Lots of Smiles

Today actually turned out to be such a wonderful day for me! I hung around with some incredible people and I just felt okay. I thanked my daughter's "surrogate mothers" who have been helping her out this summer when I am not able to. I just never think saying thank you and giving a hug is enough. I want to show them just how much I appreciate them!

It was funny though in the afternoon. The heat was starting to get to me but of course I smiled :) I was walking to find my daughter before her swim and saw a few people look at me with very concerned eyes. I walked over to them and I was laughing. I was then asked by one of them "Are you feeling okay?" I said yes and she said "It looked like you were going to fall." I said... well I am drunk ;) Not really of course I just started experiencing that famous MS drunk moment - of which I am currently still in. I told them that sometimes my balance is odd but by me grabbing on to that post everything worked out just fine. They made the comment that at least I can laugh at things and I told them "Are you kidding me! I am walking entertainment."

Also today I did thank a woman I was talking to. I was stumbling with my words. I had them in my brain but of course they just take awhile sometimes to come out. My daugther is good about finishing my sentences and I remember I used to get irritated by that (not at her... but irritated at myself). Anyways, during the conversation this woman who I am not around very often at all and we truly do not know each other expect our kids are in swim team together, and here she was finishing my sentences for me. She did it in such a smooth flow it was great! I laughed at the end and told her that I noticed she was helping me find the words and I just really thanked her for being so great about it!

Also another mother happened on taking a photo of me and my daughter snuggled up together. See when my daughter gets out of the pool from one of her races, I love that she comes and gives me a big squeeze hug! Here I am hot so I do not mind my clothes getting big wet spots on them... I LOVE IT!

See today was great. Even the ones that give off that "your are not good enough to be around", I smiled and told them a compliment. A true compliment not a fake one to get on their good side. I realize there are always going to be those people that think I am lower on the chain then them but you know what, I cheer their kids on, talk to their kids no matter how mom and dad look at me.

See I am smiling right now because today I took a huge step in my acceptance!!

I also visited with a girl that I have seen come to the swim meets for years. She is not a mother, she is a friend of a friend. I know who she is, but never really talked to her. So today I did and I found out that she is such a neat girl! Turns out she is eight days older than me so we are close in age. She is in a wheelchair and has been in one since she was 17. She has muscular dystrophy. She is so very pretty! I am so glad to have met her as a friend. MD and MS are different - but you know what we have things in common. I am mad that I never took the time to really talk to her and get to know her before! She is supportive of my daughter swimming, etc.

I do not want to believe I was one of those people who see the wheelchair and not the person in it! Shame on me! Thank you MS for making me grow up and really learn to look past everything when you see a person. Do not look at them as fat, skinny, beautiful, ugly, disabled, etc. - look at who they are inside. If you talk to someone long enough you just might find that you see someone who is incredible.