The strength it takes to be a mother...

I joke, I kid, I try to write humorous blogs about the roller coaster that parenthood takes you on. But no one knows the roller coaster better than my friend Julie. Her daughter Mikaela was born with Hydrocephalus. This causes not only developmental delays but lots of physical problems.

Mikaela, I think, spent most of the first three years of her life in the hospital. By the age of eight or nine she had upwards of 50 surgeries. Julie had been told several times to prepare herself for the worst and to "make the call".

Yet here she is, deifying all the odds. Going to school, playing soccer, taking a babysitting class because she is old enough now to babysit my kids. She is creative, smart, beautiful, fashionable, and wicked funny. She is also very mature. There is something in her eyes that tells you she is wise beyond her years, and beyond what most of us can hope to achieve. She has been through so much in her decade or so on earth. More than I will ever imagine.

Yet here she is, once again preparing for surgery. Both she and Julie weather what always takes my breath away as "just another surgery". I know that it is not. I know that there are risks and complications that make me cry - and pray. Where does one find the strength to persevere?

That look in Mikaela's eyes that tells you that she is much more than what you see, comes from finding the inner strength to hear what Dr.'s and Surgeons are saying and trustingly, bravely-go into the hospital again anyway.

That look on Julie's face that you never see, comes from the strength it takes to be a single-working mother of a child with special needs. If motherhood were an Olympic sport, she would take the Gold. Motherhood is marathon. And to run this marathon as a single-working mother with three children, pushes me everyday. To run a little harder, a little better, a little longer without complaining.

As they prepare for the next surgery, Thursday Feb 25th, which is very complex and has complications with devastating results at every turn I ask all of you to throw up a pray to what ever being you call to - for the Surgeon who will try to repair the damage, for Mikaela who will endure the pain, and for Julie - who's still running. God Bless you girls!