The six-week-old infant boy, with blue sparkling eyes and blonde hair, does not make eye contact with his mother who is trying to nurse him, because he cannot see. The five-month-old infant girl from Guatemala with happy brown eyes smiles easily, but cannot hear the voice of her mother. The six-year-old boy with dark skin and gorgeous black curls hides behind a large, fake plant, rather than joining his family at the table for Christmas dinner. The Hispanic boy's joyful smile at his mother turns to a smoldering stare, holding the darkness within him. The seven-year-old girl with beautiful blue eyes and blonde hair does not love her mother, and tells her so every chance she gets. She tells her in American Sign Language.

Are these snapshots of five troubled families? No, these are the children of my family. My name is Linda Petersen. My husband Raymond and I have five children with five different disabilities... I hope in this book to share with others the approach that has worked for us. Acceptance and humor ease life's burdens. Patience and understanding triumph even the greatest disability.

About Linda Sands:

My name is Linda Petersen, and I am the proud mother of five wonderful, very interesting children. They also happen to have disabilities, but these have not been overwhelming obstacles, but adventures along the path of life.

My oldest son, Francis, is legally blind and has obsessive compulsive disorder. My 25-year-old daughter was adopted from Guatemala; she came to us profoundly deaf, but was "healed". My 18-year-old son has a long history of autism, obsessive compulsive disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and a severe sensory integration disorder. My 15-year-old son was severely abused prior to coming to live with us at the age of four; he developed dissociative identity disorder (multiple personality disorder). My 13-year-old daughter, who is profoundly deaf, came to live with us at the age of seven; her deafness is not a disability, but her post-traumatic stress from early abuse and her attention deficit hyperactivity disorder have caused serious problems for her.

I began writing a blog because I was looking for a stress reliever. It is amazing how cathartic it is to vent one's frustrations in writing! Also, I have had so many unique experiences and adventures that many acquaintances have suggested I write a book. I started writing the blog not so much with the thought of writing a book, but with the thought of putting down these events for posterity, so to speak, and to share my experiences with others. In the process, I have reduced my stress level and I have been encouraged by the more than 20,000 people who have read the blog. I am sure our adventures and misadventures will continue.

Linda Peterson's blog: http://5kidswdisabilities.com/