A Special Child for Wanting Parents
By Brandon Johnson

A special-needs child can bring challenges, changes, and joys for a family. Jon, '78, and Shannon (Williams '80) Flora know this first-hand: their daughter, Brette, struggles with a range of developmental delays.

"We feel truly blessed to have her, and we feel that she was meant to be with us," Shannon Flora said.

Jon Flora, CEO of Childhaven, and Shannon Flora , interim executive director of ArtsWest, met while attending Whitworth University.  Jon moved to Seattle after working in Spokane for 12 years after he graduated from Whitworth.  In 1993 the two Whitworth grads got married. 

Jon and Shannon Flora wanted to have children but had trouble conceiving. 

"However, we wasted no time going to the adoption option versus going down the path of fertility treatments, which could have meant lots of money on medical procedures and potential frustrations," Shannon Flora said. 

In August 1996, Jon and Shannon Flora drove to the hospital to pick up their day-old daughter, Brette.  More than a year later, they started to notice something was not quite right with Brette's development.

"We didn't decide to adopt a special-needs child.  She just turned out to be special needs and we started to realize it when she was about 18 months old," Shannon Flora said. 

Brette was diagnosed with global development delays, which, in actuality, means several things.  Typical milestones used to measure children's developmental and physical progress come later than normal, such as when they crawl, when they walk, when they talk, and when they are potty trained.

"The term is also a bit of a catchall for kids when no other specific diagnosis is present," Shannon Flora said. 

The Floras have ruled out several things such as Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, Williams Syndrome, Fragile X Syndrome, and others.  They worry about Brette because she is also very small for her age and fatigues easily.  She is on growth hormone therapy to try and catch her up a bit, Shannon Flora said. 

Brette is considered a second-grader and is about three years delayed chronologically and two years academically.

"The best way I can describe it is she has dial-up problems.  She is bright and has a lot stored up in her head but expressing her thoughts can be very difficult," Shannon Flora said.  "She actually describes it very aptly when she says 'Mommy, I can read with my eyes, but not with my mouth.'"

As they learned that Brette was a special-needs child, Jon and Shannon Flora faced a range of struggles: family members' reactions, inappropriately comparing Brette to her peers, and managing their own grief knowing that she will have struggles throughout life. 

"We take it a day at a time since we don't really know ultimately how she will evolve," Shannon Flora said.

Jon and Shannon Flora also wondered what their relationship would be like with their new daughter, but their worries were soon put to rest. 

"People who adopt always wonder if they will have trouble bonding; there was no trouble at all," Shannon Flora said.  "We adopted an incredibly loving, funny, and affectionate child."

Changing where they called home in August 2005, they moved to Vashon Island, Wash.  The move from Seattle gave Brette the chance to have a bigger yard in a smaller town with a better school district. 

"In the Seattle school districts, we were dealing with bullying, and she was bussed from our home to a school on the opposite end of the city, about 11-12 hours on the bus each week," Shannon Flora said.  "Just having everything closer to home helps a lot and her new school is working on mainstreaming her with typical kids, which is good news." 

Brette also has had the chance to enjoy her school's arts program, a favorite subject.

Jon and Shannon Flora have made major changes for their daughter that can only be considered wholehearted love. 

"Due to her distinctive personality and looks, she is a very special person to many people.  We feel truly blessed to have her and feel that she was meant to be with us," Shannon Flora said.

Brette has her goals set to attend Whitworth University, just like her Mom and Dad. 

"She wants to be a nurse, so we certainly encourage that," Shannon Flora said.  "She is without a doubt one of the kindest children I have ever met."