A Pony for the Princess.

Every girl wants a pony, right?  In this case, it's a lovely purple Pony - well used, but still functional, on loan courtesy of our wonderful PT!  The best news is, Marissa doesn't hate it!!  A few months ago, her rehab doc wrote for a Pacer Gait Trainer, but the likelihood of insurance covering it is slim to none.  We'll still have her trial one at some point, but in the meantime, the Pony is working out beautifully to get Marissa some time upright and even a little bit of weight bearing.  We have been working on getting her into a stander, but she absolutely will not tolerate it.  I think it is way too confining for her - too many straps, too much velcro; too much like being strapped down for an MRI, CT or other obnoxious medical procedure.  I'm grateful we found something she tolerates because it is so important for her to spend some time vertical.  She enjoys it, too, so hopefully it'll be motivating for her.

Totally Sporadic Post

I'm way overdue...for many things.  I need to explain my private blog, elaborate on our trip, talk about the kids - all of them, update on our adoption processes, wish you all a Merry Christmas, and of course post pictures, just to name a few.  I have wanted to post, really I have; but every time I sit down to try I can't seem to find the right words or formulate a nice flow for a post that will make sense.  So, I guess in an effort to just move along, I'll lay it all out in one big end-of-the-year conjumbled, sporadic mess. 

The private blog.  It is temporary, I think.  I needed a place that was safe for just a while.  Kevin and I have been under attack recently, unfortunately by members of our own family who have feigned support for over a year now.  About six months ago I was blindsided by one brother and two weeks ago, blindsided by another.  Much to our surprise, they do not agree with our adoption processes.  One equated letting his children play with ours to letting "his kids play outside in a lighting storm."  The other said that "we are adopting our children to gain attention for ourselves."  We were also told that we are doing a disservice to Esen and Marissa by adding more children to our family.  This coming from people who have never taken a moment to get to know them, who have found Marissa to be too overwhelming and too difficult - not worth their time.  They have passed judgement, blame, charged us with tearing our family apart when it is actually they who have opted out.  It is my job to advocate and educate, but I cannot cure ignorance.  I am at a place where I need to surround myself with people who can provide genuine love and support for us and for our children.

We have a motto in our home - "Families are Forever" -  It's a book we read often and anytime anyone's sad or worried, Esen repeats this mantra.  I intend to keep this motto going and I won't subject my children to the negativity and ignorance of others.  If people choose to isolate themselves, it is they who will miss out!

So, I needed to limit access to our family's story, to our childrens' stories, but I didn't want to stop sharing and I didn't want to stop chronicling our journey.  I feel like I have an important story to tell.  This blog isn't written for entertainment purposes.  It is first and foremost a journal for my kids.  It has also morphed into a support system and educational forum.  I have never forced anyone to read it, but I guess they couldn't help themselves and were frequently offended by the content.  In an effort to spare them, it'll be private for just a while.  For those who have stuck with us, Thank You!

We arrived home from Ethiopia on Saturday, December 10th, to the very sad news that my dear Grandmother had passed away early that morning.  She was a beautiful, inspirational woman whom I will miss very much.  While her health had declined steadily over the past several years, I don't think one is every really ready to say goodbye.  She was the epitome of grace, strength and unconditional love and I am so sad that she was not able to meet her newest grandchildren. 

Our time in Ethiopia was totally amazing.  I can't convey what it was like to be there, to experience the country, the culture; to see and meet and touch the people.  Simply telling you about it doesn't really mean much - you have to experience it.  I was talking with a friend about our experiences today and what I said to her was that we were long overdue for a life-changing trip.  We had one in Kyrgyzstan nearly 5 years ago and I didn't fully realize the backslide that had occurred in our lives until we went to Ethiopia.  Again, we have been reminded what life is truly about.  Our tiny, overpriviledged, little corner of the world is so insignificant in the whole scheme of things.  We met some amazing people, held some amazing children, and a piece of my heart will forever stay in Addis Ababa.  You will hear more in the coming weeks about some of the children we met there.  I have committed to doing more for them.

