A Sweet Story

Last night at a ballgame, my daughter Allyssa got cold after the sun went down. A friend of hers (and ours) named Ivan gave her his sweat shirt to wear (hes 7). Naturally the shirt was too big for Allyssa (shes 2) and even more noticable was the right shirt sleeve flopping back and forth. Allyssa's baby arm didnt even come close to half way of the sleeve. I rolled it up but it repeatedly came undone. We both got tired of fooling with the thing so we left it. She was more interested in playing with her friends. She recently found her own set of friends who all have brothers that play on the same team as her brothers.

Allyssa always gets lot's of stares....she seldom notices and even when a brave little soldier decides "enough of the staring im just going to ask about her arm" their usually met with a blank stare from Allyssa. Even when they touch her arm and ask, "what happened?" She still doesnt get it. (Everyone seems to notice her baby arm...except her.) As she played all over the park with her much older buddies other people stared at the dangling sleeve that Sweet Ivan so generously shared with her (i also should mention that he never said a word when it was time to go home about his shirt, and im sure he was cold too....Ivan forever the gentleman let her wear it home without so much as a second look)....stares and glances...most by innocent and curious children.
Mary Cate the oldest of Allyssa's friends...shes the ripe old age of 5...doesnt like it when someone looks funny at Allyssa. from day one she has made it her responsibility to set anyone straight that so much as has a curious glance for Allyssa...she says loudly on the playground while trying to maintain her southern charm, "I REALLY DONT THINK ITS A BIG DEAL AND I DONT THINK YOU SHOULD CONCERN YOURSELVES WITH IT, NOW GO SWING!...HAHA. I love that kid. last night was different even for Mary Cate. Mary Cate noticed that the other children stared a lot at Allyssa...so she quietly took one arm out of her sleeve and let hers dangle....she showed the other 2 little girls named Maci and Neely that were playing with them and they did the same. All three of Allyssa's friends took their arms out of their sleeves and played the rest of the night that way with Allyssa. They were the 4 most beautiful little girls i have ever seen.

Brandon walked up to me and noticed their were tears in my eyes. I pointed to the beautiful little girls and i said, "That's what God's Angel's look like isn't it Brandon?" He said, "yes." I am so thankful to live in Mount Hope, Alabama. There is no better place to raise children than Lawrence County....Do i want my children to grow up and see the world? Of course I do!!!!!.....but what better place to take with them in their hearts when they do? What better foundation can I give them than this place that is our home.? My answer is that there is none.

I realize that nothing stays the same and change must come. I will forever be regretful of the decision to consolidate Mount Hope School. The argument that our children can be offered so much more from a "LARGE SCHOOL".....I do agree that there are some strengths in numbers; however, this isnt one of them. There are simply some things that numbers can't buy. Some things arent worth giving up if you loose the thing that really matters and that's character and integrity. Hatton has welcomed us into their community and into their hearts and for that I am forever thankful.

The most beautiful part of this story for me is that sometimes our imperfections and hardships bring out the beauty in other people. (not that you wouldnt notice the beauty in Mary Cate and the rest of Allyssa's friends and not that Allyssa's arm is an imperfection.) It's just that if we choose to look for beauty in someone we will ALWAYS find it......I will always, always see the beauty in those little girls....no matter where their life leads them, no matter what mistakes any of them may make one day. They will forever be Beautiful Angels to me.


I love you Allyssa, you sure know how to find good friends.