Our daughter, Shyleigh Rae-Ann, is a miracle in every sense of the word.

For starters, she was born witih several organs on the outside of her body.  She was also born three months premature, weighing less than three pounds at birth.  Doctors said that she would die.

God had other plans.

After spending several months in the hospital, Shyleigh came home.  She was on oxygen at the time, but she was HOME, right where she belonged, with her family.  It was a cause for celebration.

Our happiness, however, did not last long.  It was discovered that Shyleigh had delays.  At the age of 14 months, just a little over a year old, she was not sitting up or even attempting to talk.  She was eventually diagnosed with cerebral palsy.

It was the worst news any parent could have ever hear, especially after what Shyleigh had already faced when she first came into the world.

Shyleigh is now three and a half and talking up a storm.  She is not walking yet, but doctors (and her therapists) are hopeful that one day she will.  She is quite smart: her cerebral palsy affects her physicaly more than anything else.  She is learning to write her letters and numbers and can identify colors, certain sounds, and animals, not to mention, other people.

While we don't know what her future holds, one thing IS for certain: the world is her oyster; anything can happen.  We dream of the day where Shyleigh will take her first tentative steps and also start school in a year and a half, shortly after she turns five years of age.  Shyleigh is ou world; we would do anything for her.  She is the best thing that could ahve ever happened to our family!