I’d like to introduce you to a very special young man, Jacob Mullen. I first met Jacob when he was three years old. He and his parents attended the same church we did. Jacob was in the children’s church program that I was honored to be leading. That time period was shortly after Jacob had been diagnosed with autism. I remember clearly Sunday mornings when Jacob became upset by the music which must have seemed unbearably loud to his sensitive ears and banging his head against the concrete block wall. While the journey has been a bumpy one, Jacob has come a long way since those days. To give you a better picture of the wonderful person he is, Jacob’s mother shared this heartfelt message that she wrote to his birth mother when he turned 18 years old. Prepare to be blessed as you read this beautiful letter.
Dear Birth Mother,
Eighteen years ago today, you blessed us with the gift of our son. It has been an amazing ride, and “gift” doesn’t even come close to describing what he means to us.
The last time we corresponded, he was three years old and had just been diagnosed with autism. You replied at how devastated you were because you wanted to give us “the perfect son.” Do you remember my response? He IS the perfect son. Through you, God blessed us with the most incredible son, EXACTLY the way he is.
Newborn Jacob with his parents
Because of his autism and his functioning level, he’s much younger than the 18th birthday we celebrate today. Some might concentrate on what he can’t do – he can’t drive, he won’t get married and he’ll never live independently. Others might point to the struggles we endured in helping our son reach his highest potential.
But let me tell you what he CAN and DOES do. He brings joy, so much joy, to so many people. He is intelligent and funny. He loves to laugh and he loves when others laugh. When he hears music, he breaks out in a dance – no matter where we are, which makes for some interesting experiences! He loves being around people and insists on knowing the name of every person he comes in contact with whether it is a waitress, a ticket taker at the movies, or a pizza delivery guy.
His only “life disappointment” is that the Wii only has enough space for 100 Mii characters so he can’t create one for every single person he meets. He can tell by looking at me when I am in pain and always says “I want God to make mom better.” Whenever we get together with other people, he must take a group picture before we leave. He does that because he doesn’t like to say goodbye. He used to shut his eyes instead of saying goodbye. Now, he takes a picture so he can “keep them home” with us.
Every trial we faced, each struggle we endured, all of the very tough moments of autism – each and every one – has been worth it.
A teacher said once that he had taught her much more than she ever taught him. I feel the same. God has used the son you placed with us to teach me many things about myself. Loving our son with every fiber of my being has helped put into perspective the magnitude of God’s love for me. His father feels the same way. This amazing “boy” you chose life for has touched so many more people than just his parents. I share stories of the things he says and does, and people who have never met him are touched. He brightens life by just being who he is. He is loved by many and he loves others unconditionally.
Jacob being Jacob!
I’m a better person because of being the mother to the son you gave birth to. I have thought of you often throughout the years, how could I not? But on his birthday, I feel the need to express again how deeply grateful I am that you chose us to be the parents of your son. If you ever wonder about your decision, let me reassure you that you could not have chosen anyone who could have possibly loved him more than us. We are as grateful today on his 18th birthday as we were on the day he was born. It has been an honor and a privilege to be his parents and we will always, ALWAYS count him as a gift from God – and from your heart to ours.
From the two luckiest parents on this earth.
Jacob just turned 23 and his zeal for life has not changed. He recently aged out of the public school system. Despite years of vocational training, he was still considered “unemployable.” As a result, his parents created a home based online sales business to provide Jacob with a meaningful and purposeful life after school.
The business name is Jacob’s Ladder and it sells a variety of natural personal hygiene products and autism awareness items through an Etsy store. I made my first purchase from his store and it was a 5-star experience! The products are great, arrived in just a few days, and I was thrilled to see that Jacob had written “thank you” and his name on the receipt. I encourage you to visit Jacob’s Ladder yourself and show your support to this fine young man.
Jacob’s parents have also created a Facebook page to chronicle the process of training Jacob in various aspects of the online sales business. It is called Journey To Jacob’s Ladder. Feel free to visit it and join Jacob and his family on the journey!
We hope to do more feature articles on Jacob in the future. He is such an incredible young man and there are many stories to share, from the struggles when he was young, all that he has overcome, and the adventures he has today.
Spoiler alert: Jacob is an ace bowler in the Special Olympics and was even Police Chief for the day!
My first purchase from Jacob’s Ladder:
Pictures of Jacob hard at work:
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