Noah's 2nd Thanksgiving

Noah had a really Happy Thanksgiving. He's been quite the sweet little character lately, full of smiles and giggles. I love it when he's this happy. I know that it will never make up for the things he cannot do, but it gives me a sense that I'm at least making him as happy and comfortable as I can. He didn't gag once this holiday with food, which I consider a huge improvement. We're still so far away from eating real solids like children his age, but I remain so proud of his teeny tiny progress. His daddy put up the Christmas train, and Noah thinks that is just simply wonderful. Chris stalled until Sunday putting up the outdoor Christmas lights up to him it means dollar signs handed over to Xcel Energy. If only there were a less expensive way to celebrate with lights!

I received a letter from Regis Corporation a few days ago. They control the Supercuts chain and explained to me that there is not and has never been a policy regarding children sitting on booster seats and not on the laps of a parent. To me it made that burning in my heart so much worse. We were lied to. We were made to "think" that it was a policy for everyone, when in fact it was a policy for no one - an excuse, a lie in order to turn away our little Noah from a haircut. Noah by no means is difficult. He's only two, and behaves similar to any other child his age getting a haircut. He squirms and expresses his minor complaints. It's not like he's biting, clawing and unreasonable. The world of special needs and those that are handicapped have a tendency to make a lot of people simply uncomfortable just by being around them. I wish it wasn't that way but it is.

I contacted local media stations, our local newspaper, no one has taken any interest in covering this story, although I wish someone would, as change is not possible unless we discuss it. We cannot sweep it under the rug and pretend things like this don't happen. Change isn't possible otherwise. I don't know if I file complaints with the ADA or with other agencies if I'll even be heard, or if my paperwork will somehow just become like so many others in a pile and ignored. I don't know how to actively make sure this doesn't happen again to us or to another family. Regis Corporation was apologetic in their email, and said they contacted that location to advise them there was no policy, but that doesn't fix it, that doesn't change what happened. I really don't know where to go from here to be heard. To make change possible. I just know I don't ever want to be made to feel this way ever again, nor do I ever wish anyone to feel like we've felt.

I've attached some pictures of Noah's 2nd Thanksgiving. He had a absolutely wonderful day.

Remember God's bounty in the year. String the pearls of His favor. Hide the dark parts, except so far as they are breaking out in light! Give this one day to thanks, to joy, to gratitude!

~Henry Ward Beecher


Love,



Noah's Miracle by Stacy Warden is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

Noah's Wish Lists

Greeting card created with Smilebox

For those who have inquired about sending Noah a Birthday/Christmas Gift, these are his wish lists:

TARGET WISH LIST List name: Birthday & Christmas *** Created For: Noah Warden *** Target List ID: 012399302344702

https://www.target.com/lists/36MH5OZ0WOREO

TOYS R US/BABIES R US WISH LIST

CREATED BY: Stacy Warden and Chris Warden Wish List #: 30706526

http://www.toysrus.com/wishlist/index.jsp

The most important gift will always be your love, support and prayers.

Many blessings for a bright, beautiful, holiday season!

Love,

Noah's Miracle by Stacy Warden is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

Sweet Surprises

There are not enough words to even describe the outpouring of love from the community, friends, those of you around the world that are always there praying and caring, in the last few days. Never did I ever expect that so many would be there to support us, to give us strength, to help ease our pains. It means so much to our family that so many stood up and said this isn't right, that people with special needs should not be treated this way. It's so easy for me just to retreat when I'm hurt, I think it is that way for a lot of people. Due to all of your encouragement and support we've decided that this cannot happen again, that if I can spare just even one family from feeling what we've felt being turned away, then something good has come from something so bad. I plan to write letters to corporate offices, local locations, file complaints - whatever I need to do to be heard so that this does not happen again to anyone. Thank you all so very much for standing behind us, together we can make a difference after all.

Chris and I were so desperate to find a bit of happiness over the weekend that we started putting up Christmas feverishly. Out came Rudolph, Christmas Elmo, two trees, tons of collected ornaments, Noah's tree train, and garland that has seen way better days and no longer lights up! But it didn't matter we were trying to sprinkle the house with as much joy as we could find to override all the pains we've had lately. Chris was a fantastic sport about it, I promised I wouldn't turn the lights on frequently to cut down on our electrical costs and in return he dragged out both trees within a half hour. I even made a Sears photography appointment with less than a day's notice.

