Really you can.....

I can't even tell you how many people say.....I could never do that (meaning raise a child with Ds).  Usually I just smile but deep down I want to scream.....YES you can.  I am nothing special.  I don't have great organization skills.  I am not a saint.  I wish many days the Lord dished out a little extra patience when he formed me but there is nothing special about me or my family.

I want to shout......
His life isn't bad.  He doesn't make life impossible to live.  He isn't a curse that you pray the Lord won't drop into your family.  He isn't that different from any other child that your life stops.

 I want to cry when others feel he would be too hard to work into their family lifestyle.  When they think that they might have a child dependant on them their whole life.  When they look at me like I am crazy to have chosen this for our family. 

Is life always easy.....heck no.  Does he drive me crazy and to my limits sometimes.....Absolutely (especially with potty training).  Are there things that are so easy to teach with "typical" children but no matter how many times we go over it with Caleb it just doesn't register....Yep.  But let me tell you I am learning so much.  Most time, actually probably more than most times, that I get frustrated and disappointed it is because my expectations for him were too high.  It isn't because he doesn't want to do it, (though he does have times where he is beyond stubborn!) it is just that am not giving him the time to learn.  I am expecting him to just get it when he most likely still does not even understand all that I am saying in English.

I want people to see what we see.  A boy that brings such joy to our lives.  A child who loves and loves being loved!  A little boy who loves to wrestle, play, give hugs and learn.  A boy who someday will graduate from high school, go on to work and be productive in society.  And one day my boy will be a man (ughhh don't want to think of that...lol).  I have the same dreams for him as my other children.  I pray he grows to love the Lord.  I hope that some day all my children will be doing something they love and giving back to those in need.  So again.....tell me what is so different!