All Children Are Special

Mike and I were at an awards ceremony last year where Mike was a nominee for an award because of all of the work he has done with his special needs student, Taylor.  There were 458 nominations, each working to make the students excel as much as possible.  The most forgotten people in this celebration were the parents.  We have several friends who have children with special needs, not just Taylor, and in EVERY case the parents are exceptional.  I read a story a few years ago, and it stuck with me, about parents of special needs children.  It used the analogy of planning a vacation to Italy.  You have invested time and effort getting ready for your trip and after you get on the plane, you are taken to Germany.  You are unprepared and it isn’t what you were planning.  When you deplane, you find you are in Germany and look around.  At first you may be disgruntled but then you begin to see the beauty of where you are.  The differences are many but they are also few.  God made both places for their beauty. 

When I see Janet, Taylor’s Mom, I see a woman who is unaware of any differences.  She is Taylor’s Mom and helps him to see himself the same as everyone else.  My favorite line from Taylor is “So handsome.”  He can’t pass a place where he can see his reflection (a mirror, a window, a toaster) without saying “So handsome.”  His Mom has instilled that in him.  The Special Needs Department at Gaither integrates all of the students together by having “Best Buddies.”  Mike tells me almost daily about stopping to take a picture of a young lady and Taylor together.  He always tells them “big smile” when he is asking for a picture with them.  Taylor LOVES Dr. Pepper and Mike tries to supply them for him when he has been really good.  Is Taylor a piece of cake?  No, he is challenging but you can’t help but love him. 

A year has now passed since Taylor walked across the stage to receive his diploma and moved on to a new center to learn more items that most of our children learned years ago.  Mike still is asked to occasionally pick Taylor up from his new center because his Mom will be late.  Mike looks forward to these days and always plans to take Taylor to Steak and Shake. They get a burger with French fries.  Taylor eats all of his fries and then eats all of Mike’s fries.  We love it when our grandson is visiting and he has the opportunity to join them.  Our daughters have both had the opportunity to meet and enjoy Janet and Taylor.  They are such special people.  One thing I never wonder about with Taylor – Taylor loves Jesus.  His Mother has taught him well.  He reminds Janet over and over how much Jesus loves all of us.  And I don’t mean in his smile – I mean he tells his Mom how much Jesus loves us. 

Each of our friends with special children have found the beauty in the child God blessed them with and has worked hard to help other parents find the beauty in their children with special needs and this is really the best part of children.  Psalms 127:3 says “Children are a heritage of the Lord, offspring a reward from him.”  God says “CHILDREN”.  All Children are special.  Yes, some have special needs but some have special talents.  Both Taylor and Dominique have talents beyond others in showing love, excitement, thankfulness, and much more.  Many parents have other children who are being taught the beauty in their brother and sister with special needs.  Another family friend has a beautiful daughter, Dominique, and two sons.  The boys are constantly putting little things on Facebook about how they are spending time with their “favorite girl”.  We have run into their family at dinner in a favorite restaurant.  She is loved and so special to her Mom, Dad and both brothers.  And we love it every time we have the opportunity to see her.  Dominique’s Mom shared what God had told her “On our journey with Dominique that in His eyes she is perfect and not lacking of anything. In fact He told me to see her through His eyes so that I would not miss out on the precious moments we can spend with her. I once was so focused on the things she should learn or improve on.” 

 Last year Mike had the opportunity to be with both Taylor and Dominique as Santa.  It is amazing that neither Dominique nor Taylor see Mike as anything less than Santa when they see him at Christmas; they never see him as their “Mr. Mike.”  Join with our family in seeing the wonder in EVERY child – they are all made by HIM.

My intent was to post pictures of both Taylor and Dominique but I am having trouble making it work.  I have done this so many times but after two weeks of trying, I am giving up and posting the blog without the pictures.