Thursday, September 12, 2013

A Year Ago Today

One year ago today our Ben got yanked from his cozy, warm, quiet nest and tossed into this crazy, bright, loud, gravity-bound world.



He's fit right in and his siblings just adore him, as do Mom and Dad.





As the local weather begins to transition from summer to fall I'm often drawn to memories from last year. All the hours spent in my glider attached to the breast pump making sure I had enough milk for Ben when he finally got the hang of breastfeeding. Helping Sarah with her homework as she adjusted from homeschool to Cornerstone Christian School. A dear friend who helped watch the kids a few mornings each week after Russell went back to work. Sweet memories.


Paul and Mary are especially drawn to Ben.



Paul reading to Mary and Ben

Mary helping Ben with his crawling skills


My overarching reality for Ben's first year of life is how "normal" he is. Not that "normal" is some goal or anything, but His extra chromosome has presented very few issues for us thus far. Ben is definitely small (even by Lowery baby standards), and delayed (not crawling or babbling much yet), but those things don't bother me the slightest. In fact, I'm happy he's giving us a little longer to get the house ready a mobile baby again! I know Ben will learn to talk, walk, eat real food, drink from a cup (INSTEAD OF MOMMY!) read, sing (hopefully IN TUNE), swim, play sports, and WHO KNOWS WHAT ELSE! I'm not at all concerned that he's a little behind his peers. He's got an extra chromosome people!






Life now hums along at a fairly steady clip. My days are still busy but not as desperate as they were in those first few weeks after Ben's arrival! School is in full swing with me teaching Ruth (2nd grade) and Paul (Kindergarten) at home. Phillip (11th) and Sarah (5th) at Cornerstone. We're busy with soccer and piano and co-op class and church and trips to the library and family outings and who has time to do dishes or fold laundry! Not me :-)

Praise God from whom all blessings flow.