Things that I love…
That all of my kids have one time or another spilled cheerios all over the floor
That my son is well enough that I can actually care about things like Abby’s times tables, or my kids brushing their teeth, or getting enough veggies in their diets everyday
That it doesn’t bother me (that much) when there is a prayer said morning, noon, or night that doesn’t mention Parker & his road to re-gaining health
That my 6 yr old Hannah tells me almost nightly with a slight lisp, “I love you more than you can imagine”
That my son crawled down the hallway this morning to greet me in my bed after some anonymous sister freed him from his prison-bed—at 6 am
That Parker has started signing with that same great smile & head turned-ever-so-slightly backward & upward with that toothy grin
That my girls waited for me in the top bunk tonight to read scriptures & say prayers together
That I feel that Parker is well enough that I can actually spend a little quality time with Penelope
That she fell asleep in my arms today while I hummed the song I have been humming to Parker for months
That the occupational therapist chose for her sign to be “rouge a levres” since she is the only French woman I know who wears bright red lipstick every single day…and she says things like “tres touchant”, “trop charmant” and “extraordinaire” about my son
That I can actually pick up a book & read for the first time in 18 months
That yesterday my husband challenged me to read the Book of Mormon by Christmas
That he writes me love notes when he is away
My home at Christmas time—it is like a grotto and safe haven from a busy, rustling & bustling city—and life
Axelle insisting that I make her hairstyle into “two bun-ponies” for the 28th day in a row
That my brother said to me yesterday, “It’s like a seed that they find buried inside rocks for thousands of years, and they plant it & give it water & it grows... Parker will do the same. It’s all miraculous. Just give him time…”
That the speech therapist was pleased enough in Parker’s progress this week that she got out the video camera to record it
That he steals Penelope’s binkies & she steals his
That they crawl & kick & fight all over each other when I put them in one bed together
That Parker moves when he sleeps now, like normal babies. For months he would stay in the same position we lay him in for 12 hours straight...
That Penelope plays peek-a-boo with Parker & he belly laughs
That he has a big, healthy belly
That Parker screamed, turned bright red with anger & tried to escape the respiratory therapist at Garches when she said to me, "I am not used to doing therapy on kids who can cry & wiggle away..."(She deals with severely paralyzed, handicapped children on a daily basis). I cried a teeny bit & told her, "Everytime I am slightly annoyed that he gets away when I am changing his diaper, I smile to myself & think, "It is monumental that he is moving at all."
That my daughters speak French to their teachers & English to me
That Penelope turns when her name is called in French
That Parker turns at all when his name is called
My son is deaf...and yet he hears
I love technology & researchers & Dr Couloigner
I love Parker's cochlear implant
