I Just Wish

I have to admit for the first two years of Ivey's life I was a closet "I Wisher". I would prance around in public screaming everything is fine, things are going great and then run home slam the door, bolt it and scream out all the things I wished were different. I especially 'wished' for those 'normal' things that happened to 'normal' children who lived in 'normal' families. So my poor husband and mom were the proud recipients of my well wishing-which is not a pretty sight. I am not sure if it was Ivey's trach coming out, her turning two or a culmination of the two, but some of the 'Wishes' that seemed so impossible were starting to seem reasonably possible around last April.

Some time around April I also remember being asked for the millionth time to recall Ivey's medical history and what doctors predict of her future to another new member at a clinic one day. I just couldn't do it again. So I just said, "We don't know her future. No one can tell us since they haven't dealt with this particular chromosomal abnormality; therefore, we are shooting for the stars and plan to land somewhere among them." Blanket answer for everything Ivey. Sounds pretty profound, huh? Well, I was just trying to get out of regurgitating information, but I think that might be the exact path we are on right now. It's kind of like wishing on a star, just not any particular one.

With all that said, it leads me to this. There are so many attributes to Ivey's life that very often are bittersweet. However, it is the bitter that makes our slice of the pie so sweet. When Ivey was born there was an instant 'knowing' that her life was about to be different that any thing Matt and I could wrap our minds around. Our family knew it. Our friends knew. It did not take long for the dark corners of our minds to contemplate just how different our daughter's life would be and that no matter how hard we try to provide her opportunity; it would be the recipients of our efforts that would make the impossible possible in her life.

Matt and I have struggled with how we will fulfill relationships in Ivey's life. I think I speak for any mom –with or without special need children - that we want our children to have friends, to be loved, to be liked and to be accepted. Sometimes the brutality of just how different Ivey's friendships might be is almost too much to bear. But that is where our friends and community step in and where Matt and I have proven to be very very blessed. As for the rest of this story, I truly believe that only other parents of special needs children can sincerely appreciate the blessings bestowed to our family and faithful people that happen to be part of our lives and especially Ivey's life.

This is the beginning of another amazing chapter in Ivey's life. The beginning of the rest of this story is below..............