A SPECIAL NIGHT for a SPECIAL BOY

                                       2012 JR. SR. PROM                                         

It couldn't of been more perfect. And all because of this sweet young lady who wouldn't have it any other way.

On his cherished wizard lawnmover, other wise known as old betsy!

And instead of throttle down, he did throttle up!

But no problem.....just a little backfire and smoke!!!!

Being a gentleman and helping her off :)

Morgan showing him how to escort her. (we practiced this but he was kinda nervous and forgot.)

Now introducing.....Cole Lawrence and Morgan Hendrix

(and my heart at this point was busting with pride:)  )

The theme of the prom was "The Roaring 20's". After their meal they had a DJ there and they danced the night away!! I was told that Cole did not sit out even one dance! He loved it and told me as we were leaving, "man mom, I partied my butt off!"

And I'm guessing he did cause he hasn't stop complaining about his legs hurting since we got home Sat. night and this is Monday!

This is Rylie, our baby girl, and she wasn't just real happy about having to wear this attire but I thought all the girls looked cute. She is a sophmore and their job was to serve the food and help out where needed. And I felt better knowing that Rylie was there just in case Cole needed her or she needed to call me to come sooner than I had planned. But thank you Lord, there was no need for a phone call. Cole had the time of his life and handled everything very well I was told. All the kids made him truely a part of this prom. His teachers were wonderful and even invited us to attend, but I knew he would be better without me there.(why are your kids always better for someone else???) Anyway, it was really a special night. And I told my oldest daughter, while filling a bucket with all the tears I was cryin, that for just a few minutes......it was like all his special needs were taken away and he was just a normal young man headed out for a night of fun with his date and all his friends.

And then the fog cleared, and there was my boy. My shining star. My guiding light.

Very seldom do I use that word......normal. I really don't like it. I'm not even sure what the heck "normal" means.

But if it means trying to change this boy so that he "fits in"......

then I want no part of it.

Nope, we'll keep him just the way God made him.

We'll take all his "needs specialties"......the ability to see the unseen and hear the unspoken, the gift of perseverance, the ability to enjoy the simplest of simple, the art of knowing NO GREY AREAS.....it either is or it isn't, the confidence to say whats on his mind and heart(yes whether good or bad) and the beauty and insight he has of heaven  and his fearlessness to express and share this gift with anyone, anytime and/or anywhere he feels the need. 

Yes sir, the way I see it, his special needs abilities have taught me, and others, many valuable lessons, and I think if we were all more like Cole, this old world would be a much better place to live in.

I LOVE YOU COLE LAWRENCE TO THE STARS AND BACK.

(and he says, "one time or twice times?")

OOOOOOH, TWICE MY LOVE, TWICE.

WHY ADOPT???

I read this today and just want to share it. I realize there are more people that DON'T understand, than people who DO understand. It is now my responsibility to help others see. To give others the opportunity to know  about these kiddos and the blessings that await them if they would only take the time to look.  We make time for everything else, right??  Go to Reece's Rainbow and spend 5 minutes.  Five minutes could end up saving one more life. If you don't understand that, go to RR, look at their faces, read their stories.......then I think you will understand what I mean.  Below is one womans answer to "why adopt" and are my thoughts exactly.

Mend a Broken Heart? ~ by Tanya Yungmann

So, I have to be honest, when I first heard that my sister was adopting a child with Down syndrome, my first thought was "Why?" Why a child that you will most likely have to take care of for the rest of your life? Why add more work to your already crazy days? Why not a child that is "healthy" and "whole"? Do you really know what you're getting into?!

Selfish, I know, but I'm human right? Don't I have enough to worry about already in my own life?

I decided to make my own judgment without the full knowledge of why she and her husband made this decision. Why special needs? Why from another country instead of right here in the USA? Don't we have enough orphans here?

Then, my naive and selfish self decided to actually read one of the many posts that she had posted and check out some pictures and videos.

After that I don't think I could have kicked myself in the butt enough to make up for my first judgment that I made when I had first heard the news that they were adopting.

I read of a little boy that was raised by his birth family until he was 3 months old, then given to the orphanage when he was diagnosed with an illness that he would have for the rest of his life.

I read of a beautiful little girl that was full of smiles but very low functioning with multiple health issues because her mother was an alcoholic.

I saw picture after picture of sweet babies, toddlers, 5-7 year olds with Down syndrome that were given to this orphanage because if their mother kept them, she would become an outcast among her family and friends for having a child with this "condition".

And now my heart breaks. It breaks every time I see a new post about one of these precious babies about to be sent to an institution where they will likely die soon after their arrival.

It breaks every time I see them smiling even though they are in the conditions they are in.

It breaks every time I compare them to my own son and all the love, family, friends, food, toys, health and a future full of possibilities that he has, just because he was blessed enough to be born into that.

It breaks every time I think that these poor babies had no choice about how their life began, and because of that, they have no choice about how it will either continue, or end.

These babies don't have that kind of help. There are no doctors treating them for their illness. No loving arms holding them while they are uncomfortable and sick with fever. They don't have a doctor on speed dial. A local store where someone will go and get them what they need.

Their resources are here, in the USA, where their strabismus (crossed eyes) can easily be fixed. Where the meds for HIV are more accessible. Where their malnutrition is easily fixed by our easy food availability.

That is why there, and not here, where our country doesn't neglect the children and uses every possible resource.

I want more than anything to storm into these countries, swoop up all these sweet children, and rescue them from whatever fate they are facing... but I can't. I can't save them all. At times I feel like even saving one won't make much difference. Will it?

The answer is YES. Even though it doesn't seem like it, there is some hope. 147 million orphans, minus 2, the 2 boys my sister's family is adopting will soon be home, safe and sound, and they don't even know it yet.

My heart will continue to break, but I don't want to mend it. I don't want this hurt, these tears that won't stop every time I read about them, to go away. I don't want to just forget about them so that I will "feel better".

Without knowledge, we will perish. I had to come out of my box, my comfort zone, my little world of me and my family and remember just how much hurt there is out there.

My heart is heavy, but I don't want it to be light again. With this broken heart I now have a passion. A passion to fulfill what God has called us to do, feed the poor, clothe the naked, shelter the orphans.

No longer will I turn away to protect myself from how it might affect me. No longer will I ignore the cries so I can be more comfortable. No longer will I pass over the posts about lost babies because it's the millionth one I've seen and I don't have the "time".

My heart is breaking and I pray that it never mends until I am with my Savior, along with all the orphans, in the safety of the arms of Jesus for eternity.

I thank God everyday for shakin me up to the point that I couldn't even sleep at night. Can we save them all??? Maybe not, but I have a shirt that says, "147 Million Orphans" on the front......and on the back......MINUS 2.     Praise God, out of a crying plea for direction and taking 5 minutes to look at a website, my boys have a life and I believe I get to have a little glimpse of what heaven will really be like one day. I get to see, hear, touch and feel the fullness of Gods love through them, every.single.day. What I once thought was important, those worldly things.......they no longer are.  Take 5 minutes, go to RR. Be blessed. I sure am.