this is why...

This morning, I received this email from my dad... Please note, for the protection of those listed in this email, I have changed a few names. 

This email made me cry! It made my cry because this is the very reason I wrote my children's book, You Are So Special, Little One. I didn't write it for recognition or money...I wrote it so children would know they are special! It was neat to see the Lord display that through this email!

I try to keep up with Amy’s blog.  Although I am not a faithful reader, I do try to check it every couple of weeks to check on Annie Rice updates.  I am proud to know Amy and Kaz, even though I have never met them in person.  It is a pleasure to see a couple who trust in the Lord and believe how God has a plan for everyone.  I see how they struggle with Annie Rice’s development and I see their faith.  Although we are not related and have never met, I know they are part of my same family, God’s family of people trusting in the Lord.

David, Amy’s father, gave me a copy of Amy’s book.  I feel so privileged to get a copy even before it hit the bookstores.  

By the time I had gotten home, I’d forgotten about the book, I had left it in the car.  My husband had to go to a meeting, so I decided to ride to my friend Anne’s house for a little while.

Anne has two adopted children. The children’s mother was on drugs, and Social Services removed them from her care because one child was born addicted to drugs.  We all worried so about their health.  One child’s stomach was so messed up for the longest time.  The other child also had problems.  She didn’t speak well, didn’t know how to play, and seemed afraid to go outside.  We assumed she had been put in front of the television and told to stay put while her parents got high in the other room or even at another place.  

The oldest child used to think her mother was coming to see her.  Occasionally, Anne allowed her to telephone her biological mother, but after all the promises of no-show visits, she realized it was not good for the child to be let down so many times.  She also struggled when the other kids talk about their mother and father.  She would often make comments like, “My momma loves me, “or “My daddy used to hold me.”  Children are sometimes mean to other children.

Now, both children have adjusted well and are happy normal kids.  Today, during my visit, Anne was telling me how the oldest child now told people that her mother and father both are dead.  I guess that’s her way of dealing with them not being around.

During my visit, we put the baby in the stroller and went up to see their freshly planted garden. There was one short row of strawberries, and on one of those plants were two small red-ripe strawberries.  Anne picked them and we gave them to the oldest child telling her, “You are the most special little girl, so you get the first two strawberries out of the garden.”    We went on and on about how special she was and how she deserved the first two berries.

As we were headed back down the driveway to the house, it started raining.  The sun was setting and shining through the light rain.  I thought we might see a rainbow.  Low and behold, while half way down the driveway, there it was!  The rainbow was bright and beautiful. We stood there in awe pointing out all the many colors in the rainbow.  We were all so happy.

We got back to the house and played with the kids, taking numerous pictures and short videos.   After an exhausting afternoon, I wiggled my way back to my car.  The group followed me.  I leaned over and saw the manila envelope lying in the front seat of my car.  I pulled out the book and told them how I had forgotten about it.  I told them I had not read it yet.  Thinking only it was a children’s book, I didn’t remember it was a book about an adopted child.  The oldest child listened to me read the entire book and at the end said, “ I am special.”

Thank you Amy, for letting God lead you to write this book.  You have already touched a back yard full of hearts!