It's incredible how much laughter and joy that comes from one moment in time.  Yesterday, my coworkers had a little celebration for my graduation and they gave me a bouquet of balloons.  I brought them home and shared two with my niece, Elyssa.  You would have thought I gave her all the balloons in the world. 

She jumped and squealed with joy as she pulled the balloons down then watched them go up again.  My heart soared with each giggle and smile and I'm not likely to forget how much fun I had with her.  

As I wrote earlier this week about miracles, Elyssa is a big miracle.  Despite developmental delays from an unknown cause (still no diagnosis), she remains happy and loving.  The doctors first said that she may never walk, then it was that she would not learn her alphabet, numbers, or normal things for her age but they were wrong.  She is a little behind in her gross motor skills still, but she keeps progressing.

She's going to school in a special program and LOVES it.  She loves to ride the bus to and from school and she loves her teachers and classmates.  She cannot express her feelings in many words but she's got the most expressive eyes and smile.   

Once she begins to speak more, whether it's vocal or through signing, I envision her soaring like those balloons.  Up, up, and away.