Our Extended Ds Family

i know i've said it before, but i have made some amazing friends since wyatt was born, both in real life and cyber friends.  friends i never would have met had he not been born with Down syndrome.  friends i would have missed out on.  life experiences i never would have had.  a friend posted the other day "Before God can use a person greatly He must allow that person to hurt deeply."  (A.W.Tozer)  i know that to be true.   what i believed was such a tragedy with wyatt's diagnosis of Down syndrome  (honesty here) turned out to be such a blessing!  God is good ALL THE TIME.  even when we don't understand what HIS plan is.  

when we were in louisiana last week, we were able to visit with my cousin cindy and her husband bob.   i have always been particularly close to her, she has a daughter just a year younger than me.   we are so thankful that they always open their "family hotel," even if they are not at home, for us to use as we travel back and forth to texas!   they love our children dearly, which is such a blessing.  cindy plays tennis with mary, who is in her late 70's....yes, you read that right!   an avid tennis player and a beautiful woman!   mary's daughter, giselle, is 47, and she shares that "little something extra" with wyatt as well!  we met them last summer, and cindy invited them over to see us again during our brief visit last week!   cindy says that mary asks about wyatt EVERY WEEK.  and she and giselle pray for him FAITHFULLY.  what a blessing mary is to me....she is such an encouragement, such a beautiful woman of God who is quick to tell you what a blessing her giselle is!   she hugs and kisses us, and tells cindy "we're family....."  we are part of a special family....all of us who share that extra 21st chromosome in one of our family members!  

i have friends all over the world, literally, who share that with us.  i am welcomed into homes in louisiana and jacksonville, and have standing invitations in austin, kokomo, and the chicago area anytime i can make it there!   i have many friends on facebook who keep close tabs on wyatt and our family.  i have a small group who consider wyatt one of their "cyber nephews"!    we pray for each other, cry for each other, and laugh with (and at) each other!  

i can only hope and pray that God will be able to "use me greatly" for HIS kingdom purposes.....