The lord has his hand in all things.

I have to tell you a very interesting story. I was at a follow up doctor visit for Ella and I had been waiting for quite some time. A lady came walking in with her son over her shoulder. There were very few chairs available so I offered her mine. She sat down and was tired from an obvious long walk. She told me thank you and that she had been on the bus and the wheelchair door wouldn't open so she had to leave it behind on the bus.She had carried her son in. He was eleven years old but about the size of Lorin, maybe a little taller. She said that the bus people would bring his wheel chair to her when they could get the door to open. This started a conversation that brought two worlds together that may never have collided. Her son was the spitting image of my brother Landon when he was smaller. I was amazed by his mannerisms and facial characteristics. Finally I asked what he had been diagnosed with. She told me that he didn't have a diagnoses. The closest thing was cerebral palsy with mental delay. I remember mom and dad getting that same diagnoses for Landon when he was little. She listed off several things that she thought might be wrong and one of them was Angelmans Syndrome. I immediately told her that I had a brother with Angelman and we started into a deep question and answer session about different things that we have experienced with them. After our discussion she was convinced that he had AS and I was too. He is Landon eleven years ago. She said that the doctors never tested him for it for one reason or another, but she was going to ask them to on her next appointment. I was able to get mom her email address and they have been emailing. She wrote me an email a day later telling me that she was grateful for our meeting and that there was a reason that the wheelchair door on the bus didn't open and that she was late getting to her appointment so that our paths could cross. I personally know what it is like to not have a diagnoses and that it would just give us peace of mind. Now this mom has dealt with it for 11 years and I have only dealt with it for 20 months. Even if this was the only reason Ella ever got sick was to help this mom get a diagnoses for her son so that she knew for sure what the future holds would be miracle in its self. I do believe that the lord has a hand in all things. He provides the way for paths to cross to bring about strong friendships to last a life time. If you look at the events that brought us here to Maryland, you can't deny that we are guided by a Father in Heaven that knows and loves us and to think that even though he has more people to look after than is imaginable, my family is still just as important to him as that mom with the boy with Angelmans Syndrome.

If anyone is interested in reading about Angelman Syndrome you can visit their website at www.angelman.org