Dawn McCoy Instagram – I wish I was writing about picking out the perfect Christmas card and visits with Santa and baking Christmas cookies with my son on a little stool in the kitchen. That’s just not my reality. My sweet baby boy bit me 3 times today because he was in such intense pain and had no way to express it. On my finger. On my shoulder. And on my arm. Uncle Cheese took this picture right before the latter. He isn’t biting to be aggressive, I know – I’ve learned – he’s biting because his brain is trying to get the left side of his body to feel something. And when he’s hurting, he wants to feel something – anything – other than pain. Meanwhile, all I want for Christmas is for my baby to be able to communicate & to be happy. And for justice. I wish for justice more than anything else, second to Waylon’s healing and joy. Harsh justice – and karma – where the person who hurt him lives a miserable life. (Sorry. No grace today, folks. Just the pain, anger and grief of the mama of a forever hurt child). I know it’s coming. But it’s not coming SWIFTLY enough. In life count criminal cases, the justice system takes years. Liberties are given to defendants. In a state that is so kind and one of the best in the nation to our disabled (thank GOD!), they are also the most lenient when it comes to giving the accused liberties. I’m venting, I know. Those who don’t know me say they don’t know how I go through life with such joy after such horror. Those who know me best see me cry and hold my baby boy for hours… not wanting to let him go… on days like these. I am both filled with grace… and graceless. Accepting of our fate… and fiercely angry for what never should have happened. Some of you ask if I’ll ever tell our story. The answer? When the time is right. But right now, I’ve got a boy with the most beautiful heart & soul who doesn’t know how to process pain… Who can’t tell me when he’s thirsty… Whose brain can’t tell his gut how to go to the bathroom… And the “person” who hurt him runs free. And all I can keep saying to myself today is this: There is no mercy for monsters. This is the mantra I cling to as tightly as the shiny ornaments cling to my Christmas tree.