Noah received the sweet little puppy sweater that I had wanted so badly at Macy's from a very loving family. I opened the package and squealed like a little school girl with excitement. If Noah only knew how much I adored that sweater and it came just in time for our Christmas pictures at Sears. Thank goodness for Sears coupons for making the dream possible. It was the best eight dollars ever spent to see him smiling so beautifully in that puppy sweater I had dreamed about. I can't wait to post them when it arrives of Noah in this sweater. As I write this I'm still teary just thinking about it. There is so much that would have never been possible without the love from so many, you have no idea the difference you all have made in our lives. God bless each and everyone of you out there reading about Noah, and praying hard for us, you're always there in our hardest moments, and celebrating our joys with us. All of Noah's angels all across the world.

I was also hoping to put Noah in that same sweater for Santa this year. I had a bit of a panic, tears and pouting for an hour or so yesterday when I called to find out that Noah had not made it to the list as promised from last year. Santa and Mrs. Claus told me we wouldn't have to participate in the lottery, so I never called in to enter our names for the drawing, I just assumed we were on the list and would be called with our date. But when I didn't get a call, I called the City to find out that no one had told them Noah was on the list, and our district was full for a Santa visit. She said she had no way to verify that we were told we'd be exempt from the lottery, and was very nice and apologized. I however was still crushed. Feeling like once again I dropped the ball for little Noah in some way. Failed to get him Santa...

Later that day I received a message that there was room after all for a Santa visit for Noah, and I called my mother and Chris overjoyed. Now I hope that after all of it, he isn't as scared as he was last year with Santa... I want it to be just wonderful for him. Santa comes December 1st on the fire truck! Another joyful thing in addition to putting up Christmas.

It's like that song from Annie, "The sun will come out tomorrow, Tomorrow, Bet your bottom dollar, That Tomorrow, They'll be sun! Just thinkin' about Tomorrow Clears away the cobwebs, and the sorrow, 'Til there's none!

I have to keep remembering for every hard situation, for every tear, for all the hard work, for all the struggles, there will be sun, you just have to give it time for the skies to clear. And even if that sun doesn't last long, it will be back eventually. You just can't give up on it.

I hope this entry finds you all blessed this Thanksgiving holiday. May the day be filled with lots of love, laughter and beautiful memories to hold and keep a lifetime. Thank you for sharing in our lives, and praying for us. As I say a huge Thank You prayer for all of you.

With tremendous love and thanks,



Noah's Miracle by Stacy Warden is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

An Arrow Hits the Heart.... Again

May 22, 2010, Noah was refused service at Fantastic Sams by a hair dresser. The same salon that had cut his hair three times previously. Some of my family had gone to Supercuts and recommended I go there. My family told them what had happened to us at Fantastic Sams, and they said they would absolutely help us, and would cut Noah's hair. They told us they felt bad we ever had that kind of experience anywhere. Today was also Noah's third haircut there. We walked in, called ahead like all the times before. They immediately whip out a child's booster seat, I reminded them Noah still cannot sit on his own, both hair stylists that were there already knew that. They both had cut his hair previously. They said that they would no longer cut Noah's hair that their corporate office told them they do not have to cut children's hair that cannot sit on their own in a booster seat. They said they would refuse to cut Noah's hair if we had to have him sit in our laps.

Chris looked at me, knowing I was wounded, not sure which direction I was going to go. Was I going to fall to pieces and cry? Was I going to stand up and fight for what I know to be wrong in my heart? Or was I going to put my tail between my legs and leave? I asked when this became policy. They said it always has been, they're just now enforcing it. I asked what my options were with a child that was handicapped and would probably be his entire life. Coldly the stylist turned to me and said I guess you should learn to cut his hair at home or have someone come out the house to do it. I felt like my heart was going to burst out of my chest and shatter into a million unrecognizable pieces onto the floor. Not again. Not in public. Not with all these other people there looking at me and my "special needs disabled child." Like me, my husband and my child are a defect. I was reliving it all again, the same moment. Why do I feel constantly discarded by society? Why can't I have the same rights and opportunities for my child? What makes this right? Doesn't this go against the Americans with Disabilities Act in some way? Why isn't there an exception for Noah, he can't help he cannot sit. He cannot help he's different. I cannot help this is our life. Why won't someone hear me? And why has this happened twice now at two different hair salon chains?

