Out of the Mouths of Babes

Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.-Psalm 8:2

For only being one year old, Henry sure has been through a lot of hardships. Physically speaking, his small body has taken some serious hits. Trisomy 21 alone has loads of effects. Besides hindered natural development (physical and mental), other systems affected include air passages, lungs, heart, brain, digestion, even fertility. And that doesn't scratch the surface. Just in the past 16 months, I've become well-informed of medical specialists and types of therapist that, before, I didn't know existed. Thanks to my well-read mother, our whole family has had crash courses in many of Henry's daily needs from speech therapy to checking a blood pressure and glucose numbers. Mom even taught me how to change sheets with a patient still in the bed.

Long and short, because of Addison, I've learned some important lessons. Here are a few:

• Keep fighting when you've no fight left.
• Love doesn't travel and easy road.
• We are intrepid.
• Unconditional love is a choice, and the most beautiful thing God created.
• Sometimes a hug is all it takes to make things seem much brighter.
• A sincere smile can make someone's day.
• Don't waste what God has given you, whether it be time, talent or simply the ability to walk.
• Life, even in the tough parts is a beautiful, beautiful gift.
• Never take anything for granted.
• Just when the storm looks bleakest, Jesus walks out to you across the waves.
• Administering liquid medication to a child with a severe posterior tongue-tie is tortuous until God inspires a plan. (we recently discovered a great trick that reduced our "dosing" time from 30 minutes to 5 minutes or less...definitely a God-thing!)
• Turning the ones you love over to God is a daily necessity. It isn't easy, but gives great blessings once it's done.
• "God will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee: because he trusteth in Thee." (Isaiah 26:3)
• Prayer is way more powerful than any of us will ever be able to comprehend.
• Life is too precious to not spend every single moment crammed full of living, savoring everything thrown your way, and finding the beautiful in it.

Addison, Henry, I love you my little man. Thank you.

Proud. You make me proud.Don't know how to say it any better.Proud. You make me proud.Win or lose, well it really doesn't matter.'Cause you step up to the plate, Swinging for the fence.You're gonna change the world around you, I'm convinced.Just look how you're changing me-Making me proud.-Proud, Steven Curtis Chapman