You should know that there is a network of special people who chose to love Bradley. Sometimes as a parent you forget that it is possible to not love your child. You forget that some people don't love their babies, that some choose or just can't love their babies like Bradley. When loving is like breathing, when holding your son and feeling that your heart beats because he's in your arms...that love, that's true love, real...and you know you are Blessed. You are Blessed because you get that love and because you can return that love. You choose to love. I chose to love my children. I loved them while I carried them, but I didn't fall in love with them until I held them. I thought that fear would steal love from me, that I wouldn't have that with Bradley. But I was wrong. I couldn't hold him without feeling my heart match his rythym, reminding me that life, love; is precious, and staring into his incredible blue eyes I knew I loved him and that his journey would be my journey and I would follow him anywhere. His Dad will be right there with us, and as the girls grow, with every day, I see them not only staying on this journey but also planning to make sure their journey keeps Bradley with them too. As much as the girls fight each other, they don't fight him. He brings them his special peace, and he loves them and lets them love him back. Maybe that's it, maybe that's all we need. Knowing that they love him is incredible, knowing that they will accomplish amazing things in their lives suggests that I have utter Faith in them... Perhaps it is time to just have Faith in the love they feel for their brother too, that all will work out the way it was planned from the start. I can live with God's Plan.
Besides us, the people that choose Bradley do so in small precious ways. His medical team is incredible, they don't have to care about him, but they do. His pediatrician treats him like a grandchild, his GI is awed by him and always knows what's going on in Bradley's file. They're the ones that give us their dedicated attention. For that fifteen minutes Bradley is all that matters, but even after, they make time to make sure they are on top of his care. To them, Bradley matters. It's a gift, and I can always see how much they care about him, it helps.
It's Down syndrome Awareness Month. I try to post daily to let the world see into how a typical family raises amazing children, one with a little extra something. It is always the greatest honor to have someone other than our little family of five show their love for Bradley and spread some Awareness too. On March 21st, our Bradley's Buddy Brigade page will have lots of crazy socks to spread awareness! Twenty one is key of course, and the symbol of a pair of socks looks a lot like that special chromosome. It always makes me a little misty when I see all the pictures, that much love makes you overflow.
This month, Bradley's midwife changed her profile picture and her Cover photo for her Facebook page to one of her and Bradley in order to help spread awareness. If you don't know, Bradley's birth story was a surprise story; he was a surprise, but the love that we received from Ms. Kim and her crew, that was the Blessing that helped us see past the shock to our special little boy. Forever grateful cannot begin to describe how we feel about her and that entire crew. So many Blessings wrapped up in a very difficult time, but looking back...love and gratitude for patience and understanding...that's what we carry with us. We love you Ms. Kim, always will!
And then yesterday...sigh. A few weeks ago I made the mistake of commenting "I need" on a t-shirt that popped up on my Facebook page. Eric has this incredibly sweet cousin, his father was the namesake for Bradley's beautiful middle name: Ellis. Mike not only Blessed our choice but even seemed pleased by it. He saw my post, and felt that I needed that shirt too, so he proceeded to make sure that Eric and I both got one. We love you Mike, you are sweet and kind; and so much more than we deserve. You love us, you love the girls and you love Bradley, such an amazing gift to give and we love you back! Thank you!
Happy Sunday everyone. It's nice knowing you are loved, that's the greatest gift of Acceptance...and everyone wants some of that!
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