We have been fighting for our right to raise our son, Zebediah Matthias, who has significant special needs, ever since day one.  We still continue to fight.

There are people who think it would be best if he were in a home for children with special needs; they don't think we can handle the responsibility it takes to raise a child such as our son.  Well, I have news for them: we have had Zebediah here at home with us for over four years and other than several hospital stays off and on, we feel we can do a far better job in providing him the care he needs than if he were in a home or institutional setting.

Our son was born with severe brain damage.  The doctors don't really know what happened, but he wasn't responding well to the tests performed on newborn infants.  He was placed into the NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) so he could be closely watched and taken care of.

After being in the NICU for several months, Zebediah was released to our care; we had to take parenting classes to learn to take care of a child with severe special needs.  It was overwhelming at first (especially the CPR and first aid course), but in the long run, we are glad we took the class; we have had to use CPR on Zebediah several times when he stopped breathing.

At the age of one and a half, Zebediah was diagnosed with spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy.  He cannot walk or talk; he will probably always be in a wheelchair.  He is tube fed and will probably never be able to walk, eat, or get dressed on his own.  

At times, it is very hard to deal with all his needs, but we would do anything for Zebediah; he is our son first and foremost.

Thank God we have help in the guise of my mother, as well as John's mother, and my sisters; if John or I can't tend to Zebediah, then "Zebbie's Army" comes roaring in, and they do an awesome job in caring for him when we cannot be there.  All this help and support has been an answer to prayer!

Our church family also is involved.  They keep us in their prayers, each and every day, and they bring food or anything else we need; the love and friendship they have shown us has been nothing but extraordinary!

We don't know what the future holds for Zebediah, but one thing is sure: he is one of the sweetest, most loved little boys found anywhere; and we feel honored and privileged to be his parents!

~To be continued!~