Lessons from my daughter

Whats the saying? When life gives you lemon, make lemonade?

I have a new saying now.

When google street view post the picture of your house for the world to see, let the world see it.

Obviously, it’s not the house you see… You see Jake!

I’ve never taken a picture of Jake quite like that. Only google would 🙂

I always try to showcase him differently… More like this:

My lovely husband who is also on our google street view picture knew this was coming. The picture was taken last July but he kept it a secret until Wednesday morning when he jumped in bed to announced that we were finally on street view…

I was somewhat traumatized by it all but Emily took it laughing. Shortly after witnessing the happiness of my child at seeing something so silly I decided to embrace the Emily way.

Once at work I showed my colleagues, who shared it with more colleagues who told their spouses…

Jake was an overnight sensation…

The next day, I found this on my desk:

Now when Emily saw that my team framed the now famous street view picture, she had the best belly laugh ever, I wished I had filmed her reaction as it was priceless.

Maybe I could ask google to airbrush him out of there… You know in case one day I would like to sell the house but when thinking about it, who cares?

Lets just all laugh, it’s more fun that way!

If you are on Facebook, chances are you’ve been bombarded by quizzes your friends are taking.

What type of dragon are you? Which character of Lord of the Ring are you? And many many many more.

Maybe you are someone like some of my Facebook friends who have answered many of those quizzes.

I don’t answer them, I don’t look at what it means to be this or that…

Until….

Someone answered “what is your mental age?”

She was 34, the friends who tried it got numbers in the 20’s and 30’s. one friend got 16 and swore she was going to do the test again and score higher as there is no way she’s 16.

I took the test. 6 questions or so and got 16!

I didn’t post it to Facebook but I thought about my result.

There are no scientific knowledge behind the scoring system but….

To be 16 mentally would explain so much.

Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t want to physically be 16 again but when I was 16…

I knew everything.

I knew how the world worked.

I knew I could be anything if I tried.

I knew I had potential.

I had dreams.

I believed the world was a great place.

I believed in peace and equality.

I had it all figured out!

😉

Fast forward to now… Life has thrown me some serious curve balls but I still dream, I still believe.

I like to sing my head off with Emily, watch young adult movies, read young adult books. I like to spend time with Emily and daydream with her about pretend world.

I still know everything 😜 and I’m always right 😋

I think the quiz was right. I’m 16 mentally.

I have a job, a house, a husband, a child with special needs, 2 dogs, 2 cars…. And many monthly payments and obligations but above all that I still believe the world is amazing, I still have dreams and I still know that if I want something I can get it by doing the work to get there.

Emily’s diagnosis could have aged me and it did on so many level but she has taught me to be myself, to find happiness in the simple things and celebrate success.

After all, we are only as old as we believe we are and I’m apparently 16!!!