Charlotte's Journey: November 2011

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

18 Months

These last three months have really been a blur. When I look back at the blog and I see how Charlotte has grown, it makes me HAPPY:) Charlotte is getting to be a big girl and she is building up a vocabulary!!! There really isn't anything she can's say. I have a neice Hayle, well here lately Charlotte has been walking around the house saying,"Ayle -Boo". If you decide to listen to this short video, scroll down to the very bottom of the page and pause the play list listed on the right side. You may be able to click it quickly and hear it without pausing??

Charlotte is a smart little thing too... you can ask her where her nose, eyes, ears, arms, fingers, toes, mouth, teeth, and tongue are and she will point to it and say the name. I need to make a video of Charlotte to show you how full of life she is. Charlotte can hear Brian pull up from work and she starts saying "Da-Da" and when he walks in she dances and does the two step til she gets to him. It is the sweetest thing to see. When the girls come home from school, after snack time, they lay in the floor to read and Charlotte takes full advantage of floor time with them:) She will walk up to one of them and kicks her leg over and sit on their stomach or back. Then she bounces up and down til whom ever she is sitting on begs her to get off. I usually have to pull her off because she isn't very cooperative:) I love to see all my girls play and have a good time. I thank the Lord every day that He has given us this opportunity!!!

Charlotte had her 18 month check up this past Friday, and let me say it wasn't a good visit. We get synages again this year for RSV and Charlotte got her first round of shots and a flu shot, OOUCH:( Synages will be 2 shots every month for 6 months, this makes for a sad little girl. But hey I am all for it if it keeps her healthy!!! Last winter, Charlotte was hospitalized twice and I sure don't want to do through that again this year.

Halloween was fun this year. Our church always has a festival with trunk or treats, hay rides, face painting, food, and cake walks. The children love it because they get to play with all of their friends and have a fun time. The girls got to dress up and I wish that I had taken pictures of all of them, they were so cute. Charlotte was a bumble bee, Lily and Emma were cats, Anna was a hippy chick, and Maggie was a bride (really wedding dress).

Heart Poem

It's a beautiful day up in heaven. Jesus is rounding up his tiniest angels, to go live on earth, and be born. One of the sweetest angels says to Jesus "I don't want to leave, I like it here, and I will miss you". He reassures the scared little angel that everything will be okay, and that he is just going for a visit. He is still not swayed on this idea. So Jesus kneels down, and says, "How about if you leave half of your heart here with me and take the other half with you, will that be okay?" The angel smiles and says, "I guess that will work". But the little angel is still a little scared. He asks,"Will I be okay with only half of my heart?" Jesus replies,"Of course you will, I have other angels there that will help out, and you will be fine." Then Jesus gives the angel more details about his plan. He says "When you are born, your mommy will be scared, so you have to be strong, and when you feel weak just remember that I have the other half of your heart". "Enjoy your time with your family, play and laugh everyday." "And when its time to come back to heaven, I will make your heart whole again. Always remember that you are not broken, just torn between two loves."

THE CHOSEN MOTHERS BY ERMA BOMBECK

Most women become mothers by accident, some by choice, a few by social pressure, and a couple by habit. Did you ever wonder how mothes of children with life threatening illnesses are chosen?

Somehow, I visualize God hovering over Earth selecting His instruments for propagation with great care and deliberation. As He observes, He instructs His angels to make notes in a giant ledger. "Armstrog, Beth, son, patron saint Matthew. Forrest, Marjorie, daughter, patron saint Cecilia. Rutledge, Carrie, twins, patron saint Gerard."

Finally, He passes a name to an angel and says, "Give her a child with cancer." The angel is curious. "Why this one God? She's so happy." "Exactly" smiles God, "Could I give a child with cancer a mother who does not know laughter? That would be cruel."

"But, does she have patience?" asks the angel. "I don't want her to have too much patience or she will drown in a sea of self-pity and despair. Once the shock and resentment wears off, she will handle it." "I watched her today. She has that feeling of self and independence that is so rare and so necessary in a mother. You see, the child I'm going to give her has it's own world. She has to make it live in her world and that's not going to be easy."

"But, Lord, I don't think she believes in you. "No matter, I can fix that. This one is perfect. She has just enough selfishness." The angel gasps- "Selfishness? is that a virtue?"

God nods. "If she can't seperate herself from the child occasionally. she'll never survive. Yes, here is a woman whom I will bless with a child less than perfect. She doesn't realize it yet, but she is to be envied. She will never take anything her child does for granted, She will never consider a single step ordinary. I will permit her to see clearly the things I see.... ignorance, cruelty, prejudice... and allow her to rise above them. "She will never be alone. I will be at her side every minute of every day of her life, because she is doing My work as surely as if she is here by My side." "And what about her patron saint?" asks the angel. His pen poised in mid-air. God smiles, "A mirror will suffice."