Thursday, February 07, 2013

Love is Blind.

Sometimes, when I'm busy doing super-important things, I hear angels singing the hallelujah chorus.  It happened today, and my heart melted a hundred times over.

I'm mid-wash on the kitchen floors, and Carter and Haleigh are doing who-knows-what in the living room.  I'm thinking about how the floors still look so cloudy after 2 washes with vinegar + water, and why aren't they clearing up?  Our soup-for-lunch is almost boiling over on the stove, wait - is Moses barking?  Oh, no.  He's not...

And then I hear it.

"Carter - let's play a game.  You roll the ball to me, and I'll roll it to you.  Ready?  Roll!"

Giggles.  

"Good job, Buddy!  After this maybe Ashley will let us have a snack on the couch and watch a movie.  Roll it back, Carter!"

Laughter.

"Carter, should we  play with your piggy?  You lay down and I will throw it on you."

Commotion + Laughter.  

This goes on and on and on - and do you know why this makes my heart melt?

Haleigh's love for Carter is blind.  She doesn't see special needs.  She doesn't see Down syndrome.  She doesn't see a boy who can't - won't - isn't.

Am I the only one who wants to weep with joy at the sight of this photo?
Friendship between littles - so very special.

She sees her friend, Carter.

And I wonder...what do I see when I look at Carter?  I'm not talking about what my eyes see - I'm talking about what my heart sees.

Since Carter started school in September, I've been a busy mama doing what I can to help him learn & grow.  Guess what?  Carter has Down syndrome.  It affects how he learns.  How he processes information.  How he grasps new concepts.  How he functions in the world around him.  There is no way around this.  Down syndrome will always be a part of Carter.


And we'll embrace it (we chose it, after all).  We'll learn how to best help him.  And we will love every single piece of him - yes, we will (and do) love his extra chromosome.

But.

He's a little boy - first and foremost.  Which is exactly how sweet Haleigh sees him.


Carter is a (cute, sweet, adorable, squeezable) little boy.  A little boy who loves this big, ridiculous, stuffed pig.  And Elmo.  And mini m&m's.  He's a little boy who is newly potty-trained - and he did it in a week (that's huge, right?!).  He's a little boy who loves school - loves his teachers - loves his friends - loves to read books - loves to go to the store - loves - loves - loves life.


Maybe I need to focus on Carter's other 46 chromosomes as much as I do his extra one.

Because, after it's all said & done, he's really just a little boy.

One Thing I Know For Sure: Learning lessons from three year olds...good stuff.




Monday, February 04, 2013

I'm Loving...

Some things I just can't get enough of...

+ Is this color & cut attainable?  I mean, like, for real people.  Real people with kids.  No?  Okay.  Darn.

+ I have made this and this.  Both every bit as delicious as they look.

+ Do you Instagram?  You'll love this.

+ We have 2 of these for Carter & Haleigh - they LOVE them.  Wipes off clean, and provides lots of fun at the table.

+ Do you have lots of wipe containers laying around?  We do.  Here are 25 (really smart) things to do with those containers.

+ I still haven't read this.  Remember when I said that the author was conversing with Jake via email, and she promised to sign & send at copy?  Yeah.  She didn't.  I'm sure she's busy or whatever....I'm not bitter...

+ I AM reading this.  Every word is saturated in the truth of God's Word.  So, so, so good.

+ My heart hurts a little bit when I see this.  I'm still in a place of wanting to be there, but satisfied being here and - oh, Ashley.  Enjoy where you're planted, girl.

+ Planning your summer vacation?  Check out this family-friendly list.

+ This blogger pulls me in with every word - love this post, and this one, and so many more. 

+ And this.  Ohhhh...my.  I could read it 100 times.  In a few days, I'll be sitting in a church, listening to this woman's words instead of reading them.  Even better?  I'll be with a sweet friend.  

Also, loving this.  


A whole lot.  I'm loving him so much that I have less time here.  Everyone okay with that?  Good.  Just checking.

One Thing I Know For Sure: Love is in the air.... :)

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