Changing Our Small Part of the World

There are times when I have to pause and consider what Sidney’s life will and has already become as a result of adoption. Today was one of those days. As I read one of the many yahoo groups, I have joined with other adoptive parents, one post, in particular struck me.

Someone on one of my boards was adopting a boy with issues very similar to Sidney’s. Remember, many times we literally forget about Sidney’s hands and leg. We want her to be confident and never let this discourage her or stand in her way. This particular adoptive parent was told that children with such outward differences receive about 6 years of education and never go to high school much less college. When they go to school, they are placed in a special school with mentally retarded children (my apologies if this is not the current PC term). I got that familiar pit in my stomach. Sad because children with a severe delay should also receive more education and be allowed to reach their full potential.

As I write this Sidney has tried to open a package of post it’s, attempted to open my grandma’s hutch, tried to jump out of my lap head first, whined for goldfish, and tried to sing along with Diego. I want to scream, but I know I cannot change the world! We can only do what we have already done to change our little part of the world.

Reading this was good. Though Sidney’s special need is minor in comparison to the challenges which many adoptive families face, there are days when I feel a bit of a weight, as I am sure any parent feels with a special needs or non special needs adoption. Again, we hesitate to use the phrase special needs, because I am not seeing any special needs when Sidney functions on a daily basis!

We GET to do this for Sidney! Wow! What an amazing thing, that we are the people who will facilitate the care she deserves and watch her grow to all her potential!