Raising Sophia, in her infancy (especially) seemed a lot like what we imagine it was to participate in extreme sports. Although we were NOT extreme athletes. We learned to become ones, quickly.
We had no choice, it was a matter of life or death, HERS!
That pump of adrenaline when you’re running a race but instead the race to the ER or scurring to meet the next specialist, like an athlete takes the next plunge. The heightened feeling of pressure in your chest because your child is seizing and all you want is to pull her through. On the brink of collapse because she is breaking the natural law of an appetite and is not eating enough to grow and we’re feeding her around the clock, 24/7!
NOT because you’re exhausted after breaking your latest record (or someone elses) because your exhausted after it seems futile and you’re faith and energy are running thin and doubt and sleep become your foes.
Not to mention all the negated, accomplished feeds! That was terrifyingly nerve wrecking.
Then she crossed a finish line, today! It was hers to cross, not ours.
I wish I could tell you I could see her cross the finish line triumphant, someday, but unfortunately, I lost sight of the waving ribbon a while back. Probably weeks after her diagnosis at 6 1/2 yrs old and learning... growing slowly (very) is part of her syndrome and we were participating in the wrong race category (measuring her success on typical childs growth chart) which only brought failures and many frustrations. When we learned WHS had it’s own growth chart and when she was put in the correct category, she was winning. We thought that was the finish line. The blue ribbon was taken home that day.
But...an unexpected adrenaline rush, this morning. The kind that brings extreme, perplexing laughter and unimaginable hope and joy.
She received a beautiful blue ribbon! She made 3rd percentile (in height) on the typical child’s growth chart!! What? That’s HUGE!
She did it! She’s won with God’s grace
Always has and because of God’s gift, HER (the real blue ribbon) I was reminded to keep cheering her on.
Every. Step. Of. The. Way.
And looking to Him and not at the waving blue ribbons at the finish line.
This kind of adrenaline rush is an extremely satisfying, intense feeling, of gratitude!
Thank you God and Congratulations Sophia!
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