MyBopsBlog: It's A Family Affair

Sunday, November 11, 2012

It's A Family Affair

We celebrated National Down Syndrome Month by thanking our family. We are grateful for our precious James and for our wonderful children that have been on this journey with us. Thank you Tiffany for being such a great big sister... you have loved James with us... you have taught James how to play baseball, basketball and have been such a blessing to him and to us all these years. We celebrate James, but we also celebrate his brothers and sisters that have poured into James' life all these years....

We are so grateful for Holly who has played such a great part on our journey with James. Holly (James calls her "My Princess") has such a gentle, quiet spirit with him. She calms him down with her gentle nature and they love each other dearly. Holly has taken such good care of him and has had a sense of looking out for him and protecting him. Thank you, Holly for loving and taking care of James all these years...He “wuvs” you! You are amazing!

Last week, James got to escort one of his friends who was in the Homecoming Court! Robert put together his outfit. We thank Robert who has grown up just loving and being such a great big brother to James. James calls him "Bobert" and looks up to him so much. Rob has included James with in his group of friends and invites him to go with him on so many activities. Thank you, Rob for the way you love James and for all the sweet things you do for him. We are so blessed.

Lastly, we celebrate Coco's contribution to James life...She was only 4 years old when James was born and was very much a part of his initial health crisis when we had to go back to the States. She came to every therapy session and helped us to do the therapy at home just naturally. James loves to prank her and gets so much satisfaction from joking her! I am so thankful for Coco and her sweet attitude of care and acceptance of James. She has had to share all the attention from us from when she was four and was so sweet about it. I love seeing them just love life together!

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First Entry

When our fifth child was born, Cindy and I embarked on a new journey that was not something we would have chosen.

We were expecting our fifth child and we knew it was a boy. When you are expecting a baby there are so many hopes and dreams for that child. We had chosen the name James for our baby. I love the name James. There is something very classic and dignified about it. There are more American presidents with this name than any other name. In the NT James wrote one of my favorite books and was the half brother of Jesus. Naming a child carries many hopes and expectations for his future. Fathers dream of their sons growing up and doing something of great significance. With these thoughts in mind, we had our name ready.

On July 1 James was born. They brought the baby out and I unwrapped him to count toes and fingers and make sure all was ok. Several hours later the anesthesia from the c-section was wearing off and Cindy asked to see our little guy. The nurse brought him in and handed him to me. I held him up for Cindy to see. She stroked his forehead and then asked, "Eddie, is he ok?". I assured her that he was fine. I had counted toes and fingers and they were all there. Then she said, "He just doesn't look like the other children." I felt this dagger go through my heart. She saw something that I had not. Even as I tried to assure her that her fears were unfounded, I knew that a mother's intuition is something that is not to be ignored. They took James back to the nursery.

Later that day we had the moment with our doctor all parents pray will never come. The door opened, our pediatrician walked in. The spirit in the room changed. The gate of her step, the tone of her voice and her demeanor alerted me that something was wrong. I asked if everything was ok. She responded that the baby was doing well, and then the pause. It was a pause that lasted forever, one that you felt in the depths of your soul. "The baby is doing well...but, there is something we need to talk about." And then the news we all pray we will never hear. "I think your baby has Down Syndrome."

Our lives changed forever that day. Having a special needs child is not a problem that gets resolved and then goes away. It is a heaviness, a burden, a challenge, a set of life time limitations, a fog of uncertainty that is never going to go away.

There is so much more to say about those first few days. That will be for another post. What we did not know, that we know now, is that with special challenges also come special joys. Within this world of imperfection and struggle are some very fun times. The truth is that God has and continues to teach me so many things through my special James.

I have learned that an infinite God does not just love the smart and perfect.
I have learned that love for a child is not more because one is smarter than the other.
I have also learned that you can be both retarded (it took me a long time to accept that word in reference to my son) and smart at the same time.
I have learned that there is a special charm that goes with special characteristics of a special kid.

I have called this "MyBopsBlog" because up until James was 11 years old, he referred to himself as "Bops". He learned to write his name in school. J-A-M-E-S, written on his paper and we would ask, what does that say? He would answer with great confidence "Bops". He would introduce himself "Hi, I Bops." Somehow, I always found it so charming. This year, "Bops" has given way to "James". Even though our little guy is growing up and can now say the name we chose for him, "Bops" will always have a special place in my heart.

He is always coming up with cute and fun statements. I hope to share some of those on this blog.

MyBopsBlog

Sunday, November 11, 2012

It's A Family Affair

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