Animal Blinkies

Friday, September 26, 2008

Finding Courage Through Sharing

The topic for this month is coping and hope for the future — Share something about hope or coping from your experiences. It might be something you have learned or that you are trying to learn. It might be something that inspires you and helps you keep holding on. I’m looking forward to seeing what you have to share this month…

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When my daughter Jessica was born at 33 1/3 weeks--- 3 pounds 4 ounces...
I didn't have a clue that I would miss one of her first milestones~
Smiling... that which connects a parent to a child
It happened while she was in the NICU, and I was in my own hospital room, trying to get the nerve up to go and visit my precious,and fragile child.
The NICU nurse was nice enough to let me believe for a time that Jessica had not yet smiled.
And although I found out later that she, my darling Jessica had given away her first smile to another, I still felt the emotion when -- she ,....finally gave one to me.
Now ...fast forward 7 years-- and Jessica gives her smiles away to EVERYONE!
This girl, bless her heart could make friends with a brick wall!
She recently made friends with one of her classmates, a young boy who is a --- emotionally overwhelmed kid-- She is mothering him --- and encouraging him--
It's nice to know that she can give back and that she does...
I just hope that she doesn't feel the need to "Mother" ....all the kids that she sees!
so, I guess my lesson in this is--
sharing my sweet, precious child,
in all that she does is a gift to myself and others---
if only we choose to see these moments as a gift!

3 comments:

Shannon @ Gabi's World said...

That was very sweet of the NICU nurse to pretend she hadn't smiled before you got there.

And to answer your questions, they do have the ability to add up to 4 wristbands to one base unit! So hubby could have one! :P I know where you are coming from with that one, too! And Gabi had a wonderful report from school that day that I sent her mid-meltdown!

HennHouse said...

Great post!! I'm still working on mine... They seem to take me longer to write...

Anonymous said...

Just lovely, Stacey. I sooooo know what you mean on this one. The NICU is tough and to have to lose those "firsts" that we expect to be ours with our babies -- sooooooo hard! I had several of these I had to let go of too, but I still carry a touch of grief in my heart over them. Probably always will. Thank you for putting such a beautiful perspective on this. Our children have so much joy and like you said, it is meant to be shared.

~Michelle