Wanted to share a couple of my favorite poems...

I had this poem given to me by a wonderful friend who helped me when we first found out about Sayler. Love this poem. Could not put it any better.

Welcome To Holland
by
Emily Perl Kingsley

I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability - to try to help people who have not shared that unique experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel.  It's like this......

When you're going to have a baby, it's like planning a fabulous vacation trip - to Italy.  You buy a bunch of guide books and make your wonderful plans. The Coliseum.  The Michelangelo David.  The gondolas in Venice.  You may learn some handy phrases in Italian.  It's all very exciting.

After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives.  You pack your bags and off you go.  Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, "Welcome to Holland."

"Holland?!?" you say. "What do you mean Holland?? I signed up for Italy!  I'm supposed to be in Italy.  All my life I've dreamed of going to Italy."

But there's been a change in the flight plan.  They've landed in Holland and there you must stay.

The important thing is that they haven't taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease.  It's just a different place.

So you must go out and buy new guide books. And you must learn a whole new language.  And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met.

It’s just a different place.  It's slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy.  But after you've been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around.... and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills....and Holland has tulips.  Holland even has Rembrandts.

But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy... and they're all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there.  And for the rest of your life, you will say "Yes, that's where I was supposed to go. That's what I had planned."

And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever  go away... because the loss of that dream is a very very significant loss.

But... if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn't get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things ... about Holland.



This one was given to me by another good friend when we had Jaxsten. I love this one as well.

Heaven's Special Child

A meeting was held quite far from earth. It's time again for a special birth. The angels said to the lord above, "This special child will need much love."
His progress may sometimes be slow, Accomplishments may not always show. He will require extra care from the folks he meets down there.
He may not always laugh or play, His thoughts and needs will change each day. His life will be filled with struggles and trials, So cherish the blessings with each smile.
So lets be careful where he's sent. We want his life to be content. Please Lord find a family who will do a very special job for you.
They will not realize right away the leading role they are asked to play. But with this child sent from above comes stronger faith and richer love.
And soon they'll know the privilege given in caring for this gift from heaven. Their precious one, not always meek and mild, Is heaven's very special child.

- unknown