I want to tell you about joy....

I saw it today, in the face of my eight year old. I felt it in my heart and it made me cry.

Our youngest daughter was born nearly two months premature and suffered a stroke in the womb. She has right sided hemiplegia (cerebral palsy) and we were initially told she probably wouldn't walk. Well, she does walk. It took her a little longer than a typical child, but she not only walks, she runs! She has a brace that gives her more stability, but this girl doesn't let anything stop her.

My father showed up unexpectedly today and shared lunch with myself and a friend. After my friend left, hubby came home and we all visited for a bit before hubby and the girl's disappeared outside. A bit later, Lance came running in and said I needed to come outside, hurry, quick, you have to see this, c'mon!

So I went outside and saw the most amazing thing. My baby angel was, for the very first time in her life, riding a two wheel bike. Her weak side was not velcroed to the pedal, like it's had to be in the past, the training wheels were gone. She was riding it by herself!!!

Hands to my face in awe, I stood there and watched as she breezed past us, blond hair flying in the wind. I cried.

At one point she wobbled into the side of my father's truck. You have to understand that this truck is my father's baby. Pampered, washed weekly, if not more and cared for. We all rushed over to see if she was ok. And my father laughed!! He said he wasn't sure what I was more worried about, Ashley or his truck.

Then he said, "If it was any other child that had done that....but it was Ashley. It's ok."

How do you paint joy in words? I wish I could do it justice. Joy. Incredible joy.

Edit: We took a picture of our baby girl riding on Saturday morning.