The fine balance

We have a little girl with a heart condition. We watch her, but we want her to have an interesting and full life. Most people she interacts with either don't know about it or forget. This is how we want it.

But its a fine balance.

Her brother and sister started skiing several years ago. She didn't want to ski. I didn't want her to ski. But, she eventually felt left out.

She decided that she would try snowboarding. It looked less scary to her. Not to me! But to her. The skiers seem to go too fast.

Last year, during her lessons, she spent most of the time on her butt. I thought she would not want to do it again, but she is determined. She was going to give it another go.

This year it was so fun watching her start to get the hang of it. She falls, but we laugh cause we can tell that she is falling because she is picking up speed.

Near the end of the lesson the other day, her teacher had them climb up the hill carrying their snowboards as the magic carpet had stopped. I was loosing it. My little cardiac compromised kid was trudging up the hill at the end of a lesson carrying a heavy board. I almost felt sick to my stomach.

We had to leave as it was time to go pick up the other two, and Bronwyn's class should have been headed back too. But their teacher took them to the freestyle park. GAH!

I collected the other two while Wes went off in search of Bronwyn, whose group was quite late. As we striped off the gear Bronwyn explained that her teacher helped her go over a jump. I was shocked. My little scaredy cat kiddo going over a jump.

She said, "Mom, my teacher helped me, and it was a small jump, and I was really scared. But I did it. I am so proud of myself."

At that moment I realized how fine this balance is and how important it is. And like my daughter I am proud of myself too!