Happy Thanksgiving!

..A roof over my head & food to eat..

..A job to help provide for my family..

..Wonderful parents who are supportive and encouraging..

..The few TRUE friends that I can go to for anything..

..For a God who forgives and loves me no matter what, that allows me to have him in my heart so that one day (very soon) I will be able to live with Him and watch my son walk and talk and live with no pain.. 

..For family..

..For my blessing of a child, who has changed my thinking and the way I look at life..

There are so many things that I am thankful for,  but I think one of the tops on my list is that I have been blessed with the title of being "Lucca's Mommy". It is by far the best title/job I have ever had and ever will have. Even though my life is NO WHERE NEAR what I had "planned" or saw for myself, I cannot even begin to imagine NOT having Lucca in my life. (Jeremiah 29:11)-This has become my favorite verse to live by. "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord. "Plans to prosper and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."  God has everything in control, and continues to remind me of that multiple times when I start to lose faith. Some people I have met have told me that they do not believe God gives us our children for a reason, or that He doesn't choose us as parents for these special children. I'm sorry but I absolutely have to disagree with that. There are times when I have thought, "Why me? I am not strong enough to handle this." And then I quickly think, what if Lucca had been born to a crack-head, or someone who is too lazy to make anything of themselves? They very well might have abandoned him, or neglected his needs or not had the patience to try and figure out what he is trying to tell me, or know to look out for signs that he is sick,etc. I believe with every piece of my being that Lucca was given to me for a specific reason. He has made me a stronger person, has taught me to love unconditionally, to cherish every moment, PATIENCE, and  among many other things, to appreciate every small accomplishment  that he meets. Do I wish that Lucca could walk and talk and color? Of course I do. Do I wish every day that he could tell me he loves me, or play with other kids his age? Absolutely. But then he wouldn't be my specially made little Lucca. My Lucca that God gave to ME. You know another way I KNOW Lucca was made just for me? Lucca's syndromes are very special, and complicated. He has two very rare syndromes. He has a "Unbalanced translocation between chromosome 22 and 10". More than 80& of the time, children with UNbalanced translocations, have them because one of their parents have a BALANCED translocation. The geneticist told us to prepare ourselves for finding out that one of us carried that balanced translocation. NEITHER one of us did... and on top of being the only child in Jacksonville with his arrangement of chromosomes, 3 different geneticists have told us that they have never seen an unbalanced translocation between chromosomes 22 and 10 before... Now THAT is a child specially made by God! And I am SO thankful to call him my little dude! 

Parents, don't take for granted the little things your child can go. Hugging you. Telling you they love you. Telling you they are hungry or they don't feel good. Running around the house-getting into things. Some parents would do anything to experience these things a LOT of parents take for granted. Be thankful for the gifts God has given us! and HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO EVERYONE!!