4-4-10

You are my Wish come True
by Marianne Richmond

"Mama," said Barley. "Tell me again how I'm your wish come true."...

"A long time ago," said Mama to Barley, "a wish started growing in my heart. At first, it was a quiet wish that nobody knew. Then it became an out-loud wish that grew and grew and grew. Until one day my wish came true."...

"Why did you wish for me, Mama?" asked Barley...

"Because," explained Mama, "I had an empty place in my heart that I wanted to fill with love for a special child like you. Someone who would be my cuddly little one and I would be his Mama."...

"Did you wish for me all day, Mama?" Barley asked...

"All the time," said Mama softly. "I wished for you with my morning coffee and when I made my bed. I couldn't get my wish for you out from in my head."...

"When I first wished my wish," said Mama to Barley, "...I asked God to think about my wish and to create the child who would be the perfect one for me....Of all the children in the whole wide world, God made you for me."...

"Did you ever think," wondered Barley, "that your wish might not come true?"

"Oh yes..." said Mama, remembering how long the waiting seemed sometimes..."

"Did you imagine me to look exactly like I do?" asked Barley.

"You, Barley, are more beautiful than I ever dreamed." said Mama...

"What did you do when you first held me?" asked Barley...

..."I fell deeply in love with you. I looked into your sweet face, and right then, you became my wish come true."...

My entry –

There are a few blogs I’ve come across that touch my heart and feed my soul. I’ve totally stolen parts of what they have written because I read it and think how they totally understand what I’m going though and understand how it can be difficult, yet the most wonderful gift in the world to have a child who has special needs. I appreciate finding those other families like ours who can totally understand what I’m going though because they are too. They are also finding the positive and amazing moments with their special kids, just like I am trying to. Well, they mentioned this book, and it got to my heart. This book is a book everyone should want and have in their home. I ordered mine and got it the other day. I love it. So thanks for the info on the great book

I think back to 5 or 6 years ago when I did not know what was going to happen with my life, and back even farther to 7 or 8 years ago, when I did not know if I would ever get pregnant. It’s a horrible feeling when you want something like that so badly and go through tests and surgeries and try all kinds of things to help get pregnant. All in all, I believe the entire experience is what made me the person I am now, and has given me perspective on how lucky I am. I believe even with everything that has happened with Quinn, she is my wish come true. I believe that God works in mysterious ways, and I can be the first to say I don’t understand why things happen the way they do, I do however know that we can handle what is handed us. It might be hard some days, but we can handle it. Then when we get those good days, they sparkle and shine, and we can feel honored and blessed to have them. I love Quinn with all my heart, and I’m so thankful for her. I’m thankful for the other afternoon with her, where Virginia handed her over to me and she had this huge smile and started laughing and laughing. I have not idea what it was about, be it she saw me, or felt the warm sun on her face, but that laugh is better then anything. It makes my heart dance. She is my blessing and I do love her sweet face, and she is my wish come true. I don’t know what the future holds, but I am so blessed to be able to hold Quinn. She is my wish come true!

Oh, we started water therapy! I did not think it would happen for a while, but things changed around and we are now in water therapy! Yeah!

Here is Michelle Wiggins and Quinn at her first water therapy appointment at Madonna. Did you know Larry the Cable Guy donated over a million dollars to Madonna to help with therapy and care for kids like Quinn that are there. So thanks from our family, who will get to use some of the things that money will buy. That is such a big deal.

I got a call the other day saying there was an opening at 4:45 on Fridays for therapy! Horay! That works perfect for us! So we had our first therapy session. It was great. Quinn went from loving it, and kicking and smiling, to seeing Michelle and remembering how she does not like to show off for anyone new, and spitting and sputtering. So I think as we get into this more and more, I will learn so many techniques on what to do, as well as finding and working on new ways to help Quinn keep improving.

Oh, after therapy we went shopping to find a nice big bag to carry our swim stuff around, so we went to TJ Max and had another 1st experience. We had just found the perfect bag, and were walking out of the bag section when a lovely woman who I did not know, looked at Quinn and said “Is that Quinn?” I, a bit taken aback, said, “yes, this is Quinn”, She went on to introduce herself as one of my wonderful student teachers mother, and she reads this blog about Quinn, so thanks again to all of you for reading. That was a pretty wonderful and humbling experience. I know how blessed I am to have her. I blog for myself to get my emotions out, I also blog to ask for prayers for continued improvement and to share our joyous small miracles, as well as hoping to educate a bit. I grew up in a small town and was not around many special needs kids. My mom did a great job with Deb who was mentally challenged, she was a young adult and I started to see that we all make a difference, but that was really my only experience. So I hope this does bring joy and inspiration to others, at the same time, I am happy to share how amazing Quinn is. As I think about it, Friday Quinn, Grandma Martha, and I went to the Friday service at St. Paul. Part of the service was where we picked up rocks and then later in the service, we put all our burdens into the rock and placed it at the foot of the cross, it was a symbolic physical action to release our burdens. Quinn’s journal is like that for me, it’s a place where I can share joys and concerns, and once I get it out and onto the computer, I feel like I can release that emotion from my body. So I guess I get so very much out of this, and then knowing that a few of you are hopefully getting something out of this also, that just makes it better yet. So thank you. Thank you for reading, praying, and sharing in our experiences. This is a pretty powerful tool.


Finally here is Quinn in her Easter dress after church. We had a good morning, she got a few things from the Easter Bunny and Grandma and Grandpa, and she grinned and giggled and loved every bit of it. She loved all the music at church, and finally loved the orange that she sucked on at Cracker Barrel for lunch after church. Now she is snuggled into dad’s chest for a midday nap. What a great day.

Blessing and thanks to each of you!

Susan