A few people have questioned my faith recently, saying if it were stronger things would be going easier. This isn't about not crying out for God, not asking him for help, not having faith all things will improve. I refuse to believe God is sitting up there thinking any of this is okay. Because I do everyday, pray so very hard for it all to turn around and get easier. I'm doing the best I can. Trying all I can. There are days I'd love to give up and I can't. I probably should have gambled on the drive to the children's salon that the other special needs mother told me about. But I thought just going up the street two minutes from home would be easier on Noah and he had been there previously without any problems. I could probably write a thousand letters to corporate offices, no one cares. No one would listen. No one understands the hurt and pain they've caused us. But this isn't right. How can they legally do this to us time and time again?

The stylist finally conceding knowing she was wrong said they'd cut Noah's hair one last time but that we would be refused in the future if Noah could not sit on his own for a haircut. I probably should have walked out, but I didn't. I sucked up those tears for twenty long minutes while Noah complained and fussed, he feeds so easily off my emotions. I don't even have to display them, he feels it, he knows what is happening. I told Chris in the car with my tears set free, I'm just not sure I can keep going through this, he turned to me and said I understand it is my pain too. But he said we have no choice. Chris stores his pain inside while mine is often displayed for the world to see.

So where do I go from here? These types of battles could happen to us our entire lives. Will I be at a zoo and refused entry? Will we be at a restaurant and told to leave? How is this happening in today's world? We have not come as far as everyone would like to believe. Discrimination is so alive, so evil and so strong. How do I fight against it? My skin is only so thick, even though I do my best to put up a brave face, I'm so fragile inside and I crumble with pain. We deserve the same rights as everyone else. I deserve the option of taking my son for a haircut just like any other mother. I deserve that right. Why must I be banished to having his hair done at home? I'm so hurt and angry. I can't make people understand what this is like. It's not their pain, not their special child, they will likely never feel what it is to be me, or live this life. There was no compassion, no understanding today. It almost felt calculated, premeditated, and purposeful. And not one of the customers at the salon stood up for us, they all looked and stared. I cannot help that Noah makes people uncomfortable. He is a person, he is different, but he's so beautiful and precious. How can you tell him to go away? And how on earth as his mother do I teach him to survive in a world that hates him at such an early age? How do I do that without breaking his precious little spirit?

I want all these answers that I don't have. I just want someone to come and fix it, fix my heart, fix my pain. This isn't acceptable that this keeps happening. It isn't.

"God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks to us in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: It is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world." C. S. Lewis.

Love,



Noah's Miracle by Stacy Warden is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

Wooden Snowflakes

Noah has had a pretty good week. He's been such a little champion at his therapies, and even at class today he was happy. We decorated wooden snowflakes today. On one side we decorated with markers designs and colors, and on the other side we put each child's name, size, age and listing of toys that they might like. These snowflakes are going on a tree for special needs children at a business location. And someone will pick Noah's name and give him a gift.

I participated in a tree gift giving at work at the courthouse for many years. I never gave it a second thought. I just pulled two names off the tree each year, bought gifts, wrapped them up and dropped it off at the CASA office. I never realized how much the need really is behind the name. I knew I would never meet the person I was gifting, it's something we all did, Judges, Magistrates, Division Clerks, and Court Staff. Now I'm on the other side, we are a name on a tree, and someone out there will be helping us and giving Noah a gift. There is so much behind the name. Real people, real children, needing help. It's nice to know that we're not forgotten. That special needs children matter too.

After we decorated our snowflakes for the tree, we all got into the pool for sensory class. Something we only do as a group every so often. Noah laughed and giggled and actually did quite well with other children splashing him. He was overall a good sport about it. Noah is the most physically challenged out of the group. And although he can't do as much as the other children can, we always feel included in all that they try to do. Even if he can't perform it and I have to simulate it for him. I do recognize we have a long way to go, but I'm so proud of him. He never gives up, and I admire his spirit.

