During the week of her birthday, I was thinking of her past birthdays. I don't remember her first birthday. At all. I have pictures of the event on some disc somewhere, so I know that it happened but I can't remember one single detail from it. This picture is from a few weeks before her 2nd birthday.
We celebrated Grace's 2nd birthday with optimism for her future, cake and balloons. The birthday girl cried. The cake scared her. The balloon scared her. The singing scared her. But we celebrated it anyway.
We didn't celebrate her third birthday. In fact, I cried for a whole week. Pretty much straight through. It was at that birthday that I realized that Grace wasn't going to just get better. That she was significantly mentally and physically disabled and always would be. It was not a good realization for me and it was not a good year for me.
By the time her 4th birthday rolled around, I was able to celebrate again. Although, truth be told, I cried before during and after this birthday too. But just not for a solid week. Here she is in a typical pose for Grace, arms up and not in use.
Grace turning five last year brought more celebrating and a lot less crying (by both of us).
And now she is six. My sweet, beautiful, funny girl is six. She is not able to do much, if anything, that a typical six year old does. And that still hurts {a lot}. But she has done for me and my family many things that a typical six year old can not do. She has brought us closer together. She has brought us to a place of deeper faith in God and His perfect love for us. She has taught us a compassion for the disabled that you can only get by living with a significantly special needs person. She has given us a platform which with to tell others about God's amazing love and grace.
And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in
Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore
you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. 1 Peter 5:10
Happy Birthday Grace! Mommy and Daddy love you...
5 comments:
Happy Birthday, Grace! She looks like such a happy girl!
Happy Birthday Beautiful Grace!
Dear Anne, what a beautiful post, from the heart. Indeed, God does restore us and heal us and make us strong, after we have suffered in Christ's name. God bless your Grace, a beautiful girl whose blessings are boundless !
just came over from blogher and found your beautiful story (and girl) of faith. just wanted you to know I prayed for Grace and your family today.
Happy belated birthday Grace! She's adorable in your pictures. I can't imagine the emotions you must have gone through when learning of her struggles. God gave her to you because you are the perfect mom for her!
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