Positive Words

Yes, I'm writing two posts today.

Because of David's brain injury, he struggles with major depression and anxiety over the way he is and the life he lives now.  It's a daily battle.  He has a very hard time coming up with something he did well that day or recognizing when he is successful.

Today he surprised me.  He just started back up with his Occupational Therapist for work on being more independent with ADL's (activities of daily living) after a break for a few months of hard work at home.  The therapist worked with him on donning and doffing a shirt.  He surprised her by taking off his shirt all by himself in less than a minute!  Then he was able to put on his shirt with just a little help from her.  When he came home, he told me, "Today was a good day because of two things.  I learned that I was able to put my shirt on and take it off all by myself!"  He's actually excited about working on this and visiting his therapist.  He finally realized he was successful with something and it made his day! Instead of telling his caregiver to do it, he reminded her that he could do it and he was going to do it by himself.  He didn't even get frustrated with himself when it took him 7 minutes to put his shirt on.  Yes!!

New Life

As many of you know, we welcomed another daughter into our family on July 30th a little before 1am.  She is perfect.  She sleeps a lot (in contrast to her older sister!) and is such a peaceful little presence in our home.  She's just what I need.  I was going through major baby fever last summer when my niece was born but I thought it an impossible thing, a gift that I shouldn't set my hopes on.  I didn't even take pregnancy tests because I didn't want to be disappointed.  I should've just been thankful that God gave us our first daughter without trying or knowing that she was being knitted together before David's accident.  But I longed for another baby, for some selfish reasons, but also so that our first daughter wouldn't be an only child.  David didn't remember my pregnancy or birth of our first daughter so I wanted him to experience this joy at least once.  God is so good!  One of the first things that the doctors told me that might not "work" was for David to have children after his accident, before I even knew he had a massive brain injury.  At that point I didn't care, I just wanted my husband alive.  Little did I know the dire news that would be delivered to me 3 years ago, the journey that lay ahead of us, or the gifts that God would grace us with along the way.

Well, here she is, our second miracle baby, born just a week shy of David's 3 year anniversary of his accident...a lovely reminder of life and hope.

ABI ARIANA HANSON