Six Months and Counting!!!

I'm so sorry for the delay in my posts.  My Dad always knew something was wrong when I didn't call him every week...and I didn't post because I was going through some emotional stuff - I always need time to "process".  One of my special needs kiddo's got hurt very badly due to the neglect of a provider caring for her.  I was angry and sad...completely devastated...I felt like the world was unfair, how could a child that had been through so much abuse and neglect get neglected in my home???  I cried and cried and the wounds have finally healed and we are all moving forward.  I can't go into more detail due to the public nature of this blog, however, everyone is safe and happy, we have found a new provider and are all doing great.  Fantastic, in fact.

What I'm really excited to write about is tomorrow, June 30th!  It happens to be my birthday, but that's not what's so exciting, it is exactly half way through my one year challenge!!!!  I have been gift giving and I haven't missed a day, so this is a huge milestone to me...I'm rounding the corner into the home stretch!  Today, instead of listing all of the little gifts I've come up with here and there, I wanted to tell you about the gifts I have been getting in return!  It's been absolutely unbelievable...I'll never be able to remember them all, but this gift giving mission has turned into a gift getting mission and I feel so blessed.  Some examples include, I went through a Taco Bell...having a really rough day, so rough in fact, I ordered just a Rootbeer, my favorite soda, to keep me going.  As I pulled up to the window scrambling for change, the teen behind the window said, "Don't worry about it, it's on the house!"  I was shocked and so unbelievably grateful.  My dear friend and music therapist, Kelly, who is always giving gifts surprised me two weeks in a row with brand name boys clothes hand me downs....they were in perfect condition, cool clothes, all in Dakota's size which means we will be able to pass them down to Justin too!  Another day, my friend Kristen, our speech therapist, showed up with a huge box of pull ups that a family was getting rid of for Abigail.  Jamie has started calling me "mom"...(tearing up...this is HUGE!)  I've had friends give me rides, call, email / text, I've gotten invited to lots of stuff even though I have to say "no" most the time...a couple friends came to visit me on Sunday, and a new doctor I'm working with is going WAY above and beyond to help me, including checking in through email often...It's just been absolutely amazing!

So, thank you to everyone reading this, supporting me through reading this for the past six months is a blessing in itself.  I will try to be more diligent about posting over the next six months.