http://www.blindchildren.org/edu_dev/3_5_3.htmlThis is a link to Blind Kids' resource center
Friday morning we went to the Dr. for a release. A.j. has the wiggles and is itching for some running, jumping, climbing fun. We thought he would be able to go back to being a "normal kid" after this appointment. A.j.'s elbow is not healing as quickly as it should. 6 more weeks of idle A.J. This breaks my heart for a 6 year old athletic boy. He said, " I wish I didn't have this arm. I just wish I weren't A.J." So of course I talked to him about some kids being born without arms and how lucky he is to have this opportunity to learn about himself and capabilities he didn't know he had. Where does this stuff come from? I realized that while sitting in the waiting room, there was a 4-5 year old blind boy. He came in with his Mom's hand in one hand and a pole in the other. Feeling his way around, his mom put his hand on the padded chair next to hers and said "Stay right here for a moment." The boy started feeling the chair and then just put his head down on the seat until his mommy was ready. I looked at Micah who looked back at me and smiled. I looked at Ben who was on the floor playing with an airplane. I looked at A.J. who was watching 101 Dalmatians on the T.V. to the right. I said a little prayer of thanks and wondered what my life might be like if each one of my children were blind. How fortunate we are!
We went to the evening service last night since it was just me and the kids. Usually they have cookies but this time they didn't. I thought I would never hear the end of it. During service our Pastor asked for anyone who had lost there job to please stand up and come to the front of the room. Our congregation prayed for these families. Then Toby (our Pastor) proceeded to say that We had received the largest offering ever the Sunday before, and God had put it on his heart to give some of this money to people who needed it. Each one of those families got some money to take home with them. I was weeping by the end of it. I went to get the boys from their classes and A.J. started in with the cookie thing again. I firmly grabbed his shoulder and asked him to wait to discuss this until we got in the car. I explained to him that the kids walking next to him didn't have dinner. Their parents lost their job and didn't have money for groceries, and here he was complaining about cookies. That got his attention. He said we could go home and get some of our groceries, and take it to them. Sweet. I can't help but feel like God prepares me for these situations. So even though there might not be a manual for raising my kids, God is right there walking us through it step by step. I pray that he continues to open my eyes, and keep me awake for the things I need to be aware of.
