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[BPeters]

Hello All, I have been involved with disabilities in one way or another most of my life,having had a developmentally delayed older brother who was also emotionally disturbed. I worked as an instructional aide in various classrooms, predominantly with autistic kids, and also with other language disordered kids, and with physically disabled kids during the suummers. As time went on,my husband and I chose to adopt children, while all are mobile, one has 'physical disabilities' in the sensory areas, being profoundly Deaf and legally blind as well as having autism and developmental delays. I do have a cousin, Michelle, who has DS. With our kids who have disabilities, Richard and I became involved with Joni and Friends, a Christian organization founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, a quad with a spinal cord injury. Through the family retreats organized by Joni and Friends, we have met many people with quite a variety of differing physical and mental challenges.