Guest blogger Kimberly Drew and her family recently celebrated daughter Abbey’s birthday. In her two-part series, which begins today, Kimberly describes the arrival of their daughter. She candidly describes the diagnoses of Abbey’s numerous conditions and how special needs loss altered their lives and their parenting experience.<\/em><\/p>\n Twelve years ago, I was twenty-two years old and about to have my first baby. My husband and I were surprised to find out we were pregnant after only being married for a year. I was in my fifth year of college at Taylor University in Upland, Indiana and had just begun student teaching. Over the next nine months we did all the things that a first-time parent does. While our budget shrank, my waistline and anticipation grew exponentially. We took labor classes, toured the hospital, had three baby showers, and then we waited. We waited, and waited, and waited.<\/p>\n When the day finally came, to say we were excited is an understatement.<\/p>\n We were naively ready to be parents to a perfect baby girl. Then it happened. Or I guess I should say, then it didn\u2019t happen. Labor would not progress. After eighteen hours of induced labor and three and a half hours of pushing, my doctor appeared and in an urgent frenzy, started yelling at everyone. Papers flew, nurses ran into each other, and a neonatal team descended on us like seagulls on an unattended picnic at the beach.<\/p>\n I remember throwing my head back and submitting my soul to God.<\/p>\n In an instant, Abbey arrived. For the rest of my life, I will never forget the silence. The team began working on her right away. No one congratulated me. There was not a single smile in the room. The hush of death hovered over us, and my tender years were not able to process what was happening. I just kept asking why she wasn\u2019t crying.<\/p>\n Why wasn\u2019t she crying??<\/p>\n No one would answer me. No one could say anything to me for the next twenty-four hours that made any sense at all. They lost count of how many times she was resuscitated that night. The fact that Abbey pulled through still amazes us.\u00a0 We know that God spared her life. People from many states and countries across the world were praying fervently for her healing.<\/p>\n We\u2019re forever grateful.<\/p>\n After almost a month in the NICU she came home and our life changed forever. The next few months revealed bilateral hearing loss<\/span><\/a> and a seizure disorder<\/a><\/span>.\u00a0 The next few years revealed microcephaly<\/a><\/span> from brain damage and cerebral palsy among a host of other problems.\u00a0 At the age of twenty-two I became the mother of a disabled child.\u00a0 I thought I was just becoming a mother.<\/p>\n I had no idea how different my life was about to become.<\/p>\n Abbey\u2019s birthday was April 10th. Every year we celebrate with candles, cake, friends, and family, and a ridiculous number of photos. Every year I lay in bed that night and remember her birth and how the course of my life was inalterably changed.<\/p>\n Does Kimberly’s story bring back memories of learning of your child’s special needs? Share your story in the comment box if you like. Then come back tomorrow to hear more about what the anniversary of life and loss looks like in Kimberly’s family in Part 2<\/a> of the series.<\/p>\n Anniversaries of Life and Special Needs: Part 2<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n Do you like what you see at DifferentDream.com? You can receive more great content by subscribing to the quarterly Different Dream newsletter and signing up for the daily RSS feed delivered to your email inbox. You can sign up for the first in the pop-up box and the second at the bottom of this page.<\/em><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column_inner][\/et_pb_row_inner][et_pb_row_inner _builder_version=”4.4.2″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column_inner saved_specialty_column_type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.4.2″ background_color=”#b4dbc0″ custom_padding=”20px|20px|20px|20px|false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_blurb title=”@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF9hdXRob3IiLCJzZXR0aW5ncyI6eyJiZWZvcmUiOiJCeSAiLCJhZnRlciI6IiIsIm5hbWVfZm9ybWF0IjoiZGlzcGxheV9uYW1lIiwibGluayI6Im9uIiwibGlua19kZXN0aW5hdGlvbiI6ImF1dGhvcl9hcmNoaXZlIn19@” image=”http:\/\/differentdream.