PERFECTLY LOVED

For expectant parents planning how you will raise your child when they arrive is a natural part of the excitement and anticipation of what is to come as your family grows. However when the unthinkable happens it can shake the very foundation of your world.. For Ana Munoz giving birth to a daughter with special needs meant all plans around raising a ‘normal’ child ended quicker than they began. Her daughter’s life did not come with a manual and it has taken her on unexpected journeys to all kinds of unknowns. In Perfectly Loved: Discovering the Blessings Raising a Child With Special Needs Ana shares her insights faith and the lessons she has discovered along the way about the world of disability and the gifts this can bring.. In this inspirational book Ana shares her life story with transparency and honesty from the initial shock of the diagnosis fear of the unknown and the challenges of medical emergencies to learning how to best support her daughter to allow her to flourish and be happy and building a community where those with special needs are loved and accepted. Ana has climbed mountains to provide a world for her daughter that is filled with love and understanding and has learnt many life lessons along the way.. As she has watched her daughter grow Ana has discovered that those who live with a disability should not be stereotyped. With love and faith Ana has taught her daughter and other children in her community that the sky is the limit and with support and a vision anything is possible.. Ana’s unexpected journey has led her on a path of acceptance and healing. She has learnt to celebrate the small beginnings as small steps for others are big steps and even breakthroughs for her daughter and others with special needs. This has led her to embark on a new career as a habilitation assistant on her island home of Kauai which has opened immense doors of opportunities for her daughter and her peers within the community.. There was a time in her life when Ana was living in survival mode and thought she was not capable of raising a daughter with special needs. But as the months and years went by she realized that she was stronger than she thought. She realized that there was a hidden purpose that was unfolding right before her eyes as she continued to learn new things about her daughter’s world. . Today Ana is very involved in the special needs community and is always looking for new ways to foster inclusion through fun activities and unique events. She has led and assisted within camps various clubs Bible studies creative sign dance and proms that have been tailored to include the special needs community.. Ana’s underlying goal is to teach her daughter and community to live life to the fullest and with courage – and for her daughter to know that she is and will always be perfectly loved.