Mack

See, he's okay and even has a new haircut.  I like his hair longer but Daddy thinks he looks like a girl.  

I Hope You Dance

There is a shopping strip mall near our house that I frequent.  I go there for the dry cleaners, mailing center, GNC, bagel shop and even our dentist is there.  I avoid lingering in the area for too long because there is a children's dance studio next to our dentist's office and I often see little girls in pink tutus going to and coming from the studio and I think about what cannot be.  In fact, last week I took Grace to the dentist and saw the same identical twin girls I saw last year in their leotards and tutus.  I felt the same pain in my heart I felt last time I saw them.  Does Grace see them too?  Does she feel that pain?  

The pain this time was a little less however...although Grace doesn't have perfect ballet form and can't walk in ballet slippers, she can dance.  She loves to move her arms about and twist her hips.  She may never perform in front of an audience and bow to applause but there is true joy in her movements and that is what really matters.  I don't care HOW she dances, just that she is happy enough to dance.  Grace, my hope is that one day you will walk...but more than that I hope you dance.

NOT on TV Tonight

Although footage was shot today of Grace's class at ACCDAT (Conductive Education of Dallas), it will not be viewed until next week.  I will let you know when it will be.  I'm sure you all want to see cute Grace on TV :)

Where's Mack?

I promise I haven't sent him away to military school!  He just refuses to let me take his picture.  He's safe and sound...just camera shy.

Rock 'n Roll Cowgirl

"I'm a cowgirl and I want to play rock and roll."  

I did not make this up.  I swear she said it just like that.  Where do they get this stuff?

Set Your DVR and Watch Grace on TV

This Friday, September 26th, A Child Can Do All Things (Conductive Education of Dallas) will be featured on NBC Channel 5 News at 5:00 pm and possible again at 10:00 pm.  They will be showing footage of Grace's class.  Be sure to watch!

The Golf Tournament Was A Success!

Since I have been harassing many of you about attending the ACCDAT Golf Tournament, I thought I should let you know how it went.  Well, it was great!  There were about 140 golfers and everyone had a great time!  While driving home last night, very tired and sunburnt, I thought about how grateful I am to everyone who volunteered, donated money, sponsored teams and helped us raise money for such a great cause.  I am so thankful and feel so fortunate that I have such a great family and so many wonderful friends who chipped in to help....many driving in from as far as 5 hours away.  I truly believe that A Child Can Do All Things can help greatly improve the lives of these children with cerebral palsy and other motor disabilities...just ask anyone that knows Grace.  So anyway, thank you, thank you to everyone for making the event so successful and thank you for loving Grace so well!

Arnold Farmer?

This morning the kids and I walked to Starbucks.  I was just not up for getting all of us to church this morning without Abe.  He has been away this weekend dove hunting.  Anyway, as we walk the kids are singing a song that sounds much like Old MacDonald  but the words are something like this..."Arnold Farmer had a cow E-I-E-I-O and that cow went moo moo here and moo moo here. Arnold Farmer had a cow E-I-E-I-O."  What are they learning at preschool!?  Anyway it was fun until Mack starting screaming for chocolate milk at Starbucks.  I can thsnk my mother for that.  They knew nothing about chocolate milk until she introduced it to them last weekend.  Oh well, I guess that is what grandmothers are for.  We love you Ni Ni!

How Do YOU Dress To Watch Television?

We wear wool hats and satin gloves at our house.  Miss Independent dresses herself now.  Notice the Elmo panties?  Well...we're STILL not potty trained!!!!! In fact, when I asked Sophie the other day if she was going to wear diapers to college, she said "Yes!"   UGGGGHHHHH!!!!

So THAT's What's Wrong With Obama!!

Check out the video on Housewife in Flip-Flops blog ...because I'm too lazy to try to imbed the video on my blog. This is funny...laugh out loud funny!

Grace Is So Funny!!

Don't you love that laugh? I could listen to it all day. And Grace...you ARE so funny!!

