What Would You Do?

Hi all,

I feel it in the air, Thanksgiving this week! I'm getting the store list ready and planning what I'm cooking and looking forward to the family getting together. Even my brother, Jimmie and Mike and their dog, Lily is coming into town.

Does anyone ever watch the show on ABC, "What Would You Do?" The kids, Greg, and I LOVE this show! I've always felt people are "one" and need to be involved when there is an injustice or something bad happening, so I love this show.

I ask the question to myself, in my head, a lot. One thing that I think about is:

A question I have for people:what would you do if you had a child with an imperfection in their appearance? Would you try to erase it or change it? I ask because I know people who have done this and I wonder what they think when they look at my physically disabled child. I wonder if they're grateful it is not their child or what they would do if their child didn't look perfect or had an imperfection? I know some people who are SO into appearances and I just have no place in my life for that anymore. When you have a child with a disability, that all seems so shallow and I think, "gee, then what do you think of my child?" (of anyone else who isn't "perfect"?) I know someone who's child had a birthmark and they had it removed. It was a big deal to them. I thought, really? I realize these kinds of decisions are personal and in some ways are none of my business. BUT, because it was a friend and they shared this with me, I knew about it, and was actually very hurt inside, even trough I knew it wasn't about ME, it was about them, but I felt it for Nick in some weird way. Maybe I'm too sensitive. Well, I AM really sensitive. I used to see this as a problem but I don't anymore. I think the world can use a little more heart and sensitivity.

I guess it extends to all kinds of things...what would you do if your teenager couldn't walk or bathe themselves or something else? We ALL take things for granted, unintentionally. If we don't experience it, then how can we know what it's like? That's one of the many reasons I write this blog, to educate and make people aware. I've been doing this for 17 years now, am passionate about it and feel it's one of my purposes in life, and plan to continue to do it even when my friends and family may get sick of me!:) (haha!!!!)

These kinds of things lead me (us) to gratitude very easily. We're so thankful for EVERYTHING Nick CAN do, his accomplishments, we take in every little and big victory with complete gratitude and joy! So, although these things come to mind on occasion (the question I posed above, what would you do........), I always, ultimately, end up in a place of gratitude and realize I have no place in my life for placing such importance on "appearances", physical or otherwise, and just feel I'm in a better place because of having Nick (and Bella of course!) and the journey he and we have been on and will continue.

If you've never had a chance to watch the show I mentioned above, you should! For us, it's on Friday nights on ABC. I'm sure if you go to their website, you can get listings for your area. And, I'd say, "get involved!"

Blessings:)
Amy