8 years ago:

This little man came into our world 8 years ago yesterday. There is so much I want to say, but time keeps getting away. 




He unexpectedly arrived 3 weeks early on a cold February morning in New Haven, CT, getting his Daddy, then a 3rd year resident at Yale, out of an overnight call in the medical ICU at the VA hospital. He unexpectedly arrived with an extra 21st chromosome. He then proceeded to unexpectedly steal the hearts of every person he encountered for the next 8 years.




People have a habit of saying things like God only gives you what you can handle and you must be special people.  I don't think that's true at all. I think that God gives you what you need. I needed a child just like Thomas. He has taught me so very much in his short life.  It may sound contrite, but I feel so enormously blessed to be given the privilege of raising him. Is it easy? Of course not. It's not easy raising my other two either. 

He's taught me to slow down. He's taught me to see the joy in the little, tiny, overlooked things. He's taught me to see progress in terms of weeks and years, not always in days. He's taught me that people ARE inherently good, at least most of the time. He's taught me to be so very thankful for his good health and strong heart, knowing that is not always the case.

 

So while there are 10,000 other things I could say, what I am going to leave with is, Happy birthday my dear, sweet, lovable, challenging, wonderful, boy. I love you so much.