To "mama's beautiful girl" - you are always with me. I am so proud that you are.

Broadsided at 10:30 on Saturday night....

Sometimes right in the most unexpected moment a prayer gets answered. Literally, right when you don't even have the challenge sitting on your fore brain -where it never seems to leave - poof, the most unexpected happens. It's not the solution to the obstacle we thought we were prepping for, but then again, is it ever, has it ever? Not the solution we were gearing for, we don't even know if it can happen, but potentially the road we were preparing to travel just changed. Nothing is even certain, we are still standing like deer in the headlights this morning, wondering if what we think could happen really might have just presented its self, but a possibly stands before us, one that wasn't there in our wildest dreams......And maybe the prayer's not completely answered, not even close, but the door just cracked open. And sometimes a crack is all you need. Maybe now he's sitting up there looking down on us ... watching.... and wondering what we'll do with this opportunity he just presented....one we didn't even see coming. I think he has that smirk on his face, saying 'See, you were trying to do this without me, I just showed you...didn't I. Maybe you should have a little more faith...in me'

And it's much better than anything we could have dreamed in our wildest dreams. I'm giddy. Oh my goodness..

Crow's Feet

I think I found a new crow's toe around my eye today....my crow's feet are complete....

HIT IT!!!

TURN THE VOLUME UP AND DANCE!!!!!

Do you ever wonder what it's like to hang out with a blind person? Or how 'bout someone who is mentally delayed? I know I do. I mean really, I have found myself in some really uncomfortable situations since Ivey was born. When we are with other blind, hard-of-hearing, mentally delayed or physically deformed people I really don't know what to do with myself or how to act with them. What do you say to some one so different from yourself?

I guess that's how a lot of people feel around Ivey. I see it on their faces, read it in their eyes.

But I can't answer those questions when it pertains to Ivey.

She is the exception to the rule for me.

Tonight was a girl's night, just me, Ivey and Tara (our dog). All girls. The boys were away at wrestling practice. So we snuggled up to watch our rented movie "The Proposal". Nothing says girls night like a chick flick.

It hit me tonight, that even though we were doing typicall 'girl' stuff, nothing about our night said typical. I started thinking. Never have I put on a 'movie' for Ivey to entertain her for thirty minutes or so just to get something accomplished. Movies are irrelevant to her.

Personally I would love for Ivey to tell me her spin on movies. The boys love them. Does she think the characters of the movie are visitors in our house? Does she think the drama is really REAL? If so, we have the best house on the block….!!!!!

Obviously the above pondering is beside the point.

Though I can't tell you what it is like to interact with ALL blind people, or mentally delayed, better yet mentally delayed deafblind people – I can tell you what it is like to hang out with my favorite mentally delayed deafblind girl.

Ivey sat in my lap as we watched 'The Proposal'. I love Sandra Bullock. I tickled Ivey, counted her ribs (many times just to her that giggle of hers).

I sat in awe because I could. I watched her reach for my hand, when there was no reason for her to reach, except that she knew it would be there, waiting for her to hold. She reaches into thin air and kinda gently circles her hand around until she finds my hand. How does she know I'm there? She takes my finger in her tiny hands, and holds it. Finally, she, in her nonverbal way, tells me she wants to play the Indian Game. All the while, the movie rolls on.

I sit and twirl her curls around my fingers. Did you know that I have always wondered exactly how did I end up with such a curly haired girl? And over and over I sign on her face that she is 'mama's beautiful girl'. She smiles. I wonder what those three wonders mean to her.

But I saved the best for last. Ivey learned a new trick tonight. It was officially a girl's night. So for any of you who have watched 'The Proposal', you know there are a couple of good early nineties songs. My era. Well, my girl can now shake it! It is a sight to see. I'm posting the song on the blog. But to see Ivey dance to it, well, you'll have to come over. It is AWESOME!

So here we go….1, 2, 3….get loose now. …..it takes two to make a thing go riggght. It takes two to make it out of sight…..

And Ivey smiles because she knows…..her daddy probable wouldn't approve….

Fortunately, Ivey gets her dance rythm and moves from me......thank the Lord not from Matt....

(PS. I didn't teach her 'From the windows …to the walls………………' Matt's head would have snapped off of his shoulders!)

PPS...When things feal awkward...turn UP the MUSIC!!!!!

Lemonade Award

Mom To Three Babies has nominated Ivey's blog for a Lemonade Award. Thank you, thank you. We really hope to be an example of taking lemons and turning them into the sweetest lemonade. Ivey thanks you blog world for following her story, our forever evolving 'new normal', and for sharing in this ride of a lifetime with us. Thanks MOM TO THREE BABIES!

So time to pass the torch and nominate 10 of my favorite blogs, which is hard, because there are so many that I love to read every day! If you are nominated and accept, here's what you do:

The rules of the accepting this award are:

Put the lemonade stand logo on your blog, or in your post. Nominate at least 10 blogs with great attitude, or gratitude.
Link the nominees within your post.
Let the nominees know they have received this award by commenting on their blog.
Share the love, and link to the person from whom you received this award.

Hope you enjoy visiting my blogging friends. They will make you smile!

1. Georgia Mom- Georgia Mom is my friend in real life and I love to read her stories. She is exactly what you read. Great, funny, role-model, and a good friend.

2. Little Wonders- We are miles apart, but one of my strongest supports. Ivey and Zoey are kindred spirits. My goal is to one day meet this family and unite our girls.

3. Gavin Owens- Gavin and Ivey were the same age. We were walking very similar paths. They have taken a turn that we have yet to take, but one day may face.

4. Moments with My Miracles- This blog just makes me happy.

5. Violet's Journey- Violet is continents away, but dealing with some of the same eye 'stuff'.

6. Girl Raised In The South- Always positive, encouraging and who doesn't love girls raised in the South?!

7. Joni's Joy- Joni is a friend of a friend and I love her spin on life....it's so full of JOY!.

8. {us}- Tera is a MAPS mom with lots of spunk. Great music on her blog too.

9. The Ibsen Family- Jill is a MAPS mom too. I love watching my MAPS families from afar. Not a blogster but wordpress.

10. Ava and Lucie- Megan is another MAPS mama. Love watching her girls grow! She uses totsites.

MAPS - Microthalmia/Anophthalmia Parent Support.

Resolute

Okay. One New Year's resolution still stands. Still first week of the first month of the new year - and it's a snow day. However, still folding clothes as I take them from the dryer. New delima. How to I get those stacks of neatly folded laundry sweetly arranged in baskets to the appropriate room, to appropriate owner, tucked into appropriate drawer - before someone ransacks them?