Often our blogs are about the unique challenges we face as parents of children with special needs.  Although we acknowledge that there are indeed multiple challenges in raising our children, we also know that our lives have been forever changed, in a good way, – because of Mary.

We know of many individuals who have chosen a profession as a special education teacher, director of therapeutic horseback riding or in the medical field – because of Mary.

A Day Program serving over 30 individuals with special needs was birthed in our area 4 years ago, in part – because of Mary.

Various church ministries (in Pa and Virginia) and a college course “Disability in American Society” were started – because of Mary.

Hearts have been touched and softened to hear the gospel in so many individuals, – because of Mary.

Countless people have adjusted (and improved) their view to an entire segment of the population (those with a disability) – because of Mary.

We have had the privilege of meeting incredible individuals: caregivers, social workers, other parents, etc., people we wouldn’t have met otherwise – because of Mary

Our marriage learned early on that we didn’t have the luxury of dwelling on the unimportant (who has the time?) and developed an ability to separate the essential from the trivial – because of Mary.

Mary’s siblings are compassionate, other- oriented and independent, in part – because of Mary.

And we have grown in our Christian faith and have learned to trust God in a whole new way – because of Mary.

 

So often we are confronted with people who indirectly question the worth of a child with special needs. If our lives are measured by how much we can improve and enrich the lives of the people we meet, we’d put Mary’s resume up against anyone!

We know our lives have been stretched, enriched, blessed, purposeful – because of Mary.