I didn't PLAN for this!

 I DIDN'T PLAN for THIS!!!

Anyone that knows me, knows I have to have a plan.. it's been instilled in me since I was a little girl.. What's your plan, sadie lee? It has been passed down to my children.. Gotta have a Plan... I don't even care if the plan doesn't work... you start the creative juices of Life.. It always Brainstorming... allowing your Nuerons to move and reconfigure... 

God has a Plan... Shouldn't WE, since we are trying to become like him... God always helps me navigate my plan... I want him at the Helm of my Plan just in case it doesn't work out the way I saw it.. I know and have Faith that HE sees it and He knows best... Father really does know best...

Willie Scott is now 25 years old... He has down syndrome, one arm and probably has more dreams and goals then most of us "typical" folk... the only down side is, how do we execute those dreams and goals for Willie... 

It's taken me a few long days to be able to sit down and write another chapter in Willie's life... 

He's always been in my home... 
He brings us joy and sadness, fun and fear but all in all Willie is Willie... 
He drinks his Bucked up every morning, just like someone drinks their morning coffee..

First thing in the morning Willie would come down stairs and crack open a Bucked up... it was always a different flavor but nonetheless, Willie does Willie... He dresses himself, he actually puts the belt through the belt loops first before he puts his pants on because he only has one hand so that makes it easier for him to NOT miss any loops... He takes out the trash, he gets the mail... He is very competent... the only thing Willie hasn't been able to do is Serve a mission. 

As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day saints, all young men of the age of 18 are asked to give up 2 years of their life plans and goals to serve.  Willie has had his sisters serve missions... His friends have all gone on missions and now Willie is 25... 

What's the Plan mom?

Willie's sister Ella was dating a guy named Jarom... Jarom was turning 18 and getting ready to submit his papers... Willie knew what this meant.. He knew he was losing another friend to a Mission, HE could never serve... Willie isn't "normal" He doesn't identify (haha) as special needs.. He can and will show you, he can do anything like everyone else.. So he didn't want to do a "service mission" and stay home. He wanted to be called to another place... He wanted to move out of the house like every other "typical" young man does when he is called to serve a mission..

FAST FORWARD... on July 2nd at 5am Elder Jarom Wilkins said goodbye to Willie for 2 years to serve the people of Monrovia, West Africa... this was hard for Willie... His Best Friend... His Brother...

On July 4th Kyle took Willie to Alamo, NV.

BACK UP... Kyle has a cousin named David... and Kara (his wife) and we have been good friends/family for 28 years... Kyle grew up with David and when Kara and I were pregnant with babies at the same time, she was pregnant with Richard and I was pregnant with Willie, Kara found out that her baby could have down syndrome... and I remember saying to Kyle (we lived across the street from each other) well, we could have a baby with one arm and down syndrome... 

As the years passed and our paths took us further and further apart from each other, Kara and I still remained close.. David and Kyle did as well. Our families would see each other at family gatherings, dirtbike rides, road trips etc.

David would talk with Willie and they would tease each other about when they were going to share a beer together or kiss girls... Willie was very comfortable with David and Kara's family.

But when Jarom left, I believe Willie's whole world (that's I didn't plan for) came crashing down. Willie packed his bags and said, I'm going to Alamo, NV on my mission. 

Apparantly, Willie had called David one year for his birthday and Willie told David that he was coming to Alamo to serve his mission.

REAL TIME... on July 2nd Kyle texted David and said, Willie wants to come to Alamo to serve a mission... Kyle not thinking anything of it except to use it as an opportunity to talk to David and catch up... shortly after david texted Kyle... a TEXT that will forever change Willie's life and change mine...

YOU need to know... I have always settled in that Willie will be my forever Blessing... so what I am about to share with you was not in MY PLAN for Willie... I wasn't prepared for what was to come next... and I wasn't prepared for all the feelings and emotions that come with a situation like this... The lonliness, the joy, the gratitude, the helplessness, the humility, the sacrifice others would make, I just didn't plan for this...

On JULY 2nd... David texts Kyle... (I hope he's okay with me sharing it)

"Can you share with Sadie that I'm not a spiritual person but I felt something when Willie first told me he would servce his mission Alamo years ago... This year when Willie called me to tell me it was his birthday, something weighed on me to invite him to come stay with us and I didn't because I didn't know how you guys would feel about it. I have hardly been able to breathe today since you texted me because I am so overwhelmed by the feeling that it's my responsibility to facilitate a mission that Willie has been called to serve in his own unconventional way. it would be our honor to host him until he is done with that mission however long it is even if he needs to go back and forth until he feels his mission is completed. Kara and I are in 100% agreement."

WOW!! The flood of tears and emotion that consumed me that day. Even as I read it again, I think WOW!! I compare it to the Atonement of Christ... Someone would actually do this for MY son... someone would actually open their home, sacrifice and share their lives with him in a way that Willie needs... I had to Give it to God and just say, Thank You. xo 

I think maybe that day that Kara thought she was having a baby with downs she just didn't know He would be 25 and she would become that "mission mom" that Willie needed..

I have always loved and felt loved by the Lewis and Leavitt family... Kyle has a beautiful heritage and that is ONE of the many things that drew me to him... The posterity... the number of cousins... the laughter and names they had for each other...

TO KARA and DAVID... I can't  repay you for the opportunity you have given Willie and our family... I will forever be indebted to you... the sacrifice... your generosity and your unconditional love that you have always shown OUR family... We love you and there won't be enough paper or words to express the feelings of a Mother's heart that just wanted her son to have the Best adventure in life... and YOU are apart of the PLAN... YOU are apart of the plan that I didn't even plan for... THANK YOU!! xo

Now you can see... GOD's plan is very individual... I couldn't plan this for Willie... Willie and God clearly were working together and God always works through his sons and daughters...

We all have a plan and sometimes... YOU just don't get to PLAN IT!!

His mission is going well... Willie calls me to "check up" on me.. I say, you ready to come home... He says, When Jarom does... I do believe Willie is in it for the long haul... I am proud of him... He has shot rabbits, gone fishing, had awesome P-days and he's even gone on splits... Willi'es mission is Willie's... David nailed it when he said... "unconventional".. Tru dat!!

May you all be strengthened by God and follow the feelings you are prompted to move with... YOU never know whose life you are changing for the Better Good of Humanity..

Much love,
Maximize YOU Everyday
Sadie Lee