Author: Lisa Harbin

I consider it a great privilege to be writing this blog about motherhood in honor of Mother’s Day. Anna, after all, is the gift that made me a mom! Anna is a beautiful 21-year-old young woman who happens to have special needs. I always say that she is a verb—an asterisk. I could tell you about raising a child with special needs, about how extremely busy Anna is, that she requires a lot of attention and so on…but what an injustice that would be to Anna and to you, the reader.

Instead, I want to tell you about Anna the person. She is a proud big sister and will tell you about her twins any chance that she gets.  Anna has taught me and her sisters many life lessons that we otherwise would have never learned. With a heart that is pure, caring and compassionate, she is a joy to everyone she meets. Among her many wonderful attributes, one of Anna’s greatest gifts is her ability to bring out the absolute best in others—se will make people smile without even trying, and she leaves everyone better than she found them.

Upon the initial realization that Anna had developmental disabilities, I grieved for what she may never experience, or for what she would miss out on. Twenty years ago, I could have never imagined all she would bring and be given. However, over the years, I have come to understand that the grief I experienced was for what I thought Anna should be, do and experience—what I thought she needed. I soon realized what was truly important—that Anna was happy—and happy she is! In fact, I challenge you to find a happier, more loving person. Isn’t that what we all want for our children?

In closing, I would like to thank all of the amazing teachers and peers at my daughter’s school, as well as the supportive community in general. In addition, I want to express my gratitude to my work family, who love Anna and have adopted her as an honorary realtor, which makes her heart sing!  Lastly, thank you to the folks at Enable Savings Plan for providing this platform, and for helping individuals like Anna in the disability community have the opportunity to save for a more financially stable tomorrow.

For more information on saving with Enable, click here.