When you use the word "retarded," this is what I hear

I want to introduce you to someone...

This is my daughter, Lorelai. She's 2. She's silly. She's joyful. She's affectionate. She's the goofiest little gigglestick I've ever had the pleasure of knowing.

Lorelai loves pretty clothes. She loves toys. She cracks up every time I give her really noisy kisses on the back of her neck.

She recently got hearing aids, after living the first 30 months of her life mostly deaf, and she now says "mama!" and "hi!" and as you can see above, she has also started roaring. It makes me laugh every time she does it.

Lorelai was adopted from China in May 2016. She quickly mastered the pouty lip and that if she cries, no matter the time day or night, mama or daddy will come running. Yesterday, she lost hold of one of her favorite toys and she called "Mama! Mama!" until I came to give it back to her.

In addition to all these things, Lorelai has an intellectual disability. Though she's 2 chronologically, she's developmentally closer to 9 months old.

But when I hear you say the word "retarded," it makes me think:

Do they not value my daughter the same as every other child?
Do they think her worth is in her intelligence?
Do they not see the amazing gifts that God bestowed on this precious girl?
Do they not know that she was made in His image too?

This is my daughter. Isn't she perfect?