Alas, it is time to hand the reigns back over to the girls. Starting next week Saf and Nixi will be back blogging full force!
This week was full of excitement. Saf's class had a field trip to the firehouse and Nixi and I got to tag along. It was really fun. Saf was beyond excited about going on the school bus...nervous, but excited. The night before she would randomly say out of the blue, "all done school bus" or "all done teacher Jenn" to let us know that she was a little anxious. Come the morning, she was saying "Mommy, school bus fun day!". She got on the bus no problems and had a blast. At the firehouse her and Nix were a little cautious of some things. In order for the firefighters to show us the ladder on the firetruck they needed to have the engine idle. Saf is afraid of moving vehicles, so the sounds of the engine scared her. She sat with me and I squeezed her the whole time, as deep pressure makes her feel better. Nixi got to sit with teacher Jenn...a real treat! When the fireman came out in all of his gear both girls were not having it. They got to climb up into another firetruck...engine off. They loved it and didn't want to get out. Later, Saf got to sit with her best bud, Carson, and she was happy as a clam. Nixi was just thrilled to get a juice pouch! All in all, a fun day.
Pretty much a good week, lots of ups and downs...but a good week. We went to Bravo Farms and said "hi" to all of the animals, hit Burger King a few times, and the park. This week Nix's services start back up so we'll be back to our normal routine 100%. Also, on the weekend we're expecting a visit from Grandpa Cummings, Weishi, and Cate! So make sure to check back for a full report of our exciting week.
Now, we'd like to take a minute to leave the girls a love letter to read when they log back on....we don't mind if you take a peak!
To our dearest daughters, Safia and NixiRogue:
How to put into words the level of love and thanks that we have for you?
Safia, our old soul in a cute as a button package. You are amazing. You are smart, funny, kind, thoughtful, generous, and determined. From day one you have been a take action kind of kid. You spent a whole summer watching phonics videos on Youtube, practicing articulation in your bedroom for hours every night, and proudly sharing new words with us as you got them. You started school with the bravery and determination that you used to speak...and now you answer questions about your day and tell us when you're happy. You have friends that you made all on your own, and they like you every bit as much as you like them. You motivate your sister to be joyful and silly, and you do it on purpose. You coax her into being involved and in touch by saying things like "Nixi, more play?". You are an amazing pet owner. You pet all of your animals every day and tell them how cute they are and give them kisses. You tell us what you want to eat and where you want to go. You notice when we're sad, or sick and you give us a "hug" by leaning into us or rubbing our arm. You are such a beautiful kid. People will like you. You will have friends. You will go to school and learn, you will also teach others. You will slowly realize that the world is full of a lot more good things than scary things. You will trust those around you who care for you to keep you safe. You will be able to relax and let go of some of the control that often drives you. You will do amazing things with your life and you will be happy. Life will be a lot of work, but you can do it and we'll help. We love you.
NixiRogue, our fragile little soul in spunky camouflage. You are so beautiful, inside and out. You are sweet, silly, bright, loving, and fun to be with. You came into this world as a frightened, hesitant little bundle of nerves. You have blossomed into a curious and questioning little kid. You have learned that adults are cool to be around and can do interesting stuff. You have found that big kids are even cooler than adults and you love to interact with them. You can sing your ABC's and you love to dance. You took a leap of faith and decided that we are capable of taking care of you and keeping you safe. You go into new environments with enthusiasm and wonder. You explore everything. You find ways to have fun with something that others might pass by, like a stick or a leaf. You have let others into your inner circle and enjoy meeting with your teachers. You tell us what you want to eat and what you want to watch on TV. You snuggle your dog and cats and give them kisses on their lips. You care about your big sister and always ask "Fafi?" when you think she might be missing out on something cool. You like your weighted blanket and your trying new things every day. You are a wonderful little person. You will be happy. You will be able to enjoy people, places, and things for longer than 45 minutes. You won't even notice how much time has gone by because you'll be having so much fun. You'll get more and more comfortable around other kids. One day, you will want to have friends and on that day they'll come in droves. You will share the magic of a stick or a leaf with other kids and they'll think its weird but cool. You will try new things and see that they aren't as scary as you thought. You will continue to trust us and slowly learn to trust others. You will have a wonderful life and we will keep searching for ways to help you be happy. We will continue to get to know you, you will continue to get to know yourself, and we'll all get better at understanding each other. We love you so very much.
And last but not least.......an Ode to Autism........
Dear Autism,
You have taught us to love without expectation of anything in return. You have taught us to slow down and see the beauty in the small things. You have taught us that life, interactions, and relationships are much more rewarding when they happen organically and without micro-management. You have taught us that we truly cannot control anything and that expectations of people, places, and things will often leave us disappointed and having missed the true journey. Sometimes you are our teacher, often you are our enemy...always you are in our lives. We thank you for forcing us to change the way that we look at the world, our selves, and our family. While the path you lead us on is often full of bumps, pot holes, blind curves, and brick walls...we trust that when we get to our final destination it will have been well worth the ride. Just remember sometimes that our kids are just kids, and we are just humans...so be kind and cut us some slack from time to time!
With that.........we will say goodbye until next year!
Sarah & Mike
The girls' post fire station interview!
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