Reflections
by Jacqueline Izaguirre, August, 1995

Oh, when I first saw her I did not know,
she had all of her fingers and all of her toes.

And when I first saw her she was so small,
she looked so perfect, nothing mattered at all.

And when I first saw her I had hopes and dreams,
I had it all planned, all the way through her teens.

And when I first heard what the doctors had to say,
I sat, helpless, my hopes and dreams went away.

And now as I get to know the person inside,
I have made new plans and put the others aside.

What will you do...
if the doctors are right,
you toss and turn, and worry all night.

What will you do...
if she draws her last breath,
you let her go, to heaven to rest.

What will you do...
if her heart stops to beat,
at least you had time, enough time to meet.

What will you do...
if her eyes can not see,
you adjust... at least she's with me.

What will you do...
if she can not hear sound,
you love her the same, at least she's around.

How do you...
care for your new little girl,
she's so small in this big, new world.

How do you...
feel since she's not the perfect child,
do you feel angry, do your feelings go wild?

How do you...
help her to fight for her life,
you pray to God all through the night.

How do you...
show her how to walk,
she's really scared, alone in the dark.

How do you...
yell at her when she's been bad,
she will not hear you, no matter how mad.

How do you...
tell her that you love her so,
those are just words,... she will know.

How do you ...
leave her in the hands of a stranger,
you wonder, will they keep her from danger?

How do you...
know how she spends her day,
will they even know what she's trying to say?

How do you...
treat her just like the others,
she's much more fragile than her brothers.

How do you...
teach her the things she should know,
what will she do when it's your time to go.

How do you...
learn to deal with it all,
you just do, she's yours, after all.