Joy and pain

Chunky Monkey is doing quite well since her surgery.

She appears to feel better and has progressed in her verbal skills by adding a few new words. I wish I had a standing monthly appointment to go in to a physician to have Monkey's ears checked. There is an amazing difference in her when her ears are clear and open versus when the tubes are blocked or out (obviously). I just think that if I posed that request to Dr. Dudgeon or Dr. Davis, they would try to have me committed for being too much of a worrier.

When I walked in to Chunk's classroom yesterday afternoon, I was no more through the door before one of her teacher's told me that Monkey said, "Landon". I smiled and told her that I wouldn't believe her until I had proof. I also asked if anyone else was witness to this. She said that the class was sitting at circle, Chunk-Chunk said, "Landon" and for a moment, her teacher's thought it was another child. We walked over to Chunk, her teacher looked at her and told her to say "Landon" and the little Monkey did.

Can you believe it?

I was absolutely on cloud nine!

The power of prayer is absolutely amazing. Our God is amazing!

Psalm 86:12
I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart;
I will glorify your name forever.

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I know Monkey is behind. Sometimes the reality of it is like a slap in the face, other times, it doesn't phase me.

Chunk is just now catching on to two things that I have been working with her on for months and months.

I have been trying to get her to recognize what a school bus is and what a train is. These are things that in a typical world, would have been learned long a go. Within the last two weeks, Monkey finally caught on. She would watch Julien morning after morning get on the bus and finally one morning, it just clicked. Now, on the way to school, we look for any school buses that we can find and we wave to them. Monkey also caught on to what a train is. We have to cross two sets of train tracks going to and coming home from school every day. Now, when we hear a train coming, Monkey will gasp, cover her little mouth and get really excited...and then we will wave at the train!

Last night was the perfect weather to sit outside on the grass and watch Julien at soccer practice. Monkey adores watching Julien.

She was content to put objects in and out of the trunk of her little car. She was so happy and was playing quietly, when we heard a helicopter coming. I picked her up real fast and stood her on my lap. I told her to look "up" and "listen", that the noise was a helicopter. I tried and tried. She didn't understand. I told her to look up where the birds are and still, she didn't understand. She was looking around, not up. That really hurt.

The pain didn't last because I reminded myself just how very blessed we are. It's okay that she didn't see the stinkin' helicopter. She sees the school buses and she sees the trains and you know what? In the beginning, nobody was certain that she would be able to see.

We are making progress. Please continue to pray for us. When Monkey finally looks up to the sky and finds that loud, stinkin' helicopter, I will let you know. Then we can rejoice - once again.