You Can Do It

[caption id="attachment_3337" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Two-year-old Ellie and her Agogo."][/caption]

Ellie has been awake the entire day, which hasn't happened since I cannot recall when.  Although she could not talk intelligibly, she made moises (mouth noises) and played finger games (we always thought finger games were the best because you always have them with you).  It has been an exhausting day of trying to memorize every single inch of her.  Every time I think she is going to fall asleep, her eyes pop back open.  I feel so wange (weird strange) right now and I wonder how Ellie is feeling at this point.  It seems similar to that point in birth when you just feel that there is no way you can possibly go on.   It also seems as if she is hovering above us, only half here.      

 

Here is an Ellie lesson from my mom, Rosemary, who lives in Malawi. 

MY LESSON FROM ELLIE - YOU CAN DO IT

Even though I was the one who suggested that we ask people for "Lessons from Ellie", it has taken me a long time to be able to sit down and write what I have learned.  Part of the reason for the delay is that there are so many, it is difficult to pin point one.  The other part is that the responses have been so beautifully written, that I've wondered if my words could even compare with what others have already said.

 

One day, I was trying to open something and felt like it was too difficult for me and so wanted to give up. Suddenly Ellie said very convincingly to me, "You can do it".  Those words spoken by her in such a courageous voice, gave me the power to try again and sure enough "I could do it"!  Many times since then when I felt like giving up or circumstances, especially in Africa when the needs are so great and I feel overwhelmed, I can hear HER saying "You can do it".  I suddenly feel the courage to go on and to not give up and try again to do whatever it is I must do. 

I feel so blessed to be a part of her life and for having learned ALL the lessons that she has taught me and so many others.  She has truly been one of my greatest teachers and I'm thankful that her words of encouragement will always be a part of my life.

Love and huggle-snuggles from Agogo (the word for grandma in Malawi)

[caption id="attachment_3338" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Agogo and an even younger Ellie."][/caption]

As her grandmother who also has Rose in her name (Ellie is Elisabeth Rose), we have felt a kindred spirit and on each visit would compare all the things that we have in common - favorite colors, not liking loud noises, making up new words, reading books and chit-chatting among the many we would discover.