Putting Mia to bed tonight and hearing her bedtime prayers has me reflecting on her tonight.
Mia’s prayer 
:
: Dear God
Thank you for my family...
Thank you that my parents were even born so I could be here...
Keep us safe...
Amen 
Mia’s heart and mind blow me away the more she shares with me....
Let’s think about some of her transformations:
We were told she would never speak —> and we now have the most interesting conversations
In the past, she was so sick 
all the time, she never got to play outside —> today, she took her dog, Cyndy, for a walk at the park
all the time, she never got to play outside —> today, she took her dog, Cyndy, for a walk at the park She may never be able to express her feelings —> she has the biggest heart 
, feels for others, expresses her feeling with sad/happy tears, words, and drawings
, feels for others, expresses her feeling with sad/happy tears, words, and drawings An hour of sleep 
was a good night for many years —> sleeps 10+ hours almost every night
was a good night for many years —> sleeps 10+ hours almost every night Behaviors were so out of control, I remember the days of screaming for hours non stop 
—> now she says, “you not make me really happy!” And we talk about it
—> now she says, “you not make me really happy!” And we talk about it52 prescription medications by age 2 —> she is step dosing off her last prescription, everything else is supplements and natural lifestyle products 
It use to take 6+ months to teach her a new skill, like even the basic things most kids do. —> she is rocking her homeschool 
program this year. Even thought she is 8, and we are just now finishing Kindergarten, at one point we didn’t know if she would be able to ever learn anything other than basic life skills
program this year. Even thought she is 8, and we are just now finishing Kindergarten, at one point we didn’t know if she would be able to ever learn anything other than basic life skillsMia in the past couldn’t stand to be touched or loved 
on —> now we have snuggle time everyday. She lets me hold her, sing to her, talk to her... multiple times daily she interrupts what I am doing because she needs a hug and a kiss 
, which many parents take this for granted, but when you do years without it, each one is so much more precious
on —> now we have snuggle time everyday. She lets me hold her, sing to her, talk to her... multiple times daily she interrupts what I am doing because she needs a hug and a kiss , which many parents take this for granted, but when you do years without it, each one is so much more precious The days of teaching her to walk at age 2 with braces on her ankles, and struggling with falling all the way through age 5 —> she is dancing in her first recital in a few weeks
She will probably never potty 
train —> we have now even mastered all night without wetting the bed 
train —> we have now even mastered all night without wetting the bed ........... this could be a much, much longer list....
The transformation our family has experienced with her most days is beyond words...
There were so many days without hope... just wondering how we were going to get through the next few hours... thinking about a future was an insane idea and too exhausting...
Today, we dream with Mia....
We have learned so many things along this journey with her, and weirdly thankful even for all the hard days because it helped us transform to today.....
Oh how I can’t wait to watch the transformation to keep happening and watch her blossom
into the soul I always knew was in there from the very beginning.
into the soul I always knew was in there from the very beginning.
Easiest Gluten-Free Play Dough Recipe
Ingredients:
1 Cup White Rice Flour
1/2 Cup Cornstarch
1/2 Cup Salt
1 Tbsp Cream of Tartar
1-1/2 tsp vegetable oil
1 Cup Water, hot but not boiling
Food Coloring, as desired ( I used India Tree Natural Food Coloring)
5-6 Drops of Essential Oils
Directions:
1 Mix all dry ingredients together in a medium pot.
Ingredients:
1 Cup White Rice Flour
1/2 Cup Cornstarch
1/2 Cup Salt
1 Tbsp Cream of Tartar
1-1/2 tsp vegetable oil
1 Cup Water, hot but not boiling
Food Coloring, as desired ( I used India Tree Natural Food Coloring)
5-6 Drops of Essential Oils
Directions:
1 Mix all dry ingredients together in a medium pot.
2 Add the vegetable oil, then the water, and continue to mix until thoroughly combined.
3 Heat the pot on the stove over low heat for about 3 minutes. I like to stir frequently with a silicone spatula.
4 When the dough starts to pull away from the sides easily, turn out the dough onto parchment paper. Let it cool briefly until you can work it with your hands.
5 Knead food coloring into the dough until you get the color you desire.
6 Divide dough into how many colors or containers you want to make. I divided mine into 3 colors, and then added 6 drops of essential oil to each color.
Additional Notes:
• Don’t overcook the dough. It shouldn’t need more than five minutes.
• To add food coloring, I use the method I’ve used since I was a kid: Using your thumbs, make a well in the middle of the ball of dough and drop the food coloring into the well. Close up the well with the outside dough, keeping the food coloring in the middle of the ball. Then, carefully begin kneading it until the color is evenly distributed throughout the dough.
• You don’t have to use the parchment paper. The dough shouldn’t be sticky. I use the parchment paper to simply keep residue and food coloring off my counter top. Wax paper or a plate would work just as well.
• If needed, adjust the texture with small amounts of water (for dry, crumbly dough) or cornstarch (for sticky dough).
• Makes about 2 cups of play dough, or about 2 baseball-size balls of dough.
Store in tightly sealed plastic bags or containers.
