A much needed weekend...

After the much-celebrated birthday, the Shraders sailed into Friday with a crash, bang, and thud. Literally.

After six months of rehabilitation after his surgery, Mason decided he was ready to try walking without his "power sticks" (the rest of the world calls those crutches...it's a Mommy-doesn't-like-negative-terms-thing from way back when they were little....). However, he made this decision without his mom. Without his physical therapist. And without his leg orthotics (braces that support his ankles to help stabilize his legs).

The good news: He walked through the entire house.

The bad news: After a "I-bet-it-was-a-one-time-thing" from his brother (remember they ARE 13), he attempted it again. And fell. Hard. His left (yes, the leg he has worked so hard to rehab) leg snapped in two. Loudly. Painfully. Broken.

After yelling, screaming, crying. And repeating all of the above again. We have settled into an acceptance of sorts. I am proud to say, Mason is embracing the "I can overcome....again" attitude and I am doing my best to follow suit.

Frankly, between me and you, I want to continue screaming, crying, yelling.

Fortunately, there was still a birthday girl in our house and a party to put together. Nothing distracts this Mommy like pouring her soul into making this little girl smile.

So, with Len's masterful artistic genius, we painted an entire backdrop of the Yellow Brick Road...who knew painting poppies could be so therapeutic?!

Cate and her Yellow Brick mural...Uncle Lenny painted this JUST for her...


We pulled out all our Wizard of Oz dolls and used them to decorate the cake, the snacks, the table. It was so much fun! I was afraid the kids would not really know the movie so steered away from anything scary -- like witches and flying monkeys! But they loved Pin the Heart on the Tin Man, Pass the Hot Po-TOTO and the rainbow pinata!

Blowing out the candles...



 



The pure joy of gift-opening at this age...oh, I love it!





 And my littlest angel...well, she said it was the BEST BIRTHDAY ever...and that's all the praise I needed!

And because distractions were further needed this weekend -- God arranged the timing perfectly for a visit/meeting of a dear friend!!

For the last five years, I have been email/telephone/Facebook buddies with a Mom in Minnesota that has two sets of twins. One of Beth's little girls has Cerebral Palsy similar to my boys and we have a mutual therapist who was kind enough to connect us. But in our years of communicating, sharing information, encouragement and understanding we had never met. Until this weekend.

Beth and her husband, Matt, were in town for a conference. We were able to get our families together for a much too-short visit.





Almost all our kiddos -- one set of twins, one set of triplets and a little extra!



 Claudia and her little hot pink wheelchair may be my new favorite thing! She has to come back to see us -- and bring her beautiful siblings! We loved getting to know them -- though Cate fairly monopolized the girls, and eight kiddos between us didn't leave nearly enough time for the Mommies to talk -- it was a wonderful visit! I look forward to years of getting these two families together!!



Cate, Claudia and Eloise -- they had a blast together!





The Ranks and the Shraders together -- that is two sets of twins, a set of triplets and one little red-head!



 A weekend celebrating birthdays and friendships -- it really doesn't get more blessed than that!