Ani's response to me tonight

When I was telling Ani her nite-nite prayer, I finished and told her that I loved her forever and ever.  She vocalized.  She made the same sound that she's made before when I told her that I loved her.  So, I told her that "Yes dear, I know that you're saying you love me too, thank you".  She smiled.  Also, I told her that she should never give up trying to talk to me.  Don't let anyone tell you that you can't do it, even a little voice in your head saying "I can't do it".  "You tell that little voice to shut up, because you are brave.  Annika is brave.  I think you're brave, mommy thinks you're brave, Auntie Sue thinks you're brave, and God thinks you're brave".  As I was telling her this, she got this really big, open mouthed smile that lasted past the "God thinks you're brave".  I SO WANT to believe that she's processing so much of this, and that she's just TEMPORARILY stuck in this body that doesn't want to behave.  Yeah, I know that temporarily might mean many months more, but I have this problem where my human weaknesses get in the way of me holding on to hope sometimes.  I want to believe, but my own little voice of "what if she doesn't" comes to me.  Maybe I should use the words I tell Ani to tell myself.  However, I'm not sure I'm brave.  I get so sad and weak sometimes that it's almost paralyzing.  It only lasts a few minutes, then I can pull myself together.  But it's so very hard.