Counting Blessings

Last week was a "hold on tight to the seat of your pants" type of week in the Dahl house :) It was a roller coaster of events, but I decided to that instead of focusing on everything that went wrong (rain out camping, finding out the house needs 4,000 dollars of new plumbing, the van needs new tires, we need a new roof, etc.) that I would share the things in my life in which I am thankful for.  Because...lets face it...life is going to happen, stuff is going to break and need replacing and while I have no idea where all this money is going to come from, I am choosing to think about the many blessings in my life.

 

I am blessed because Grace got a new bed! My cousin Shauna read about the need we had for a new bed for Grace and GAVE us this beautiful white trundle bed, which, by the way matches Miss Grace's personality exactly! Her husband even drove the bed to our home from Seattle with a whole "crazy truck load of fun" as she called it. And.it.was!!! Coats, shoes, dvd's, clothes, toys, sheets and all sorts of blessings delivered to our home.  And the great part is that we are in turn able to bless some other families by cleaning out our closets and paying it forward. Thank you again Shauna and family.

I am thankful for my wonderful family.  They are busy and crazy and tons of work and keep me on my toes, but oh how I LOVE them!   

 

Words can't capture how much I LOVE this man!   My popcorn eating, camping, mountain climbing, motorbike riding, outdoors man.  14 years of marriage and I love him more today than ever before. 

I'm thankful for my children...who love the same crazy stuff Mark and I do!

I am thankful for the crazy 3 year old, smarty pants that keeps me laughing and smiling!

Blessed to take some trips...to be able to give our kiddos life experiences!  Thankful for BIG brother!

Thankful for sisters!

Blessed to have medical care, therapies, doctors and specialists to help be apart of the Dahl "team" to make sure life is great for these 3 little special people.  Blessed that the state of Washington decided to reimburse the premium health insurance payments each month and we have an extra $200 dollars a month.  

Blessed by my mom in more ways than I can describe.  So glad she moved back to the 'couve'.  Still so thankful for the girls Hawaii trip we were able to go on together.  What fun and what memories we have!  I'm ready to go again!!!

Thankful to a railroad that provides for our family.  So grateful for Mark's job, for his leadership, his commitment and his integrity.

Blessed by uncles and aunts that make life a little more special for my kiddos, who are amazing friends to me and who I can count on.  

A Special Kind of Person

 

As my children were arguing this morning, and it was the moment where I was contemplating whether I should go intervene or let them "work it out" that I found this saying.  It resonated with my spirit. 

 

How many times have I had people tell me what an incredible, special, wonderful person I am to take care of and advocate for my kiddos with special needs?  More than I can remember...I always have kind words and express thanks, but I ALWAYS tell them that Luke/Grace have been my biggest inspiration and teachers.  That I am who I am and do what I do....wait for it...because of THEM! 

 

When Luke entered my world almost 10 years ago, he changed my life's course.  He caused me to grow up and taught me how to fight.  I watched him week after week in therapy...I watch him now.  My little fighting hero!  Medical appointments, counseling, therapy, heart surgery, ear surgery, glaucoma specialist (I can't even watch them measure the pressures in his eyes because it looks so painful), nightly eye drops, struggles with school work, struggles with peers, but his tenacity of purpose and incredible LOVE of life inspires me day after day after day after day.  He does NOT lose heart....so I don't lose heart (even on the days it feels sooooo difficult) because there are those days (more than I let on).  The days where I let the wonders and worries of my heart surface.  Thoughts I don't ever say out loud, anxiety that I keep disguised.  But I am human...those thoughts are there.  Will Luke ever be able to drive a car?  Will he be able to hold a job?  Will he need to live with us for his lifetime?  Will he go blind?  How will Grace do at school this year?  She will be able to control her OCD?  The answers won't ever change the fact that he is my SON and she is my DAUGHTER!  If you knew their entire story...if you saw with your own eyes where Luke and Grace came from...you would know God rescued them!!!  For that fact alone...I KNOW God has something BIG planned for Grace and Luke's lives.  And the fact, that God could have chosen ANYONE to be their mommy and HE choose ME...little,

imperfect, unqualified me.  I am humbled.

 

In the meantime I continue to fight, to battle, to advocate, to prepare, to teach, to plan, to make sure that Luke and Grace have every available resource made available to them.  It surely doesn't make me "a special kind of person because I care for children with special needs"...but "my kids with special needs INSPIRE me to be a special kind of person."  It is because of who they are and the grace of God that I am who I am. 

You can read more about being a Special Needs Mom HERE
Thanks for reading! :)


What NOT to Do with Your Cell Phone...

 

On Monday I made a mistake!  A BIG mistake!!! I was rushing around the house late for an appointment.  I hurried out the door and went to unlock the van.  My arms were full of my purse, water cup and cell phone.  I decided to be responsible and set my cell phone on top of the van so I could retrieve the keys on the bottom of purse instead of setting my phone on the ground (cause that would be a dumb idea).  Found my keys!  In the van...me, keys, purse, water cup.  Start up van...drive away (with the cell phone still on top of the van)...PERFECT!  I ROCK! 

My phone made it a couple of miles before it fell off.  Pretty impressive if you ask me.  Yep my hidden talent...driving long distances with a cell phone on top of a vehicle!  It was the moment I pulled up to my appointment to turn off my cell phone that I realized that it was gone.  The moment when your stomach sinks to the ground and you have that startling realization that OH.CRAP...

So I retrace my route...all the while wishing that I just "forgot" my cell phone in the house.  Then out the corner of my eye...I see it!  BOOM...my cell phone case.  "Perfect" I think, my cell phone is miraculously still there intact. Hooray....happy dance...celebrate!  I pull over and walk up to my cell phone case only to find the phone is missing.  My case had been pulled apart into two pieces and thrown in the gutter.  My phone was no where to be seen.  No pieces implying it had been destroyed.  Only a case with tire tracks marking the inside and no phone which meant that it was stolen!

Lesson's learned...
#1.  Don't put cell phone on top of a vehicle.
#2.  Be on time for appointments.
#3.  Be thankful your husband bought insurance for your phone.
#4.  Insurance companies can overnight cell phones.
#5.  Losing your cell phone/having your cell phone stolen is really a first
       world problem.
#6.  Even if the phone wasn't replaced life would go on. 
#7.  I am blessed!