has been a hard won battle to get and keep.  K is in there, she has thoughts, questions, and emotions that all need to get out and be expressed.  It is so frustrating to her sometimes not to be able to make people understand.

Sign language is a great bridge because when she can't make her mouth work she can still use a sign and it has been the biggest blessing in our life.

I am so proud of K and Thrilled for her.  With no help or prompting from me  she reached down deep and found a new word and used it to get her point across.  I could see pure JOY on her face when looked at her. She was proud too!

....and then dinner didn't even matter any more.  We took a moment to hug and high five, then we got her set up on the Compu.

Happy Birthday!!!

11 years ago today there was a full moon and a crazy electrical storm.  I had the worst backache ever and, silly me, didn't even know that was what it felt like to be in labor.  It was 3 weeks too early after all.

K was born in the dark.  She came just as the power went out and before the generators came on.  Her name means "the most beautiful light".   I had no way of knowing just how much she would live up to her name every day. 

This year there is a full moon on her birthday and the thunder and rain is just now rolling in.  I think this is a sign that it is going to be a magical year for my Angel girl.

Even though Birthday parties are very scary when you are an Angel.... we always try it.

This year we had a little party with the grandparents, aunt Katie, Ethan, and Adia.  We went to the fish pond because that is K's favorite place in the whole world.  K made the cupcakes her self and grandma Helen brought pizza.

Here are the highlights of the day.

New flip flops were a hit... and a miracle.  K doesn't like new shoes normally.

K got bubbles from just about everyone!  They know what she likes.

K takes some time to love on Dad and pose for a picture while she waited for her cupcakes to be done.

and lucky me!  I get some loves too.

I love how she holds my face close to hers.  It makes my heart sing.

The cupcakes were finally done.  Didn't she do the best job?

She has to taste one to make sure.

Uncle Jim and Ethan figure out what the best way to eat a bread stick is.  (lots of sauce)

K shows everyone how to Plop rocks in the pond just so....   (see the red nail polish from yesterday?)

My friend Krista carved this of K... yes she is plopping rocks.  =)

Yellow is her favorite color.  Her cupcakes were way better than the store bought cake.

The Angel is HAPPY!    It is a good day!

It ended up being too windy to blow out candles so we cam back to the house.  By the time we got back the ice cream had turned to gooey goodness.

Happy Birthday my sweet Baby!

3/27

For the first time in her entire life K ask for a hair cut!!!

I do hair for a living and I always had dreams of having a beautiful little girl that would want me to curl her hair and give her cute "dos". 

K never liked having her hair brushed let alone done for her.   I remember when she was tiny she would keep a barrette in as long as I kept eye contact.  If I would so much as blink... boom! gone.... no barrette to be found.

The last year she has done better letting me cut it, but still complains about it the entire time.

Today she wanted me to cut it and even set out my scissors for me.  She sat in the chair and wore the cape.  I was so proud of her.

Daddy  took some photos of the event.

 She liked it !

Kissed by an Angel!

Wow what a wonderful day K is having!  It is pretty typical for her to struggle to be in public.  For the most part, people (through no fault of their own) scare the living crap out of K.  She deals with this by telling them "get back" or just screaming bloody murder.

Today, however, she is the biggest lover ever!  I had two clients today and she gave them both hugs and kisses.  I wasn't too surprised because they are people she knows.  Normally she stays out of the salon and ignore my clients, but not today.

Then we went to wash the car and she was blowing kisses to the elderly man in the next stall over!  I think he liked it because he said "well hello darling!"

After that we went and gassed up the car and she wanted to help.  She pushed the buttons I told her to and held the nozzle for me.  Then she ran around the pump and gave the lady on the other side a big high five.  I'm not sure if it was a high five for the lady or for herself... but they both were happy and smiling.

Then we went to the health food store and she was dancing in the isles and singing.  The ladies there know her and are always kind to her.  Today she kissed Cassey, June, Aleasa, and 3 customers...   It seemed to make every one happy.

I am just so very grateful for people that are good sports and let her be the Angel she is.

I kept thinking "Who is this happy Friendly child???"   I hope we see more of her....