I have been involved in a beautiful process over the past several months. It has been the process of sharing our special story.
There is an amazingly creative woman, Cynthia Chambers, who is the author of the Beamer Book Series for children. Beamer is the main character in her books, who is a therapy dog. Beamer encounters difficult topics and is able to take those difficult topics and explain them to children in a way that they can understand. At the same time, the books are often educating adults as well.
Beamer meets someone with cancer, Beamer goes to the Dentist, Beamer visits the ER. . . etc.
Ms. Chambers decided it was time for Beamer to meet a family that had a child with special needs. Our family was selected to be the main characters in that book and to introduce Beamer to our life.
I have meet with the author several times. She has talked with my children, especially with Bridger - who will be the starring character in the book with Beamer.
It has been a beautiful process to share our story with her and then watch her take our story and blend it with the knowledge and perspective of many others inside the special circle that she has interviewed. Watching her take those stories and blend those words into one main story that can teach children and adults at the same time is an amazing process to witness firsthand.
The artist is creating his drawings of us and soon we will begin the final editing stage before it goes to publishing in April. I wonder what the caricature version of me will look like? I hope he draws the black circles under my eyes - or else no one will recognize me.
She is donating a portion of her proceeds to Jill's House - the charitable organization that provides overnight care to medically complex children with special needs so that their families may have a brief moment of respite, to catch their breath, fill their cups and do activities with their other children that would otherwise be impossible while caring for their child with special needs.
Stay tuned! It is Book Club material for sure!