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Kimberly-Drew.jpg” icon_placement=”left” image_max_width=”100px” content_max_width=”800px” _builder_version=”4.10.5″ _dynamic_attributes=”title” header_font=”Rubik|500|||||||” header_text_color=”#44465f” header_font_size=”14px” header_line_height=”32px” body_font=”Rubik||||||||” body_text_color=”rgba(0,6,69,0.6)” body_link_text_color=”#ffffff” custom_css_main_element=”font-weight: 400;” border_radii_image=”on|100px|100px|100px|100px” border_color_all_image=”#ffffff” box_shadow_style_image=”preset1″ box_shadow_vertical_image=”20px” box_shadow_blur_image=”40px” box_shadow_color_image=”rgba(68,70,95,0.27)” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Kimberly grew up and went to college in the small town of Upland, IN. She graduated from Taylor University with a degree in Elementary Education in 2002. While at TU, she married her college sweetheart and so began their adventure! Ryan and Kimberly have four amazing kids on earth (Abigail, Jayden, Ellie, and Cooper), and a baby boy waiting for them in heaven. Their daughter Abigail (Abbey) has multiple disabilities including cerebral palsy, a seizure disorder, hearing loss, microcephaly, and oral dysphagia. She is the inspiration behind Kimberly\u2019s desire to write. In addition to being a stay-at-home mom, Kimberly has been serving alongside her husband in full time youth ministry for almost fourteen years. She enjoys working with the senior high girls, scrapbooking, reading, and music. You can visit Kimberly at her website,\u00a0<\/span>Promises and Perspective<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_blurb][\/et_pb_column_inner][\/et_pb_row_inner][et_pb_row_inner _builder_version=”4.4.2″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column_inner saved_specialty_column_type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.4.2″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_comments _builder_version=”4.4.2″ custom_button=”on” button_text_color=”#42313A” button_bg_color=”#EBDCB2″ global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_comments][\/et_pb_column_inner][\/et_pb_row_inner][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_sidebar _builder_version=”4.4.2″ global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_sidebar][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.9.2″ use_background_color_gradient=”on” background_color_gradient_start=”#42313A” background_color_gradient_end=”#EBDCB2″ background_color_gradient_direction=”159deg” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” border_width_all=”3px” border_color_all=”#1c1259″ saved_tabs=”all” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ use_custom_gutter=”on” gutter_width=”1″ _builder_version=”4.9.2″ width=”100%” max_width=”100%” custom_margin=”||0px||false|false” custom_padding=”25px|0px|5px|0px|false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ module_class=”horizontal_optin_column_1″ _builder_version=”4.3.4″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.4.2″ header_text_align=”right” header_text_color=”#45107a” header_3_font=”Dancing Script|700|||||||” header_3_text_align=”center” header_3_text_color=”#B4DBC0″ header_3_font_size=”45px” custom_margin=”10px||||false|false” custom_padding=”||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.3.4″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_signup mailchimp_list=”JolenePhilo|89f719a52b” layout=”bottom_top” first_name_fullwidth=”off” last_name_field=”off” email_fullwidth=”off” module_class=”custom_emailoptin” _builder_version=”4.4.2″ form_field_focus_background_color=”#42313A” background_enable_color=”off” custom_button=”on” button_text_size=”16px” button_text_color=”#42313A” button_bg_color=”#B4DBC0″ button_border_width=”2px” button_border_radius=”0px” button_font=”|||on|||||” button_use_icon=”off” button_custom_margin=”5px||||false|false” button_custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” border_width_all_fields=”2px” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_signup][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.4.2″ custom_padding=”0px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.4.2″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.4.2″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.4.2″ header_font=”EB Garamond|600|||||||” header_text_color=”#B6452C” header_font_size=”50px” header_text_shadow_style=”preset1″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.4.2″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.4.2″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_blog fullwidth=”off” posts_number=”3″ include_categories=”current” show_more=”on” _builder_version=”4.4.2″ header_text_color=”#42313A” meta_font=”||on||||||” read_more_font=”|||on|||||” read_more_text_color=”#B6452C” read_more_font_size=”12px” pagination_text_color=”#B6452C” pagination_font_size=”20px” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_blog][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Guest blogger Kimberly Drew describes how celebrating the birthdays of their daughter brings back memories of joy and special needs loss.