"Behold, I will do something new!"
We've never managed to make Faith keep still to take a photograph. Her autism makes her restless and unable to understand the concept of taking photographs.
One day, she joined her siblings, gathering around my phone to look at the photos in it. Three kids crowding around me, in our bed, wanting to see photos I took of them.
Amused, I held up my phone and asked them, "You want me to take your photo?"
I only expected Isaac and Joy to say yes, since Faith wouldn't understand what I was asking.
To my surprise, Faith nodded and looked at my camera phone, keeping still for her photo.
I thought it was a coincidence, so after showing them the shot, I asked again., "Do you guys want Papa to take your photo?"
Isaac and Joy gave a cheerful "Yes!"... and Faith nodded her head again. And kept still.
I was a little surprised at her understanding, but just took the shot anyway, throwing in a "Smile!"
Faith gave me a "boh gei" grin, her missing front teeth making her look even cuter.
So she not only understood what taking a photo was, she understood the word "Smile".
And that is how my 2007 ended. With a toothless smile from my autistic daughter, keeping still for the first time for a photo.
I cannot wait for the new things to come 2008. New smiles, new faiths, new laughter, and new joys.
And I wish them all for you too.
