you are loved

We sent a little gift via shipt (and I mentioned on Instagram how the @shipt shopper went above and beyond 😭)

Then Lila and her friend Face-Timed. But let me say something: Lila often isn’t invited to play dates . Birthday parties can be overwhelming or she just simply isn’t invited . Which is no one’s fault, special needs is difficult to know how to maneuver on all accounts & special needs kiddos can be difficult to understand.

However, her sweet friend , Francie continues to ask Lila for play dates and you wouldn’t believe how it lights up Lila’s life: in a world where she watches her sister go off on play dates and receive birthday invites … Lila has begun to notice for the first time this year how she is not included.

You guys, it breaks our heart. On one hand we are afraid to ask girls over for fear of rejection, on the other we fear they will come over and we will have to watch some awkwardness ensue.

One time I was helping at a field trip & was cleaning up so I got separated from Lila. I could see her in the background standing alone.

While kids found their seats with friends Lila remained alone and I felt a little ping of sadness in my heart— nowhere to sit for my sweet girl.

But I see Francie looking around , her eyes searching and locking on Lila. And then she smiled big… “Lila! Come sit with with me!” Lila smiled huge and ran over, plopping down .

I almost cried. It was just simple kindness and it meant something really big for Lila, maybe God let me see it more for my heart.

She IS loved! A friendship with Lila might not be seamless, but it will be filled with laughs and joy, I know that. It doesn’t mean it won’t be wonky — it just means it will be some effort. And often we don’t pursue friendships like that… I mean I usually don’t either. But the joy that is missed, on the other side of awkward effort —you and I might miss seeing the face of God, through a child he made intricately different to show some part of himself. What must he be like to make children so uniquely? What is he trying to say to us, if these children are not a mistake, but knitted in the womb just so?