by Rachelle and Reyna

Graduation is a time students AND parents don't forget. We wanted to make this one EXTRA memorable, so we got 2 graduating seniors to secretly come in and record a tribute to their moms. And then we sprung it on the moms, who happen to be Rachelle and Reyna from The KSBJ Morning Show. Below you can see the video with their reaction, and also read their thoughts on what it's like to have a graduating senior.

Rachelle

On my drive to the hospital I asked my husband, ‚ÄúWhat if he hates me?‚Äù I was afraid.

Then they handed him to me‚Äîfear dissipated and perfect love took over. That was nearly 18 years ago.¬†

‚ÄúYour son is displaying signs of autism.‚Äù¬† The diagnosis of Asperger‚Äôs Syndrome (Autism Spectrum Disorder) could be given a couple of years after the Doctor spoke the words that, once again, made me afraid... no, terrified.¬†

Parenthood isn‚Äôt always easy, but it‚Äôs the journey that grows you and your child.¬†Hopefully, it grows you in grace for one another because the alternative grows despair.

Jesus has been given the ‚Äúwheel‚Äù in our life‚Äôs vehicle.¬† We are His, ultimately, and so is our son!¬† We are blessed in how he has chosen to grow and climb social barriers.¬†His mind will always present challenges for him to overcome, but it‚Äôs the climb that makes him the man of integrity this momma knows him to be.¬†I love him, and was undone by his words.¬†Be blessed, parents.¬† Your children see your heart‚Äôs desires to love them well, and those determined desires far outweigh our failures.¬† Jesus in You does NOT fail. (1 Cor. 13:8)

Reyna

I was 18 when she came home from the hospital with me. I was young, I was scared, and literally sleeping on an air mattress. ¬†I grew up loving Jesus, but rebelled in my teen years. I did a lot of things my way, until I realized I couldn‚Äôt anymore. I looked up at the heavens one day, and said, "God if you‚Äôre real prove it.‚Äù He did exactly that. My life has been forever changed, and only by His grace, am I the person and mom that I am today. This moment of watching my graduate who is now the same age I was when she was born has to be one of the best moments of my life. I am so incredibly proud of the young lady she has grown to be and am blown away at how she loves others. She is already working in education and hopes to open her own nail salon one day.

Img 8804 576x1024 — Rachelle and her sons when they were younger with Joel & Luke Smallbone of for KING + COUNTRY.