Happy Days

5/5 Thursday, Happy Days
some of the same and a little new,
Jewel was exceptionally relaxed today, this was a good thing.
Still putting her AFO's on, into wheel chair and stander. 
Avoiding floor at all costs.
I am not going to analyze why her body is so relaxed, we will just enjoy this gift. :_)
We went to the horses and Makena led the horse, Gary and I were side walkers and
Raven rode with Jewel.  All in all the session was good,  20 min. ride, I am still very nervous when the horse trips but nobody is perfect.  I am still very tired and on antibiotics.  
We are still actively looking for a new occupational therapist to work with Jewel and us.
I let Jewel wear her AFO's to bed then took them off at 10pm, I am tempted to try them longer or even over night.  Her Da is not in favor of this.

5/6 Friday 
Another dry diaper to wake up to!  Though there have been occasional wet morning diaper here and there.
The building up of the Awana Grand Prix was almost too much for Jewel.
This is Jewel's fourth  year racing her balsa wood car, each year it is a different one, she has had a dog car, cat car and seal car. When we arrived we signed her dragon car in and it was weighed and checked and allotted the number  #17.
Jewel cried a lot in the beginning of the evening, the stimulation may have been too much.
Her upside down smile :( was almost too much for our hearts to bare.
Makena ended up taking her out of her wheelchair and she carried her sister around, always including her in as much activities and helping her have a voice and encouraging her to make choices.
This is so enduring to witness and is such a gift.
Raven was the runner for Jewel's car.
The dragon car won the first two heats, so very exciting.  Then it lost the next two races thus disqualifying its place in the race.
Jewel was contented and handled the wins and losses very well, she is a good sport.
We passed Jewel around giving her time with each of us and intern giving each of us a physical break.
She lightened up when she was out of her wheel chair.
Then they had every one vote for the best design, and the votes were tallied up.
At the end of the evening the last two cars came in at a tie twice and then there was the final win for the gold fish car.  Overall a lovely evening and so exiting as the finally of the racing drew to a close and the winners announced.  It is such fun to watch the Dads get into the racing, for in reality it is their cars racing :)  Each clubber gets a blue ribbon for participating.  
Then the announcement for the best design, third place was a lady bug car, second place was the tootsie roll and first place ...... drum roll Jeweliana's Dragon Car!!!  whoop!  What fun!
Jewel almost jumped out of my arms, she was smiling and screaming with joy,
"I win, I win!"  Her smile brought me to tears, and she worked the room to cheer so loud, she was radiant and ecstatic, expressing her joy.
It is such an honor to be voted best design by your peers!
Later that evening Jewel said, "I a winner", yes Jewel you are a winner indeed!
Next she wanted to call her friend Ava right away and tell her the great news.
After she thanked her Uncle Don for helping her, she is always so grateful.
In Hawaii the youth call the adults Uncle and Aunty out of respect and cultural tradition, one does not have to be related by blood or marriage to be called Aunty or Uncle.  The Hawaiian culture perpetuated the family and it is all about including.  Desert was served after and Raven made the best cupcakes, from scratch and very sweet, a real hit, because none were left.  Thank you Raven!!
It was hard for Jewel to go bed, all she wanted to to was hold her trophy.
This can be a dangerous thing especially with her lack of arm control and spastic movements but we watched her closely and let her hold her first place trophy for a while :)
What a wonderful thing for Jewel to experience and for us to be a part of.  Makena and Raven raced their cars at the Awana club when they were little and we have never had a win until this evening.  Though we always felt that our cars were the best and most creative, as I am sure each clubber feels a certain amount of pride and attachment for their cars.
Sweet dreams Winner :)

5/7 Saturday
What a day, shopping with Raven and her friend is skill of endurance, and I did have a fun time!  You see I learnt the meaning of, ' shop until you drop' as a college student visiting New York city!   This does not mean you purchase lots, but it does mean you have fun trying on things. :)
They know how to find the gems at the second hand stores.
Makena assisted at a wedding, and Jewel was in and out of her AFOs and Wheel chair through out the day, we will train her Da but until then we will stay calm and carry on.  We have decided that arguing is too stressful for all of us, every one thinks they are chief in our home, we just need to do what is best for Jewel with out the emotions that go with it.  Good luck since we are such an emotional team.  
"At the end of the day, we can endure much more than we think we can." -Frida Kahlo

5/8 Sunday
Happy Mother's day to all the Mommies out there xxo
For all Moms out there,
May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm up your face,
and rains fall soft upon your fields.
and until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand. -An Old Irish Blessing