Playing DJ

Today's gift is playing dj.

Well, after 2750 miles, 46 hours in the car driving, 10 meals on the road, 6 gas fill ups, 5 Starbucks stops, and unknown visits to Cracker Barrels across the southeast for potty breaks we are back home!  The last 8 hours of our 46 hour drive where in pouring down rain!!!

Through it all the kids were incredible, our visit was perfect and we have tons of wonderful memories to last us a lifetime.

Needless to say traveling by car is much easier for our family, especially our daughter.  She just loves to go for a ride and look out the window.  On this trip she was lucky enough to visit parts of Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas.  We drove two different routes so the kids could see more!

Just as much as my daughter loves to ride in the car she also loves to listen to music while she is riding along.   Don't we all?!?!  We all have different music we like to listen too depending on our journey and so does she.

She had the best time today playing dj in the backseat!!!!  We listened to a little Jack Johnson, Aly & AJ, China Anne McClain, LMFAO, Miley Cyrus, One Direction, Taylor Swift, Michael Franti, and I am sure there is more!  She also likes to dance when she listens to her music.

I enjoyed having her chose our music playlist during our drive today.  Sometimes it was the whole song and other times in was just clips.  Whatever it was, it was her showing us what she likes and we enjoyed every minute of it!

Here is a quote for today....
Music speaks what cannot be expressed, soothes the mind and gives it rest, heals the heart and makes it whole, flows from heaven to the soul- Author Unknown


© copyright 2012 – All rights reserved
365 Days Gift

The Rose Dance

Today's gift is the rose dance.

Just yesterday I mentioned how much I enjoy reading about my daughter's day...didn't I??!?!  It truly is a highlight of mine.  But next to words, pictures and videos of her day are the priceless!

This afternoon on my way to get the girls from school I received a text.  When I pulled into the girls school to get into carpool line, I looked to see who it was from.  It was from one of the teachers in my daughter's class sending me two videos of her.

Today she had music with her mainstream class.  In class they were doing the Rose Dance.  Have you ever heard of it?  I had not, until today.  I don't know if there is a "story" to go with the Rose Dance (didn't find one online), or if it is something the music teacher made up.  But here is what I was told....you have three chairs at the top of the room and two lines facing the chairs.  There are three students (two girls and one boy/two boys and one girl).  The person in the middle will be choosing who he/she wants to dance with down the line in between the rest of the class.  The person they do not chose, gets the bouquet of roses and moves to the middle, while the one they choose gets the dance.  Make sense?!?!

My daughter was picked on both of her turns and she also picked someone on her turn.  She really enjoyed the "dance" too....all smiles.  I think she was a little shy too....she just had "that" look on her face!  I love how the kids always want to include her.  I love to see all the children have an interest in her and not just the girls.  I love how they treated her just like them today!

It was really bittersweet for me to get these videos today of her!

The word "dance" makes me sad....when I think of the future.   It does.  Cotillion, homecoming, prom, first father/daughter dance at weddings....they all make me a little sad for my daughter.  So seeing videos like these are bittersweet for me.  I love them dearly and pray and hope her future holds special dances.  You know the dances you always dream about when you are little.   

Deep in my heart, I know her future will have lots of dancing!

Here is a quote for today....

Sometimes the best you can do is not think, not wonder, not imagine, not obsess.  Just breathe and have faith that everything will work out for the best- Author Unknown

© copyright 2012 – All rights reserved
365 Days Gift

Drumming Down the Sun

Today's gift is drumming down the sun.

We had another cloudy start to the day, but by 2:30 the sun was out! Since we had lost time from the morning hours we stayed outside as much as possible this evening to enjoy every last bit of sunshine.

We decided to have a drumming down the sun party...coin skirts and all.  It was so much fun!  Beach music was playing, coin skirts were shaking, kids were dancing and playing some musical instruments we found in the house and cameras were snapping pictures.  We drummed down the sun on the porch and down on the beach. It was a perfect way to end the day.

My husband danced one song with all three of the kids.  It was so sweet to see them share this time together.  While all the dances were memorable, the one with my daughter with Rett Syndrome probably was the most special.  My other two children can say they want to dance with daddy- she can not.  When he grabbed her hand and they started dancing her smile said it all.  I was snapping away with my main camera, but did manage to take one with my phone.  This picture definitely speaks a thousand words!

Drumming down the sun was a such a hit, I think we are going to make it a family tradition.  It was a time when we could all act silly, dance, sing and just be ourselves.  It will definitely be a night we will all remember!

Here is a quote for today....
To watch us dance is to hear our hearts speak- Author Unknown