Big brown eyes, as brown as chocolate. Wavy, fire engine-red hair that falls to below his ears in thick curls. Freckles dancing across his nose and cheeks.
Jamie (Jamieson) William is my son, my shining pride, my world. He is only six years old; in his brief life, he has never known what it is like to hear the sounds of water running or babbling in a brook, the music of a bird singing its springtime song, or the blare of car horns honking on a busy road.
For you see, Jamie was born deaf. Severely, completely, profoundly deaf.
Doctors don't know why he was born deaf; it just happened. When we found out the news, we were devastated; however, once we got over the initial shock of finding out that our child was handicapped, we were determined to make the best life for him.
Other than being deaf, Jamie is like any other six-year-old child. He loves to play, read (he is very smart!), discover the world about him through his hands/fingers, taste, or sight, dance (he can feel rhythm pulsating through the floor or speakers), roller skate, skateboard, ride his bike, and pal around with his friends or with his younger brother, Jake (Jakey) Thomas, who is four.
He also has an older sister, Unity Grace, nineteen, but she's in college: he only sees her on holidays like Christmas and Thanksgiving. She lives in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Jamie loves to go to church: he adores the children's pastor and loves to know what's going on. He loves learning about God, Jesus, and all the other Biblical figures that have endeared themselves into his heart. He has expressed a desire to ask Jesus to come into his heart; he plans on walking down to the altar after service on Sunday.
Easter will have special meaning to us this year, and especially to Jamie: it is truly a time of renewal in our family.
I sometimes feel sad that Jamie can't hear or talk, but his life is so rich, full of the joys that all little boys (hearing, deaf, or otherwise) deserve to experience. I am indeed blessed that he is my child; I only hope he feels blessed that I am his mother.
I will write more about Jamie (as well as Jake, Unity, myself, and my husband) in the near future, but right now I have to get Jamie up, or else he's going to miss the school bus! Yikes! LOL Until later, this is Karen Petersen signing off; take care and God bless! And Happy Easter!
~Jamie's mommy, Karen. :)
