Kathleen is working with her OT at school on tieing her shoes with one hand.I went in to school so I oculd help ehr practice at home and it's soooo cool how it's done! I'm so excited now we can buy sneakers other than velcro.I'm so amazed at how all these little accomplishments come together over the years(6 yrs.to be exact).I pray everyday that she will be able to be independant,and just when I start to think it won't happen God shows me a little glimmer of hope.Kathleen's smile when she accomplishes something that had otherwise been difficult or impossible just melts my heart.I think I may have metioned that her newest goal is to be in the "jump rope olympics" at school in the spring with her classmates(just imagine how ahrd this is with the use of just one arm and a very weak left leg that has a brace on it).Well her gym teahcer, 1-1 aid,and classmates have been helping her accomplish this.She can now jump over the rope if it's placed at her feet,soon they will start to move the rope and let her jump over it.(gosh I'm tearing up just thinking about it...)She wants to win a medal.The last thing I wanted to share was a story I saw on the news about a little girl who swims with one arm and a a leg that is significantly shorter.Just one more way that God has shown me that anything is possible for Kathleen,if this littel girl can do it so can she.I've felt for so long that swimming would be impossible for her with the use of jsut one arm and a very weak leg BUT I think anything is possible for Kathleen if she puts her mind to it! Thanks for letting em share our little brags I know you all here know how much these tiny steps forward can mean.
Here's the link to see this girl swim it's pretty amazing!
http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/health&id=6522792
Mary Grace

Mary Grace -

This is truly inspiring.  Kathleen is amazing, too.  Thanks for sharing her accomplishments with us.

Hugs from Texas  [smiley=cowboy.gif]

Cass, Kate and Jon

Wow! Thank you for sharing the newscast of Kathleen's swimming. What a sweetheart. She's an absolutely amazing little girl. You have every reason to brag. Give her a hug for me.
Kim

that sounds so fantastic. I know the feeling, my son has a severe case of cp. epilepsy and has infantile spasms, awhile ago before he started having the infantile spasms, he could smile and laugh and i missed it so much i would look at the pics and think he is never going to that again, this stupid epilepsy and cp  has taken over his life so much, it broke my heart, well not to long ago, he started to smile and will laugh, i missed it so much, and i know it might go away again, because it happened before to him, and i just pray everyday that when i wake up my baby is smiling, and trying to do more things, even if it gets taken away, i know i will be alright, cause i love him more than life,and as long as we get to see it once, that makes our hearts melt, and is the best feeling in the world, and that they are our children, and we love them, we just encourage them every day and every moment we can, your story of your baby is so amazing, it touches my heart, and god knows you and her can handle this, and that your amazing to be her mother, and i know one day weather it be on earth or in heaven we will see our children perfect and amazed by seeing them weather it be walk walking on their own, talking, what it may be is going to feel a million times better for us, god is amazing and has made your daughter amazing, take care

She never ceases to amaze me, Mary Grace!  What an amazing child - you are all so blessed to have her!  Please give her a big hug and a "way to go" from me.  I'm so proud of Kathleen, and can't wait to see what God has in store for her - I know he has very special plans for this child's life!

[smiley=heart.gif] Jill