Wonderfully Made Moms--A New Addition!

In my post dated October 27, 2008, I mentioned a family who had been in the Wonderfully Made Ministry at the church where we were members until September of 2007.

Don and I went to visit Miss Fran and her two daughters, Virginia and Janet, last night. Miss Fran has had some mini strokes, but she is been doing very well.

I shared with her about the new phase of our ministry called Wonderfully Made Moms and asked her if she would consider coming and talking to our group in a few months. She was very excited and said that she would like to be a regular at our meetings. If any of you out there are wondering about whether or not you would like to attend Wonderfully Made Moms, let me tell you that Miss Fran is one of the most incredible women I have ever known.

Miss Fran will be 90 years old next month. She is a beautiful, immaculate lady. Her husband, Ellsworth, passed away this last summer at the age of 95. He had a stroke some years prior to that and for the last few years of his life, Miss Fran took care of him. She also continues to care for Virginia, 66, who has a mild mental disability, and Janet, soon to be 50, who has Down Syndrome.

Never have I heard her utter a word of complaint or make a negative statement about anything or anyone. She was faithful at all the church services until she felt she could no longer leave Ellsworth alone.

When Virginia was little, there was no special education. So Fran taught Virginia to read. When Janet was young, Fran and Ellsworth started the special recreation program in the Lockport area which is now the Tri County Special Recreation Association. Trent is very involved in the Tri County SRA.

I feel so fortunate to be joined by two women in this new ministry. I have already shared about Jen, mother of three, who has a child, Kaylee 3 1/2, who has autism. She is an "experienced" mother. Everyone knows about my son, Trent, who is 28 and has Down Syndrome. Instead of calling myself the older mother, I shall say the "more experienced" mother. (I like the sound of that much better!!) And now we are so blessed to have Miss Fran join us. We will call her the "most experienced" mother. I believe God has brought us all together to learn from and to share with each other.

I urge all mothers who have a special needs child to join us. It's only an hour and a half a month and I believe it will be a time well spent!