I don't know why I am sitting here with tears streaming down my face after reading Mara and Melissa's postings. I can only assume that there are a few factors at work here. The first being that they are happy tears for them, their successes and the love and appreciation that they show for their parents - it's heartwarming and we need to hear more of it. Thank you girls!!!!!!!!!!! The second is that you wen't out there and did what you wanted to do just like any "normal" child and were treated as such by your team mates and your coaches. That gave you the abilty not to be selfconceince and focus more on the game and the FUN. You were able to make friends your own age and that is invaluable. The third and last reason is for a totally selfish reason. My son is 4 years old and has played soccer for two years with his father being the assistant coach. It was great fun for them. This past year, the doctors lost control of his OHP levels for about 12 months. They kept telling us it would be ok and they kept doubling his doses each time we went to clinic. To make a long story short, his bone age is that of an 8 year old and he aches all over. He drops to the ground at times and tells us that it feels like "pins and nails" are stabbing into his body. We had to keep him out of soccer this year and we are all very sad. We thought of enrolling him into a karate class but he still complains of bone pain. We decided to take him to a doctor for a second opinion after a series of mistakes were made and she overdoesed him on Cortef pill immediately to halt his bone growth. If God is willing, when he turns 7 or eight and catches up to his bone age perhaps it won't be quite so painful for him to participate with the other children. He starts kindergarden in a couple of months and the other kids moms are already asking me if he will be in baseball, soccer,etc. I do keep him in his gymnastics class as he finds that not so painful, but anything where he has to run or be on his feet for a long period of time he begins to cry because the pain is too much. I can only hope he can write about the great experiences you guys have had some day. Your parents should be very proud of you!!!!!!!!!!!!! God Bless - LKT