Bamlak and Hiwot are incredible, beautiful, precious souls.  They know fully that we are their parents and that they are coming to America.  Bamlak is a very sensitive little boy who will likely have some challenges at first.  He is also full of life and mischief and will likely team up with Esen to successfully turn the remaining brown hair I have grey!  Hiwot is a teeny, tiny bundle of cuteness that just dances around singing all the time.  I don't think I ever saw her without a smile on her face and her giggle is like nothing I have ever heard!  We HOPE that our case will clear the US Embassy by February - the final stage in this leg of the adoption process.  My Mom has decided she is up for a life-changing journey and will accompany me back to Ethiopia to bring the children home!

Here at home, our brave friends, Jean and Greg held down the fort and kept our beloved Esen and Marissa safe and sound while we were travelling.  We are so thankful to have friends that love and care for us and for our children as if they were their own.  The kids did awesome and (I think) Jean and Greg are still our friends! 

Esen has been singing Christmas carols for weeks and has been anxiously awaiting Santa's arrival.  Last night we took him to see Santa and he insisted that he wanted to take him a "lunch," so he packed him up some cookies and also carrots for the reindeer.   He has had a few selfish moments where he has mentioned that he wished there were "more" presents under the tree, but I have continued to remind him that he needs to be thankful for what he has and he has been very good about it.  We are having a pretty light Christmas this year, not only because of all of our adoption expenses, but also because when I look back at previous years, there's always just too much "stuff."  I still think we have too much and I intend to continually trim it down - wean them off so to speak.  They won't be deprived, just conscious of what they have and what others don't have.

Marissa....oh, Marissa.  She has had a rough past week or so.  Her gagging has slowly been returning over the past couple of weeks and is now back to near-constant.  She is also irritable and head-banging.  She has been sick on-and-off pretty consistently for about the past six months and her pediatrician is concerned that she may be developing asthma or another chronic lung issue - the joys of being a preemie.  She did have an MRI yesterday to rule out shunt malfunction just because of her recent behavior changes.  I'm happy to report it was the "best looking MRI" yet!  You know what that means - her FIRST CHRISTMAS without a shunt malfunction.  That's a lot to celebrate!  Her behaviors are quite unmanageable at the moment, though.  We could really use some good vibes sent out for her.  Despite getting her off one seizure med a couple months back, we've added daily nebulized meds and increased her constipation meds and she's on an immune supplement.  I would add Melatonin as suggested by her rehab doc, but sometimes it's just overwhelming to look at this pile of meds and consider adding yet another.

In Kyrgyzstan adoption news - we've not had any updates from our agency with regard to Kamila or how she is doing because as of last week, we don't have an agency!  I can't say I'm surprised because they have been, in my opinion, inching towards closing the doors for quite some time now, but I can say that they way they did it and notified families was total crap.  They sent a form letter out via email to some families, but not to others so some had to find out via word-of-mouth.  What this means for us and the process is uncertain.  We still have our attorney working for us and Kyrgyzstan hasn't yet announced the three accredited agencies.  We will have to go with one of the three who is accredited by the Kyrgyz government.  Our file will be transferred and hopefully all will work out, the biggest hurdle is likely to be a financial one.  New Agency = all new Agency fees.  Still, she is our daughter, has been for 3 1/2 years and I've said it a million times - we won't walk away from her.

This Holiday Season, we have been unbelievably blessed by the generosity of some very kind-hearted souls who have supported our adoption through financial gift and prayer.  We are grateful beyond words.  There are times when "Thank You" seems so inadequate and we have had several of those moments lately.  I am continually amazed by the selflessness I see in others.  You know who you are - you have to know that you have changed the course of our lives and of our childrens' lives and we are and will always be eternally grateful!

I think that's it in a nutshell.  Merry Christmas to each of you.  I hope the Holidays bring you peace and love, happiness and strength.  I hope you all have good health and take the time to remember what is truly important.

Give Hope in Ethiopia

Hope Ethiopia from Lifesong for Orphans on Vimeo.

Children at the Lifesong Ethiopia school  are fed 2 nutritious meals per day, provided with a quality education, and taught the message of Jesus Christ. This gives kids like Beza the hope they need in order to break free from gripping poverty.

We currently have a need to build a 12-room expansion to our existing school, in order to reach more children like Beza. We have been blessed, by the generosity of a donor, to be able to MATCH all donations to the Ziway and Adami Tulu Schools between now and December 31st... up to $130,000!!!

This week, the 5^th through the 9^th, we invite you to join Hope Ethiopia:100. We are looking for 100 people to give a one-time $100 donation! 

