****UPDATED****

A year ago, I asked Brandy to tell her story of her son, Clayton.  This past Wednesday, Brandy and her family lost their home in the tornado that hit Pleasant Grove, Alabama.  Please pray for Brandy, her family and all the survivors and victims of these terrible storms.

If you want to help, please see www.BirminghamMommy.com, Al.com/BirminghamBargainMom, or contact your local Red Cross.

Like most moms, Brandy looked at her son, Clayton,  for the first time and saw all his potential. She still does.

This is her story.

I grew up in a small town with loving parents and grandparents that lived right down the road from me. My mom took me to church on Sundays, always made sure I did my homework. Some how she found time to to drive me to softball practice, my brother to baseball, my sister to cheerleading or band practice, and cook dinner. My Dad worked hard to make sure we had money to be involved all of those things. I never once thought about how lucky I was to have all of that. I am now a parent that is cooking, cleaning, helping with schoolwork and just thankful I can find time to shower each day. In life we often take so many things for granted. I grew up, had my own children and thought that my life was perfect. On Sept. 11, 2001 the bombing of the World Trade Centers started a huge change in my life. My husband was sent on a year deployment with the Army National Guard Unit that he was in. I thought that was the worst thing that could happen to a mother of 3 small children(ages 4, 3, and 1). Like always, I wrong. When my youngest son was born of course we were happy to have a new baby in our family. We did notice that he seemed to have some medical issues, a never-ending runny nose and cough. He would also have lots of bowel movements. We took him to several different doctors that would just say it was sinus problems and we were never happy with that answer so on to the next doctor we would go. Finally I found a doctor that wanted to have him tested for Cystic Fibrosis. I will keep this short and say that I got the test results back and Yes, he was positive. I felt like this was my breaking point and I began to question God with “Why Me”….My husband was still serving our Country and I had three babies at home to deal with by myself. Looking back I am not really sure that I ever said Thank you God for giving me the gift of motherhood three times or Thank you God that my soldier husband came home safe. Can you believe that I am not even sure if asked “why did this happen to him…my little baby” all I was worried about was me. It has been 9 years since that day and I sometimes still get a little frustrated that my son has to deal with things that he has to, but I try to never ever ask “why”. God told me that he would never give me more than I can handle and it is true. I hold on to the fact that he gave me three children and husband that needs me and I need them. Don’t get me wrong because we do have our days where I just want to cry. The best part is that Most days ….I am just a mommy, a wife, cook, maid, nurse, and taxi driver and my son is just a boy that is catching bugs, playing in the dirt and taking more medications than my other children. No matter what you are going through you are not alone and there are people out there that can help you…..you just have to look for them. My son having CF has brought us lots of new friends through fundraisers and hospital stays. It has also opened my eyes to other people struggles. If you just look around and you will find someone that is in the same boat or worse than you.

“God Has a Plan for your Life. “For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, they are plans for good, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11.

You never have to handle anything on your own if you ask God for help, he will send you someone. He gave me a family andHusband that always loves me. Great friends that to listen. It may have taken what seemed like the world was falling apart for me to see but now I do know I AM SO BLESSED!

Written by Brandy Bates, Mom to Clayton, Cystic Fibrosis Warrior