Wednesday, January 03, 2007

Still partying!






That's right! Our partying for the holidays lasts into the middle of this week. We celebrate Wyndham's birthday tomorrow! She is turning six. Wow. She's lived a lifetime already, and had more brushes with death than most 90 year olds.
This year we are lucky enough to have her healthy and able to party and celebrate her own birthday. She has been sick and unable to do so for four out of six of them...mostly because her birthday falls after the holidays when she is worn down and tired, and in the middle of flu season. Bad timing, I guess on the part of Chip and me.
So, we took the family to Chuck E. Cheese for some fun and games; (yes, that's Chip at Chuck E. Cheese playing an arcade game...what do you think golf pros do on their day's off?!) because you don't go to that place for the food. =) It's like bowling alley pizza...don't get me wrong. I love to go bowling- very retro, very fun. But the food...usually not stellar. Nachos are nachos and pizza is pizza...but I don't want to start any debates here. I'll get back to my subject.
Wyndham's birthday is a great day to celebrate, and yet once again it brings with it so many memories, so many thoughts and reflections. I wonder about the dreams I have had to change and adjust because of the extent of her injuries received in our tragic incident. I wonder how much she wishes things could be different...I wonder if she knows she's 'different'. {Just to add more understanding, Wyndham received a closed-head injury and has had two brain surgeries. She has had ongoing therapy (occupational, physical and speech) since August 2001. We don't have a definitive prognosis for her long-term recovery, as nobody that her doctors have treated had ever survived such extensive injuries. We basically are watching her grow and learn...and we keep pushing her as much as she will allow us to- which is a lot-more than I would tolerate if I were her, I think.}
So, Wyndham is our real-life miracle baby. In a different way than I feel our other kids are 'miracles'. She has had been airlifted twice and ambulanced three times to hospitals for medical issues. That was by age 3. You can imagine how much joy and happiness we feel to be able to mark another birthday- especially with her doing so well. She is excited about her birthday and the extra attention she has been getting from her siblings. Don't let her medical issues fool you.
This little girl knows more than you would imagine. Sometimes I think she thinks we're all the ones with 'issues'...especially her sisters and brother when they act up and goof off and get so loud and obnoxious at times. I think she thinks they need 'therapy'! =)
Truly. Her life has been an uphill challenge. I've begged God to spare her life while down on my knees, sobbing tears that I thought might never stop from the agony and pain I felt watching her suffer. Yet, I know she is a gift. A real-life gift from God, straight to our hearts and family. I have hugged and kissed her more in the past {almost} six years, simply because I have feared at times how many kisses I will actually get to give her through the years. I never take a minute of her in my life for granted. I am inspired by her life, her smile, her attitude, her spirit, her 'fight' and her easy-going personality every single day. Somedays when I look at her I think to myself, 'How did I get so lucky to go through life with a real-life angel in my midst'?
As many of you know, life isn't always a party for us. The Ferlaaks have had their share of heartache, hardships and struggles. But the best part is that we still party. I don't think we'll ever stop doing that!

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

Happy party day to you and to Wyndham - this post touched me and moved me to tears. I have been lucky to have a great special child in my life too.... i think he thinks we have issues too! LOL

we have chuckie cheese here too, and you are right on about going for the fun not the food!

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday to Wyndham, your beautiful girl! I, too, have been blessed with a special child and I thank God every day for entrusting to me such an angel. I can't imagine how unevolved *I* would be if it weren't for my son!

Here's to many, many more parties celebrating Wyndham's life!!!

~Kim said...

Oh Jody!! (((HUGS))) to you and Wyndham too! Your blog ALWAYS inspires me and makes me realize just how fragile life is. You are an amazing woman with a huge, understanding heart.

Happy New Year to you and your family! HAPPY BIRTHDAY to little Miss Wyndham!

~Kim

gloria said...

happy birthday wyndham!!

:)

Anonymous said...

happy birthday sweet girl...hope you had a wonderful day...

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday to your Angel!!
A big (((Minnesota Hug))) to you all on this special day.

Unknown said...

Happy Birthday to Wyndham!!!!

Anonymous said...

Happy 6th Birthday Wyndham!!

Wyndham is pure sunshine as well as a true miracle kid. She blesses my heart each time I see her and the progress she continues to make. She, too, has been blessed by parents who refuse to let dreams die. Keep pushing....she loves (and lives up to) the challenge!

Great seeing you (and the birthday girl) yesterday. Hope the celebration continues all week, without breaking the diet of course :)
Janna

Juel said...

Happy Birthday to Wyndham!!

So how did you decide on her name when she was born??

Janna said...

Great post Jody! Wyndham certainly is a living miracle after all that she's been through. I work with adults with developmental disabilities on a voluntary basis, and they are such a blessing! I think that they understand the real purpose of life more than anyone else. They live life simply but with great joy and compassion for everyone around them (even when many of them face mental and/or physical difficulties every day). They encourage one another and love each other and love to make new friends. I think the "special" ones who live among us are angels who are here to keep us grounded and remembering that we should live with pure and simple joy. Don't get caught up in the troubles of the world... instead make it brighter by being a source of love, joy, and compassion to everyone you come in contact with. :)

Happy Birthday Wyndham! :) I'm so glad you are well enough to enjoy it this year.

God bless & take care,
Janna K

Anonymous said...

Happy, happy birthday to Wyndham! I understand what you mean about marking the day a little, too...today is also the 9th anniversary of my near-fatal car accident.

Here's to many more years at Chuck E Cheese!

Carrie said...

I LOVE Wyndham's smile!!!! And just so you know, I had my 24th birthday party at Chuck E Cheese a couple years ago. It was a blast!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY WYNDHAM!!!!!

Carrie
http://myhome.spu.edu/carrie/soapopera.htm

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday Wyndham! So glad your sweet little girl got to have a Party. What a fun place to have it. She looks so happy too.

Anonymous said...

i hear ya! celebrate! big stuff...small stuff...celebrate it all. it's been the word of the year around here... we are getting ready to do this with our daughter next week too, whose birthday always becomes a little bit reflective because she got so sick that she ended up in the ICU on a ventilator for a week within the first month of her sweet life--we've done physcial and speech therapy with her too and she's making progress but she always has a way of pulling those little heart strings a little tighter...so celebrate...and happy birthday!

Anonymous said...

That's wonderful Jody. Truly a blessing.

Happy Birthday Wyndham!

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday, Angel Baby, Wyndham. Jody, she is such a beautiful child. She has a light in her that shines thru in her smile and eyes. Everytime I see her pictures my heart smiles.

Anonymous said...

oh yeah. Chuck-e Cheese is baaaaaad. but we do have a local bowling alley that makes the BEST chinese food EVAH!!!

Happy Birthday Wyndham!! Truly an angel in your midst.

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday Wyndham! Remember, this is your month, so celebrate every day!

Jody, I see nothing wrong with buttercream for everyday this month do you?

Hugs!

Kristi Smith said...

Moved me to tears. I am always impressed by your attitude, I can only imagine the feelings you have experienced throughout your lifetime. My son weighed 1 lb. 1 1/2 oz at birth and is going on 10. Such a miracle, we are in the process of getting insurance to approve growth hormones shots that he will have to take daily for the next five years. Sometimes I think what a pain it will be to give him the shots and then I read things like this and it makes me realize how blessed we are that he is with us, and they are only shots. My sister, my only sibling, has 2 daughters that have Down's. One just had her 2nd heart surgery, what a blessing they are to us. I know Wyndham is a blessing too.