I want to talk about where we are today and the events Gabe has planned in the next few weeks. Gabe starts school in five weeks and I am more than a little apprehensive about the thought of Gabe starting school. Kristie and I both know that Gabe will love and benefit from starting school, Gabe is extremely social and loves to meet new people and make friends. I am sure Gabe will be using his favorite ice breakers “knucks” or “high five” to introduce himself. 
Before Gabe starts school, he is going to have his tonsils and adenoids removed. Gabe has mild sleep apnea and this surgery will help improve his quality of sleep. For those of you wondering, it is common to have a sleep study done between the ages of three and five for children with Down syndrome, which is how Kristie and I confirmed Gabe’s sleep apnea. The surgery to have his tonsils and adenoids removed is scary, especially because there are additional risks for people with Down syndrome going under anesthesia. Raising children is scary, when I was less experienced with life, I thought everything revolved around making money and driving a fast car. As I have grown up and learned life lessons from Gabe, I have a redefined sense of what is important. The most important part of any of our lives is family. Family must always come first, specifically the needs of your family above your own. I don’t want Gabe to have surgery, but I understand that this will improve the quality of his sleep for the rest of his life. I also don’t want Gabe to start school, and yet I know that starting school is best for Gabe. 
It is also important for us to take time to now only think about our children and how we can make their lives better, but we as fathers and husbands need to take the time to thank our wives for all of the wonderful things they do for us and our families. I thank you, Kristie for being the most the most amazing wife and mother. Kristie is the backbone of our family operation, she is the glue that holds everything together, and she is the reason our children are growing into such wonderful people. Being a mother comes so naturally to her and I am so lucky to have her as my parenting partner. These next few weeks, like all of the weeks before, are going to be exciting, filled with highs and lows and there is not another person in the world I look forward to handling these challenges with other than you.