I say this is a “small” miracle but in our family’s hearts it’s a pretty huge one:
Lucy requested to talk to Murphy on FaceTime last week.
Lu is NOT a baby fan, so Abby and I both had our jaws drop to the ground. Lu calls her MJ, and it was the sweetest little interaction. I’m just so grateful.
Progress and love are pretty beautiful things.
Babies have the power to bring people together! MJ has a pretty wonderful Auntie in Lu!
Yes she does!
xoxo
Y’all enabling these silly idiosyncrasies are going to make it much harder for Lucy when she gets in college. Yes, I know, she has medical issues… but people who are not her family and don’t love her are not going to put up with this kind of behavior. You always said she wanted to be treated like “normal” … time to grow up and act normal.
That’s a crazy thing to say – I think you should ask yourself why you feel the need to make such a mean and hurtful comment. Maybe its time for you “to grow up and act normal”
Andrea is right, Hortense could have said that in a much nicer way (and THANK YOU for your kindness Andrea, and acknowledgement that there are many ways we all can “grow up”:). But Hortense is right as well…to an outsider Lucy’s idiosyncrasies may seem like things she should be able to snap out of. I’m sure many outsiders (including my younger-self-before-Lucy) would think the same thing. Quit babying that girl! And don’t stand up for nonsense. But Lucy has very real sensory issues as well as quite a few more special needs than may come across from a computer screen. Oh she is trying, I can almost *see* the churnings in her brain and heart working so hard to overcome things. So we’re working with her in what capacity she (and we!) have and trying to be patient as we pray our guts out to figure out ways to help her progress in the ways she wants with all her heart. Especially before she graduates.
There are so many really deep, dark things going on in Lucy’s life right now we are trying to grapple with. So this little speck of sunshine was sure a welcome miracle for us.
xoxo
You’re a wonderful mum, Lucy is lucky to have you.
I agree. You are a wonderful mother Shawni and so patient and communicative with all your readers, even when they post comments that are hurtful. You seem to find a way to remain kind and communicate in a way that helps open people’s minds.
I greatly admire how hard Lucy works to face the challenges she is forced to contend with.
Are you afraid she’s going to hurt the feelings of any stray babies who happen to be in her dorm or college classes?
Hahahaha!
Imagine how you’d feel if someone criticised your disabled child – someone who had never met you or said child – on the internet. Just sit with how that would feel to you. Lucy has a family that loves her, who supports her and are doing their best to help her exist in a world where people, like yourself, are not kind or forgiving of people’s disabilities.
Okay. This is Shawni’s safe space to blog about her beautiful family and their adventures. Who are you to get in the way of love and progress? What is developing here is a precious relationship between an aunt and a baby. Who in the world would say anything negative about this? It shows loving progress on both sides. I am sorry for your negative viewpoint and for your inability to see the beauty in these moments.
Thank you Sarah.
XOXO
That is such beautiful, good news!
I really think God is not only a big planner, but that He’s in the details. I see this as one of those details He takes care of that touch our lives so deeply! Ah, I’m really glad, praise Him!
I agree, God is in everything if we will be still long enough to notice and let Him in. Thank you for your beautiful comment.
xoxo
You are very welcome, always a pleasure to read your posts!
Thank you, everyone, for all the love and support for Lucy. Not only here on this post, but all through the years of this blog. She is such an amazing girl and I’m so grateful for those who can see her tremendous strengths and build her up. It means more to her (and to us) than I can put into words🥹❤️
Maybe I too am underestimated Lucy’s needs, but I am a tad amused by this post.
It may come as a shock to you, dear Shawni with your IWAN ;-), but some people don’t love babies that much. Some people even think, that while babies are cute, they are also boring. Maybe Lucy is just one of them and prefers Murphy as a toddler?
What a beautiful Christmas treasure! Lucy i have no doubt is a wonderful auntie, even if she can’t show it always. We’ve seen through the years how much she loves her siblings and if she loves on MJ as she grows she will be a very loved little lady!!
It’s easy to stand on the sidelines and judge someone else’s parenting. I know my younger self would certainly be judging some of the decisions I’ve made! My son has ADHD and I definitely would have been judgmental to someone in my situation and said he just needs more strict guidelines and tough love rather than the grace and realistic expectations we’ve extended him. (And I’ve certainly heard this from friends and family and ignored it!). We know our kids best and know what they need.