One of the mothers that attends class with me just opened up a hair salon for children. I mentioned Noah's hair needed a cut. I've been delaying it for many reasons really. I think I'm still wounded in a lot of ways from that salon that refused Noah months ago because of his disabilities, and I've convinced myself that Noah plays more with his head and ears if it's longer. And I keep thinking any self-awareness and touching of his head is good for him. The name of the salon is Pigtails and Crewcuts designed just for children. She was so nice and said they'd love to have Noah there anytime. They are a bit of a drive for us. I don't know if Noah would make it that far or not, but the pictures of the salon look like something Noah would just love and be entertained by. It's even nice to find someone that understands and would never refuse us or look down upon Noah because he has special needs.
https://www.pigtailsandcrewcuts.com/default.aspx

Thank you to all that continue to pray so hard for Noah and our family. We always feel your love and are so thankful you are there sending us your words of encouragement and kindness.

Love,



Noah's Miracle by Stacy Warden is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

Floating Faith

Noah Floating
Noah loving the water

Noah in his winter gear

Noah smiling because I told him Grandma would love it!

Noah has his warm water therapy session today. I bundled him up to brave the cold and snow and off we went. Noah hates hats, but obliged me even allowing me to to cover his hands with mittens. I was even able to get his feet into some Robeez booties I had bought last season. They are almost too small, but they are all I have. Maybe Santa will be able to bring him another pair in the right size, since he does best in soft soled shoes.

The last two weeks Noah has done some amazing things in water therapy. Things I never dreamed he'd ever do. We've finally gotten to a point where we can cover his ears and submerge his head in water and hold him by his shoulders in water on his back. His sensory issues never allowed this previously. We still have a long way to go, but to see him so comfortable in the water makes my heart skip with this indescribable joy, the kind of joy that fuels that deep hope that will reside forever inside a special part of my soul.

There are so many children that I read about, it's so hard not to get attached to them all. They are all so very precious and special in their own way. I've read about Bowen, a little boy fighting a heart condition since the day of his birth. His father happens to be the lead singer of a Christian group called Sanctus Real, but no matter how close you may or may not be to God he can bestow upon you a heavy cross at any time without warning. This is an excerpt from Bowen's blog at: http://www.bowensheart.com/

"I hear religious minded people say all the time with good intentions. ‘God will never place a burden on you so heavy that you cannot possibly carry it.’
Really?
My experience is that God will place a burden on you so heavy that you cannot possibly carry it alone. He will break your back and your will. He will buckle your legs until you fall flat beneath the crushing weight of your load. All the while He will walk beside you waiting for you to come to the point where you must depend on Him.
‘My power is made perfect in your weakness,’ He says, as we strain under our burden.
Whatever the burden, it might indeed get worse, but know this-God is faithful. And while we change and get old, He does not. When we get weaker, He remains strong. And in our weakness and humility, He offers us true, lasting, transforming, and undeserved grace.”
"Wrestling With and Angel"- by Greg Lucas

It is true, our burden is so heavy that we can't possibly carry it alone. Yet I'd like to think that not only is God there for all of us, but so are all of you that continue to care so deeply about Noah and our family. You offer us prayers, love and understanding. We've been broken down to nothing, we have nothing. We've slowly been losing all financial security we ever built, years of planning and dreaming. It's all coming down like a house of cards. One life altering event is all it took. And life as we know it has forever been changed. There's no way anyone can really keep up with everything when therapy costs and equipment are like having a second mortgage. You can't do without them, because you see your child making progress. Yet you realize you still have to feed the dogs, yourselves, pay the utilities, phone, trash, water, mortgages, health insurance bills, car insurance and the like. Most families are forced to have one that stays home with the special needs child. In this case it was me and continues to be. And none of it is Noah's fault. We never look at him and say you are the root of where it all started. For in our hearts we are willing to sacrifice anything and everything to help him. There are things that are just so unexpected in life. We take our health for granted, our jobs that we think are so secure - we give ourselves a false sense of security. When really the rug can be yanked out from underneath any of us at any time for any reason. We build our egos up to think we're untouchable, but we are so fragile and so easy to take down.

All we can do is turn it over to God. What else is there to do? Will he help us? I don't know. There are lot of us that need help, I have no idea where we are on his list. But I will continue to pray that above all else he helps Noah. I'd give my last breath to help him.

