Dear friends and family,

Welcome back... 6 months since our last update, and Calvin is always progressing. He is crawling all the time and does stairs no sweat. He also knows how to back down them safely. We're working on standing, walking, and cruising (moving side to side with support). He does a lot of this at school, and we always do exercises before bed. He seems to fall asleep better that way. His new move is crawling in a circle with his head on the ground; he has worn a bald patch in his hair from where he 'dances' on his head.

He is also feeding himself larger amounts of food. This signals the time for transition. One day, we believe Calvin will get off the feeding tube and feed himself, but that will take years! I need wisdom and training now about how to start the transition. I feel scared because it already takes a ton of work to help Calvin self-feed. How will I quantify the food he's eating? How will I start removing calories from his g-tube meals? We don't have a great relationship with the therapist who helps in this area, so please pray that I will get the help I need so Calvin can one day be tube-free!

Calvin really loves hitting and throwing the ball, so much so that it often makes him laugh out loud. He is a wonderful boy, and we are proud of him. We know that God will use Calvin to point people to Himself. We are already experiencing ways that he moves us toward the Lord. But right now, it is really hard. Calvin is going through a phase of tantrums, unhappiness, and throwing toys. Will you pray for us? A few ways...

• That Calvin will know God loves him and is with him
• For Calvin to learn to communicate (through signs, communication device, words, etc.)
• That God will show us how we can help Calvin calm down
• For all our kids to enjoy being with each other

Enjoy the attached photos ... God bless you!

Jim & Laura