What a difference a year makes

Last year at this time, Grace couldn't walk.  She could stand and would pull herself up into a standing position to lean on furniture (when she felt like it).  But she hadn't yet taken any steps.  

Here is a picture of her taken on April 5, 2009.  I vividly remember taking this picture.  I remember bringing her outside on the deck while the boys were playing in the yard and standing her up so that she could hold onto the chair.  All the while, praying that she would enjoy the sun and the wind and the outdoors enough to be tempted to stand and walk on her own.  I remember praying everyday last year that Grace would learn to walk. 

And here she is exactly one year later, walking in the grass in bare feet (I'm not sure how to say that, I originally typed with bare feet on which I know isn't right).

These pictures are amazing to me for several reasons.  The first being that Ruth her former PT worked tirelessly with Grace for literally a year to get her to sit or stand or walk in the grass and she refused.  But here she is a year later, walking around getting in the way of work exploring our backyard in her bare feet.  The second reason is that for parents of "special" kids like Grace it is sometimes difficult for us to realize or recognize just how far they have come.  Instead we (at least I know I do) tend to focus on how far they have to go to reach their peer group.  I think part of that is because we are constantly being asked by medical professionals and others 'can she do XYZ?'.  Instead of focusing on what they CAN do, we are constantly confronted by what our kids can't do.  And this makes it difficult to keep all the accomplishments in focus. 

So today, I'm very thankful for pictures exactly a year apart which show me exactly how far Grace has come.