Skating Through This

We had a normal Saturday today. We all straightened up the house a little before my parents came over. Jessica stayed home and worked on a school project while Steve and Matthew and I went grocery shopping and to Game Stop (that's why Matthew went along).

Jessica had asked what we were going to do tonight. Lately she hasn't wanted to stay around the house. Maybe it's making up for being around the house so much over the past two years. (Wow - It's been 2 years this past week!) But mostly I think it's being a teenager and being able to drive now. I actually miss time with her, but that's just me getting used to having a 16 year old.

So, tonight on cue, she came down asking if she could get some friends from church together and go to the ice skating rink. They met there at 6:00, and I told her to be home by 9:00. She called at 8:30 saying they were having so much fun (and I could hear in her voice how much fun they really were having) and could she stay for a little long - maybe till 9:00? I love that she has so many friends now, is able to get out and be with friends, and the fact that she was having fun. So, as it turned out she stayed till 9:30. I guess we'll see if that was a good decision in a couple of days.

This skating party got me thinking about Matthew's birthday skating party in July of 2008, 7 months after Jessica got sick. She did put on roller skates that day and I think she went around the rink once, but that was all. She held out for a couple of hours, and then she and I had to leave before he was through having as much fun as he could with his friends.

I am so glad that she is able to do things now, can be more active, have more of a life, and enjoy being with her friends. We've come a long ways since then, and we are thankful!