And This is Where it All Began!

     It is hard to believe that in 50 days from now my baby will be ten years old.  The title for this blog comes from our second son Keith.  The day Josh was born I was walking the halls of the old maternity ward at St.Lukes waiting to see if they were going to send us back home or not, when all of a sudden I had a hugh contraction right in front of the waiting room and my water broke!  Of course they had carpet not tile!  Josh was in the NICU for 12 days after he was born and when ever anyone would come to visit Keith was more than happy to take them on the tour. He always started his tour at the waiting room door with his famous words, "And this is where it all began!"  What a journey it has been!  Occassionally a few people have asked the question, "Don't you ever wish Joshua was born normal?"  Define "normal".  Can anyone?  I have heard it said on more than one occassion that we are only perfect when we come out of the womb.  I believe this to be true.  But I also believe that Josh is closer to perfect than most of us because he doesn't judge others.  He doesn't look at others disabilities or weaknesses and make fun of them or even point them out.  To Josh we are all the same.  I wish I had the ability to see everyone like that too and not have to work at it.  Do I wish Josh were born normal?  Not in a million years!  Now don't get me wrong, there are days when I ask God, "Why me?  Are you sure I am cut out for this job?"  But I can honestly say that I have learned so much from this wonderful little guy that God gave to me to look after that I wouldn't change things at all.  It's very easy to get all caught up thinking about how different things might have been especially when the day was "paved with a few extra pot holes and some speed bumps too", but then he comes up to you out of the blue and gives you a big hug and kiss and says, "Thanks Mom, I'm glad  you my mom. I love you." And I end up saying an extra thanks to God!  Thanks for bring Josh into our lives! 

The Road Map Better Known as God's Plan

     God has a miraculous way of getting us ready for what he has planned for us.  If you would have told me 15 years ago I was going to be working in a school with a child with special needs I would have said "Yeah right, in your dreams!"  First off school wasn't my favorite thing as a child and secondly I knew nothing about handicapped kids, I went to school for business management, not education.  But God placed our family in a small town in Iowa instead of moving us to Texas and I went to register my 2 boys for school and asked if they had a PTA sign up sheet so I could volunteer at school and that is when the principal handed me an application.  Who could have known that working with that student and other kids along with the wonderful teaching staff for 5 years was God's way of preparing me for having my beautiful son Joshua who was born with Down Syndrome?  The only answer to that question is God himself.  The only title that truly fits this post is the one that is listed above because that is what life with Josh is really like.  A road map is not just one straight line that gets you from point A to point B.  There are twists and turns, detours, and even the occasional road block.  You can even get to the same place by taking a different route every time you travel to that destination.  That is exactly what life is like with Josh.  The road from point A to B is never straight or easy, and very seldom is it the same every day but, with this map you meet some wonderful people along the way who help shape this little man who I am very proud to call my son.  I hope you will follow us along on our journey, and watch what God has instore for Joshua and his family!