Last week we were finally able to get some time away to go up to Virginia to meet my new niece Rebekah, and my new nephew Colton! Because it’s a pretty long drive, we really wanted to wait until we could spend a good amount of time with everyone, and I’m so glad we did. I got up at 3:30 on Tuesday morning (yes, you read that right) and the girls and I were on the road by four. The idea was that they would sleep for the first three hours, and then I would only have three more hours after that to keep them entertained. They really didn’t sleep all that much, though! Maybe an hour or two. But, they actually did great in the car, thanks to a collection of Dr. Seuss books on CD that I checked out from the library.
We arrived around 10:30 and we spent the next two days with just Stephen and Rachael and Leah and Baby Rebekah. We played around the house, snuggled babies, went to the park, visited historic Yorktown, and just generally had a wonderful time! These girl cousins are just so sweet to each other. Here is a picture of Caroline giving Rebekah kisses!
and I’m not just saying that because she is my niece. She is a very
aware and thoughtful child and has a special place for Leah in her
heart. She is very good about initiating interactions with Leah, talking
to her and bringing her toys. This, of course, endears her to me all
the more! It’s hard for young children to understand Leah’s disabilities
(hey, it’s hard for adults to understand!) and to know how to act
around her, but Anna Kate is not put off by Leah’s differences. She
loves Leah as though she were no different. And that makes this Mama’s
heart full. One of the most special things happened with Leah and Anna
Kate. They walked together. It was the first time Leah had ever walked
without an adult.
fulfilled. Not necessarily that Leah would
walk without an adult, but that Leah would walk with a friend. Even
thinking about it now, it brings tears to my eyes. As a parent of a
child with special needs you look at the “normal” moments in life
differently. Making a friend and going for a walk are wonderful
milestones in a typically developing child, but in a child with special
needs, it is a monumental occasion. We have prayed for a moment like
that. We have worried and fretted, wondering what things Leah would do
in her life and have had to turn those fears over to the Lord. Praise
God that He cares for us enough to take our fears and give us even the
smallest of desires, like watching our child walk with another child.”
It was so fun to have all SEVEN cousins together for the first time! Of course, we had to get some pictures of them all together. Logistically, getting a 5-year-old, a 4-year-old, two 3-year-olds, an 18-month-old, a 3-month-old and a 1-month-old in a picture together was a little difficult, but thanks to some good planning, a picnic table in front of some pretty azaleas, and some Smartie candies (for bribes to sit still), we made it happen!
We left Norfolk around 7:30pm on Saturday night and except for a couple of fusses here and there from Caroline, the girls slept really well all the way home. We transferred them to their beds around 1:30am and then made it to church by 8:45 that morning. Let’s just say that we ALL took naps on Sunday afternoon! But spending such special time with our family was more than worth it!
