This Is Life Parenting Kids With Disabilities

Sometimes as special needs parents, some of us feel like this:

There is too much going on and we cannot focus.

Parenting is hard. So hard. There is no manual and you just try to do the best you can. And if your child has a disability, hard can turn into I-have-no-idea-how-to-do-this-and-I feel-like-I'm-drowning.

And maybe when we're out in public you see us having one of the hard days. When our kids are overstimulated, or when we're frazzled to the tips.

But even though there are hard days and hard moments and hard hours, that is not what steers our life. What really matters -- what is most important -- is love.

Because there is the good, there is the joy, there is the pride we feel for our kids. There is the excitement of even the smallest accomplishments. And always, always the unending love.

And if you ever see a child with a disability and think you could never do it, yes, yes you could do it. Because of love.

So next time you see a special needs parent, rather than thinking of how hard it is, I hope you think about what matters most. I hope you see the love. I hope you think of this:

And this:

And I hope you see the beauty of moments like this:

And this:

And I hope you smile when you see this:

And this:

And won't you look at this adorable baby!

Because you know, this life is beautiful too. It might be different, but it is full of hopes and dreams and moments that take our breath away. Beautiful moments.

This life is rich and full.

There is joy.

And some of us have even chosen to have this life, because of love:

And we wouldn't trade our kids for anything in the world.

This is life.

Full.

Rich.

Beautiful.

Ours.

Overflowing with love.

This post first appeared on ellenstumbo.com