A ♥ Molly

Last weekend Kris and I headed over to Tucson to join in the festivities celebrating the end of Ben's residency program (and about 13 years of schooling). Yea Team Gonzali!

Along the way we played leap frog a few times with another minivan that had a California vanity plate reading "A ♥ Molly". I spent a lot of time trying to figure out the "A". Why not an "I" or "We", or just "♥ Molly"? And how does Molly feel about the whole world knowing this?
Does the "A" stand for Anthony or Anderson's or Anybody? Obviously, I had a lot of time on my hands and not much on my mind.

Just west of Lordsburg it was my turn to pass them again when they slowed down a bit. Almost immediately I noticed them accelerate and start passing us. But instead of passing they pulled up alongside of us and just stayed there. Alright, I decided, maybe they recognized us or something. When I looked over all I could see was an adorable little girl, probably about 4 or 5 years old, laughing and waving wildly at us with her long blonde hair blowing in the wind of the back window that had been rolled down. I laughed and waved back, and then realized that she was a Down's syndrome child! My guess is that her name is Molly.

"Oh Kris, look!" I said. "She's waving at you, she's so happy to see you!"

Kris looked over, and seemed quite surprised and a bit uncertain, probably because he didn't know who she was.

I suggested he wave back, and he gave a big smile and a little wave, and then they sped ahead.

I loved this random and simple exchange, and the exuberant joy this little girl shared with us. I love that the Down's syndrome support community has come so far since Kris was born, when families were usually encouraged to leave their babies in the care of the State. Once again I felt overwhelming gratitude that Hallie and Ralph Jensen made the decision to keep Kris with them, thus blessing all our lives. 

L ♥ Kris