Friday, May 16, 2014

When Push Turns to Love

So sweet Miss Maggie has been working so hard on so many things. Poor baby gets reminded over and over again about these things that are hard for her and take much concentration but...

she is making progress!

It is slow and can be frustrating sometimes but she - is - making - progress!

The other day, at soccer, I told Maggie that if she could walk back to our seats in a straight line (not like Billy from Family Circus - hehe), upright with her back straight and with her arms at her sides, she could earn back a privilege she had lost.


Well that girl walked so straight, with no detours and arms under control and as I started to take her picture, she looked back and saw that I was watching and taking pics and...  well you can see her smile.


She was so proud of herself and could not wait to see the pics and was able to better understand why we push her. 


There are so many things that, I believe, she was told she could not do or was just not ever encouraged to do that this has been an adjustment for her but she is starting to get it.  It does take constant reminders but even that is slowly getting better.

It has been so hard to know how far to push our precious girls but they are beginning to question why they don't have friends like Em and Lizzie have friends and I am beginning to understand just how much they are learning and just how much more they have to learn and this helps my heart when they struggle and when I have to push.

It is a delicate balance and one that changes daily but when I see Maggie walking with so much control and Lucy finally able to get in and out of the car by herself...


when she could hardly walk 5 steps in China without falling down...

I know we are getting there and I know that many of the "I can't-s" will continue to change to "I'll try"...

a conversation that happens a lot around here.

This is not easy but it is what we know the Lord called us to, cause...

there is just no way we could do this on our own.

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Philippians 4:13

We are so right with whatever the Lord has in store for Maggie or Lucy but we will continue to encourage and love and support and even push so that they will have the best chance possible to be a  teacher (Maggie)...
 

or a soccer coach/mommie (Lucy), if that is His path for them.

 
So we get up each day and pray for wisdom and pray for patience and pray for a loving, Christ like heart and we trust that He will equip us and by the end of the day...

I find that the peace and the patience and the humor and the love were always there just when I needed them...

daily equipping, daily dependance, daily grace

8 comments:

  1. This post really spoke to me. I am struggling with how much to push, what a difficult balance on so many levels. We are contemplating getting a wheelchair . . . our PT was saying how exhausting it can be for kids trying to navigate school, with the walk from the classroom to the lunch room to the playground and such. They then get back to class and need a half hour rest before they can engage for learning, then add learning English and WOW! Do your girls use wheelchairs? How do they get to those far away places??

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    1. Oh Amy, it can be so hard! I never want to push them beyond what they are capable of but they are proving to be so very capable! The school had a big stroller that they used for Lucy as she is the one who tires easily. Maggie is like the energizer bunny and never seems to tucker out:) I don't like that stroller but I do like the school and the program they are in so I am not fussing about it right now. Lucy does have AFO's and a walker and that helps. They don't use the stroller quite as much now, only for longer distances. Lucy does get tired but she is working hard too and I hope that her endurance will continue to grow. Hope this helps.

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  2. I love the title of your post. You are so right.

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  3. It's just like watching flowers bloom, Annie. It seems to take forever - but so beautiful once it happens. You're a great mama!!!

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