An Open Letter to the Mothers of Curious Children

Yesterday was Joey's birthday. Lorelei and Lily celebrated by taking Daddy to Home Depot and making some little heart baskets (and yes, Lily made hers, even though it took help and a fair bit of time). Afterward, Lorelei and Lily went to the library with Grandma and Mommy. Then off to lunch with everyone including both of Joey's parents and his brother.

While we were out, we encountered two very curious little girls and two very different parental responses. We get a variety of responses to Lily's condition and they intrigue me.

At the library, a little girl about four years old walked around Lily's wheelchair, sat down next to her at a table to play with the toy sitting on the table. Her mother needed to leave and called her back. The little girl bounced up with a smile on her face and joined her mother. My assumption is that it was just time to leave, but I wish they'd had time in their day for the little girl to explore her curiosity a little bit more. Especially because she didn't even try to touch Lily or her equipment. She was just a happy little girl who saw another little girl for being another little girl. Her response means the world to me.

At lunch, a little girl named Lilly who just turned four was so curious that her mother brought her up to say hello to our Lily. The mother cautioned her not to touch or get to close while holding her daughter's hand. She allowed Lilly to ask her questions and hear our miracle story and the relationship of these two sisters. Lilly learned a few signs and had a lot of questions answered. Again, this experience means the world to me.

I am a better person for meeting these girls. My daughters are better people for meeting these girls. And I'd like to speculate that just a little bit, a very tiny bit, they might be better for meeting Lily.

We don't mind answering tactful questions about Lily's condition. We like to share our journey. We enjoy sharing our miracles. And curious children bring joy to our battles. So, mothers of curious children, if we chance to meet, feel free to share in our joy. We welcome you to the journey.