Shelley Ramsey

Shelley is a wife, friend, business owner and mother to a special needs child. Shelley writes, "When my husband, Chad & I started talking about having children, my main prayer was to have healthy children. It may sound cliche, but I had grown up with a brother who had special needs and continue to walk alongside my mom as she cares for my 38-year-old brother. We were blessed with twin boys in July 2012. Three months later, our boys were diagnosed with RSV, a common cold among newborns. As Carter was able to fight it, Andrew was not and landed in the PICU at Vanderbilt. When Andrew left the hospital, he was unable to hold his head up. Doctors assured us he would regain strength and catch back up to Carter. As time went on, the milestone gaps between the boys continued and in December of 2013, Andrew was diagnosed with a rare chromosomal deletion. He is one of about 200 people worldwide with this diagnosis, as most babies are miscarried. When we got the diagnosis, my heart sank, and I began to think of my childhood. I knew though, that God had not made a mistake and that Andrew was fearfully and wonderfully made. God had prepared Chad & I individually to be his parents. The journey has not been easy, but we wake up daily and choose joy. When Andrew walks in a room, you cannot help but smile. He is a light in the darkness and we are forever grateful that God chose us to be his parents."