Things That Make Us Happy

Parker walked 80' today without the walker!

He looked a little like a drunken sailor, but when our fabulous ~ though devious ~ PT person Martin asked him if he wanted to sit down he kept saying, No, no I want to keep going! Until he almost tipped over. Then he had to sit in the wheelchair.

As part of our outing we went to the hospital Book Sale. Not only was it a great destination for Parker today in the wheelchair, but once we got there he felt like a kid in a candy store. Me too. Anyone who knows me know my biggest weakness is books. Can't give them up. It just isn't in me. So today we splurged and used a little of the money two of my brothers generously sent me (from a side job they did recently) and bought four books. It made us both so happy.


* The Native American book has a section on his ancestor, Quanah Parker (where he got his name from).

*The Weird Texas book is a travel guide to Texas's local legends and best kept secrets. Each little vignette is short and the book is small and light so Parker can hold it himself to read it.

* The children's book you see I first bought when the boys were little, and I read it to them so many times throughout their lives. It is about a little boy who grows into a man and how the love between he and his mother grows and changes over the years. Quite appropriate right now. Parker said he could hear me singing the song from it in his head when we were at the book sale.

* The last book is one of the few Thomas Jefferson books I don't already own. I couldn't resist. It was half off the book store price and one I have wanted for years.

Thank you Jamie and Michael for that check. It paid my phone bill and bought Parker and I a lot of happiness in a short time. And Jamie, in your honor I bullet pointed the above. :-)


This morning when I got here, the mini sunflower pot Ashley sent had its first little tiny sprouts coming out of the soil! It made both of us smile. We watched Wall-E the other day and we are very interested in plants that survive against all odds.

Kind of like Parker.

The other thing that made Parker happy today is that he conquered something in one of the Nintendo games Kathleen sent him. I know nothing about Nintendo, but I know those games have done a lot to keep Parker's mind occupied on things other than pain. His Yes! was a joyful sound.

Thank you to everyone for all your treasures you have sent to make these days a little more bearable.