A Lesson in Bones

In my effort to make myself more aware of what the hec is going on in the world, I did what any homeschooling mom does....I ordered a magazine for the kids to add to the curriculum! I figured handling the world news on a 2nd grade level is probably all I can handle anyway.

So, our very first issue of Taking Off came and we are having fun so far! There was a great article on Native Americans, the boys love the maps and the spread on the great white shark spurred some great breakfast conversation this morning. However along with that came something better today....The article on bones.

There was a story of a little boy with cancer who received a bone that would grow with his arm after removing the one that had the cancer. They said nothing like that had been tried before, it was the first one of it's kind and let me tell you it is pretty cool. I just casually mentioned to Connor how cool that was and how that is one reason we didn't do "the surgery" when he was a baby. We were worried about the bones in his fingers not being able to grow with the rest of his hand. He looked at me very confused and I said, "haven't I told you about that?" He said no and I guess since he was around when we made the decision, I just assumed he knew:)

So, I didn't make a big deal about it, but I briefly told him that we considered a surgery when he was just 8 months and that there were many reasons why we decided not to go through with it. He just had this matter of fact look on his face and he said..."that is good mommy, it would be fine." I said what would be fine, not sure what he meant and he said.."my little hand is fine just the way it is." Then we looked at the hand bones and counted how many he probably has and he thought it was really neat.

I'm sure that this won't be the only time in his life that it comes up but it felt good to have the first out of the way. As a parent, I have wondered how he would react to our decision. I have NEVER regretted our decision for a second, but wondered if he would wish we would have gone through with it. So, since he is a pretty smart and mature kid, I felt great about "our talk."

I go through days without even remembering about his little hand and have never treated him any different. As a matter of fact it has been the opposite most of the time. I tend to look at things after and think...mmmm...maybe that might be hard for him; the bike, the scooter, speed stacking and piano just to name a few. However, none of that has been. There are only two things that I can even say that boy has struggled with and those are the monkey bars and tying his shoe. I am pleased to report that he can do both and I was filled with pride as he worked so hard to accomplish those.

He has also become more confident and is able now to say..."That is just the way God made me, I was born like that," when someone asks about it. I just knew that day would come! Thank you Jesus!