Special Kids for Special Parents

I forgot to mention this. My good friend was talking to me the other night. I was sharing about The Boy because I hadn't had a chance to tell her yet. She lives around the corner and her three gorgeous girls and my boys play whenever we can orchestrate our busy lives to such fun.

I was telling her about this because I hadn't had a chance and also because I know she loves The Boy. Well, once I told her, it totally occurred to me that she's a mom that totally understands where I'm coming from. She understands all the crazy wacky-end-of-the-spectrum fears that hit you when your kid has any kind of challenge. Her 3rd daughter, born earlier this year, is hearing impared. We're not sure exactly to what degree, but their entire family is already learning sign language (the baby just signed 3 words together the other day!!!) and the baby is fitted with tiny hearing aids. And as we talked, I was thinking, why the hell wasn't she one of the first people I told?!

But all that aside, it's just so nice to have friends that want to drop everything, read everything they can find on TS and help you out. People in our lives are just so great about that.

The one thing I popped back on here to say was something that she told me. And I've heard things to this effect before and chalked them up as silly idealistic euphemisms. But coming from this mom - who knows what it's like to fear for your child's "normal" life - it just hit me altogether differently. Hit me square between the eyes. Here's what she told me (and I will paraphrase dreadfully, to be sure):

God must think that we are special parents. I mean, we are special enough that He would entrust to our care this beautiful special child. Our children have these obstacles to deal with. And God thinks Hubby and I are good enough parents to be the ones that help him through this life.

In earlier years, I would have thought of that as crap. But I'm telling you, God put me in the right family that could care for all of my medical and emotional needs throughout my childhood. I'll tell you that whole story another time. But those of you who know me, know it's true. And now, God put The Boy in the right family that could care for all of his medical and emotional needs throughout HIS childhood. And I have to say, the example set by my mom in her care of me? I look to that ALL the time. So yah. God must think that I can do this. So obviously we're gonna succeed, yes?

Can I hear an "amen"!