Fading Away...

S~Recently I was going through some pictures from over the past year. I came to one of Clare when she was getting ready to take a bath, and I was shocked by her scar on her chest. I couldn't believe how big and ugly it was. I was surprised by this reaction because I see her chest everyday, especially now since the baby is getting bigger it is difficult for Teresa to bend over to bathe the kids. After looking at the picture, I ran over to Clare and took a look at the scar. Now it is almost non-existent; over the past year, the scar has faded away to nothing. It's amazing! It made me think of what time can do for us. As I thought about her scar disappearing over time, I realized that was not all that faded away. We no longer have constant worries about Clare's health. She is no longer just our WS kid. As Clare's health has improved and her personality shines through, those things seem to slip away, and we are able to enjoy what I like to call "normal times." Clare still has her issues, don't get me wrong. But her issues have become less a part of who she is, - her personality has taken over. The way she says "Dank OU Daddy" after I give her more milk, or when she blows kisses as guests are leaving, the way she loves to roll and wrestle with Jamie (while we cringe because he is more than twice her size), how she plays and hugs her stuff animals, how she gets so excited when we sit her in front of the Christmas tree and let her have free reign - these are the things we are going to remember. The images of us sitting in the waiting room wondering how Clare is doing with the Cath or the Operation, or the constant sitting around in the hospital cafeteria as our family plays cards and makes nervous chit chat, the medication dosing, the urgent calls to Clare's pediatric cardiologist because her feet are a slight bluish color - all of those I know will soon fade away to, "Oh, yeah, I remember that." God has given us a wonderful gift to forget the tragic and relish in the good. So today I am thankful for short-term memory loss, and for scars (not just the ones on our body but our mind as well) that fade away. Merry Christmas!