Faith's Rockin' 23rd Birthday

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Faith began planning her 23rd birthday party about 3 months ago! Everyone sort of laughed at that time and tried to tell her she had a ways to go before her birthday. Now, just like that, it's over!  Faith's cake and some of the decorations  She really enjoyed the surprise birthday party we threw for a friend of ours last year at Pizza Ranch, so she decided that's where she wanted her party. When I asked her what she wanted for a theme, she totally surprised me by saying, "Bon Jovi!" (We listen to a lot of Bon Jovi in the van!)  I was all onboard with her Pizza Ranch plan, because that would make things pretty easy for me. I wouldn't have to worry about feeding everyone. The only drawback was that we could only get a room that accommodated about 25 people, so this year, we weren't able to invite the whole church and many others. (Faith has a lot of friends!)  The birthday girl!  On the other hand, it worked well to have somewhat of a smaller party as she h...
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Faith's First Bus Ride Ever!

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For kids at school in Bismarck, today marked the official end of Christmas vacation. But for Faith, it wasn't just any ordinary back-to-school day. She started the New Year off by taking the bus to school! It was her first bus ride EVER!

I could tell she was a little nervous this morning about her big adventure. We waited downstairs in our lobby for about five minutes then it was there - the big orange school bus. I rolled her outside and turned her backwards so they could get her situated onto the lift. When the lift began going up, Faith began to relax and even smiled.


Faith getting loaded onto the bus


Once she was in the bus, they locked her chair in place, and I hurried down to the school to meet her. As I hoofed it down over the snow-covered sidewalks, I was thankful that today was the day Faith started taking the bus - it would have been difficult to get Faith over the sidewalks with all that unshoveled snow.

I barely made it to the school before they began to unload her. As they got her onto the lift, she was all smiles! Then, when the bus driver wheeled her over to me Faith exclaimed, "I rode the school bus! Mommy, I did it!" It was music to my ears to hear her so excited!

Here she comes off the bus!




YAY! We did it! I know that putting Faith on the bus at least through the rest of the winter was the right decision and it makes it even better that it is something fun for her!

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