Growing Up too Fast!!!

Our little girl is turning 8 tomorrow!!  It's a bittersweet day as this was supposed to be the year we would head back to Wyoming. When we first moved to Denver we had lots and lots of tears from pretty much everybody in the family (including me).  Kamiree would ask every day when we got to move back "home" and we would tell her when she turns 8.  She used to need a time for everything, so there was no guessing to what was going to happen.  Last week we were heading to school and Kaden brought up the subject of when we might get to move back home.  Kamiree apparently was listening and yelled up to us that it wasn't time to go back yet, she still needed to see Bri (her speech therapist) so she could talk better.  That brought tears to my eyes that my almost 8 year old knows what she needs more than I do now.  I'm so thankful that she can comprehend this situation and knows that she wants to talk better :)
Today Kamiree and I headed to go get pedicures together for her birthday.  Not only was it enjoyable but there were no outbursts and we were gone for 3 hours!  Anybody who has read this blog for any amount of time knows this in itself is a huge accomplishment.  We then headed to Red Robin for lunch.  This is the significant part of the day because in one of my past blogs Kamiree and I had gone to this exact Red Robin and actually sat in the same booth 3 years ago.  She at that time had a complete melt down, this was before she could really talk, and people were glaring at us all around.  It was a nightmare and I kind of pictured that it could go that way still if she was overwhelmed.  It was the complete opposite.  She was telling me all about her friends at school, about how much she wanted to play basketball, how much she loved me, how much she loved Kaden, how she likes new clothes....ect.....  I then told the server it was her birthday so she brought back ice cream and a whole crew to sing to Kam...and...she didn't freak out!  As she sat there and smiled at me eating her ice cream, I teared up.  I just can't believe that we are this far in the journey already.  She has turned into a confident little girl that doesn't even care she doesn't sound "normal" when she talks.  She isn't giving up when I think I would have.



I have thought of this adventure as fixing Kamiree but I think it has made me grow more than sometimes I'm comfortable with.  Not only has she had to make new friends but all 7 of us have had to.  I looked at this as a short 3 year side street, and it might end up being a 15 year interstate.  I have kept walls up knowing that we weren't staying long, and Kamiree's like let go mom, just have fun and enjoy me where I am right now...quit worrying about what happens next year, but settle in and hang on to this fast life.  Proud can't even begin to tell you what I feel for Kamiree.  I know that she is still going to have bad days (come on don't we all!), but her story is a story of perseverance and we will get to continue watching her become all what God has her to be.