Ellie and I have been privileged to meet some really great people during our time in New Orleans. These are people we have grown to love, respect, admire, and draw encouragement from.
We are so grateful for the people God has put in our life through the years who have loved and encouraged us. Some have written in recent months to share with us their thoughts and perspectives, their opinions and conclusions, their observations and adulations...all of which are greatly appreciated, and most of which we feel very undeserving of.
We are just parents. Like any functional parents we want to do what we believe is best for our children--all of our children. Like most human parents, in spite of our unconditional love for our kids, there are also times of frustration, impatience, confusion, anger, irritation, exhaustion, and mistakes.
Ellie is not a "virtual stranger", but rather a full and real and complete daughter--as much a member of the family as any other of our "biological" children. Every functional parent tries to do what is best for each of their kids and that is all we are doing. We couldn't do it, though, without the help of God and the wonderful, generous, loving, caring, encouraging people He has placed in our lives. We are grateful to Him and to you for walking with us on this journey.
1 comment:
Scott, it was a special thing for me to learn of the similarities of our sons (Will and Brett) several years ago. And with the addition of sweet Ellie to your home, there is an added level of beauty.
I remember as a younger adult feeling sorry for parents who had to be seen in public with their unique children. I would think things like "Geez, lady, you must be miserable." And "Can't you go back into hiding, at least for our sake?"
Now 13+ years into Brett's (autistic) life among us, and now being that lady, I realize that I know much and far more than onlookers can begin to know about situations like ours. They are limited in their capacity to know all the beauty and intricacies and special features of LIFE that WE GET TO KNOW because of our unique place as parents of these great kids.
You encourage and inspire me, O Scott my roommate in Amsterdam, Minneapolis, somewhere else, too....
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