Mattie is READING!

Every accomplishment, minor or major deserves fair recognition.  And just like any mom, or "stage mom", any accomplishment made by my child warrants an utmost amount of praise!  Yes, I do admit I am kind of a stage mother.  Every deed silly, wise, smart, even naughty is funny and good.  All moms feel that all their children are at one-point champions.

Allow me to once more to dwell and bask in pride at Mattie's latest milestone.  To be honest, this is the one that urged me to write again (I hate writing!) as I simply felt that Mattie deserves all the praise he can get as this milestone is simply JUST AMAZING!  I want to shout it out to the world and tell everyone of his awesome accomplishment!

Let the video below speak for itself.  It will take 15 minutes of your time but I hope that you'll indulge me in watching it.  

P.S.  Please excuse mommy and teacher's "prideful" remarks.

Yes, Mattie is READING (sight reading to be exact)!  Yes, he just turned THREE years old.  No, I did not make any clues, codes, or marks in the cards that would help him guess or match the pictures correctly.  He was simply just reading the words (although not verbally) and matching the right pictures with the right words.  He was having a hard time with the fine motor part of connecting the puzzle pieces together, but almost perfected the reading part of matching the pictures with the words (30 words in all).  Also note that he was able to sit down, focus, and finish his task for fifteen straight minutes. Isn't that A-M-A-Z-I-N-G?  Mattie has special needs.  He has Down's syndrome, and just for that, this accomplishment tops the charts! (Click here to learn more about Down's syndrome).

A good friend once reminded me of God's love and goodness when she saw how Mattie was thriving and how he was developing and catching up with all his milestones.  She said: "God is good, isn't He?  He is our "Great Enabler". He gave us the strength, the wisdom, and the grace we need to be the parents we've always wanted to be for our children."  I did not pay much attention to her words at that time since I was still in the process of recovering from the bitterness of having a disabled child.

Another year has passed and now I am indeed amazed by how much Mattie has developed.  Yes there were hard times, times when we had to juggle one therapy after another, times when we had to assess the right balance between enough stimulation and over stimulation, and times when we felt like giving up since achieving the next milestone was just taking SO LONG, and seemed so IMPOSSIBLE. But, truly God is my Enabler!  He did carry me, Chris and Mattie thru. He showed us the way in which we could help Mattie be the way he is now.  He led us, provided for us, and gave us wisdom in giving what Mattie needs in ALL ASPECTS. He led us to the right therapists, to the right doctors, he provided for us financially, and even allowed me to become a full time mom to attend to Mattie's needs.  We indeed have an awesome God!  In Philippians 4:13, Paul says: “ I can do all things thru Christ who gives me strength.”  Yes, I claim this now; “I can do all things thru Christ who gives me strength!”

Mattie still has Down syndrome.  His disability will forever be there, it is part of him.  It is not like a disease or a virus that he could be healed from.  He will always strive and work extra hard to reach the next milestone, and may always lag behind versus typically developing children.  In John 9:2-7 Jesus’ disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him”

God did not take Mattie’s disability away.  In fact, God blessed Mattie, and my family with this disability to see His faithfulness, His provision, and His supremacy.  Because of Mattie, we rely on God day-by-day, moment-to-moment, and are forced to keep and strengthen our faith in Him.  Because of Mattie’s disability, Chris and I have come to know God in a real and loving way.  God has never failed us ever since.  God is good all the time; all the time God is good.  Truly the works of God are displayed in Mattie’s disability. 

I remember the first few days I was allowed to take a shower after my delivery.  The memory is so vivid since as you know, in the Chinese culture, mothers who have just given birth cannot take a bath for a month for risks of getting body pains or head trauma.  (I took a bath after 2 weeks … in secret, so you should know that taking a bath was a real luxury!)  There was a quiet voice in my head singing “This little light of mine, I gonna let it shine”.  I know now why that song was playing in my head.  Mattie’s light will definitely shine for Jesus. 

To God be the glory.

Mattie's Mom