Precerpt from Raising God's Rainbow Makers: I've Got a Secret
When Doah was in elementary school, he had a wonderful teacher, or so we thought. She disappeared near the end of the year, however. We learned she had moved to another state. How we learned it was a shock. Why she moved to another state was a shock. The same shock.
The principal called together the parents of the kids in that teacher's special education class. He told us that there had been allegations of sexual abuse of one or more of the children by the teacher. Modest abuse: voyeurism, but abuse nonetheless. She had fled out of state to avoid prosecution, it seemed.
Doah never said anything to us. We never knew who figured it out, if it were even true. But we were told that she had told each child that it was a secret. So, since Doah, being linguistically impaired, was definitely open to input, we taught him that the meaning of the word, secret, was "something really important to tell Mom or Dad right away."
He never forgot that definition. Many secrets over the years were shared with us as important information to be relayed immediately. And, so, when he turned 18, he brought home a "secret" that turned our lives upside down -- again.
We had refused to sign for Doah to continue four more years in school. The state funded local school districts to provide special education students with schooling through the age of 22. We did not sign because we so no point to it except to keep the kids out of their parents' hair. If in 12 years, the teachers had not even been able to teach Doah to read or do simple second grade arithmetic, what did they expect to do in another four years. We could do more at home with a tutor.
The day after his 18th birthday, Doah, who was not and still is not conserved, arrived home with a "secret." He still relayed every secret immediately. After all, that is what "secret" meant, right?
The secret was that he had signed papers that day to stay in school four more years and be placed in a group home. He had no understanding of what any of that really meant, but when he was told it was a secret, he knew what THAT meant.
I did not wait for the next day. I had some legal connections and used them to determine the best family law attorney in the area. I called him, providing as reference a mutual friend. His name was Ron.
He listened carefully. He understood immediately. We were in a bind because Doah was not conserved and had turned 18. We had no say in the matter in California even though Doah clearly could not make a legitimate informed decision.
There were limited options. First, though, he said, do not send him back to school tomorrow. He could be placed immediately in a group home if the school so decided, and we might indeed have trouble finding him. Second, we should apply for conservatorship, but that normally took 90 days.
"Well, I should just pack him up and take him out of town tomorrow," I commented, exasperated.
"Is that possible?" He surprised me with the question.
"Actually, yes. Three of his siblings live in San Diego. I am sure they would be willing to have him live with them for a while."
"Do it," he said. "It will take too long for the conservatorship.
So, I did it. Once again, I was stealing Doah from authorities who did not seem to have his best interests in mind.
I called Lizzie. "Are you ready for some company?" I asked.
She, Manny (who had spent his teenage years living with us), and Noelle would be happy to see the two of us and could find some space for us to bunk while we figured things out.
The next morning, I rented a U-Haul, packed Doah's possessions and some clothes for me, and took off. South on 101. We made good time.
Then we came to Paso Robles and had to pass over the pass to get to Route 5. As we began the ascent, El Nino greeted us with bucketfuls of water. Up and down the hills and mountains, barely able to see out the window thought the window wiper was sweeping furiously. The winds rocked the U-Haul. This, I thought, belongs on a movie screen, not in my life.
We made it as dark settled in. Wet and tired, we were happy for even a piece of the floor. Over the next few days, I worked on getting Doah enrolled in school in San Diego.
The administration seemed very accommodating. Whether or not they were, I would never know. A few days after we arrived, I got a call, then another, then more, asking me to come to Houston and develop a language program at NASA for astronauts and cosmonauts who would be assigned to the then-future International Space Station. Not an offer to be turned down, I nonetheless had the complication of Doah.
My brother in Ohio learned about the offer and called me. "Take it," he said, "and send Doah to me. My three boys are his age. He can go to school here. Ohio considers the parents (or relatives) to be the decisionmaker for children with intellectual challenges, regardless of age."
And so we were on the road again. Doah quickly settled in with my brother. His teacher was super -- there was another story there, but I will leave for another telling.
I got back on a plane, this time headed to Houston. Thus ended the story of the second stealing of Doah!
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.
has gained mass recognition for releasing highly acclaimed books of varying genres
that are distributed internationally. Check us out on Wikitia.
To purchase copies of any MSI Press book at 25% discount,
use code FF25 at MSI Press webstore;
for free shipping, use code ship4free.
(Codes cannot be used together; they are meant to provide a choice of discount.)
Want to read an MSI Press book and not have to pay for it?
(1) Ask your local library to purchase and shelve it.
(2) Ask us for a review copy; we love to have our books reviewed.
VISIT OUR WEBSITE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ALL OUR AUTHORS AND TITLES AND TO FOLLOW US ON OUR VARIOUS PLATFORMS.
CONTACT INFO@MSIPRESS.COM TO SBUMIT A BOOK PROPOSAL/MAMUSCRIPT OR TO CONTACT ONE OF OUR AUTHORS.
Sign up for the MSI Press LLC monthly newsletter: get inside information before others see it and access to additional book content(recent releases, sales/discounts, awards, reviews, Amazon top 100 list, links to precerpts/excerpts, author advice, and more)Check out recent issues.
MSI Press is ranked among the top publishers in California.
Check out our rankings -- and more -- HERE.
Comments
Post a Comment