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":10158,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"[caption id=\"attachment_10158\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"238\"] Twelve years ago, I was twenty-two-years-old and about to have my first baby. My husband and I were surprised to find out we were pregnant after only being married for a year. I was in my fifth year of college at Taylor University in Upland, Indiana and had just begun student teaching. Over the next nine months we did all the things that a first time parent does. While our budget shrank, my waistline and anticipation grew exponentially. We took labor classes, toured the hospital, had three baby showers and then we waited. We waited, and waited, and waited.<\/p>\nWhen the day finally came, to say we were excited is an understatement.\n\nWe were naively ready to be parents to a perfect baby girl. Then it happened. Or I guess I should say, then it didn\u2019t happen. Labor would not progress. After eighteen hours of induced labor and three and a half hours of pushing, my doctor appeared and in an urgent frenzy, started yelling at everyone. Papers flew, nurses ran into each other, and a neonatal team descended on us like seagulls on an unattended picnic at the beach.\n\nI remember throwing my head back and submitting my soul to God.\n\nIn an instant, Abbey arrived. For the rest of my life, I will never forget the silence. The team began working on her right away. No one congratulated me. There was not a single smile in the room. The hush of death hovered over us, and my tender years were not able to process what was happening. I just kept asking why she wasn\u2019t crying.\n\nWhy wasn\u2019t she crying??\n\nNo one would answer me. No one could say anything to me for the next twenty four hours that made any sense at all. They lost count of how many times she was resuscitated that night. The fact that Abbey pulled through still amazes us.\u00a0 We know that God spared her life.\u00a0People from many states and countries across the world were praying fervently for her healing.\n\nWe\u2019re forever grateful.\n\nAfter almost a month in the NICU she came home, and our life changed forever. The next few months revealed bilateral hearing loss<\/a> and a seizure disorder<\/a>.\u00a0 The next few years revealed microcephaly<\/a> from brain damage and cerebral palsy among a host of other problems.\u00a0 At the age of twenty two I became the mother of a disabled child.\u00a0 I thought I was just becoming a mother.\n\nI had no idea how different my life was about to become.\n\nAbbey\u2019s birthday was April 10th. Every year we celebrate with candles, cake, friends and family, and a ridiculous number of photos. Every year I lay in bed that night and remember her birth and how the course of my life was inalterably changed.\nAnniversaries of Life and Loss:
It\u2019s Okay to Feel a Little Sad<\/h3>\nHow Did You Learn of Your Child’s Special Needs Diagnosis?<\/h3>\n
Subscribe for Updates from Jolene<\/h3>\n
Related Posts<\/h1>\n
![\"Guest](\"http:\/\/differentdream.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/Birthday-candle.jpg\")
<\/a> Photo Source: mrsiraphol at www.freedigitalphotos.net<\/a>[\/caption]\n\nGuest blogger Kimberly Drew<\/a> and her family recently celebrated daughter Abbey's birthday. In her two part series, which begins today, Kimberly describes the arrival of their daughter. She candidly describes the diagnoses of Abbey's numerous conditions and how special needs loss and altered their lives and their parenting experience.<\/em>\nAnniversaries of Life and Loss:\nIt\u2019s Okay to Feel a Little Sad<\/h3>\n
How Did You Learn of Your Child's Special Needs Diagnosis?<\/h3>\nDoes Kimberly's story bring back memories of learning of your child's special needs? Share your story in the comment box if you like. Then come back tomorrow to hear more about what the anniversary of life and loss looks like in Kimberly's family in Part 2<\/a> of the series.\n\nPart 2<\/a>\n\nDo you like what you see at DifferentDream.com? You can receive more great content by subscribing to the quarterly Different Dream newsletter and signing up for the daily RSS feed delivered to your email inbox. You can sign up for the first in the pop up box and the second at the bottom of this page.<\/em>","_et_gb_content_width":"2880","footnotes":""},"categories":[3559,3581,3583],"tags":[133,533,3791,1084],"class_list":["post-10157","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-different-dream","category-grief","category-spiritual-support","tag-birthday","tag-grief","tag-kimberly-drew","tag-special-needs"],"yoast_head":"\n