Forget Tea Time Invitations

 “Mommy, you have more.” I’ve contemplated many times how our conversation might go once Sidney figured out her hands were different. Most days I forget my hands have two extra fingers while Sidney’s have 3 on each side. It doesn’t factor into our daily life unless someone meets us for the first time. Like our geneticist said who consequently sees rare conditions on a daily basis, “this is unique, and her pediatrician will probably only see one case like this in her career.” But, I don’t see a unique child. I see a regular four year old, so when she says something about her hands, it makes me pause.

 We’ve known for a while she was leading up to this realization. For awhile, she simply said, “my hands tiny.” Each time we reassure her with words about God making her hands perfect for exactly what she needs to do. Today, we sat down, and once again, she looked at her hands and said, “Mommy, you have more. One, two, three, four five.” Then she turned to her thumb and two fingers grabbing them with the thumb and two fingers on her other hand, and counted, “one, two three.” I responded, “Can mommy do anything with five fingers that Sidney can’t?” Sidney responded with a conclusive, “no.”

I love that we have the ability to raise her with confidence. What happened when her birth mother was exposed to a toxin or had German measles doesn’t determine her future. For that reason, we will never see her condition as an obstacle. And what a blessing God doesn’t make us all the same. Wouldn’t the world be a boring place? As I told Sidney, “God made your hands perfect for what you need to do. And there’s nothing you can’t do.” OK, other than raise a ring and pinkie finger drinking tea. But, we aren’t English, so I guess it doesn’t matter.