A Brief Update on My Little Boy

Your sweet e-mails of encouragement continue to come in about my little guy.

Thank you so very much!

I have printed out each one. I will always keep them. Each precious note you send impacts my day and makes my heart expand with gratefulness for your kindness to Corbett and our whole family.

For those of you who might not know, Corbett, my first grader, was diagnosed in late December with two severe forms of dyslexia, memory issues, and eye problems that can't be helped with glasses or surgery.

He's now in a special school and will be for years to come. Corbett's situation is mostly academic and not physical; for that we are very thankful.


There has been impressive progress in the short time since January, when he started his new school. The first is emotional. Corbett always felt outside the norm, so he played by himself.

Now he has a friend, and they're becoming best buds! Today, in fact, they're going fishing after school. Kent, my husband, was so happy he welled up with tears yesterday.


Then the most amazing thing happened last Sunday. On the kitchen counter, I had a cup from a new Mexican restaurant that Corbett's never been to or seen. Corbett said, "Mommy, I can read the words on this cup."

Knowing he couldn't, I said, "Those are hard words, but you'll be able to read them soon enough." "Mommy, I can read them, 'The best Tex Mex under the sun.'" he said in a flash.

With that I started to cry.

"Mommy, don't cry just because I can read. It's embarrassing!" I told him I'd try, but I couldn't promise.

At the same time, I want (and feel like I should have) a magic mommy wand to wave his struggles away. Don't we all want one of those?

Corbett is as smart as a tack and his questions pierce like nails.

He asked me, "Mommy, why did Jesus make school hard for me and not for other people?"

I answered him in my most optimistic and authoritative voice, "Honey, God often makes things easy for people He has little plans for, and things hard for people He has big plans for. You know, Corbett, you'll have more courage and practice in overcoming by the time you're fifteen than most people do when they're thirty."

"Maybe God wants you to just trust Him now so that you'll be used to it and when you're all grown-up you'll do something for Him without doubting, when someone else would say, 'No way. I'm not doing that!' Does that make sense?"


"Yea, Mommy. I guess. But I still don't like it.""Me either, baby," I said. Changing the subject, I asked him if he wanted a treat.


" Sure, Mommy! Can I have a popsicle, please?"

"Absolutely!" I replied.

At last! A wish my magic mommy wand could grant!