First Encounter with a Stranger!

Had such a beautiful day yesterday. Sunny, blue skies, sparkling ocean. Tone and Gav surfed. Cousins played. And we encountered the very first person brave enough to come up and ask about Tara without just staring and getting misty-eyed! A lovely older man. He must've been watching as Tara wheeled herself up this steepish incline towards the beach, and then when she got near the top she pretended to roll backwards to scare me - and was laughing... So this man came up and said "her wheelchair isn't permanent is it?" so I said no and that she'd be getting a new leg in about 8 weeks' time. And he just beamed with joy - at me AND at Tara and said how fantastic she was and that she had such a brilliant attitude and he was sure she'd do so well with her new leg. And he stopped Tone to tell him the same. What a LOVELY guy! Just a face full of love.

So yup - Tara's favourite words are "don't help me" (or "can I play on my DS?"). Altho' - she's also not scared to ask for help when she needs it. She's very transparent. Never keeps a thought or feeling to herself. This morning in the car she was telling us how sad it makes her every time she thinks of these 3 little brothers we saw on an internet news item who have autism and can't communicate properly with other people...and as she was telling us, her eyes were just spilling over with tears. She's always feeling for other people - she'll notice someone across the road and  say to us "oh look at the lady - she's so sad/worried/angry" - very empathic (or whatever that word is).

She was feeling very serene yesterday - she had the kokoi around her to protect her from the HARSH Queensland sun, folded her legs under her and said she felt like putting her hands together as if in prayer. Hence the pic above. Cas felt the same - altho' upside down! 

LOVELY morning today with Monica and her beautiful children who were just amazing. And then the girls did a million things with Granny...who leaves for Syria on Saturday. ARGH! We'll miss her! Altho' she did give us back a VERY animated Tara tonight - no empathic, demure angel - just a bundle of energy and fire who couldn't stop talking! And Portia - she was very excited to get your message. She's hoping to get her new leg in the beginning of June AND she's gonna ask the doctor tomorrow when she can start swimming - hopefully VERY soon!