Friday, February 12, 2010

Olympics-- Winter and Special

I'm sitting here watching the opening ceremony for the Winter Olympics. Daughter watched part of it with me, but then decided she needed to go to bed so she'd be ready for her Olympic event tomorrow morning. It's the area competition in basketball skills. Fortunately, our county is hosting it, so we'll only have to drive about 10 miles.
.
Daughter was watching me like a hawk tonight. Would I show any sign of emotion? She waits for me to tear up, and then demands to know if I'm okay. I assure her I am, but she never believes me. She worries, and is very in tune with my mood and health. It's probably the most obvious residue of her hyper vigilance. When she first came to live with me, she couldn't handle having her bedroom door closed (I wouldn't have been able to use a door alarm then). I couldn't walk by her room at night without her waking up terrified. I celebrated the first time I walked into her room after she was asleep and she didn't wake up. For years, she'd wake up screaming almost every night, especially if there was any disruption in her routine.
.
She may have watched me like a hawk this evening, but she went up to bed and closed her bedroom door. She won't wake up screaming tonight. Tomorrow she will go out and participate in Special Olympics. The opening ceremony won't be as lavish (or long) as tonight's, but the athletes will be every bit as thrilled when they go home with their medals and ribbons.
.
The church that is checking my references supports Special Olympics as a mission project in their local area. They started what has become the programs for the developmentally disabled in their county. The man who talked to my friend yesterday saw their advocacy and Daughter's need as a sign that God had connected us. I'm trying not to get too excited. There have been too many disappointments. God will call me to the right place at the right time.

No comments: