Tonight we enjoyed our last family supper together, with grateful hearts for the week that we have had at home together. Lydia chose pizza for supper, and has progressed so well with her eating this week, that she was able to eat two pieces! We don't have to puree her food much any more. She has chewed her way through grilled cheese, waffles, bacon, macaroni and cheese, spanish rice, beans, fruit, and brownies this past week. She has also been learning to drink water from a straw. What great progress from the pudding and purees she started her time at home with just 10 days ago!
Today has been a very emotional day for Lydia. She has cried often, sometimes not knowing or understanding why, other times, able to articulate her frustration that she can't do something, like feed herself. Sometimes we could distract her from her confused emotional outbursts, but sometimes, she followed the emotion for awhile. It has been a day where we have tried to help her to understand that she has come so far, and that while there is still a long way to go, she will get there. This evening when James encouraged her that she would learn to walk, and not always necessarily need a wheelchair, she said "Really?" with bright eyes and hope in her tone. We keep on praying that it will be so. James told her that we will help her recover, together, with God leading the way.
Today Lydia received a butterfly necklace. We talked again about the journey of the caterpillar to become a butterfly. A while later, after an emotional outburst, Lydia said, "I have just one question about the butterfly." I waited, and felt my throat grow thick as she asked, " When does it start to fly?"
Could this precious child, who calls me "Mommy" with such tenderness, but can't remember who visited her this morning, be really understanding the imagery of a butterfly and how it parallels to her current situation? Is she asking about flying, in full awareness of her own limitations? I don't know. Lord, give her mercy if her sadness today, has been because she feels trapped in her body and her disabilities. Lord, free her.
I told her that when butterflies crawl out of the cocoon, they have to sit in the sun for sometime for their wings to dry before they can fly. "Really?" she asked, full of expression and wonder. "Yes" I assured.
May the Son shine steadily, and providing all the drying that is needed for our girl to spread her wings and learn to fly.
