An Author

Author: au·thor (ôthr)
n.
a. The writer of a book, article, or other text.
b. One who practices writing as a profession.
c. One who writes or constructs an electronic document or system, such as a website.
d. An originator or creator, as of a theory or plan.
(American Heritage Dictionary)

Within the walls of my home, lives an author. She is shy and quiet until you get to know her, and then she is funny, quick witted, and animated! She also possesses a very sweet spirit---one full of empathy; always ready to help.

Her name is Janson.

My daughter... I am so proud of her.

A few months ago, while at the GI doctor with Jack, I noticed a new magazine on the counter. Actually, it was a pile of magazines. It was entitled "Something Special." I read on to find out that it's a magazine for Savannah's special needs families. They have all sorts of interesting articles and ideas. As I read on, there was an article about Cerebral Palsy, only in the title Palsy was spelled "Palsey."

Being the person that I am, I could not allow this to be! So, I took the magazine, and came home to email the editor.

After some back and forth on the email, she asked if Janson would write an article about her brother for their section called "Our Special Siblings."

Begrudgingly, and after much, shall we say "encouragement," she wrote.

She handed me her writing. I read it silently. And then I cried.

I am so proud of her...and her heart.

(To read her article, click here and go to page 10.)

The text of what she wrote is here:

"My name is Janson and I am 10. Jack is my brother, who
we adopted. He’s 3, has cerebral palsy, and a feeding tube. His
cerebral palsy means that he can’t walk very well so he rides in a
wheelchair. He doesn’t eat much so he has PediaSure through a
feeding tube at night. His lungs are not very healthy because he
was born too early and because he aspirates whatever he eats. So,
we have to be really careful about germs. To keep him healthy, I do
home school, which I really like. He also can’t talk very well. We
spend a lot of time at the doctor and at therapies. It’s nice to have
him for a brother because he likes to play with me. He really likes
plastic animals and people. He isn’t as nice when he hits me. He
only hits because he is frustrated when we don’t understand him, so
we all learned sign language. Even though he is not perfect, he is
the best brother ever!"


-Janson

Truth

I've been quiet.

I've been praying.

I've been hoping.

And now I can tell you the truth.

2 weeks ago, my husband applied for a new job. It would have been the absolute perfect situation for our family:

Back to Florida
Near Children's Hospitals
Near all our family
Better opportunity for S
Our friends close by...

Yesterday, S came home devastated. He was not blessed with the job. We were not blessed with the only thing that we have prayed for since Jack's birth. (We shall not go in to my big ol' fight with God over this, OK?)

My husband is hurt. And so am I.

He's been very loyal, and he's a wonderful guy. He's the guy that drives to work in the middle of the night to smooth over hard feelings, rather than simply talking on the phone. He's the one who volunteers to help everyone else out, just to get some extra training or to learn something new.

I don't know how to make this better.