Day Seven: Settling In

Today Laila had an OK day.  Her sitting wasn't as good and she wasn't as comlplaint during the lying program as she had been the past few days.  They said maybe she had finally noticed that I wasn't there and was a little upset about that.  As with everything I guess there will be good and bad days.  Some really good things though were that she went  on the potty and kept her diaper dry all day.  I'm just so shocked about that.  Funny that the thing that she was rebelling against the most is one thing she did good today.  She also ate a whole large jar of baby food at school today.  They said she was starving and asking for more.  She was taking about five bites on her own and then would need help and then would take some on her own again.  Again, shocked that this is something that is going so well when its not one of the things that they necessarily "work" on at school or have a special method for but it makes a difference being in a class with peers like her and wanting to be like everyone else.  Potty and eating were not what I was expecting to get out of this but that was what she did well today.  I'll take it :)  I love that she is getting this opportunity to be in a classroom where the teachers only work with kids with disabilities similar to hers and know the best way to deal with them.

My sister (in-law) Jill arrived last night to stay a few days with us here.  Laila was SO excited to see her cousins that she squealed in delight when she saw Shyanne and Jaylyn.  It's so fun to have a little one close to the age of my nieces and to be able to see them together.  It has also been interesting to see the differences in the kids.  Jaylyn is eight months younger than Laila but so much farther along.  I know that comes with the territory but sometimes still makes me sad for Laila.  We took Jill's girls to the GR Children's Museum today while Laila was at school to let them burn off some energy.  My baby niece Shy is almost 11 months old and just learning to try to walk holding your hands.  As I walked with her around the museum today I watched her and the way her mind reels figuring out all of the things that come natural to most children.  I hold her hands and she naturally shifts her weight from side to side and her body knows to take steps one foot at a time without having to be verbally told.  We were sitting and playing with muscial instruments and she naturally passes her toys from one hand to the other.  When she is hungry she just lays back and drinks from a bottle and can drink 8oz and eat a jar of baby food all at one sitting and her little tummy can handle it.  I guess what I'm trying to say is these are all little things that we take for granted and I don't ever want to do that again.  I watch Laila struggle with most everything she does and it makes me sad for her; happy that she has an opportunity to focus so much on learning right now but also sad that she has to work so hard for things that others take for granted.  I'm so thankful that my nieces and nephews are well and healthy and so thankful especially for their parents who love and take care of them so GREAT!  Speaking of, a very happy 17th birthday to my beautiful niece Jordyn today!  I remember that when we found out that Laila would be joining our family Jill joked that she was jealous because we only had to wait one month for Laila and at the time she was pregnant with Shyanne and was waiting the normal nine months.  My how our girls have changed and grown over the past year.

Jaylyn liked the train table

My Beautiful Shyanne :)

I'd like to ask for prayers for the families that are here with me at the RMH.  It really is a mission field here.  There are varying families with various reasons they are here and every day as I hear their stories I am humbled by the "little" things that we are going through.  A new family came in yesterday and the father passed away a month ago and now just two days ago the twelve year old boy woke up with a terrible headache and is now scheduled for brain surgery tomorrow to remove a brain tumor that they found and they find out today if it is cancer or not.  I can't imagine the burden they must feel and I told them that I would pray and ask others to as well so please do remember them in your prayers.  One exciting thing is an email I received yesterday.  My favorite author is Karen Kingsbury.  She writes Christian fiction and one of the things I love about her writing it that it is real.  The characters are Christian but they don't lead perfect lives with no troubles or heartache.  Some people think that Christians have this perfect life with no trouble.  Actually the bible says the exact opposite of that.  In John 16 it says "In this life you WILL have trouble" now the best part so pay attention "But take heart!  I have overcome the world!"  I love how Karen writes about how people can turn to Christ and find a way to make it through.  So, when I was browsing through the library here at RMH first of all there aren't very many books and second of all barely anything with the message of Christ.  So I emailed Karen yesterday on a whim thinking I would probably not get a response and within an hour she answered me and agreed to donate one of her book series to the house here!  How neat is that?!?  I really think her writing could help a lot of these families through some of these incredible trials they are living through.  So if you read this Karen, thank you so much!!  And if any of you are looking for a good author definitely check out her books; great books from an even better person!

Please also pray Laila will continue to move forward and try and get used to me not being with her.  Again, I think the extra week will be good for her.