How wonderful Cody!!!
Boy, I can relate... My eldest son (Nephew) is very "different" than me and my wife, and our 2 biological kids.
Chris is 6'1", blond, thin, talks nonstop, runs marathons, trialathons, Scuba dives, skydives, has travelled extensively and is very polite
.
His parents (My brother-in-law & Sister-in-law) passed away in a skydiving accident when he was 2 yrs old... He is EXACTLY like them!!! (I'm 5'8", wifey is 5'2", both brown hair...so Chris... sticks out!!!). Oh, and for sticking out... he played flute in the HS Marching Band... a 6'1", blond, boy, playing flute... he towered over al the other girls!!!
I went to Indiana last fall to cheer him on for a Trialathon in absolutely horrible weather! He did fine (I would have died) and had a smile at the finish line. Pens can wait - that was a great moment!
Good for you to be there for her!