Mary is 16!

It is hard to believe that 16 years and 5 hours ago, Mary entered this world as a tiny 5 lb baby. A much wanted little one...she made me what I wanted to be all my life...a Mom. We didn't know what the future held for her, we didn't know about her brain problems, we didn't know about her difficulties to learn and understand. What we knew was that God had blessed us with the most precious little one, and that she was here safely! Our hearts were full of hope and wonder at her every movement. 16 years later, our hearts are still full of hope for this young lady. Sure, our dreams for her have adjusted with her discovered challenges, but we still know that her future rests in God's hands, and that no amount of labels you can stick on her will truly determine what she will be able to accomplish. Only God knows that. Our job, as parents, is to equip her to reach whatever potential she has. And I pray the ceiling continues to rise. I pray that she will learn to drive (someday...NOT NOW!). I pray that she will have a job. Most of all, I pray that she will be a wife, and that great dream that she made come true for me 16 years ago...a mother. I know without a doubt that she will be a great wife to the man that God has in mind for her. I pray that he is praying for her even now. She has so much to give, and no one should look at her as being less than a person simply because she has a mental handicap. What they should see is a beautiful young woman with a heart, that in its simplicity, loves everyone. Such blessings we have in the midst of those labeled less than "perfect." Remember that NONE of us are perfect...it is just that our handicap may be different than Mary's. It may be a sour outlook, a bad temper, a lack of compassion, an inability to see that there is good in all people. Whatever your handicap, God loves you in spite of it. And I love Mary, in spite of hers. Thank you God, for giving me this most precious gift 16 years ago. I look forward to experiencing the moments of her future as well. Happy Birthday, Mary! I love you!