On October 31 1994, we were expecting our first child. As typical first time parents we were excited and could wait for the arrival of our healthy son. After a normal pregnancy and birth we went home to start our new life. After a few months our pediatrician felt that Clay was not hitting his milestones and wanted to have him checked out by a neurologist. After many tests we were told that Clay suffered a "stroke" like event during birth and had suffered major brain damage. The doctors told us to work hard and hope for the best. We were in total shock and literally walked around the house without a clue to where to start. We had no idea what "hope for the best even meant." We started every type of therapy imaginable, and our lives were consumed by hospitals, doctor visits, untold hours of therapy, seizures, and genetic testing. From a physical standpoint, Clay was and still is frozen in time---at the physical age of a four month old.

We were determined to keep living the only life we knew.... full and active. A few months later we welcomed a healthy baby girl, Sophie and a couple years later welcomed a healthy baby boy, Jackson. We took working hard to a new level. With three kids four and under, Clay took an unimaginable amount time and energy. Today we have welcomed a fourth child, Aidan and our family is unique. We have all busyness of a typical household... ballgames, birthday parties, vacations, school, music lessons and more! All the while having a thirteen year old son who does not walk, is nonverbal, and completely dependent on every aspect of daily life. From feeding, bathing, dressing, Clay needs us for everything. A place like Jill's house would not only provide a break for my husband and I, but a place where Clay would be the "norm". A place where he would have friends and be treated like all our family and close friends treat him -- as just another kid who likes to have fun and goof around.

Clay is completely cognitively aware. He is a smart boy who communicates primarily with yes/no responses, understands English and Spanish and absolutely knows everything that is happening around him. Because he is so physically dependent on Brian and I, he is emotionally very sensitive about us leaving him behind even for short periods of time. Getting a break has meant us calling on the same very few resources we have available to us who can actually handle Clay -- and those same resources that Clay can trust. Which is all to say that creating a resource like Jill's House would mean the world to us..