Precious baby #8 was born...

(This was a letter my aunt and uncle wrote together, after counseling, to announce Levi's birth)


Dear Uncle Tommy, Auntie Lori, Sissy, and TJ...

Hi, my name is Levi Bento. My mommy and daddy asked me to write to you and tell you a little about myself, which shouldn't take long since I'm only about a week old.

One of the first things I learned after I was born, actually when I was just only about 30 minutes old, was a funny new word - Up's Syndrome - no, that's not right - the doctors called it Down's Syndrome. I think they might have been talking about me. Now, I'm not sure what that word means but when the doctor said it, things got really quiet - it didn't seem to be good news.

Now that I'm home, I can't say anything but that "this is GREAT!" Everybody loves me very much, kids are everywhere running in and out - I think I've counted up to seven at one time! I just can't wait to join them some day.

And I can't understand what all the fuss is about at the hospital - I feel perfectly fine. In fact, just the other day, I heard my daddy explain to all my brothers and sisters that Jesus sent me as a blessing to our family - that God may choose to develop me a little differently and that is His choice since He made me, and will grow me according to His purpose - and that's fine with me. My mommy and daddy believe that Jesus wants to use ME to teach my family many things about loving others, trusting in Him, and many, many other things we'll all find out later. And that's fine with me too. I like that. I like being a blessing.

I look forward to meeting you someday soon and hope, in some way, I may be a blessing to you too. I'd like to be a blessing.

Love, Levi



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Down_syndrome