Behold, I belong to God like you; I too have been formed out of the clay.
Job 33:6
It was just a small thing, really. Just a flip of the hair. The hair that we had finally been able to grow out after years of Buster Brown haircuts she had long outgrown - after years of forced visitation to a poisonous environment (read I-won't-say-any-more-because-it-isn't-very-nice). The hair was finally long. Finally her own to choose to do with as she wanted. Finally so many things.
And then this small gesture. We were at lunch. My teacher friends, me, and my daughter. We'd made a date to go to the outlet mall for some shopping and long overdue relaxation. And we were at lunch.
And the waiter was a young man. And my daughter asked for a diet coke and then flipped her hair. At him. With a smile. A big smile. And a little giggle. And she turned to us and said, "I love men."
Oh dear! Such a small thing and then it was huge. This girl, my daughter, my beautiful, then-seventeen-year-old Down Syndrome daughter was making her hormones known. Like a typical teenager. Like any other girl. Flipping her hair and giggling. Oh dear!
And in an instant, I saw her in a different light. Perhaps in God's light. This child, this teen, this young woman. Doing the normal, the typical, and doing it out loud. Such a small, huge thing.
Linking with Five Minute Friday
Dear Janet
ReplyDeleteOh, women will be women and we will always appreciate an attractive guy!! A great thumbs up for your daughter.
Blessings XX
Mia
Oh, yes, what a small HUGE moment. My girls haven't yet reached this stage, but I know it's coming. Probably sooner than I will be ready for. May God bless you as you guide your daughter through the strange, confusing, and exciting time of puberty. Thx for sharing your life with us at FMF.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful moment. Thanks for sharing it with us!
ReplyDeleteAre you in Holland or Holland MI?
Laura Hedgecock
http://www.TreasureChestofMemories.com
http://www.twitter.com/LauraLHedgecock
Mia, thank you, friend, for stopping by again. Life with Sierra has been full of these small moments - moments when I want to stand up and shout to the world that she really isn't so different - and then she does it to me...makes me realize that maybe I've been expecting something different, too. Have I written yet, about her boyfriend, and the way she talks about marriage? She is priceless!
ReplyDeleteDebra, it's coming! Always sooner than you're ready for! Thank you for your encouragement.
Love, Janet
Laura,
ReplyDeleteThank you for stopping by. Truthfully, I didn't know if I should laugh or cry with that little flip of the hair. Had she gotten it from me? Then the comment about loving men - I knew I was in for it! Just a little postscript - Sierra is 22 now and has a boyfriend. One of these days I'll write about why she wants to get married....
I live in Virginia. The picture on my blog comes from an explanation of what it's like to be a new mother to a child with Down Syndrome. It's explained in my post Welcome to Holland at: http://thenextstep1991.blogspot.com/2013/03/welcome-to-holland.html
Sometimes it still feels like I was the only one of my friends who went to Holland - like everyone else is sharing pictures of Italy... It's the small-huge things that show me things are perfectly fine.
Janet
Hi Janet! Oh my gosh, that is so precious. And the smile on her face in the photo is as wide as Wyoming! What a joy for you to see your daughter bloom. What a wonderful Mom you are. Such a blessing to her.
ReplyDeleteThank you for helping us love you and your daughter just a little more today!
Ceil