I don't typically encourage children to stick their feet in their mouth but when your daughter who has spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy wants to, you tell her to go for it!  The first time she did this I cried with joy.  We had been trying to get her to play with her feet forever.  It's a beautiful thing.

Don't Tell Me My Child Can't Do it!

We have been told by the "specialists" on many occasions that we need to be looking into getting a wheelchair for Grace, because she many never walk..  When I first heard those words about a year and a half ago I pretty much just ignored them.  How could they know at a year and a half old that Grace would not walk?!  How could her possibilities be limited at that young of an age?!  

A mom on a cp support group I participate in recently voiced her frustrations with all the negativity that we, as parents of children with disabilities, must listen to from the experts.  I guess they feel they have a professional responsibility to prepare us for the worst but I think it is very unprofessional to take away our hope...many times it is all we have.

Please see the video attached of a young child named Teya that was given no hope from the experts. Your heart will cheer with her as she surpasses all the doctors' expectitions.  

The Teya Fund

The therapy Teya is doing with the boxes is called Medek and when our money tree starts blooming I am going to take Grace to Canada to see Ramone.  

Me and My Shadow

Sophie has become attached to me...almost literally.  She is always about 2 feet behind me wherever I go. We are often bumping into one another. In fact, she is standing here right now asking many questions. If she doesn't see for 5 seconds I hear "Mommy, what are you doing?" or "Mommy where are you?"  She is also trying to imitate everything I do.  I heard her telling Mack the other day..."That is bad behavior.  You need to go to your room." My sister says she is just like me but I think she gets her bossy side from her dad :)

I DON'T LIKE IKE!!!

In fact, he's really ticking me off!!  We had our whole wonderful weekend planned.  Abe and I were going to Austin for the weekend (sans kids).  He was having a fraternity reunion.  We were going to have a nice dinner with friends on Friday night.  Stay in a nice hotel.  Sleep in on Saturday morning.  Football game on Saturday.  Sleep in on Sunday morning.  Brunch on a patio.  This has been planned for months!!!  Well, the wimpy Longhorns and Razorbacks have decided to call off the game due to a "little rain".  I say we still go to Austin...we can still sleep in...I sleep great in the rain.  

More CE Notes

Grace just finished the first week of her 4th Conductive Education camp last Friday.  It is going great! Here are some of the conductor's comments for the week...."Grace is doing great.  It is a joy to work with her.  She always knows what's going on, what to do next, and she always does her best."  

Whew...I'm so glad to hear this  She is trying so hard.   I am so proud of her!!!

First Days At School

Grace started another Conductive Education camp on Tuesday. I was a little nervous about how it would go since the July camp didn't start out so well. After pulling into a parking space at A Child Can Do All Things, I prayed with Grace that she would not be afraid and would have a great day. As I said Amen, Grace said "No crying today". (Well, I almost starting crying right then.) As we entered the room, she looked around and began crying. You could tell she was trying really hard not to, but it was all so much. She only cried a few minutes and I was told by the conductor that she had a wonderful day. As I buckled her carseat for the trip home she said "I had fun today" and we said of prayer of thanksgiving. She is going to do great!!

Mack and Sophie started "official" preschool today. They are going to Northway Christian Day School where they attended Mother's Day Out. They will be going 3 days a week...MWF. Mack started to get a bit weepy as we entered the building but was over it as he saw his cool new classroom. I was a bit weepy as Grace and I left them there so we could take Grace to camp. I hate it that they have to be separated and so do they, but Grace will be attending preschool with them starting October.

Today after I got everyone picked up from their respective places (both schools are 9-3 so it's a juggling act), we stopped at Starbucks afterwards for coffee and a treat.  Kat Kat wasn't working today so she was with us, thankfully.  The kids were actually drinking milk, but don't tell them...they kept calling it coffee (what have I done ;)  

Sophie likes to read the paper while she has her coffee...I seriously think she is turning into me!