Happy Birthday Super girl!

In six days Olivia will be five years old.  Seeing those words typed out in front of me is surreal because five years ago we didn’t know if our daughter would live.

Fast forward to now and my goodness….

It’s been an emotional ride.

Recently I had a conversation with another mom about Halloween costumes for our kids. She asked who Olivia wanted to be; with a huge smile, I replied “Supergirl”. (I’m not gonna lie, I’m going to cry when she puts on that costume.) Everyday of her life, she has been “Supergirl” in my eyes.

Everyday has been a blessing. Now, I’m not saying we have a picture perfect life; no one does. I’m saying each day from the moment Olivia took her first breath has been a blessing. From the seizures, surgeries, hospital stays (too many to count), hours and hours of therapy, countless doctors appointments and through it all; she remained courageous and strong. That’s a blessing.

When you don’t know how long you will have with your child, each second, hour and day are blessings.

When you are told your child has no future and the odds are stacked against them….each day you prove this to be untrue, is a blessing.

When your child proves to the world (because c’mon, special needs kids have to earn their place in this “typical” world), “I Can”…that’s a god damn blessing.

When your child takes their first steps without you holding on, looks up to you with an enormous smile that screams “I did it!”…..that’s a BLESSING!

So next Saturday as I light five candles on Olivia’s birthday cake, I’ll be also counting my blessings and feeling ever so thankful that we get to celebrate our Supergirl.