Why Are You Crying, Daddy?

Is every life precious, or is it only when everything is "normal"? It's not unusual for nervous parents to count a newborn baby's fingers and toes. But what is normal? What happens when there aren't ten fingers and ten toes? In Why Are You Crying, Daddy?, Kenny Sanford tells the story of his son, Todd, born with hydrocephalus and spina bifida. Despite daunting physical challenges, young Todd immediately begins to carve out a unique love-space within his family and community. His winsome personality and keen interests - from monitoring the weather, to studying politicians, to enjoying family vacations at the beach - endear him to all who meet him. Todd's life makes a difference in the world. In these pages, Sanford attempts to demonstrate the value of all life, even life that some might not count as valuable. "In our family, what some would count as a tragedy, we've been able to see as a blessing," he writes. "I offer these stories as a testimony to how God has blessed and sustained our family and gives value to all life. It is my hope that these stories will also mean something to you." Kenny Sanford grew up in rural South Carolina with a mentally challenged brother, and he learned early in life about some of the difficulties special-needs families experience. When he and his wife, Jane, became parents of a special-needs child, they were able to draw strength from those experiences. Kenny and Jane appreciate opportunities to volunteer for humanitarian organizations that proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ. They are active members of Two Mile Swamp Baptist Church in Cope, South Carolina.