Could you just eat them up?

I don't know what possessed me to look for these...maybe it's that they are turning SEVEN next week? These pictures were taken right after their third birthday.

Benjie says they are like Muppet Babies-they look exactly the same, just smaller :)




As I contemplate their upcoming birthday, I've been thinking about them, and their unique perspective on the world as Dovi's siblings.

I really do believe that they are almost lucky, if you will, to have Dovi as a brother.

Dovi teaches them tolerance, acceptance, and patience.

Yesterday, the visiting nurse from Dovi's nursing agency was doing her every-three-months home visit. Dovi was telling Ginny about his time at Camp Simcha Special. Ginny couldn't understand one specific word he said. I wasn't in the room at the time and didn't realize what was going on. So Shana went over and translated for Dovi. And she stood behind Dovi, mouthing what he was saying to Ginny in case she didn't understand another word.

My kids are more accepting of kids with challenges. I have a dear friend in New Jersey who has a son in a wheelchair. It is a very involved positioning chair. When we were in New Jersey in June for my niece's Bat Mitzvah, my friend came over to visit with her son. My kids, as all kids are, were intrigued and a little intimidated by Adam (not his real name in order to preserve his privacy)'s chair. I told me kids: "You know how Dovi needs help and he has a wheelchair? Well Adam needs help too, just more than Dovi. And Dovi has a wheelchair? Well Adam does too-but his is bigger and has more stuff because he needs a little more help than Dovi." My kids? "OK Mommy" and off they went.

What's my kids' goal when they are older? They want to be Camp Simcha counselors. Maybe it's because they see all the awesome stuff Dovi does at camp and want in on it too-the iPod he won at camp is really making Elisha jealous. (BTW Raphi-Benjie took it to the Apple Store and was able to exchange the pink iPod for a yellow one.) I'd like to think it's because they get it-how important camp is and how it's incredible for the counselors as well as the kids.

Let's be honest-of course I'd rather Dovi be healthy and not give my kids these "learning experiences". But we've got the lemons, so let's make the lemonade.

And I must say it's some pretty tasty lemonade.