25 years ago, on January 25th, I gave birth to beautiful 7 # 8 oz baby girl. Her friends call her Crickette, her family calls her KK, her name is Khrystyana Frances-Ruth, for both of my great grandmothers that were alive when she was born, Christiana and Ruth, and for my godmother Frances, who passed away the same week I discovered I was having a baby.
My daughter is the smartest, funniest person I have ever met, most days I cannot believe I gave birth to her. She loves Star Trek, Dr. Who, Sherlock Holmes, comic books, and anything to do with science. When she lost most of her vision 3 years ago she handled it with grace, dignity, and humor that many people would do well to emulate.
When she enrolled in a school for the blind for training she picked one housed in an old mansion so she could go to school like X-Men, so as we walked up the marble steps I asked her “Well Jean, do you think you can learn to control your powers?” So I left her there for training with laughter and tears.
Last year she planned on enrolling in college when I got sick, she put her own plans on hold and stayed and helped take care of me, bringing me food and medicine on days I could not get out of bed, helping me get up, get dressed, whatever it took, she is a super hero.
She has an open and generous heart, loves animals, babies, and has a great sense of humor. She is still a painter and photographer, in fact she takes almost all my profile pictures, which is funny as she sees me as a blur, but somehow that makes it work. I am so very proud of her, and so grateful to her, having her taught me what love a person is capable of when I first saw her little face.
