Abby update - December 23/24

Today was a very special day for our family. We were finally able to return to church together as a family. We sneaked into our home church (New Braunfels Church of the Nazarene) this morning after the service began, but weren't able to sneak out, as Abby was hugged by nearly everyone in the sanctuary. I was so thankful for the many prayers that have gone up from the people in those pews and others--prayers that have helped us make it to this point. Then, this evening we slipped into one of the Christmas eve candlelight services here in Wimberley. It touched my heart to look over at the end and see Abby holding a candle, singing the words to "Silent Night." That's the best Christmas gift I could have received. She has a lot of work to do still, but so much of what's important, so much of what we love, is still there...

Visits from friends over the past couple of days have also brought us a lot of joy. Several of Abby's good friends have stopped in, and at one point yesterday Gordon looked over to realize that Abby was no longer sitting on the couch. She and Frank had gone upstairs with Taylor to hang out with the Game Cube--just gone upstairs--just like that! (Taylor had given her some assistance on the stairs, but it was great to have her make a decision that seemed so much like what she would have done on her own three months ago...)

Finally, I've got to tell you that we are really enjoying Abby's sense of humor. She has told us that sometimes things feel confused in her head, but she's always laughing at herself, and sometimes she comes up with the wittiest sayings on the spot. For example, yesterday we had a conversation that went something like this:
Mom: "Is something wrong?"
Abby: "No, because you are here." (awwww...)
Mom: "What did you say?"
Abby: "Because you are here."
Mom: "Oh, I thought you said 'Is something wrong with your ear?' "
Abby: "Maybe there is..."

I'll leave you with that smile...
--Abby's family