Top 10 Reasons Moms of Kids with Special Needs Rock..........

I think this is a great list, not only for moms of special needs children, but for parents in general.
A friend of mine  (whose daughter has down syndrome) sent me this list and when I opened it I thought "Wow, I'm a special needs mom?"  I know I am, but I never think of myself as such. It kinda shocked me, even though I know I am. I don't think I have ever said it out loud. Today is the first day that I actually said it out loud or typed it in an email. Almost one whole year later and I JUST said it.

I thanked my friend for sending me the link and told her that I had never said it before. She replied with some beautiful words to me. I hope she does not mind me paraphrasing the messages. Some of the things in the message are way deep and way personal and although I love you all, it was a very specail and very private moment for me in which I will never in this lifetime forget.

She told me that I had once told her, when our girls were younger, that I admired her and another mom of a special needs child very much. I had said it on a public chat board that we both frequented. That statement stuck with her.I can't beleive that something I typed at least 6 years ago stuck with her. Although I have always admired her, I never remember really telling her so. She returned some of those same words to me today, and more. Talk about making a momma cry. I was in full blown tears reading her message to me. She said some things to me that only a special needs mother could say to another special needs mother. She even gave me some advice since I am now part of the "super secret special needs parents club".

I have ALWAYS loved and respected this person as a mother and a friend but now there are no words to describe the way I feel about her. Thanks Friend. Thanks for making me realize that I am not alone in the "super secret special needs parents club". Thanks for making me realize that its ok to have bad days and its ok to get frustrated. What an amazing day for me personally.

Anyway- this list was posted at Love That Max in May of 2010 and again this week at Lilas Miracle Life

1) Because we never thought that "doing it all" would mean doing this much. But we do do it all -- and then some.

2) Because we've discovered patience we never knew we had.

3) Because we are willing to do something 10 times, 100 times or 1,000 times if that's what it takes for our kids to learn something new.

4) Because we have heard doctors tell us the worst, and we've refused to believe them. Take THAT, naysaying doctors of the world!

5) Because we have bad days and breakdowns and bawl-fests, and then we pick ourselves up and keep right on going.
6) Because we gracefully handle the stares, the comments, the rude remarks. (Well, mostly gracefully.)

7) Because we manage to get ourselves together and get out the door looking pretty good. Heck, we even make sweatpants look good!

8) Because we are strong. Man, are we strong. Who knew we could be this strong?

9) Because we aren't just moms, wives, cooks, cleaners, chauffeurs and women who work. We are moms, wives, cooks, cleaners, chauffeurs, women who work, physical therapists, speech therapists, occupational therapists, teachers, researchers, nurses, coaches and cheerleaders. Whew!

10) Because we work overtime every single day.

I am currently struggling with #6 but I guess in time I will get over it. The mean look at people give me can be oh so hurtful. Sometimes people look at me like I am the scum of the earth. They assume I abuse my child because he has sores on him :( It breaks my heart to think people think that I could ever do that to my child.

Morissa