T-shirt.

I adore this kid. He is charming and brilliant and hilarious and kind and tenderhearted and so darned loveable.

He's also struggling with what appears to be a behavior disorder. Right now Nate and I are swimming in paperwork and copays and appointments and evaluations and the overwhelming knowledge that there's a long road ahead for our little guy.

In the midst of all this uncertainty, fear and sadness, I wish I had a t-shirt that explained our situation.

WE KNOW.
WE'RE TRYING.
THIS ISN'T WHAT DEFINES HIM.
BE PATIENT.
BE KIND.
LOVE HIM ANYWAY.

Please love him anyway. Please don't exclude him or give us dirty looks or keep your child away from ours. Please don't stare at me with judgment while I try, my cheeks flushed with embarrassment, to coax him to do things that come easily to most children while he runs away and screams at me. Please forgive him when he does something he shouldn't. He knows better. He just can't always do better. We're working on that.

We're good parents.
He's an awesome kid.
We're trying.
Be patient.
Be kind.
Love us anyway.