Our Life is a Party? For 41 years I have been the caretaker, 24/7, for our mentally retarded daughter. She is non verbal and has OCD. My husband , who has always helped me with her as much as he was able, is now failing in his health. Several years ago he had a stroke and that is now becoming harder for him as time goes bye. He has lost the sight in one eye and his right side is totally numb along with problems with his short term memory. So now I have two to care for and I am pushing 70 years of age. Why do I blog this? Am I looking for sympathy? Not on your life. I wanted to share this to encourage others who might be going through some hard times too. Where do I fine my strength? In the Lord and prayer!

No one fully understands what a parent with a child with a disability goes through from day one. First there is the emotional aspect. We grieve. It's not the kind of grieving you do after a death. This is grieving that never ends. It cycles over and over. If you're not crying, you're angry. Some days you can accept and breathe; other days you just can't. Anything can set you back, and suddenly you're sobbing again.

Not only is there the day-to-day caring for the child....feeding, dressing, hygiene, to name a few...but also phone calls, meetings with their advocates, doctors visits etc. When they are little, many of these things aren't too bad. But as they get older, larger, stronger, it breaks the caregiver's body and spirit.

However, there is hope for anything you may be going through in YOUR life....Let me tell you a simple story that may help because it sure helped me.

A Pastor was called to the bedside of a dying elderly lady. The pastor walked into her room and saw a sweet but well wrinkled and lines in her face that spoke of a hard life. She reached over to her bedstand and pulled out a fork. Yes a dinner fork. She gave it to the pastor and asked him to put it on her casket after she died. She said please tell anyone asking about the fork that I attended a church dinner. After the dinner I placed my spoon, knife, and fork on my plate as people were gathering up the dinner plates. A young lady came bye and said please keep your fork. She said, "the best is yet to come." Pastor I know that will be true soon.

And so I end this blog with those very words. Whatever your trial in life might be, THE BEST IS YET TO COME!