Make 'em tough

Owen is a child that is so ahead of his time. He could feed a baby through a feeding tube at age 2. He knows his city and state he lives in and also which state he was "made" in. His favorite song is about the caste system in India. He draws pictures of Desmond Tutu and Yo Yo Ma. We think he is truly incredible.

Today he is using a small cloth tape measure and measuring everything he needs to know an instant size on. We go through this every few weeks when Ella is measured by her nutritionist to keep a good tab on her size. But, the thing is small and it gets lost often so for a while we do not know the status on many a thing.

But, those big blue eyes spotted the tape measure under the couch today and found it. "I measure everything." And away he goes.

Ella was the first to be measured. "How big is she, Owen?" Nick asked. "Big," said Owen, "and tough."

And me, I wondered. Owen put the measuring tape up to my leg and immediately he knew: I was tough too.

How much does he know? How much has he heard? I immediately began thinking about how smart and observant and curious he was and questioned his innocence, as I often do.

But, this wasn't about that.

Within minutes, all 4 of us were officially put to the test and we all had the same height: tough.

We couldn't have planned him better if we would have picked him out ourself. Owen renews our hope for today and reminds us that in the weakness that seems to overwhelm, I am, we are, incredibly and undeniably tough.