In my mind, I had been building this image that the trach would be out by the end of the year, and Ben would just be a few months behind developmentally. Now that this looks less likely, we have to prepare more seriously for raising a child who may have little or no speaking abilities for several years. As a first step, we picked up a sign language book this weekend and will start working a few signs into our daily routine. Whether God continues to bless Ben with quick healing or gives us the challenge of dealing with the trach, we'll try to see it as an opportunity for God to do great things through Ben.
And now it's time for some professional photos taken by Jenny Connell.
