Precerpt from Raising God's Rainbow Makers: 🌈 Doah’s Logic
Doah’s mind often worked in ways that startled me—sometimes funny, sometimes profound, always his own. His mental challenges meant he processed the world differently, but that difference often revealed truths I might have missed.
💰 The Nickels
When Doah was five or six, nickels were his treasure. He loved to collect them, roll them up, and march proudly to the bank to exchange them for “real” money. Anyone giving him a gift—birthday, holiday, or otherwise—knew to tuck in a few nickels. And if he spotted one on the ground, it was pure delight. He prized those nickels as if they were gold.
A few weeks later, we were on a plane—I can’t even remember now where we were returning from—sitting in the middle two seats of a bulkhead row. The man on the aisle beside Doah noticed how awkward the bulkhead could be: overhead bins opening and closing, trays swinging out of armrests, all the little inconveniences that make travel taxing for a child. He was kind and solicitous, helping us manage the shuffle.
Doah, ever polite, turned to thank him. But the words that came out made me sit bolt upright:
“Thank you, dumbf***.”
Where had he learned that? School? Playground? Neighbors? TV? I was mortified. I apologized profusely to the traveler and explained to Doah that this was not a proper word to use.
A little later, after another courtesy, Doah repeated it:
“Thank you, dumbf***.”
Again, I apologized, embarrassed beyond measure. This time I laid down the law: “You say that word again, you will owe me a nickel. Are we clear?” He nodded solemnly.
As we were getting off the plane, the man kindly bid us farewell. Doah smiled sweetly and said:
“Good‑bye, dumbf***.”
I sighed. “Okay, Doah, you owe me a nickel.”
When we arrived home, he went straight to his stash and brought me one of his carefully wrapped rolls of nickels.
“You only owe me one,” I reminded him.
He looked at me with complete sincerity and announced: “But I gonna say more!”
📸 The Camera
At seven or eight, Doah came home with a permission slip for church camp.
“What are you looking forward to doing?” I asked.
“Oh, not doing. See God. God come to camp.”
As packing time came, he asked for a camera. In those days, it was a Polaroid.
“What do you need a camera for?” I asked.
“Pastor say we see God at camp. I take picture of God.”
Unable to dissuade him, I found him a cheap camera. He packed it carefully, proudly, and off he went. When he came home, there were no pictures.
“Why didn’t you take pictures at camp?” I asked.
“God forgot to come,” he said, disappointed.
That led to an interesting conversation with the pastor about the risks of metaphorical speech with children who take words literally.
Doah’s logic was upside down at times, but it was also pure. His way of thinking reminded me that children—and especially children with challenges—often reveal truths adults overlook. They take words seriously, they take promises literally, and they measure the world in treasures that make sense to them.
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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