It's All Good

Whenever I go somewhere new and meet new people, I tell them about Claire. I love to talk about my little munchkin! (Don't we all?)

But when I mention Claire's disabilities, a funny thing happens. A look of sadness and pity crosses the listeners' faces. Some put their hands over their hearts, and others offer tender, meaningful expressions of sympathy.

I can understand the sentiments. Objectively, a lot of things about Claire's situation sound scary or sad. But the reality is, it isn't so bad. In fact, our life is wonderful. Claire is such a sweet and loving little girl, and we are surrounded by and incredible family and amazing friends.

And in a lot of respects, our life is normal. Just like any other parent, I maintain a full-time job. (And a fast-paced and demanding one, at that!) I balance my work with community involvement, church, and personal interests. (Or try to, anyway . . . sometimes my personal interests get pushed down to bottom of the list, as evidenced by my DVR full of unwatched shows, my pile of unfinished crafting projects, and my frequent "defaults" on Words With Friends games to which I have been invited!)

Sure, Brad and I have to do things that other families don't--like giving Claire her meds every morning and night and bringing her high chair to restaurants because she can't sit in a "normal" high chair.

But there are plenty of things that occupy the time of other families that we don't have to worry about. We don't have to worry about her getting into things and making a mess. We don't have to worry about her crawling on furniture and falling off.

Then, there are some issues for us that are the same as, but different from, those faced by "typical" families. Instead of ballet class, for example, we have physical therapy; instead of a college fund, we're planning to create a special needs trust.

Unquestionably, Claire has made us kinder, more empathetic, and more appreciative. She has taught us how to listen--really listen--to others, how to ask intelligent, informed questions, how to make smart decisions and how to be resourceful. She has made us realize that we are capable of so much more than we ever thought possible. Because of her, I walk taller and feel better-equipped to handle any challenge that comes my way.

To an outsider, it is easy to assume that our life with Claire is complicated or problematic, or depressing and sad. It is none of those things.

It's all good.