Mission Debrief
I want to start this by first ensuring readers understand I have not served in the military although I know several friends and family members who have. After seeking advice from my brother, who served in Afghanistan, I feel comfortable sharing the following thoughts. There are few people who understand what it’s like to be parents to a chronically ill child. We call kids like Liam “heart warriors,” because living each day well is a hard-won victory. Being a parent to a child like Liam requires extensive training, sacrifice, and 24/7 vigilance. The last 32 months have been spent with our "heads on a swivel." I was speaking to my oldest younger brother recently and we were discussing analogies. Even for my siblings, it's hard for them to understand what it has been like to be parents to Liam. Separated by over 350 miles, their view is limited to Facebook, this blog, and the few days a year we spend together at various family celebrations. We agreed heart parenting does...