These Three Years

It's hard to believe that it's been three years since Tommy came rocketing into our lives. Three seems so big. No longer a baby. Not really a toddler, even. Heather wrote about her son's birthday and how it isn't any more special than her other children's birthdays, yet the gratitude for her son's health is overwhelming. That's how I felt at Tommy's birthday. As the candle was blown out, I knew he was too young to make a wish or to understand, so I wished for him. For no more seizures, for continued health, for the wish I hoped he'd make if he could. These three years haven't been the easiest of our lives. They definitely haven't been the easiest financially, not by a long shot. They've been sad and scary in a lot of places. Yet, they've been beautiful and happy in ways that I could never imagine before there were four of us.



That's still one of my favorite photos. They don't always treat each other so lovingly these days, but at the end of the day... they still love each other a lot.

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Being his mom isn't easy. It doesn't involve a lot of sleep, as many of you know. It involves a lot of patience. It involves temper tantrums and things that your older brother never did. It involves carrying you out of stores with your back arched and sitting in the car at restaurants while everyone else finishes their meals because you wouldn't sit in your chair any longer or because you threw a fork. Things that I was smug about with your older brother, because he never did those things.

You've thrown me for a lot of loops, buddy. Precipitous labor. Two overnight hospital stays before your third birthday. But you've also pushed me to do things I would never have done without you, like raise almost $4000 for the epilepsy foundation. You don't know the people you've touched with your story and what you've taught them about this disease. I wish it wasn't a part of our lives, but you've taught me to never back down. I'm so glad I get to be your mom. Keep the adventures coming.