Love,

Noah's Miracle by Stacy Warden is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

Sprinkled Joy

The last couple of weeks Noah has been tremendously difficult with sleep. It doesn't matter if he has a nap, doesn't have a nap, he is up multiple times every few hours. Chris and I have had a really tiring few weeks. The time change didn't help either. Noah was up just as many times and staying up at his usual time of around 7:30am which is now 6:30am. I know I'm not alone, I hear all the time that children like Noah are difficult sleepers. I still think he needs more room, I would love to believe that would solve it. His crib is just too little for him. But then with that comes more money we simply don't have. You can't just go get a regular toddler bed for Noah. Specialty beds, like the Sleep Safe Bed, cost thousands, and rarely are you able to get Medicaid or other health insurance companies to pay for them. It is such a broken system for special needs children. We cannot afford to get half of what we need, and help just isn't there. And most of these items shouldn't even cost what they do. A mother recently told me her son's electric wheelchair was $40,000. That's more than most vehicles cost new. And we all know that unless it's made from the world's most special gold and diamonds it isn't worth $40,000. But they can charge whatever they want. The world of disabilities means a huge dollar sign. It's unbelievable that it is set up this way. And I don't see positive changes coming that are going to fix it. So many of us are just stranded in our options.

Noah and I got out last week to walk around the mall. That's all I can do these days, I didn't even have the funds to get him a dairy queen. I went to Macy's found all these clothes that I adored for Noah, a cute little white sweater with a fuzzy dog in a Santa hat with presents, I even found a size 24 months held in my hands wanting it, carrying it around, only to tell myself we couldn't have it and I put it back. Macy's is starting to decorate for Christmas and the bug just bit me. Everything in that store for whatever reason, I just wanted to take home. Christmas dishes and plates, decorations, clothes for Noah, toys... I felt like Santa without a Christmas bag. And since that mall visit, I've just wanted to skip Thanksgiving and put the tree up now. I know that is terrible. I always liked Chirstmas, but never this much until Noah came along. Maybe I just feel like I have to make up for Christmas of 2008 when we were all struggling to survive and recover after Noah's birth. I was so drugged I can only remember watching pieces of the parade on television and someone coming to give me a rosary and hold my hands and pray. That's all I have of that Christmas... nothing. No gifts, no memories of a beautiful meal, no Christmas songs, no joy, no baby in my arms. I never want to spend another Christmas feeling helpless, hopeless, and so empty.

I've felt very alone these past weeks, not because I am. Sometimes you just realize that everyone else gets to go on with their lives, and Chris and I will remain forever in this special needs world. It's been so very wonderful to read all of your sweet and loving caringbridge guestbook and blog entries. I am unable much of the time to respond to many emails and comments, but know that I read them, and it touches me beyond words. On my most difficult days, it always is so reassuring to know that even though we might feel alone, we are not. That all around the world you care and you haven't forgotten about little Noah.

I had a free coupon for a hamburger at McDonald's. I was hungry after one of Noah's therapy sessions and thought I would use it, but when I got to the drive thru, there was a man walking with a little tiny white dog. His clothes were worn, his shoes had holes and I knew he didn't have a home. I gave him my free hamburger because I knew he needed it more. And I felt great all day, because I was able to sprinkle joy. And it reminded me of this article I read. It's so important to me that I'm able to show and teach Noah about kindness and love for others.

By Steve Goodier

"Sprinkle joy" said Ralph Waldo Emerson. And at least one little creature seems to do just that.

There is a small bird in the northwest part of the United States called the ouzel, or the American Dipper. This unusual bird lives around fast rushing water, sometimes nesting behind water falls. It has been seen flying in and out of white water rapids of mountain rivers that crash and splash through steep and rocky canyons. It loves the violent, noisy, chaotic life of the rugged river environment. And through it all it sings! When rains falls in sheets, when wind blows in a violent fury, when other birds huddle in sheltered nooks against the rage of the storm, the dipper frolics in the tempest and blissfully sings. Don't you love to be around people like that? People who don't wait for circumstances to change or for happy times to come before they laugh and sing? People who can be happy in the confusion and chaos of life? These people do not expect life to make them happy. Nor do they spend time looking for joy - instead they decide to give it away. Like that remarkable little bird, they can be found in the midst of life's turbulence, enthusiastic and hopeful.

