Twenty

I have been dreading this day for a long time.  My poor kids....  I think other parents celebrate their children growing older and mine have to hear about how devastated I am that they are getting so old;-)  They love me anyway, I think.  I go through this process every year.  I am always shocked how quickly time has gone by and where we are already.  This year just seems different, though.  Twenty.  Davin Bruce is 20 years old today. I am now a Mom of kids in their twenties.  Crazy. 

20 years ago, yesterday, my water broke.  That had not happened prior to labor during my previous three pregnancies.  It was an odd sensation to say the least.  Off to the hospital we went.  Considering that my second labor was exactly four hours and my third labor was exactly two and a half hours, I expected our baby to be born quickly.  This labor needed a kick-start, though and I was induced when I got to the hospital.  Being induced took longer, but eventually we welcomed our second baby boy.  God knew I loved things to match.  I had been preparing myself that it would be okay if we had three girls and one boy and if the rooms were not balanced with two children in each room.  I was thrilled that God gave me the surprise of a little brother for Cheney and my matching sets of two girls and two boys:-) 

Davin was known as "Baby No Name" for the first day and then the second day, I began calling him Elijah Bruce.  After much thought and going over names a lot of times, I realized if this baby did not fit in with the first three who were all in ABC order, the cost of therapy for him was not going to be worth me picking the name Elijah that I loved.  We settled on Davin Bruce moments before packing Davin up and heading home. 

It is truly amazing to me when I think back to the young mom who brought home her fourth baby.  My ideas were so different.  I expected that Davin would some day run after his older brother.  I didn't realize he would still always be with his big brother.  It would just be a little different.  His big brother would carry him instead.  I knew my boys would love each other, but I had no idea that in their late teens and early twenties, they would still snuggle with each other and that Davin's face would light up every single time he saw his big brother. 

It has been amazing.  It has been different. 

As Davin was growing up, I never could look too far ahead.  It scared me.  It overwhelmed me.  I could not picture what things would be like to have a disabled adult child.  I am thankful that God allowed me to be content in the moments and enjoy where we were and not fret about where we were heading. 

It is amazing to me that God knew exactly who I needed.  I needed that Davin Bruce boy who talks to me with his eyes and his crooked little pointer finger.  He was fearfully and wonderfully made and I am so blessed to be his Mom and call him my baby son:-) 

                      Happy Birthday Davin Bruce!!!  I love you more than words can ever say!!! 

P is for Power

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Chris: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth..."  ~Romans 1:16

Power was the main subject of conversation in our area last week.  We talked about it at home, at school, at therapy.  We didn't have power for almost the entire week and we sure did miss it. 

If you have been an Awana Sparky or been an Awana Sparky leader, you are familiar with the above verse.  It is part of the Sparks Code.  I could not help but think of this verse during all of the "power talk" during the last week. 

I am so thankful that Hurricane Sandy could take away the power in my house, but nothing can take away the power of God in my life.  My salvation is to keep. 

(By the way, we cannot complain even a little bit.  During all of the week without power, we were blessed to be able to stay in my in-laws' house and Davin was kept warm, toasty and clean!)

Crazy Dog Lady

I am not sure when it happened.  I guess like alot of things, it just happened gradually.  Maybe I didn't notice until I was too far gone.  I am now a full-fledged "crazy dog lady".  I don't know how else to describe it.  I talk to Rocky.  I explain what I am doing to Rocky.  I am always looking at him and exclaiming to Alan that he should look how cute Rocky is.  Sometimes I make myself late, because I come back in and pet Rocky a couple of extra minutes.  Is it pathetic?  I don't know.  Alan seems to think so and yet I also think he has come to terms with it and accepted it:-)

As with all of my children, I am never quite ready for them to go.  Not to school, not to camp, not to graduate, not to college and don't even bring up getting married, because I am simply hoping that Cheney will be able to walk back down the aisle without me hanging on his pant leg.   (I am kidding....sort of.)  Since Davin had to go to school at three years old and I expected for all of my kids to stay home with me until they are at least five, Cheney needed to be homeschooled the extra two years that I lost with Davin not being home.  Sorry to smother Cheney a little bit extra, but I had to do what I had to do;-)  He seems to have survived. 

Well, my dog is no different for me (okay he is different, but you get the point).  Although technically Rocky Balboa came to us as "Bethany's dog", I adopted him in my heart.  He came to live with us and months later, she was back at college and I was taking care of a puppy while having a very sick child following Davin's hip surgery.  He bonded with my dog, Buster and that made me love him even more.  Then, Buster died, and I gained such comfort from that little half beagle dog.  He made it bearable to lose my Buster Elvis. 

A few days ago Bethany took Rocky to her apartment to live.  I wasn't ready, but I know that she needs him more than I do.  He has been with her through quite a few trials as well and he is going to make her new apartment feel much more like home.  I know that.  I am still sad.  I do have an arrangement worked out for weekend visitation and I am clinging to that. 

Thank goodness I have that Davin Boy!!!  (Please don't be offended that I am comparing my children to my dog.  I told you I had turned into a crazy dog person.  You were warned!!;-)