Guest Post

Esther-Faith attends preschool at a VERY special school with exceptional teachers. In her classroom there are children with every range of disability you can imagine as well as a few peer models. She receives PT, OT, and when necessary, speech therapy right in the classroom. We chose the school because of the physical therapist. And we kept her there because of the teachers and the education she has received.

I love her preschool and will mourn the day she is no longer a student there.

Every morning when I drop Esther-Faith off at school, a little boy named Eamon greets us. "Hello, Esther-Faith!" he says. "Hello, Miss Karin!"

Their teacher shared a story with me about Esther-Faith and Eamon. During dress-up time, Eamon was dressing as a firefighter. Esther-Faith was ok with that idea, as long as his outfit included sparkles--so, she added some. Eamon didn't mind. And once "circle time" started, the teacher was having a hard time getting Esther-Faith and Eamon to pay attention. She said to Eamon, "During circle time, we need to have our eyes on the teacher." To which Eamon replied, "I only have eyes for Esther-Faith."

Eamon simply melts my heart every day.

We've become friends with Eamon's parents. They are what you might call "good people." The kind of people we want in our life even if our children weren't sharing diagnoses. Mike and Jenn are--in a word--wonderful.

Last night, Mike shared the following on his FB page. With his permission, I share it with you.

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My wife and I occasionally watch "16 & Pregnant" and "Teen Mom". While it's hard not to empathize with the teen parents, Jenn and I often look at each other and wonder what these kids would do if their baby were born with a birth defect or other serious health condition. Of course, none of the parents on the show have to deal with these issues. I find this very convenient.


Jenn and I were in our 30s when Eamon was born with Spina Bifida. Both of us are college graduates with good jobs. We both have supportive and loving parents. And you know what? Despite having all that going for us, it has definitely been everything we can handle both mentally and emotionally. At times, the stress has threatened to tear our marriage apart. All the while, we know Eamon's condition could be MUCH worse.


Love has seen us through, and has forced us into a level of teamwork most parents wouldn't understand. As I watch the shows, I honestly don't know how teen parents would handle it. That's probably for the best. When we received Eamon's diagnosis (before birth), there was a lot of "Why us?" The only answer that keeps me going is because God knows Jenn and I are strong enough to make sure Eamon grows up strong and smart, confident in what he can do in spite of the limitations that fate tried to put upon him.


No, it is not the life we would have chosen. But it's one I'll never be willing to trade.


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From Karin (at the HennHouse)