Happy Birthday Sweet Girl!!!

In my last blog post I shared how all four of our girls have their birthdays within three weeks time!  Elizabeth's birthday was first and then Carolyn's.  The next one that took place was Kinsley's.  I have not done a post on just Kinsley in a very long time.

Kinsley just turned four years old!  I can't believe that four years have flown by since God blessed us with this child, to raise for Him.

When she came to our home she could not see, could not purposefully move any part of her body or co-ordinate the two halves of her body.  She had the lowest muscle tone of any child I have ever had in our home.  So low, that her joints luxed in and out of position while dressing and bathing, as the muscles help hold everything in place and the tone was just not strong enough.  As the doctors appointments piled up, so did the diagnosis.  She is considered medically fragile and special needs.  Hypoplasia of the corpus callosum (missing part of the brain that bridges the two halves) with this diagnosis comes a slew of endocrine issues to be treated and monitored for and issues using the two halves of her body together as the bridge that sends messages between the two halves of the brain is not all there.  Optic nerve Hypoplasia (missing some of her optic nerves in both eyes)  Hypotonic Cerebral Palsy. (low muscle tone)  We prayed over her, loved her and worked hard with her and God began His work.

Slowly she started to respond to light and dark.

Then movement that was back lighted.  Then tracking objects.  Then smiling in return of a smile.

Then purposely using her vision.  Her vision is not normal but she does see, Glory to God!  She has tunnel vision and if not looking exactly straight forward has double vision.  She has no peripheral vision but can see praise God!.

When she came she could not even lift her arms.  Holding her was like holding a bag of rice.  Very cuddly but no muscles.  We were told to go ahead and put another wheel chair tie down in our bus as she would never be able to walk.  We had to pattern her, over and over, how to roll over.  Trying to teach different parts of her brain to make the connections for communication because of the missing parts of the corpus callosum.  We prayed and patterned her body movements for every milestone she needed to make.  Over and over we prayed, worked and practiced and over and over she hit those milestones little by little!

Because of her low muscle tone she also had swallowing issues but over came them as well.  She still aspirates on liquids if drinking from a cup by tipping her head back...But protects her airway well if tucking her head down and using a straw to self regulate the amount of fluid she takes in and swallows.  She can also manage using a sippy cup with a control valve just fine.  The miracles just slowly blossomed as she grew and today...even though those diagnosis are still there, you would hardly see or notice unless spending time with her.  God has really done a huge work in her body and life.  All the glory to Him!

Kinsley has always been such a blessing to our home.  All of the children are...but some of our children are just hard.   Every day hard.  Hard behaviors, hard to take care of, hard to home school, big time hard.  God gives me grace and sprinkles in a few very laid back, compliant easier children in the mix of our home.

Kinsley is one of those children.  I can count on her to be reliable in behavior and temperament.

She is so cuddly and loving.  Always a kind word for people and hug.

She is super smart and mature, a sweet and gentle soul.

I can trust her to have full run of the house without getting into things or damaging anything.

Many of our children can not have that privilege.  She is so helpful and loves to organize and be with me doing what I am doing.

She is creative and loves books, dance, art and pretending.  She is also a bit opinionated and tries to keep everyone and thing in order or what she feels is order.

So that is something we have to work on. Helping her be flexible in all things in life.

She wanted a certain dog cartoon character on her cake and my sister once again did a wonderful job blessing Kinsley with a perfect cake!  Thanks sister!

One of Gods greatest gifts to me is the children He has blessed us with!  Kinsley is a treasure to our home, little Miss Sunshine! We need all the sunshine we can get!  :)

Kinsley, Happy Birthday sweet girl.  May God do a mighty work in your life!  May you always serve and live for Him, all the days of your life.

Proverbs 20:7 The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him.

Love,

Dad, mom, Stephen, Antonio, William, Carolyn, Zeke, Elizabeth, Billy, Timothy and Anna-Kate