Some Things Never Change

This is Kellie, 4 years ago.

The hair is a little shorter, the face a little chubbier. But, it's obvious. Still the same Kellie.
Last week was a stressful one for this girl. Actually, I don't know who felt strained more, she or I. It was state testing week. In Texas, that's a big deal. Some years matter a whole lot more than others. For Kellie, this was one of those years.

For a learning disabled child, regular schoolwork can be a chore. Trying to blend in with all the students is an even bigger task. Add in mandated testing that determines a lot of your future, and the anxiety mounts. Thus, a stressful week.

Makell is my child that was given to me to brighten my life. In so many ways. More often than most, she shows me another way to look at the world. One I never would have imagined. She is the one I speak the loudest for, the one that I advocate for the hardest, and the one I encourage the most to believe in herself even when all odds are against her.

Through the stress, the homework, and even the yelling, some things never change. She remains Kellie. The girl who simply sparkles. Her light even reaches out and sprinkles on those around her. A majority of the time, she requires a lot of parental maintenance. Sometimes that maintenance feels far too heavy to carry. But then, when I find a moment to take a step back and notice all that she teaches me, I am humbled. Because, at her very core, she is joy. A kind, enlightened joy. And in our home, that is something that can't be measured by a test score. And in life, it is something that will carry her higher on her journey than any obstacle she may face.

Never change, my Kellie. Forever sparkle.