ow Lara will grab a tissue by herself and wipe her own nose (don't get me wrong, this just means she smears snot all over the rest of her face).Tomorrow will be a big day for us as we are heading to Peoria to see a developmental pediatrician. His list of credentials is impressive and he is considered the best in central Illinois. I was a bit nervous at first, but I am actually really looking forward to meeting the doctor now and having a good discussion about child development. It's one of those appointments that no parent should ever have to go to, but here we are. No matter what we find out, we still delight in Lara's development-we smile and laugh all the time thanks to this darling girl who's getting it all figured out. We've also been assured by Lara's therapists that whatever the source is of her muscle problem, it's pretty mild and she'll get caught up in her motor development soon enough. That's not for certain, it's a big wait-and-see game. Even so, the road ahead of us will require some resolutions toward peace and hard work. We do not ask that God would heal her and make her muscles relax. Instead, we pray for joy and wisdom and a happy upbringing for our daughter. In the end, she will be renewed in a perfect body, like all Believers (I can't wait for those slim abs)...so we focus instead on preparing our spirits for that Day. Don't get me wrong: we've had our days of frustration and disappointment. It can be hard for me when I
see other babies running around and playing and having a great time, and Lara cannot do those things. So I throw myself a pity-party...until I come home and watch my little girl smile, laugh, and talk as she walks all over on the furniture, crawling around, so she can chase the kitties or color all over my kitchen floor. I watch her put her jewelry on every morning, and try to put her shoes on. And that's when I realize it-that a person's limitations do not really make them who they are, any more than their strengths do. Because when I watch Lara play, my mind usually has a way of glazing over the limitations as I simply watch her BE Lara. It is more precious to me that she likes to wear necklaces more than that she can put them on. We all must be loved for who we are, and not what we do or cannot do. And that is something I am reminded of every time I pray for Lara-that I must be bigger and better than the problem, that I must go deeper than my American mind will often let me, and see the bigger picture. I am Lara's mother, and anytime someone says her name to me, the picture I always get in my mind: a chubby-cheeked, one-dimpled, hazel-eyed beauty with a huge grin on her face. That is Lara.
see other babies running around and playing and having a great time, and Lara cannot do those things. So I throw myself a pity-party...until I come home and watch my little girl smile, laugh, and talk as she walks all over on the furniture, crawling around, so she can chase the kitties or color all over my kitchen floor. I watch her put her jewelry on every morning, and try to put her shoes on. And that's when I realize it-that a person's limitations do not really make them who they are, any more than their strengths do. Because when I watch Lara play, my mind usually has a way of glazing over the limitations as I simply watch her BE Lara. It is more precious to me that she likes to wear necklaces more than that she can put them on. We all must be loved for who we are, and not what we do or cannot do. And that is something I am reminded of every time I pray for Lara-that I must be bigger and better than the problem, that I must go deeper than my American mind will often let me, and see the bigger picture. I am Lara's mother, and anytime someone says her name to me, the picture I always get in my mind: a chubby-cheeked, one-dimpled, hazel-eyed beauty with a huge grin on her face. That is Lara.
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