Life as a Leach

Dear Caleb, 11!  Wow!!  How in the world can I have an 11 year old?!?  This has been a big year of growth and experiences for you.  I love watching you mature into the young man God created you to be. This last year, you have really come into your own.  You joined the Musical Theater Club and earned a speaking and singing part in The Little Mermaid.   I was so proud of you up there on that stage!   This year, you are playing Lefeu in Beauty and the Beast  and are doing such a great job.  It is fun to watch you develop as an actor and singer.  You absolutely love to sing and can often be heard belting show tunes from the basement.  In fact, as I type this, you are singing "Defy Gravity" from Wicked ! You're also doing a great job playing the trumpet and were chosen to be part of the All-County band this year.  You are following in your dad's footsteps!  Who knows--maybe you'll join the marching...

Dear Caleb,   Ten years old--how did that happen?!?!  I'm pretty sure the last time I checked, you were a 2 year old who loved splashing in the bath tub. Now you're double digits, and man have you come into your own this year!  You have blossomed into such a fun, wise boy.  I love how much you enjoy school and am amazed by your vocabulary!  It must be all of those books you read!  Every time I turn around, you have a new book because you've already finished the last one.  Thank goodness for libraries! I'm so proud of your Carson Scholar nominee. It's an honor for you to be chosen by your school, and I love the wonderful essay you wrote.   You have also been bitten by the acting bug, much like me when I was a kid!  It was fun to watch you perform in your first musical at church.  Now that you have a great part in The Little Mermaid at school, we are all humming the songs all of the time!  I love listening to you sing! (Well, maybe no...

In just 2 short hours, my miracle will turn 5.   Five. FIVE!!!!! This is another milestone to add to her journey, and it's one we haven't shared as publicly.   There are lots of statistics about kids born with rare diseases.  Here's one that is pretty crippling if you let it be: Yet, here we are, with a little girl full of zest for life and more joy than I could have ever imagined! I will never forget when Caleb found this sheet (it's a Rare Disease info card published by Rare Genes) two years ago and comprehended what it meant.  He brought it to me sobbing, asking if Abby was going to die before she was five.  My answer has always and will always be that we are thankful for every second and God knows exactly how long we will have Abby. I'm so grateful for these last five years.  I am a different person because of them, and I wouldn't change a thing.   Abby's birthday is always a bittersweet day for me, with a touch of PTSD thrown in there.  There...