Jaxon, four years old This smiling four-year-old is Jaxon. “Our sweet boy  . . . truly a miracle and blessing,” says his mom, Brittany. Jaxon was born at twenty-three weeks. He weighed one pound, four ounces, so small he could be held in one hand. Jaxon spent the first six months of his life in intensive care. Baby Jaxon born four months prematurely Those are the statistics, but they’re not the sum of Jaxon’s life. He’s a pre-kindergartener with a love for horses, and horses are what are helping Jaxon overcome some of the developmental delays a preemie like him has to deal with: speech difficulties, fine and gross motor skill delays, and developmental delays. Jaxon has had multiple eye surgeries, and continues to work on balance and muscle strength. It’s exhausting work for a little guy. He’s worked hard in clinical settings, but on a horse . . . well, therapy delivered while a child is riding a horse isn’t work - it’s fun! Underneath all the fun, though...

 Moshe just after arriving at his new home    Moshe, 2nd day at home December 1, 2002. A little boy, not quite a year old, finds himself in a new home. Linda, his new mom, bathed him and then rocked him all night that first night. He looked frightened and wary.   Moshe was born prematurely to a birth mother who used drugs, alcohol, and cigarettes. He, in turn, absorbed those same poisons in his mother’s womb. He was diagnosed with fetal alcohol syndrome in 2005. He’s been diagnosed as “mildly intellectually retarded.”   “I was not sure that Moshe would walk or talk but I did everything I could to help him . . .   “ She has two other children. All are adopted, and all have special needs. Moshe, cowboy at heart Today Moshe is “my sports/gadget/techie kid.” He’s good at math, though he needs to improve in reading to be at grade level. Moshe loves sports despite his medical challenges. He’s also his mom’s “natural born ...