These resilient people teach us an important lesson about survival. They show us that people who "sprinkle joy" grow stronger. Sprinkled joy immunizes them against despair during difficult and tumultuous times. They actually weather storms better because of a lifetime habit of approaching difficulties with a glad heart.

I don't know that sprinkling joy makes me weather my storm any better, but it is what God would want me to do, and I know he smiles when I try with all I have.

Love,




Noah's Miracle by Stacy Warden is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

Noah's 2nd Halloween

At Grandma's with mommy looking at my pretty red fur

Getting ready for my ride trick-or-treating

Daddy & Little Elmo

Noah's Ghost Pumpkin

Noah's Dragon Pumpkin

Noah's Sesame Street Cookie Monster & Elmo Pumpkins

Noah had a really great Halloween weekend. We carved a couple pumpkins, while Noah watched patiently in his highchair trying to absorb what we were doing, and decorated another two with Sesame Street characters, Cookie Monster & Elmo. They turned out really cute. And the great thing about the Sesame Street pumpkins is we can reuse the faces next year! Moms love it when you can stretch pennies like that.

I think he was genuinely excited about his costume this year. And he seemed to want to pet his furry little self most of the night, which I think was great for sensory stimulation. I'm surprised he was even interested in the costume at all. He went as Elmo this year, and he looked just absolutely precious. It fit him so well. I thought maybe it would be a bit hot for him in there, but he seemed to do really well this year. The temperatures were comfortable and I was so thankful there was no snow to contend with.

We pulled out the umbrella stroller that I had gotten with a free purchase before Noah was even born for the first time. It doesn't have a five-point harness just a regular strap-in umbrella stroller. But I put him in it and he looked very comfortable. He did really well in it, but it would be hard to use it during the day as Noah still has big issues with sunlight. But if it hadn't been for the umbrella bucket seat, there would have been no way that he could have done it without a five-point harness. The umbrella stroller was so much lighter and easy to navigate. Chris and I went to four houses in our neighborhood before we realized that our subdivision has too many elaborate stairs to get to most of the front doors. Pretty and fancy, but not practical when you have a special needs little one.

So I left Chris at home to pass out candy to all the tons of kids, while Elmo and I drove to grandma's house where the houses only had steps not stairs and were ranches and bi-levels. We went to all my neighbors that I did as a child. A bit strange my first time trick-or-treating with my own child now, like the years just fast forwarded. Most people have heard through the grape-vine by now about Noah. People talk, that's just what they do. It's okay. I'm still not ashamed or embarrassed to say I have a child that is special needs. I love him very much. He is "different, but is not less."

We went to the house of a little boy that was special needs on my block that I grew up with. I haven't seen him in years now, but his mother still lives there. I asked about him and she said he is married now to a girl he met at Wal-mart that also has challenges and they live with her mother. She said he still walks with a walker but is doing wonderfully. And was happy to meet Noah. She told me she remembered the early days when her son was Noah's age, when he couldn't sit or walk. How truly wonderful it would be to imagine Noah having the possibility of growing up one day to get married and have a family. What an ultimate dream come true.

Noah made a pretty good haul on his candy, and even got a capri sun pouch, something that he actually can drink... well with help as he still hasn't learned to suck through a straw yet. And I did give him reluctantly a piece of a Hershey candy milk chocolate bar before bed because he was throwing a mini tantrum over not getting anything. Or at least I think that is what he was trying to tell me, as he calmed down right away when he got it. And off to bed we went for a few hours until he woke up scrunched crying in a corner. I think the crib is very fast becoming very small quarters for Noah. And once he panics about being stuck in a corner, your only option is to take him to snuggle with you to bed, and of course being the sweet little guy he is, decides to wet our bed within minutes of joining us.

I suppose some things like this would just frustrate some parents to no end. A child that demands to sleep with them, one that wets the bed... but Chris and I are just glad we have the opportunity to sleep next to Noah. It doesn't matter how many elbows or kicks we get or how many sheet changes we go through. It's a totally different concept, sometimes I wish all parents could experience it just for a while, so that they would complain less about the little things that just don't matter. We're just thankful we get to experience this moment in time together as a family.

"A grandmother pretends she doesn't know who you are on Halloween."
Erma Bombeck (Way to go little Elmo trying to fool grandma like that!)

Love,




Noah's Miracle by Stacy Warden is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.