The Rest of the Stories

The Rest of the trip back from Mississippi
The tire place opened at 7am, but they couldn't get us a tire to fit my car til 1pm (long story with a few other options that didn't work out). I let Caroline sleep in and took Levi down to the hotel breakfast. This sweet, older woman working there looked very interested in Levi, and finally came over to me, just radiating peace & joyfulness. She knelt down between me & my precious little boy and said, "You'll be surprised at all he'll be able to do." We just smiled at each other. I was really touched. A few seconds passed, and she said, "We have three of them in my family." She has two relatives in her extended family that are in their 30's and her niece has a one-year-old with Down syndrome. It was a special moment that I won't soon forget.

After breakfast, Levi & I joined Caroline in the hotel room. We lounged around for the most of the morning and ate lunch on the patio at the Mexican restaurant next door to our hotel. I love eating outside, so it was a great way to hang out. We walked to a little antique shop and enjoyed our time there. Before leaving the antique shop, I asked if they minded me sitting in a chair to change Levi's diaper (he is still small enough to change on my lap). Well, he peed all over me, and I looked like I had wet myself. Lovely. Did I mention that I had no clean clothes b/c we were supposed to be home already?




The restaurant had a swing set, too!
Around 3:30 the owner of the tire place came to get us. We paid, loaded up, and . . . the car wouldn't start! The battery died b/c I ran the air for Levi while we waited to get everything taken care of the night before (and we didn't realize the phone was charging, too. Oops!) We had to take all the luggage back out for them to jump start the car b/c my battery is in the trunk. So the car started, they helped us load up, I got back in my seat and . . . it died again! Once they found us a new battery, we were finally on the road. I think it was 5 pm by then. We made it safely home at 8pm. What a trip! But we never complained and laughed a lot. Life can be fun if you roll with the punches.

While watching TV in our room, I heard Ray LaMontagne for the first time (You're listening to him now). Good stuff!

The Rest of Levi's One-Year Check-Up
He loved playing with the paper on the exam table and was one tough cookie when it came to shots. Height 27.5 in. Weight 16.5 lbs. That is 1% for height and 0% for weight. I asked if they would please compare him on the Down syndrome growth chart & had a copy for them. I just don't like seeing those zeros. On the Ds chart, he is 25% for height & weight. Sounds a little better. Doesn't it?



At each appointment, we get a nice little paper with what to expect at this age of development and other info. With Adam, each time we'd get one, we laugh because he'd be so far ahead of the milestones. When it said he should have a two word vocabulary, he was way beyond that. When I get these same papers, for Levi, I just glance at them. Some things he can do, some he can't. So what? We'll get there in our own time, and I don't want to miss a second of his sweetness worrying.

The Rest of Our "Day Out with Thomas"
It was hot, but fun. Grams & Grandpa came with us, and we got to meet up with Courtney, Kristy & Tyler on the way home, which was a wonderful treat!













The Rest of Kirill's Adoption Story
A while ago I shared a story about a boy named Kirill. A family in the US was working to adopt him (through Reece's Rainbow) from Russia. The judge there deemed him "unadoptable" b/c of his Ds. A heartbreaking story. Well...he's home now!!
(As with any videos on the blog, pause the music player at the bottom of the page first.)

A beautiful ending to the story.

The family's blog is called "Our Eyes Opened."