Wow, we sure have come a long ways since that night on my daughters 8th birthday when our car was stolen, along with her wheelchair, booster seat and handicapped placard.

 It seems that someone is certainly watching over us. A local radio station did a public service announcement in hopes that one of its listeners would spot the car. Two weeks later, we received bad news the Friday before Memorial Day weekend that the car was found, but the damage to the car was more than what the trade in value was. These chain of events started us down another path that I didn't quite understand but since coming to the end of this path, I understand quite well.

Struggling to come to terms with the loss and invasion of our "space" was tough. I never felt so violated, so helpless, so alone as I did then. I searched my heart, and knew that I had to have faith, that God would see us through this. So I did and our prayers were soon answered by someone who saw my post at Masslive.com. From there, Tom Shea wrote an article in our local paper and we were overwhlemed by the outpour of responses and support. We were well on our way to getting the bike I so desperately wanted to get for my daughter; when that wasn't even my intention in the first place. Sometimes prayers that have gone silent for so long do get answered.

To make a long story short, my brother and his wife helped me with some money to get another car, the booster seat was replaced as was the handicapped placard. Slowly, things started to turn around for us and we were getting back to a sense of normalcy.

On Friday, August 27th, the Friday before Labor Day weekend, Ayla received her very first "bike". Actually it is a tricycle, but if you ask her, she'll tell you outright that it's her bike. What a day that was and how excited she was to finally get it after all this time.

Shriners Hospital, along with Burke Medical Equipment, worked together to get Ayla another wheelchair and on Friday, September 10th, Ayla received her new wheelchair! A pretty blue one like her last wheelchair. She proudly showed off her new wheelchair to her teacher and classmates at Pottenger Elementary who "oohed" and "aaahhed" over the slick looking chair.

:sighs: So yes, we've come a long ways since that night back in May. I've said it before and I'll say it again. Life is an adventure, with all of its ups and downs. Having faith  can make all the difference in the world on how one handles the adventure.  ~  Peace be with you