18 seconds

This afternoon I got a phone call from a friend that made me cry.  The good tears. My friend Rachael phoned to tell me A REALLY important something.  She just saw me yesterday and so I knew it must be a DIRE emergency for her to be calling me at 3:50 pm today.  She started right in, "Did you see the video?  June is walking!!"  I said, "What? What are you talking about?"  She continued, "I'm sitting right here in the waiting room in the therapy building and I just saw June walk by me! Like down the hall...with no one holding her hand...like she's been doing it for years!!" I gasped and clung to the chair.  Was this really happening?  Rachael of all people was delivering this news. Rachael, who has a daughter much like mine, who knows full well the anticipation and the waiting for the miracle of walking to occur.  We both cried.

My mind started reeling.  My 4 and a half year old baby's life started flashing before my eyes like in one of those Hallmark commercials sort of way.  I thought of those first agonizing motions she made to crawl, I thought of the first time she looked into my eyes, the first and only time she said the word "more".  I thought of her perched on the table, perched on the piano listening to notes and vibrations penetrate her core, and then, even last night snuggled up beside me so tightly because we both had insomnia.

I would no longer be introducing my daughter and getting strange looks that my four year old was in the stroller and my one year old was crossing the street all by herself, leading the way.  I would no longer say, "This is June and she doesn't walk or talk yet, but she's working real hard to do it real soon."  I might, just MIGHT, by Winter be able to tred through snow and stand and look up at the Connecticut Winter sky as snow flakes fall on our eyelashes and in our mouths and we giggle that cute June-bug giggle.  And maybe, just maybe June bug will twirl.  By Christmas. 

When June got home from therapy, I peeked out the upstairs window and watched her get out of the car and wobble her way into the house...with some guidance.  I grabbed my kids and we all raced down the stairs 100 miles an hour and greeted her at the door with kisses and hugs.  She must have known her secret was out because she smiled her impish grin and then of course I had to get my camera and we had to go exploring in the yard and the sidewalk, because I had to see for myself...all 18 seconds of it.

And that was a good day.  I have that good feeling and I am thanking God, and singing Hallelujahs and sort of floating around...that kind of feeling when you think you might be in love, or you first find out you are pregnant (for the first time), or you are about to take a trip to an island.  I would like to thank Kayla, June's attendant for having the ingenious idea to put a belt on her in the therapy office one week ago today.  And of course, I am forever indebted to Kat who has encouraged her to walk as much as possible with holding her hand and loving her like her own.  June has been blessed beyond measure with teachers and therapists from CHKD, Early Intervention, and Norfolk Public Schools.  You guys rock!