I have a house FULL…6 beautiful children, 2 feathered friends, and 3 furry “best friends”. So, when we opted for another bff, everyone was like, “whoa wait a minute…are you serious?” Well his super cute face speaks for itself! He’s here. He’s Happy. We’re Happy. My first three furry bff’s…well they have mixed emotions!

Really though, we did welcome a super cute pup recently, and though I was very excited, part of me was slightly concerned. I couldn’t stop thinking about him though, and we moved the cute little Bullmastiff pup in. After nearly 7 weeks home, I can tell you that he belongs here. Yes it’s more work, but more importantly it’s more love and more fun. And hey, I have been called crazy twice or thrice!

We welcomed our new pup home when he was just a little over 7 weeks old. He passed his first puppy check-up beautifully, but we were shattered when he suddenly fell “lame” about 10 days later. At barely 10 weeks old, our new puppy fell extremely ill very quickly. After a couple of trips to the vet, we learned that it was possibly a result of his bones growing faster than his he could keep up with – conditions seen in some large breeds such as Bullmastiffs. Basically, it is like they are suffering from four broken legs, along with sore ribs and jaw… I was devastated, but knew he came into my life for a reason, and I, into his.  See, I am not new to caring and not new to special needs.

I have a 17-year-old son who has always had special needs – Tyler. My boy is legally deaf and blind, though he does have some limited vision and hearing ability. He suffers from a seizure disorder, and needs assistance and supervision at all times. You know that stage that one-year-olds go through, where they have to orally explore everything? Every item they handle ends up in their mouth. Well, my son – now 17 years old – has remained fascinated by putting items in his mouth…so much so, that we ended up spending an entire Thanksgiving Day – 3 years back – in the ER because he got his hands on a large marble-rock that one of my other children brought home. Unfortunately it got lodged in his throat, and he needed immediate medical attention.

When Tyler was just a baby, I sat and cried with my mother at the hospital as I tried to absorb the blow they delivered – my baby would likely die by the time he was one year old…he had a very rare neurological syndrome. I was a very young mom – alone and afraid, completely unprepared and totally broken inside. I cried like a baby.   I was lucky to have a mom that was still willing to be my “mommy”.  Many prayers and many weeks later, we sat at the same hospital listening to the well-respected neurologists tell us they must have been wrong….and long story short – here we are 17 years later.

I have learned a lot raising my special boy. I have learned a new level of patience that I may have never known. I have learned a level of appreciation that I may have never known. I have learned to love and accept on a deeper level, which I may have never learned.  I have learned about purpose and fulfillment.

Tyler was my first child. My last baby boy, Jackson, was also born last summer with special needs of a different kind. He needed immediate medical intervention for his bladder and kidneys. In utero, he was unable to urinate because of a reversed rethral valve, although he was able to drink…all the amniotic fluid. We were blind-sided by all of this when he was born with a unusually large swollen abdomen, which we learned was due to the fluid backing up into his bladder and kidneys. He fought hard in the NICU for the following 3 weeks. Our prayers have been answered, as he continues his miraculous healing at home. He is 10 months old now, and he is growing, smiling, loving… He still sees the kidney doctors in follow up, but has “befuddled” them with his turn around, even causing the doctor to double-check the last ultrasound and name, to make sure it was the same kid! Doc was simply amazed! We are forever grateful.

So, I am not new to challenges and I am not new to miracles.  Though I have often wondered what my “Divine Purpose” is here in life, I know, without doubt, that a large part of that is being the best mother I can be…and always love – sharing and accepting.

I only blinked when I learned that my new baby pup Bosco was suffering from a possible bone growth disorder. We didn’t know what lay before us, but I did know that I was here for him…placed here for him. I was willing to carry him out to do his business, and hold him up as he did. I gave him his meds 3 times per day, and loved him and prayed the hardest I could – Loving mode and Praying mode are two modes I know well.

After only about 10 days, our puppy began standing…..then walking….then playing. Bosco the helpless puppy is now Bosco the crazy happy playful pup!
So every mess I clean up and every correction I make, is also filled with appreciation for the miracle he also is. My life has been filled with miracles and love thus far, and for that I am forever thankful.

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