Precerpt from Raising God's Rainbow Makers: Shane, the Quiet Spark (Mahlou)
Precerpt (excerpt from book prior to publication): Raising God's Rainbow Makers (Mahlou)
During Shane’s first year, we thought he might be slow. Not in spirit, but in milestones. He didn’t walk. He didn’t talk. And we had what felt like objective reasons to worry.
He didn’t walk until he was over two years old—on the very first day he was separated from Noelle, his older sister by one year, at day care. Noelle, paraplegic and waiting for surgery to fit braces, couldn’t walk either. She couldn’t even stand without falling with a thud. But she was fiercely protective of Shane. Every time he tried to pull himself upright, she’d caution him: “No, no, Naney.” And he’d sit back down, scooting on his bottom with hands on ankles, just like her. They looked like little crabs scuttling across the house—synchronized, bonded, beautiful.
He didn’t talk, either. His first word came at six months, tumbling out of him as he tumbled down the stairs (a gate failure, a parenting flinch, a broken arm). “Oh, oh!” he exclaimed, eyes crossed in concern. And then—silence. Until he was 23 months old.
I
was playing with flashcards, trying to teach Noelle to read. Shane scuttled
over and sat beside us, quiet as ever. When I packed up the cards, he said his
second word: “Read.”
“You want to read, Shane?” I asked. “We can read together when you get bigger like Noelle.”
“Read now,” he replied.
I handed him the cards. He read every one—accurately, fluently. I had never heard him say any of those words before. Then he said, “Read more,” scuttled to the bookcase, pulled a children’s book from the bottom shelf, and read it cover to cover—with understanding.
I was stunned. Somewhere between hospital trips with Noelle and quiet afternoons with big sister Lizzie reading aloud, Shane had absorbed it all. Not just the words, but the meaning. He hadn’t been silent because he couldn’t speak. He had simply had nothing to say.
Even now, as a parent, Shane remains laconic. When he speaks, it’s worth listening to. When he doesn’t, it’s because he’s still listening. My father used to say, “It’s better to keep your mouth shut and let people assume you’re a fool than open it and prove it.” Shane seems to have inherited that wisdom.
He was full of surprises. Knowledge bloomed in him quietly, like moss on stone—unexpected, resilient, and deep-rooted.
One evening, riding the town bus together, a woman beside us commented to him on the sunset. “Did you see the sun go down when we crossed the bridge, sweetie?” she asked.
Shane, just three years old and still tiny for his age, looked at her with wide eyes. “Lady,” he said seriously, “the sun didn’t go anywhere. We just turned away from it.”
She stared at him, stunned. “How old is he?”
“He just turned three,” I said.
I’m
not sure she believed me.
Book Description:
A Family Memoir of Grace, Grit, and Growing Up Different
What happens when a military family welcomes four children—each with wildly different needs—into a world not always built to support them?
In Raising God’s Rainbow Makers, one mother shares the remarkable journey of raising two children with complex disabilities—one with spina bifida, one with CHARGE Syndrome—and two intellectually gifted children, all born in different states during years of military life. Through medical crises, educational challenges, and societal roadblocks (both intentional and unintentional), this honest and inspiring memoir tells the story of how one family built a life of strength, compassion, and resilience.
With warmth and unflinching honesty, the author reflects on emergency surgeries, IEP battles, unexpected victories, and the fierce sibling bonds that formed in the face of it all. The children—now grown—bear witness to the power of support, faith, and never giving up.
This is not just a story of survival. It is a celebration of difference, a chronicle of hope, and a powerful testament to what love and determination can build when the world says "impossible."
Keywords:
Parenting memoir; Special needs parenting; Raising children with disabilities; Military family life; Family resilience; Inspirational family story; Faith-based memoir; Coping with medical challenges; Sibling support stories; Gifted children; Spina bifida; CHARGE Syndrome; Hydrocephalus; Congenital disabilities; Complex medical needs; Pediatric neurosurgery; IEP and special education; Gifted education; Educational advocacy; Inclusive education; Hope and healing; Courage and strength; Love and perseverance; Raising different children; Disability acceptance; Parenting through adversity; Overcoming barriers; Finding joy in hardship; Special needs journey; Family unity and support; For parents of disabled children; For parents of gifted children; For educators and therapists; Christian parenting memoir; For families facing rare diagnoses; Real-life parenting stories; Memoirs about raising children; Stories of medical miracles
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