Chance Meetings, Small Towns.

So I had a lady named Aimee on OCALAMOM contact me asking me questions about foster care.

A few days after we chatted she friended me on facebook. The next day I had a message from another nice lady named Jeannette. She said Aimee had shown her our story and that our kids had a lot in common.

I saw she had a blog and immediately read the whole thing...with tears streaming down my face.

Jeannette and her husband Steven have a BEAUTIFUL six month old baby boy named Caleb.

When Jeannette was seven months along the doctors diagnosed Caleb with Trisomy 18.
Babies with Trisomy 18 are usually miscarried or stillborn. Those that do make it usually don't survive past the age of one. Of course there are always that handful that prove the doctors wrong and outlive all the statistics.

Even still the doctors say that Caleb is terminal and he is at home on hospice with his loving family.

Strangely enough, his mom had mentioned Caleb had a therapy session. I asked her where and she said with Elon Bruner....this is Makily and Baby J's therapist. Her appt was right before ours and I got to meet Jeannette, her father and of course sweet Caleb yesterday. She even let me hold him and I felt so honored. I sensed she was nervous about it though and it reminded me to much of myself when Makily was that little. I was always nervous about people holding her that she wasn't used to. If she wasnt held a certain way she would cry and get upset. Her airway was such a mess that first year and crying always exasperated that. I just wanted to give her the biggest hug and tell her how much I understood her. I get her.

Caleb though is amazing. He is truly a sweet, perfect spirit like my Makily and it isn't very often I get to meet another child like this. His little cry reminded me so much of Makily in those early days. Holding him was much like holding her when she was that age. So tiny and frail, but it was so obvious she was in there and was a fighter from the very start.

Knowing how rare Emanuel Syndrome is and how rare Trisomy 18 is, I find it very strange that both of our families are living in the same small town. That we were connected in the way that we were and ended up having therapy on the same day at the same office...around the same time.

Wow.

I spoke with Jeanette briefly today and she said it was very good for her and her father to see Makily. That seeing my baby gave them hope.

She does not know it but that statement did things for my soul I can't describe.

According to medical science Makily should have died many times over the years...and she is still here. Still fighting, still stealing my heart every day.

I've been struggling with my faith lately. I can't say that I have resolved all of those issues but this chance meeting and connection means something. There is someone out there connecting us. Putting us in the places we are supposed to be at the right place and time. Sending us to those that need to be uplifted in only ways other families like mine can uplift them. I don't think Jeannette knows what our meeting did for me, what holding Caleb did for me either.

I know God is out there, I have to believe that, but I sure don't understand why he does a lot of the things he does.

It's not my place to question God....but I am ONLY human.

Please visit Caleb's blog today and offer his family words of love and encouragement.