5 Years Ago...

5 years ago today we welcomed a baby boy into our lives.  For those of you that have joined us on this journey, can you believe it's been 5 years?  It actually all started over 5 years ago when we first found out about Bennett when I was 17 weeks pregnant.  You can read here  about when I first found out and why I started the blog.

But yes, we knew Bennett's secret when he arrived on May 22, 2009.  We were fully prepared to welcome him with open arms and I remember telling the doctor that would deliver him that I wanted everyone in the delivery room to know that we knew all about Bennett so there would be no sad faces, or hush, hush whispers, or feeling sorry for us.  We wanted everyone to celebrate this sweet life that was coming into the world and that we believed he was created just as he was meant to be.

I'll never forget when he first came out.  I had a c-section so the doctor lifted him up quickly over the blue shield for me to see for just a second and then took him to clean him up.  Mike was able to go see him first and report back to me and I asked "Does he have all his fingers and toes?"  Mike said he did.  And I asked "What does he look like?"  Mike said "He looks like our baby."  I'll admit I was worried to see what he was going to look like.  Would I see Down syndrome right off the bat?  Would I be sad?  When they brought Bennett over to me to see him for the very first time all I saw was this precious little baby and I couldn't believe how much I already loved him.  I didn't see Down syndrome.  I just saw Bennett Patrick.  In that moment I didn't care that he had Down syndrome.   He was beautiful and perfect.

I just have to say that these last 5 years with Bennett have simply blown me away.  NEVER in a million years did I think life with him would be like this when I was first told in the doctors office at what was supposed to be a normal check up:

"We think your baby has Down syndrome." 

 From the minute I first held him he has been an absolute angel.  I am telling you there is something about him that has changed our hearts and the way we view things, the way we treat others, and the way we raise our other children.  Not that it's all been rosy, oh no, it's been hard, really hard sometimes, but totally worth it.  Every milestone we waited and waited for him to reach was worth it.  Every tear I cried early on because I knew my son maybe wasn't considered "normal" was washed away when he would come at me with his big smile.  Every bad thought I've had about the future has always been pushed aside by just his presence in the room.  Lots of praying, lots of patience, lots of love.

I thank God every day for Bennett's sweet soul and for allowing us to be his parents.  I wouldn't change ONE THING about Bennett because I know that's exactly how God meant for him to be.  I am thankful for the hard times and thankful for the good times.  I know that Bennett has a purpose.  I know his life has meaning.  I know that he is here for a reason and I'm so thankful he's ours.  Pure joy surrounds this kid.

The name Bennett means:  "Little blessed one"

I had a boy name picked out early on in the pregnancy but when we found out our son had Down syndrome it didn't seem to fit because everything had changed.  I felt I needed a new name because in a weird sense I felt I had been given a new baby, one that was totally unexpected and one that I now had to adjust to.   I came across the name Bennett and loved it because of the meaning.  I did think though,

"little blessed one?"  

How could anyone think he is blessed?  He has this disability.  Is this the right name for him?  But then I started thinking that yes, he is blessed because he was created by God, every little part of him and now we see his blessings shine through his sweet smile every single day.  So we are truly blessed by having him in our lives!

Happy Birthday sweet boy! Mommy and Daddy and yours sisters love you more than words can describe.  These five years have flown by and we couldn't be more proud of the little boy you are.  Keep smiling, keep shining, keep showing others that you are more alike than different but that even being a little different is perfectly fine too!

You can do all things through Christ, who strengthens you!!  

Don't ever forget that!