HaPpY bIrThDaY Seth!

Eleven years ago today, Seth came into this world.

Eleven days later, he was diagnosed with PKU.

At the time, his diagnosis turned our world upside down. I remember crying, because I felt it would make him different. I worried about his not being able to eat like the other football players on game night. I worried about some little girl snickering at him on their first date as he ordered a salad. I worried that he would always test the waters with food, putting his little brain in danger.

But Seth was a trooper from the very beginning. From weekly blood draws to formula that tasted like iron, he took it all in stride, learning to count his amounts of protein by the time he was 3. Not once did he ever cheat. Not once did he ever complain. Of all my children, if one had to have PKU, God knew what he was doing by picking Seth. By no means was he a whiner, much wiser than his age in realizing how lucky he was to be healthy.

"But why is my disorder so much more important than my brother's?" Again, wisdom beyond his years. I can honestly say, had it not been for Seth, and his huge, sensitive heart, I don't know that we would have fought for Grey like we did. Without Seth, we may not have even know enough to fight. All in God's big plan, I guess.

Happy Birthday Seth. Words could never express how lucky I am to be your mom. You have blessed me in ways no other child could have.

Below is one of Seth's favorite pictures, him with Jim Kelly at the Hunter's Hope Candlelight Ball. He was a guest of honor and caught a pass from the Hall Of Fame quarterback. Not too many kids can say that!