We told Duncan our story about Ryker and how "We Believe" was his favorite song.  Duncan asked to hold Ryker, played with him, and we all got a photo together.  It was AMAZING.  To top it off, that night they finished their performance with none other than "We Believe."

We relished in that awesome moment.

What we didn't realize, however, was how critically important that song, and its meaning, would become to our family.

Just two months later Ryker would be diagnosed with Joubert Syndrome.

He would endure countless doctors' appointments, poking, prodding, therapy sessions, and more, and we had "We Believe" on repeat everywhere we went.  It truly calmed him through the most difficult appointments.

And do you know what?  It calmed me too.

It reminded me that despite the unknowns, despite the fear, despite the heartache -- WE BELIEVE.

We Believe because we KNOW God is real.  We feel His presence every day, and, if you've read any of my posts before, you know He's worked miracles in Ryker's life.

Is the journey still hard?  You bet.

Is it scary?  No doubt about it.

Am I afraid?  Absolutely not.

Why?  Because WE BELIEVE.

So let me bring you back to the beginning of this post and Ryker's tantrum on the way to school...

I hit my radio and turned on "We Believe," and instantly Ryker calmed down.  Instantly he gave me a smile, and a sweet peace come upon him.

We pulled up to school, I gave him a hug and a kiss, and I said, "Are you excited for school, buddy?"  He grinned at me and said, "Yeah!" Then headed off hand-in-hand with his teacher ready to conquer the day.

He believes.

Dear Maverick,

In the blink of an eye a year has flown by and today you are ONE!

One year ago I was heading to work, and I decided to stop by the doctor's office on my way to the office because I thought I might be in labor.  You weren't due for another two weeks, but I had a feeling you were excited to enter the world!  Sure enough, our awesome doctor said "Let's go have a baby!" And off to the hospital we went!  Just a few hours later you were born, and daddy's eyes lit up when he announced "It's a boy! Another boy! We have two boys!!"

We named you Maverick Kai; Maverick, which means independent, and Kai, which means ocean -- an homage to your Great Mimi and Great Granddaddy, both SCUBA instructors, who introduced me to a love of everything under the sea!  That's why for your first birthday we had a shark party!

They say a picture is worth a thousand words.  To me, this picture is everything.

You see, our family was fortunate enough to travel to Grand Cayman for an amazing family vacation.  We woke up every morning and headed straight to the beach where Ryker played all day in the waves, Maverick ate way too much sand, and we all soaked in the beauty of God's creation.

One afternoon, as the sun began it's trek towards the horizon, Ryker and I sat together on the beach, looked for shark fins, and talked about the amazing animals under the sea (he is particularly fond of eels, stingrays, and, my favorite, spotted drums).  Adam saw this moment and snapped a quick picture of us, not realizing at the time the miracle he captured: two sets of footprints in the sand.

That's right, there are two sets of footprints in that photo.

That means two people WALKED to the edge of the sea.

That means Ryker WALKED to the edge of the sea.

He is a miracle, and those little footprints tell his story.

A story of a little boy who was told he may never walk, but he knew God had bigger plans for him.  He worked hard, he persevered, he prayed, and he was determined to take steps.

Ryker never gave up.

Some people quit because they focus on how far they have to go, without realizing how far they have come.

Those footprints, though small, are a BIG reminder to us of how far Ryker has come.  They're a big reminder to us of how far anyone can go!

Never give up.

The world is waiting for you to leave your mark.