Saturday morning

Whether it is because of her drugs or some inner growth spirt, Julia is more interested in pleasing me. This morning I only had to tell her twice (as opposed to many, many times) to go upstairs and gt some pj pants. Instead of pj pants, Julia brought down clothes to put on for the day which included pants for her legs. She had changed her underwear and put on socks. She was definitely getting ready for the day.

We sat down right after school, before our therapist came over, and did some reading. Julia was not crazy about doing this at first -- who could blame her and when I thought about this later, it did seem like an awful idea -- but settled in after a page and at the middle of the book asked to move to the couch so that she could have my arm around her.

Julia is very snuggle based.

I have more painting to do today. I'll do it while Julia is in therapy. Because my handiman wants to finish up the job at the beginning of the week, I am forced to do my part as quickly as I can. It will be done by the end of the week and I will have my new "mud room". It will be good to get all our coats and bags and the dog's crate out of the kitchen.

We still wait to hear about David getting on the transplant list. Oh, this wait. The last doc her saw gave him a clear bill of health on his lungs. He did warn David that there was another test that could be done and he would not close the file until he checked with the heart doc to see whether he wanted that test down. Why do I think that David will be getting that test as well? There has been no reason to believe that David will not be placed on the list but the wait goes on. In International Adoption terms, we are waiting for our PA -- Preliminary Approval from China.

We have been schooled in waiting.

I am very energized today but sad and a bit scared. Yes, it is just change and this circling path of life, but not always easy just keep going with robust good cheer.

Later but still morning.

Amazing how much of fixing and making new is cleaning and going back over the old -- dust from sanding that doesn't come off with a simple vacuum, places where even two coats of paint didn't cover, places missed by the painting, old dirt on very old stairs. Metaphor for life? My life, anyway.

Sometimes Julia does with her therapist -- the ones who have been around for awhile -- what she will never do for me, and I send up prayers of thanks for that -- She suggested going outside to Ellen, and is now trying to ride her bike. Riding her bike is something that we worked on together more than a year ago and she just couldn't do it. Those core muscles are getting stronger. Bike riding is a Madison thing and she also sees it on tv all the time. She so wants to do what other kids do.

Back to my brown walls.