For the parents who had to wait longer to hear a first word, who spent more time in doctors offices with their child than on play dates, who endure countless bad days and the stares from other people...For the parents whose child's first friend was their doctor...For the parents who face special needs everyday...WE SALUTE YOU ALL. Re post if you are proud to be or know a family with a child with special needs."

This was posted on facebook by my brother in honor of his nephews Cole and Cale.
My brother, Kenny, has his on personal history with matters of the brain and its limitations and frustrations. I watch him struggle after his motorcycle crash. He struggled to regain his mobility and even more so his command of the vast knowledge
his mind possesses. This is not my usual sarcastic humor the he and I banter back and forth. He has made a miraculous recovery.

When I first saw him in the emergency room ICU, I could not see how he would live much less recover to be just as obnoxious, innocuous and hardheaded as he ever was.
In short the brother that I love and care for.

Thank you little brother for being you.

It is an off week for Cole and Cale. They are with their Mommy and hopefully their Daddy. It is a quiet Saturday morning here on the end of Plantation Drive. Almost to quiet. But it gives me time to remember last weekend and the moments that make being a grandparent great.

One of those things is that you can share Cole and Cale's unbridled joy and love with their other Grandparents. Barbara and Kirk came to pick the children up Saturday afternoon from our house. About 30 or 40 minutes before they arrived Cole and Cale were in the swings. Marcia came out to tell them Nana and Papaw were coming. Their faces lit up and the clapped with such spontaneity, joy and enthusiasm as the scream out, Nana, Papaw over and over.

Then Cole, expecting them to drive up at any minute, said "open the gate, Pappy, open gate. I told him we would have to wait for a few minutes. He and Cale kept their eyes glued to the back yard gate for the next 10 or 15 minutes as they continued to swing. Every time a car would pass on the street they both would rise up in the swing seat only to sink back as it passed without stopping. Then with much effort we diverted their attention and they began to play in their cars and on the trikes.

Barbara called as they were getting closer, but we did not say anything to Cale and Cole. When they pulled their car into the drive and the gate opened it was shouts of Nana, Papaw. Both Cole and Cale jumping, clapping and then running to their Nana and Papaw.

Now I have to admit I had a tinge of jealousy and a slight feeling of rejection. It was short lived because the joy and enthusiasm of those two little boys is infectious. That along with knowing why they are so glad to see Barbara and Kirk.

It is more than comforting knowing the circle of love and caring that exists for these little boys. A circle that we now know extends to their big boisterous, gregarious and amazing Uncle Kenny.

All that said, Cole and Cale's language skills are getting better every time we see them. Cole told Marcia he wanted "sausage and eggs" for breakfast last Saturday, Cale added "me too". That was a new one for him.

Cale has mastered all the cut out puzzles we have, so we will have to find some new ones. Cole has worn the pages out of his "Thomas" books. So the same is true for those. Cole has become less interested in the "DVDs" of Thomas. He still puts one in the player and turns every thing on but does not tune every thing else out. He plays with toys more and with Cale. However he stops most times when the the musical sessions come on. He claps and dances to the music with a pretty good sense of rythym.

I will leave it there, but below you will find links to Fragile X Syndrome information. If you would like to know the causes, symptoms, treatments, research and statistics please visit these sights. A cure for Fragile X would be the greatest thing for these children which may be achievable, but a future where people are educated about their condition, understanding and supportive is acheivable. Please help.

http://www.fragilex.org/html/resources2.htm
http://www.ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/fragile-x-syndrome
http://www.conquerfragilex.org/about_resources.php