Joining this team will not only give hope to kids like Beza, but your dollars will be matched AND you'll be entered into a drawing for a FABULOUS gift basket (details below).

Help us achieve the next $10,000 by being a part of our Hope Ethiopia: 100 Team!

Together we can make a difference in the lives of these kids!  Together we can do more to bring joy and purpose to orphans!

And don't forget to keep checking the Lifesong blog for updates all week!

*Gift basket includes: $100 itunes or amazon gift card, Lifesong t-shirt, Lifesong cookbook,Journey On CD, handmade necklaces & note cards by orphans in Zambia, handmade ornament from a child in Ukraine, 5 bags of Gobena coffee, Gobena coffee
mug, Gobena t-shirt, andGobena tote bag. This basket is worth over $250!


*To commit via check, please send an email to info@lifesongfororphans.org. Make check payable to Lifesong for Orphans, indicate 'preference Hope Ethiopia: 100' in the memo.

Goodbye

A hard, hard day - lots of tears were shed.  We're leaving a piece of our hearts here in Ethiopia.

Introducing

Okay, I've tortured you long enough. Oh, and yes, they have names!
Without further adeu, we're so proud to introduce the two coolest kids
in Addis Ababa: Bamlak & Hiwot!

Today was a very emotional day to top off what has been a roller
coaster ride of a past week and a half. I'm going to keep this post
strictly adoption related, although I will say there's been a ton of
really heavy stuff going on that has just compounded our stress
lately.

Last Wednesday, we received a call from our agency coordinator.
Actually, I got an email and a message on my cell - both stating that
she wanted me to call her as there had been an "interesting
development" in H's case. I don't have to tell anyone experienced
with adoption that this is NOT something you want to hear, especially
4 days before boarding a plane for your children's court hearing.

My stomach turning, I called her and got some pretty shocking news. I
won't share it here as it is H's story to keep for herself, but it was
very difficult to get on the plane and go through the first couple of
days here not knowing what was going to happen. Needless to say,
things have worked out the way they were intended and here we are,
parents to two more amazing, beautiful little miracles!

Our court hearing today was less than five minutes, our coveted MOWA
comment was there and the hearing concluded with those four glorious
words: "Congratulations, they are yours!."

The highlight of our day was definitely our visit with the kids. They
sang "Mommy...Daddy...Mommy...Daddy..." for the entire three hours we
were there. They rarely wanted to be put down. We're starting to see
their personalities a little more and it's interesting to imagine how
they're going to fit into our family. We can see that food will be an
issue, as will sharing toys and attention - those things all to be
expected. They are both incredibly smart and pick up on things very
quickly. We're still pretty surprised at how tiny they actually are.
The measurements they give us each month correlate to Esen and
Marissa, but in person, they definitely don't match up. H is wearing
a 2T and B is wearing a 3T. Guess I should've held onto some smaller
clothes!!

There's another very sweet family here from Tennessee who are adopting
a sibling group of three from the same orphanage, H's best friend and
B's best friend among them; so we've enjoyed spending time with them.
We're enjoying the restaraunts, shops and went to the National Museum
this afternoon. The only thing we're not enjoying is the pollution -
my sinuses and lungs are truly hurting.

Tomorrow is a light day as all the "business" is done. We see the
kids, have lunch, visit another orphanage and probably do a little
more shopping. I love it here, I can't imagine leaving B & H
behind. I can't imagine that final goodbye, but at the same time, I
miss Esen and Marissa so much. We Skyped last night and it was so
hard not to just scoop them up and hold them. Soon, very soon, I
hope, we will all be together.

Hello From Addis Ababa

We made it in late Mon night.  Our travel was awesome, smooth, perfect, really!  We just finally got an internet connection and it's not the best, but I'm attempting to make some contacts.  We met the kids today and they are absolute sweet angels!!  We are so in love!!  Tomorrow is court, more time with the kids, probably some sight-seeing and some shopping.  Addis is an amazing city and we are once again being reminded why there is so much to be thankful for.

Bon Voyage

We leave this morning!  I really can't believe it.  I'm not quite ready to share the events of this week that have lead to the privatizing of my blog or that can explain my somber silence over the past few days.  It's been a lot to take in.  Perhaps over the next few days, I will have time and energy to share more.  Please keep our dear friends, Greg and Jean in your thoughts and prayers as they embark on their own journey of caring for Esen and Marissa this week.  We are so grateful to have friends who love us and love our children unconditionally. 

