A young African-American boy with severe asthma and allergies recounts his life in Texas. He is one of six adopted special-needs children who were adopted by one family.

Yo!! Whassup?

My name be Jamar Kingston Pearson. I am 10 years old, and I live in Fort Worth, Texas, with my family!

I am one of six to be adopted into this family. There is, besides me, my brothers Brandt and Ash (they be tight), my brothers Henry and Malik, and my sisters Hayleigh (who is a little monster on wheels; she is a TERROR!), Sapphire Ronee, Miracle Faith, and Jordan Kyung. Hayleigh, Jordan, Miracle, Malik, Henry, and me are all adopted, but Brandt, Sapphire, and Ashford are the three "natural" children to Milton and Phoebe, who are our parents.

They adopted us because they be wanting more kids in their family, so they took in kids who are handicapped. I am handicapped, too, but my handicaps don't show up as much as do Jordan's, Miracle's, Henry's, Malik's, or Hayleigh's. The only time people know there be a problem is when my asthma act up or if they see me on my oxygen when I go to bed at night. But other than that, I look fine and healthy. But I am NOT. I have asthma and allergies; and all the time they be bothering me something fierce! I am allergic to just about everything under the sun, it seems like; and I am always having to go to the hospital emergency room for my breathing! I am on breathing treatments, and I have to take pills and inhalers for my asthma; but sometimes even they don't be helping any, and I have to go to the hospital because I be gasping my head off, and it feel like I'm gonna' die!

I was born on September 11, 1993, in Atlanta, Georgia; and I be the only child to my mom and dad; but when I be 6 they died in a car wreck; and my uncle couldn't take me in 'coz he drunk all the time; and so I had to go into foster care; and this was how I ended up in this family here in Texas. Now, I love my family, but I hate Texas..too hot in the summer, no basements (and they have tornadoes here! It just doesn't make no sense!), and too much in the way of bugs! I hate bugs, especially them cockyroaches! They are NASTY!!

But I live here in Texas now, so I guess I have to learn to make the best of a bad situation; but I still don't like it!

Some of the things I like to do are rappin' (my favorite rappers be Puff Daddy, Mystikal, and Nelly; they real cool!), dancing hip hop style, reading, chillin' with my friends after school, and collecting Poke'man cards. I also love to be playing video games and stuff. I also love to play b-ball; I want to be like Michael Jordan or Shaquille O'Neal. But I don't know if my asthma will let me do that; I have a lot of trouble with my breathing now as it is! :(