My Christmas Wish

I have so much to be thankful for this Christmas. But I am especially thankful that Kole is home with us. We didn't even know Kole existed last Christmas and now it feels like he has always been a part of our family. I remember Lane and Hudson's first Christmases like they were yesterday. My heart is just as a excited this year as I think about Kole's reaction to opening Christmas presents for the first time. I imagine the joy on his face, and it warms my heart.

A couple of weeks ago we went shopping as a family to buy Kole a winter coat. As I tried a coat on him and zipped it up, Kole rubbed his hand along the front of jacket and got a huge smile on his face. He looked up at me and dove at me giving me a big hug and a kiss. The look on his face was priceless...the perfect mixture of joy and gratitude. I don't think I will ever forget that look. He loves his new coat; he's worn it nearly every day, even the days when he hasn't needed it. Kole is a constant reminder of how much I have to be thankful for, how many sweet and wonderful gifts God has given me.

Today our little town had a Christmas festival of sorts. Bouncy houses were set up, hot chocolate was served and a Christmas parade rolled down our street. I took the boys to go play on the bouncy houses. Kole was determined to climb up, and go down the massive bouncy slides. At one point Kole was really struggling to make it up to the top and the line was bunching behind him. Lane was already at the top and as he looked down and saw Kole struggling, Lane climbed back down to his brother. He said "Here Kole, take my hand, I'll help you." And he helped his brother to the top. Later on Kole got stuck about half way up and bigger kids started to climb pass him, Kole got scared and started crying, again I watched as Lane, with tears of compassion in his eyes, climbed back down and yelled at the other kids to stop climbing over his brother. It was one of those moments that make you want to let everyone know, "that's my son, the one acting like a sweet angel." Of course I won't tell them that same "angel" gave that same brother a black eye a couple of weeks ago.

I am so thankful for the beautiful boys God has blessed me with. My heart is overwhelmed with gratitude. But, as I look at Kole I can't help to think of the hundreds and hundreds of other children just like him who will spend yet another Christmas without a family. Another Christmas with nothing. Another Christmas being treated like they do not matter. I look at Kole and I think of how different his life is now and how much joy he has brought into our home.

Friends, I am pleading with you...there are children who need families, there are families who want to rescue these children and all that is standing in their way is money. Friends, this Christmas won't you please GIVE, PRAY, HELP change the life of a child by sponsoring them through Reece's Rainbow Angel Tree project. Reece's Rainbow Down Syndrome Orphan Ministry is the wonderful ministry that helped us find and adopt Kole and they are continuing to help hundreds more children with Down Syndrome and other special needs find forever families. My Christmas wish is that hundreds more children like Kole will one day have families to buy them a winter coat, to give them a hand, and to love them for who they are.