I hope that I'll be able to update from Addis, but I'm told the internet connection is sketchy at best, so I'll try.  I think I'll at least be able to email some posts in and hopeful I'll even be able to include a picture or two!

7 Days

Soon, very soon - I will have to begin to think about packing!

13 days.....

We are going to meet our kids in just 13 days.  I really can hardly believe it.  I am filled with anticipation and a lot fear.  My fear does not stem from the flight or the meeting or traveling, but from the fact that we are still so far from having the funds necessary to actually bring the kids HOME.  We have applied to every grant organization out there.  We have held fundraising events large and small.  We have refinanced, taken loans, liquidated every asset we have available, picked up extra jobs, extra shifts, done away with non-necessities and still we have fallen short.  It is through sheer generosity and the loving hearts of others that we will make it now. 

By going through From HIV to Home (a 501(c)(3) not for profit) you can claim any donation as a tax write off and save two lives.  The total expenses for this adoption are going to be upwards of $48,000. The money donated to their fund (and it needs to be designated for The Fenske Family at the time of the contribution) goes directly to B & H, so if for some reason we ended up not adopting them (NOT GOING TO HAPPEN), the money stays with them and helps another family bring them home. We don't see a cent of it unless it is for their adoption.  Many people may ask why we are doing this when we don't have the finances up front. That is a very valid question. It's for the same reason that people finance their vehicles, boats, other "toys", vacations and have a mortgages on their homes. We simply don't have $48,000 to plunk down all at once to complete another adoption. If we waited until we did, then the children would have to wait, too. B & H don't have that luxury - they cannot afford to wait.

So will you take the leap with us?  Could you do without 1 dinner out, 1 less present under the Christmas tree, 1 less latte if it meant that two children could be saved?  It would mean the world to us and to them.

A Brave Little Soul Lost

This past week, the world lost an amazing, beautiful, very special little boy.  His parents fought for him, prayed for him and waited for him for so very long.  He came into this world fighting and for three months, his parents lived the life few of us have known - trapped within the walls of a hospital.  Eloquent and adequate words escape me right now.  I simply have had none to share since I learned of his passing.  My heart hurts.  I saw him just two weeks ago, held him, was amazed by his strength and how wonderful he was doing.  There had been talk of his homecoming, there were plans being made.  He had one more hurdle to clear - a permanent shunt placement to address his hydrocephalus.  Up until last week, he had a temporary shunt which had to be tapped every few days.  For anyone who has ever had to endure or witness their child undergo shunt taps, it's an unpleasant, to say the least, experience.  I assured his Mom that this surgery would be routine, that what happened to Marissa last year following one of her shunt revisions most certainly wouldn't happen to her son.  I assured her that this was a straight-forward procedure, that he was strong and that he of course had the world's best surgeon in the world.

Surgery is NEVER without risk - I know that, we ALL know that.  Little bodies are fragile and you just never know how they are going react.  Still, we go into each and every procedure hoping that all will go as planned.  For sweet baby S, things did not.  He suffered a hemorrhage and unable to be stabilized, he passed away in the arms of his family. 

Not a day has gone by since Wednesday, February 3, 2010, that I have not relived Marissa's third hemorrhage.  I know every single event of that day.  I can close my eyes and see it playing out in slow motion, I can see what people were wearing, I can smell the smells, hear the sounds, everything.  Call it a solid memory, PTSD, whatever you want, but I don't think it will ever go away.  When a person walks that line or their child walks that line - the line between life and death - you don't get to forget.  The thing is, we got our daughter back - we got to take her home.  She has had 35 surgeries, THREE brain hemorrhages, yet she has survived and we get to go on with our lives as a family.  For Baby S's family, they were robbed of their chance to spend Thanksgiving and Christmas together, to watch their son grow.  They will bury their baby and that is just plain wrong.  I know they will never get that day out of their minds and I know there is absolutely nothing anyone can do or say right now to ease their pain.

I have survivor's guilt.  I have no words to provide to them.  How do you wrap up what you want to say to someone in a sympathy card?  How can you say anything to someone who has just lost the most precious thing on Earth?  How do we just forge ahead knowing that they have been left behind?

Lifesong's Incredible Holiday Project!

Make a Difference in ONE Life!

