A friend sent me this. Make sure you have tissue ready:)

THESE MOMS SHARE SPECIAL GIFTS
by Erma Bombeck

Most women become mothers by accident, some by choice, a few by
social pressures, and a couple by habit. This year, nearly 100,000
women will become mothers of handicapped children. Did you ever
wonder how mothers of handicapped children are chosen?

Somehow I visualize God hovering over Earth selecting his
instruments for propagation with great care and deliberation. As he
observes, he instructs his angels to make notes in a giant
ledger. 'Armstrong, Beth, son, patron saint Matthew. Forrest,
Marjorie, daughter, patron saint Cecelia. Rudledge, Carrie, twins,
patron saint...give her Gerard. He's used to profanity.' Finally he
passes a name to an angel and smiles, 'Give her a handicapped
child.'

The angel is curious, 'Why this one, God? She's so happy.'

'Exactly,' says God. 'Could I give a handicapped child a mother who
does not know laughter? That would be cruel.'

'But has she patience?' asks the angel.

'I don't want her to have too much patience, or she will drown in a
sea of self pity and despair. Once the shock and resentment wear
off, she'll handle it. She has that feeling of self and independence
that is so rare and so necessary in a mother. You see, the child I'm
going to give her has his own world. She has to make him live in her
world, and that's not going to be easy.'

'But, Lord, I don't think that she even believes in you.'

God smiles, 'No matter. I can fix that. This one is perfect. She has
just enough selfishness.'

The angel gasps, 'Selfishness? Is that a virtue?'

God nods, 'If she can't separate herself from the child
occasionally, she'll never survive. Yes, here is a woman whom I will
bless with a child less than perfect. She doesn't realize it yet,
but she is to be envied. She will never take for granted a spoken
word. She will never consider a step ordinary. When her child says
Momma for the first time, she will be present at a miracle and know
it! When she describes a tree or a sunset to her blind child, she
will see it as few people ever see my creations.'

'I will permit her to see clearly the things I see...ignorance,
cruelty, prejudice...and allow her to rise above them. She will
never be alone. I will be at her side every minute of every day of
her life, because she is doing my work as surely as she is here by
my side.'

'And what about her patron saint?' asks the angel, pen poised in
midair.

God smiles, 'A mirror will suffice.'