Kate27, 30 & 37!!!

I was so happy to see you post on my blog, but your name is not clickable! Email me at BetsyBiskt@hotmail.com.

The Tulip Project

This year, one of the contributions that I will be making for "Livee's Loonies for CHEO" is a series of handmade cards that I have created with my sister, Kathy.

We have named this series "The Tulip Project" as all the cards in this series will have a tulip somewhere on them. On the back of each card is a note explaining why we have chosen tulips, and a little about the project.

This project is very near and dear to me, and its very good for my soul to look forward to it each year. I have been busy creating these cards and truly feel as if it is a labor of love to do so.

I am especially endeared to it this year, as we have had a very tough year medically with Paige, and she has been hospitalized 4 times over the winter at CHEO.

If you would like to order a set of cards, please email me at BetsyBiskt@hotmail.com, or call me anytime.

To view some samples of our work, please click the links below:

Set One
Set Two
Set Three

Thank you! :)

For Princess Livee

As many of you know, last year, my family was blessed beyond measure, when our friends Leonard and Carol asked us to be a part of a very special fund-raiser called "Livee's Loonies for CHEO."

Len and Carol are very good friends of ours, and we love them and their seven children dearly. The fund-raiser exceeded our greatest expectations - raising nearly $20,000 in just a few short weeks; all donated by friends and family.

Those weeks were one of the most amazing times in my life. I felt purposeful, and like I finally, finally had found a way to say thank you to so many who had meant so much in our lives.

I created this video as a thank you to Livee's friends and family, who have loved and supported their family. Over 100 copies were distributed in Eastern Ontario, to schools, friends, family, doctors, etc.

I've finally figured out a way to make it accessible on my blog...Powerpoint is not the most compatible program in the world to work with.

So, excuse the poor quality, and the words "evaluation copy" at the bottom of the slides.

Enjoy one of my great blessings...

My Daughter is....

WALKING

Is there really anything more than that to say?!?!? It is as amazing and glorious to watch her take her first steps after surgery as it was to watch them the very first time she learned to walk. She is exceeding her doctor's predictions, she is flying through recovery at a record pace for milestones for Paige.

God blessed us with the miracle of perception - we waited six long years for her to walk the first time; it seems as if she is learning all over again in time-lapsed photography.

She is determined, and has surprised all of us more than once, as she first worked to sit up on her own, and then to lay back down, and within a couple of days, to pull herself all over the room, and then soon, she was on her hands and knees - and then pulling to stand at the table or the couch or near the computer.

Now, she is learning to shift her weight from leg to leg so she can go down steps. With just a hand to steady her, she can take 20 or 30 steps before her legs tire.

She has a lot of muscle tone to recover, but she is getting there....

She is...simply amazing.

I say that as if we didn't already know that. yeah right.

Our Daily Dose of Dave

Hop on over to Chewing The Fat - and read Dave's "10 Bits of Advice" for parents of kids with disabilities.

Dave blogs every day, and always has something interesting or thought provoking to say!

Beautiful Birthday

If you click on each picture, you will see them in a larger size. Isn't she precious :)

Happy Easter and Happy Birthday!

What a wonderful day we had today! Today was Easter, and also Paige's 11th birthday. She was happier and more animated than I have seen her in the last 6 months. She smiled and giggled all day long, and was very happy to have a houseful of company for most of the day. She enjoyed opening all of her gifts, and it was so nice to actually sit her at the table for dinner.

We got some really beautiful pictures of her - I'll post them tomorrow.

Happy Birthday, sweet girl - I love you so!!