What is your holy discontent? What is your God-given passion on this earth? You know, that one thing that MOVES you to action, that brings you to tears, and causes you to lose sleep? We have a passion, a yearning to see justice for the fatherless!

"Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow." - Isaiah 1:17


2011 Gifts of Purpose from Lifesong for Orphans on Vimeo.

It's that time of year again. Holiday music rings through your speaker systems. Decorations light up your street corners. Families gather together.It's the season of love, joy and family.  

As we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ during this season of giving, we often forget to give to those who NEED it most! This year give differently. Give FAMILY to the 147 million orphans worldwide who dream of belonging. Give HOPE to children living on the streets whose only Christmas wish is survival.

What if, this year, your family gave a gift to those who need it most? A gift that won't fit under the tree? 

Would you consider making a difference in ONE LIFE...

•  Help a child break free from gripping poverty.

•  Give the love of Jesus through Christian mentors.

•  Give a future to an orphan's caregiver.

This year join Lifesong for Orphans in giving a gift with purpose. A gift that will speak Jesus to a child. Introducing Lifesong's 2011 Gifts of Purpose Catalog. 

NOW, for even more exciting news....

In Ethiopia, children need an education to break free from gripping poverty. Public schools are lacking, so kids are left behind without the  HOPE of an education or future. Our current Lifesong school is not only giving by teaching these children about Jesus, but also feeding 350 hungry children 2 meals each day. We currently have a need to build a 12-room expansion to our existing school... please join us to make a difference in a child's life.

As of last night, we have a generous donor that has stepped up to MATCH all donations to the Ziway and Adami Tulu Schools in Ethiopia between now and December 31st... up to $130,000!!!!!! Can you tell I'm excited? What a GENEROUS way to make the most of your giving and bless the children and families in these communities! Let me tell you first hand, these schools NEED to be expanded... these children NEED an education... they NEED to be fed each day... they NEED to hear about Jesus! Lets give HOPE to these precious children in Ethiopia!

Would you join us in prayer as we seek to make the need known?

MAKE A MATCHED DONATION NOW!
***You can use the link above to make a matched donation OR select any of the Hope Ethiopia options below. 

Gift of $30 cares for 2 children for 1 month.

Gift in Honor of

Gift of $525 cares for 35 children for 1 month.

Gift in Honor of

Gift of $1,500 furnishes one classroom.

Gift in Honor of

Also, don't forget that you can give a gift in honor of a loved one this holiday season!

PODCAST

Tomorrow, the lovely and talented Suzanne is hosting a podcast along with two other very lovely waiting Kyrgyz mamas.  If you're able, please tune in for updates on the delays and more importantly, to learn how YOU can help.  Visit: Mother The World for details.

Scentsy for Kamila

My amazing friend, Linda, is sponsoring a Scentsy fundraiser for Kamila's adoption fund.  You can read about Linda and her incredible husband, Dan, in an article published just this morning HERE.  They truly exemplify selflessness and dedication to helping children overcome adversity.  They are amazing parents and wonderful people.  Although they have so much on their plate with work and family, they found a place in their hearts for Kamila and have on many occasions reached out to our family and offered support through prayer and fundraising for her adoption long after others in our lives gave up on her.  We are so grateful to them and they will forever be a part of hers and our lives! 

Please go to Linda's site and check out the amazing Scentsy products.  The photo here is my scentsy warmer, a gift from Linda, and it lights up my kitchen every single day.  The Holidays are fast approaching - you could not only help Kamila find her way home, but brighten someones day with a beautiful gift from Scentsy. 

COURT DATE!

We have a court date!  We REALLY, REALLY do!  I'm shocked, amazed, a little freaked out and so indescribably happy!  We will be in Ethiopia Dec 5-9th - we're going to MEET OUR KIDS in like 30 days!! 

Now the real race begins.  I wish I had something incredible to give a way.  I wish I had some great contest to host, but I just don't.  We have a long ways to go to raise the ransom to spring our kids and a very, very short time to raise it.  Please link us, like us, pass our family's story along.  We have lots of ways people can support our adoption.  Our kids really want to come home!!

Happy Adoption Day Noodle!

Two years ago our lives were forever changed with the 'surprise' blessing of a very tiny and very spunky baby girl!  Marissa has truly transformed our family, our lives and our souls.  She has changed our view of the world, our values and made us, I think, better people.  Not a moment goes by that I am not grateful for every second I'm allowed to be her mom!

