Thought you'd be shorter!

What an amazing journey we have been on. Normally, one would say this in reference to something that they, by choice, involved themselves in. But what about our lives is normal?

The journey with Jaque since she has been little has been one of no limits, pure determination, and very strong will. I do not know of anything in her life that she wanted to do, and didn't eventually get it done. As a younger child just starting softball, she was told that she would never make a pitcher. That she needed to settle for where the coach put her. Actually, she was told that they would let her pitch on the "easy" games that we knew we would win anyway. Well...that lasted one game. She started in a game that was a no brainer. You know, where the girls do not know how to stand, never held a bat, and their coaches actually fixd their hair and make-up before the game. OK - so the visual is set. After pitching about four innings, with only walks or k's.......the caoch (Mr. Crabtree her principle) walked up to me and said, "I think I might have misjudged this." "Jaque is gonna talk the hard games, and the other girl can have the easiest."

Well, it really proved not to be because the batters were no good, but that Jaque seemed to have this ZONE that she went into, and when she was in it....teams feared her. Amazing thing about it was.......umpires throughout the county, and from Dallas, to Houston, to Colorado, to Utah just love her. She never really stepped off the mound after that day. See, she had met her destiny. She had found a place that she could release, and that she earned respect.

Yesterday, with a little bit of uncertainty in her eyes, I could not help but feeling that I had been here before. Where she was just standing in a spot where her destiny would again be fullfilled. As I watched her work with the doc's getting the braces on, she made them laugh and in ten minutes, they were joking like they had known her forever. Forget that they usually get off at 5pm, it was now 6:30pm and they were talking to her about motorcycles. Then she stood, with the help of parallel bars, she stood with God and medical science teaming up....for the first real time since her wreck. One of the doc's walked us out. Tried to get her to burn the tires when we pulled off, yep, he knew her well in just a short time.

When we got home, we ran in and put on one of her favorite pair of jeans. Yep - you guessed it, had to show that booty off. Hadn't got to do that in a while, so had to look good. And, in true Jaque fashion, she has lost weight, but still got the cutiest BKE butt around. So-------with Chris and Payton in the living room talking about something to get in trouble with, I am sure, we snuck around to the front porch. We pulled to the corner, and locked her braces out. Then I went into the living room and told then to come outside. Payton looked a little nervous, Chris about jumped through me to get to the porch. As they turned the corner to go out the door, I hit the light, and their she stood. Our beautiful little girl. 5'8"+ and looking just as healthy as you and I....their she was. I think both of those boys were fighting back tears. She was grinning from ear to ear. She told Payton he better learn to dance.

We talked for a while, and then went back inside.

I just want to confess to you all that I feel privledged that God allowed me to share that moment with her. That Chris, Payton, and I were there to see her smile. And for all of you reading, it won't be long and you will see it to.

See, about a year ago, the doctor said that he did not think that they would be for Jaque. But she got her self ready for them, and would not settle for the box they tried to put her in. Nothing about her is text book. She makes her own boundaries,and history tells me they are far more reaching than we can imagine.

As we were driving home, she told me to look at the sky, sun was setting and you could see the layers of the clouds. At that moment God spoke to me. He said she is just now on the first few layers. And as she works, she is working toward the light. She is working toward him. Some of the layers were thicker than others, but the sun's rays peeked through. God was saying, I am here. No matter how thick or difficult it has been, or might be.......I am here. And the glory Jaque and our family has rec'd to this point is nothing in comparison to what God has in store for us.

She is my light. She is fortunate to have the best daddy in the world. Close second to him is Papa Danny, Papa Larry, and Papa Phil. We are all works in progress, Jaque's light shines far and wide. I hope that she is touching you in some kind of way. I told her that this is a new beginning. Doesn't mean she will walk tomorrow, but she is standing on her own two feet, and that is a great accomplishment for her. I am so proud.

If you are finding that something in your life is clouding your vision, please remember that if you are only seeing the clouds you are not looking hard enough. Because there is always blue sky out there, you just must trust beyond what your eyes can see, you must have unwavering faith, and stand firm that God has a purpose for you.

Prasie him for the blessings in our lives, and mostly for our wonderful family.