World Cerebral Palsy Day

Today (10/2/2013) is World Cerebral Palsy day. Any previous year, I have thought about my former students who have CP and have inspired me in so many ways. This year, I am a mom to my newest daughter who has CP and in my 2+ months of parenting her, I have such a new found respect for any person with a disability and their parents, siblings and other loved ones. In honor of this day, I wanted to share a letter I wrote to my daughter.

Dear Afua,

I am so proud of you, my sweet daughter. You are the most determined, affectionate and loving little girl I have ever met. I don't know how you kept your will to fight all these years, but you never let your life circumstances dictate how you love others.

I know more than anyone, how hard you have worked for every single milestone. I celebrate that you can sit up independently, because I have watched you tumble so many times and get right back up. I smile and cheer as you crawl across the floor because I know how many times you tried and not an inch of movement occurred. Yet you tried and tried and tried. Baby girl, you try a hundred times with the optimism that the next time will be "it". How I wish this was the way I approached life, thank you for that lesson.

In our 2 months together, we have spent times in waiting rooms, Dr offices, testing rooms. You have been poked, moved around, sedated, restrained and imaged. Instead of crying or whining, you look to connect with each person, squint until you see their eyes and smile. You are trusting even when people in your past have not been trustworthy. I wish I was easy to forgive and forget.

You have taught me that words are not needed to communicate thoughts and feelings. We don't have a common language (yet), but we know each other so well. Sometimes words can get in the way of real communication and you have showed me a new way. 

Thank you for your love. You have changed us all and your story will be something amazing. Thank you for letting us be a part of it.

With love, Mommy