You Are My Sunshine

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February 2016: Bleeding on the brain. Drug dependent. Unable to eat.

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That is how Grace was born. Sent home with the very human who caused that. The doctors say she will never feed herself. She will never talk, walk, or be able to care for herself. She will need round the clock care for her entire life. The mother had no consequences, yet Grace will deal with this for her entire life

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March 2016 – September 2018: Gone to a foster family.

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The most amazing family I have ever met has taken her in as their own. They take her to every doctor’s appointment, upwards of eight a week. They let us be a part of her life and watch her as she grows and improves. She is crawling and responding to her name, something we thought she would never be able to do. She uses a walker to build muscles in her legs, so maybe she will one day walk on her own.

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September 2019 – present: Happy.

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A family in Cleveland has now adopted her. We have received many pictures and her previous foster family says they are the best family for Grace. They have a giant trampoline she loves to crawl on and a swing set seat just for her. She is three years old and starting preschool soon.She is happy, she is loved, and she is being cared for and that is all that matters to my family and I.

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October 2019: Changing.

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I have wanted to be a cop, a social worker, even a pilot. Grace changed that. She has changed so much. I was mad she could be sent home with the people who caused her disabilities. I was mad the mother had a known history of babies with addiction and five other children taken away by Child Protective Services. I was mad because the system failed her for that short time and I know other children are being failed every day. I wish I was able to change that, to save every baby, but I know that I cannot singlehandedly change the entire system and working in the system would be too hard with the anger I have towards them.

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My previous career options have been all over the place, but all of them have been based on helping people. I have job-shadowed people working in criminal defense and it did not really feel like something that was right for me. One day I volunteered at a Halloween party for children, specifically with disabilities. My job was at a bounce house, so we would make sure the children stayed safe while inside and help them in and out. I loved being there; I loved seeing the excitement on all of the children’s faces. I loved being able to help them and being a part of their great day. I want to be a pediatric or NICU nurse so I can help more children and see those smiles everyday. I want to care for them when they need it. 

Grace has become the light of mine and my family's lives and seeing her smile is the greatest joy. She has changed everyone's life that she has been brought into. She has helped me in so many ways and she may not understand that, but she is why i want to do what I want to do.