This photo slideshow customized with Smilebox

How Will YOU Choose to Make a Difference?

 November 6th is Orphan Sunday

Happy Halloween!

I'm Begging for a Pie in the Face!

The Wright Family over at Act of Kindness are once again hosting the Pie Challenge for the orphans of Kyrgyzstan.  Please take some time, first, to watch last year's pie video below for a little preview of what it is all about.



Forty people have pledged to take a pie in the face this year, yours truly included, which translates into Christmas and a year's worth of vitamins for 2000 Kyrgyz orphans!  Kamila has benefited in the past and once gain, this year, she will spend her FOURTH Christmas in an orphanage, away from her family.  Folks, orphans don't get a day off; they don't get to 'forget', they don't get to turn off their loneliness; but for one day, the Wrights will bring them Christmas joy - they will be part of a family.  Better yet, for an entire year, they will receive life saving vitamins!

Please consider going over to the Wright's blog and making a donation in my name so that I can reach my goal of $500 and earn a pie.  I would be so grateful, but don't just do it for me.  Do it for Kamila, do it for the 2000 orphans left without families who will benefit, and do it for Esen because what 5-year-old doesn't dream of throwing a pie in their mommy's face?!

Gifts for the Kids (and us)

We finally got the green light to send a care package to B & H.  A wonderful, sweet family who travelled this past week for court took it along and sent us this email about their experience in delivering it:



Hi Shannon,

Yesterday we had a chance to meet H and B, they are both so adorable!

They were in school when we arrived, so we waited about an hour for
them to get home and they were really ready to have fun when they got
back.  We found it so sweet how all the kids shared together without
any direction--older ones helping the younger ones open candy and
sharing toys.  All the kids really seem like a big family.  We didn't
know much about (the orphanage) before visiting, so the small number of
children there seems to give them all lots of attention from the
nannies.

When H first came in from school she ran in with her friend S.
jabbering away and greeted us.  They both had to go change clothing
and came back dressed in pink.  H seems so happy, she loved
looking at your photos and naming who you all were (enat, etc).  As
she cuddled her baby doll she sang this sweet little song to it--very
precious.  She was very patient and looked through her whole gift with
such excitement!B was basically a bundle of energy--he ran into the room and
started kicking the balls around.  Our driver helped call him over and
his eyes lit up when he saw the truck.  He was off playing with it
quickly--racing it across the floor and laughing.  He would sit still
for short bursts of time to view the other things, but really the
truck was just so exciting for him.  He did come over by H and
look at the family book together and they chattered away in Amharic
for a bit.

Then of course he rejoined the boys playing ball and zooming his truck!
Both very sweet kids, it was great to meet them!


I can't tell you what it means to us to know that they have a piece of our family with them, that they know they have a family waiting for them.  We are entering the second week since their court case was opened and could hear any day now when our court date will be.  I'm on pins and needles - can't wait to meet them!  Of course, I'm also extremely stressed about how in the world were going to raise the rest of the funds to actually be able to get down there, but I know it just has to work out.

Becoming a Boy

Something happened over the summer – my toddler became a boy.  It happened really fast – like super-fast – like make my head spin, eyes water, wonder what year it is fast.  Six months ago I had a toddler and today I have a little boy, with grown up thoughts and attitudes; a boy who goes off down the street to his friends’ house with a watch on so he returns home on time (and he always does); a boy who is showing amazing responsibility and comprehension; a boy who asks really grown up questions and expects honest answers; a boy who shows more compassion and understanding than many adults I’ve come across.  This boy can now ride a two wheeler, hit a baseball better than any of the older neighborhood kids and read and write better than any of the kids in his Kindergarten class.  Kevin has said several times that (Seinfeld fans will appreciate this) it was “The Summer of Esen.”  I am so proud of him and yet find myself wishing I could go back a little bit, slow things down because I know time is going to continue to race by.  He is so grown up in so many ways, yet still very much my baby.  I worry about him, as I guess I should – I am his mama after all.  I see him playing with his friends and he is so much smaller.  I see him struggle with his sensory issues and worry for the day when he begins to realize that he is different.  I know that all I can do is let him be who he is meant to be and let him grow, learn, make mistakes, guide him to the best of my ability and hope that it is enough.

Enjoy the cuteness that is my little man!