This is a story for women. It's a special story about a little girl adopted into a wonderful family. It is a true story.

She only weighed four pounds, but she held her own. A tiny thing, all alone in a big world. Her mother didn't even acknowledge her presence. Presumably because she would never be allowed to hold the baby in her arms. The child was to be given up for adoption.

Her adoptive parents came to take her home. Home to a big brother, a nice house in the suburbs and two dogs. Her new family abounded in relatives.

Her father had ten brothers and one sister. All of the brothers served in the Army. Her father had achieved Master Sargent and was well respected. His family had served in every war including the Civil War and the American Revolution. He himself was part of the Korean War and had received a Purple Heart for internal injury from the stress of the war.

A truly rich American heritage was established in her father's family. His sister was loved by all of the family and had a wonderful husband who doted on her. The little girl was always in awe of her pretty aunt who resembled Audrey Hepburn.

One brother nicknamed "Chunchy" was a small man with a great laugh and sense of humor and a witty wife. This woman served as a nurse in the army and always told stories about delivering babies with her bare hands.

Her mother was an only child. She had almost had an older brother but he died from lack of oxygen in a breach birth. She was beloved by her father who died in middle age from a sudden heart attack. Her mother lived to become the beloved grandmother and most important person in the little girl's life. Of all people in the world, the grandmother loved and accepted her unconditionally.

Her grandmother had brothers and sisters that added great aunts and uncles and cousins to the little girl's world. Many happy memories were spent in the gardens and homes of this extended family. A warm country experience gave depth and meaning to the little girl as she grew.

With such a rich heritage of a large and warm family, the little girl had every indication of acheiving success in life.

At a glance, she looked frail and fragile. In reality, she was wiry and fast, as she was strong. Anything little boys could do, she could best them or hold her own. The elementary school she attended pronounced her "talented and gifted". No one guessed she had a disability.

Her mother knew. When she had taken the girl to the pediatrician for her first physical, he told her she had a "handicapped" child and really didn't want to deal with "that kind of child".

Her mother did want "that kind of child". She raised her as if the child were normal, which she was. The only difference the child had from other children was that she was deaf in one ear. Her other ear actually overcompensated for this loss for many years. She could grasp concepts very quickly and loved to read and write. She had no loss in intelligence.

Her only problem was that adults in her world singled her out from others in order to "protect" her. The only real "protection" she needed was from the insensitivity of others. To be singled out, ridiculed by her peers, and looked upon as being less than perfect was very painful for her. She wanted so much to be perfect!

She was a beautiful child, but all she could see in herself waas imperfection. She desperately tried to compensate by doing her best at everything. She excelled in school and sports. She participated in choir and piano. She was in school and church plays. But no matter waaht she accomplished and acheived, she never seemed to accomplish waat she desired most of all - to be admired and accepted for herself.

Adults seemed to think she was pretty and sweet, but she thought that was because they didn't know her imperfection. To make matters worse, she had to begin wearing glasses in fifth grade. Her hearing was slowly deteriorating. By the time she was in 7th grade, it became apparent that she would always be the shortest kid in class. To top things off, she had the worse case of acne imaginable. Small children would ask if she had the measles.

Time and medication eventually took care of the acne. Nothing stopped the insensitivity of others. A terible fungal infection destroyed high tonal hearing in her good right ear. For a time, she couldn't hear at all and the teasing was unmerciful. A strong child, she finally wore down and requested to be sent home with her work until she regained what hearing she would retain. Eventually, hearing aids were purchased while she was a sophomore in high school.

Hearing aids were a wonder to her. For the first time, she could hear everything normally. Whispers were still a little difficult, but not nearly so much as before. But being able to hear better had no impact on her peers. She was still seen as the girl who wasn't like everyone else.

Just as before, she did her best at everything. She decided not to join the drill team, even after the instructor asked her to try out when her dancing skills were observed in aerobics. A girl like her would just be laughed at. She had gymnastic skills and height perfect for a cheerleader. Previous cheerleaders encouraged her to try out. Again, girls wearing glasses and hearing aids did not try out for cheerleader. She couldn't even try out for deaf cheerleader because she wasn't truly deaf.,/p>

She didn't seem to fit in anywhere. Her confidence level was almost zero.She never talked about her disabiltiy. she didn't want special privileges or treatment. She just wanted to be accepted the way she was.

In high school, she found she had a talent. She was gifted at writing. Writing was her constant companion and friend. She could tell her journal anything and be understood. Of ocurse, she was the one who was the understanding friend. But, what good did it do to understand herself? No one else did.

As she grew and matured, she understood that it was important ot understand others. One could only relate by being understanding.

She made it a point to encourage and understand others. In this way, she felt she could contribute something to society. Maybe she had no place, but she could help others find their way.

Meanwhile, she still searches for her niche in life. Maybe there is someone else with a disability who feels they can accomplish nothing.,/p>

People with disabilities are intelligent and must overcome great odds to achieve their goals. The girl has held jobs others thought not possible. She even earned a degree while being married, working full time with two small children.

Life is full of obstacles. How one handles them determines success.I still have a journey before me. This story is mine.