What is a Special Needs Child?

Another blogger here:  http://fiveofmyown.blogspot.com/2011/03/what-is-special-needs-child.html  challenged those of us who are parenting "special needs" children to write about who these children really are-- so here is my special needs girl (soon to be joined by 2 handsome SN boys- see previous post):

Our beautiful Lily had been waiting on a special needs list from China because she had a birth defect-- nothing that was visible to most people but it would have meant that she had no future in China.  With the right medical treatment in the US she is now living a normal life for all but about one hour a day-- AMAZING!  I will be honest-- it was scary when it was just words on a page and even her first little picture did not do justice to the incredible little girl that she has become...

And when I realize that there are many other little ones who wait-- with labels and confusing diagnoses and no guarantees of outcome (as if any child comes with a guarantee!)  and they grow older each day without the love of a family simply because they are not 'perfect', it breaks my heart.

So if you have figured out that you are not perfect (like I have) and you are not looking for the perfect child, then maybe you will find that there is a child who waits for someone to take a chance and give them a forever family, and maybe - just maybe that someone is YOU!!!!