News from the Sticks: August 2009

I know God brings people into our lives for very specific reasons. With some relationships we may never know what that is or how exactly we have impacted each other's lives. For others, it is crystal clear. I began tutoring a girl in math a couple weeks ago, and before we began working together her mom wanted to come by to meet me. In a brief conversation over the phone, I learned that she had just recently lost her third child. He lived for just an hour after birth. She came by to meet me, and I almost felt bad that Rowan was in the room with us. Her son would have been just about Rowan's age. Shortly after that, I began to tutor her oldest child in their home. It didn't take long to find out more of the details of their story as they were very willing to share. Their son had a fatal condition, and they knew before he came that he would not survive. He lived for an hour......and they will tell you they are so thankful! They didn't even think he would be alive when he was born. Every week I am over there, I am reminded of how blessed we are. I almost feel ashamed of any sad feelings I have had about Rowan having Down Syndrome, or any feelings of being "left out" because we now have a child with special needs. I know these are probably very normal emotions and that there's not necessarily anything wrong about feeling them, but God brought this family into my life so that I could see the tremendous blessings we have! I knew this before, but now these blessings seem to shine brighter. Rowan has been given LIFE!! And he has brought such JOY to our family. We had no idea what our lives would be like after he was born. We didn't know how serious his heart condition would be, when he would have to have surgery, etc. Look at him now.....doing SO well. Gaining weight well, only on one heart medication, cooing, smiling, laughing, kicking, lifting his head up, moving, focusing on toys.......WOW. And all of these things because God has chosen to give Rowan life and allow him to flourish!! God, we are SO thankful!! Our two beautiful boys You have chosen for us to raise.....for this we are truly thankful!

Here are some pictures to enjoy. And would you please pray for Rowan's surgery on September 2? We are asking God to give Rowan a long, full and healthy life. Will you pray with us?