February 15th
Cupids have wings.
Angels do too.
On the 14th, we wear red.
On the 15th, we wear blue!
-Author Unknown
Happy International Angelman Syndrome Day! Today I am feeling thankful. This time last year, we never thought we would be joining this amazing community. The AS Community has welcomed us with open arms. Within hours of Maddie’s diagnosis, we had a family in Wisconsin e-mail us. Within three days, we had a family call us. Throughout the Christmas season we received three separate “care” packages from Angel families.
Not only did strangers from the AS Community embrace our family, your amazing support has helped guide us through these early stages of Maddie’s diagnosis. It has blown me away, the amount of people who read this blog week in and week out. I started it as a therapeutic outlet but I am so grateful for each and every single one of you. We truly have one of the greatest villages around Maddie.
With a touch of irony, Maddie has a Neurodevelopmental appointment today with Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital. This is a reality that will never leave our lives. That is okay. I thank God for Maddie, and I love seeing her amazing smile. I love her attempts to “hide” but her giggles give her away every time. I love my little girl.
Lastly, I wanted to highlight an amazing gesture by Yaya and her sister. They have created a beautiful video and told Maddie’s story brilliantly. I’m going to include the link below. Nicole and I are humbled that someone would take their time and energy to create something for us. I’m not asking you to donate, just to read Maddie’s story from her perspective.
-Written by Adam Birchmeier
