Precerpt from Raising God's Rainbow Makers: Doah Discovers Trees

 

Some lessons children learn on their own. Others they learn from siblings. And then there are the lessons they learn that you wish—deeply, fervently—they had not.

When Shane was ten, he and Donny decided they were going to hike the Appalachian Trail. Not talk about it. Not dream about it. Actually do it. And they did—more than a thousand miles of it, step by determined step.

Doah, eight years old but developmentally closer to four, was enthralled by the entire enterprise. He watched the preparatory hikes every morning as Donny and Shane marched up and down the little knolls behind our home in Arlington, Virginia. He helped select and mail the care packages of freeze‑dried food to the post offices along their route. He listened to Shane’s journal entries with rapt attention.

But what fascinated him most was not the gear, the miles, or the adventure.

It was the bathroom logistics.

When he learned that hikers simply “pee in the trees,” something lit up inside him. This, apparently, was the pinnacle of wilderness freedom. And he wanted in.

Weeks later, when the boys’ route brought them near us in West Virginia, we drove up to meet them. After a joyful reunion and a good meal, we returned them to the trailhead. Before we could even unbuckle our seatbelts, Doah hopped out of the car, sprinted toward the woods, and disappeared.

We chased him down the path, calling his name.

He emerged moments later, beaming with triumph.

“I pee in the trees!”

He was so proud. We were… less so. But the lesson had been learned, and there was no unlearning it.

Not long after the boys completed their trek, we moved to California. New house, new neighborhood, new routines. And soon enough, new neighbors—each arriving at our door with the same complaint:

“Your son… um… stopped by to pee on our trees.”

One by one they came, polite but horrified, as if we had imported a small, cheerful, free‑range woodland creature into their manicured suburban ecosystem.

So much for refined new neighbors.

Doah, for his part, was simply practicing what he had learned from the great Appalachian sages: when in doubt, find a tree.

Book Description:

Raising God's Rainbow Makers

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

 

For more posts about Elizabeth and her books, click HERE. 

Read more stories -- and photos -- about the Mahlou family in the blog (no longer maintained), Clan of Mahlou.

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