Books don’t appear magically. It takes a lot of time and support from many people. First and foremost, we need to thank Randy (Dad) and Cam. Your support and love make everything we do possible. We are so lucky you both support us when we’re home and when we’re away. Our family is unusual for our experiences near and far, but you both keep us grounded. We love you so much.
There are other family members who are so important to us. Lots of love to Uncle Barry and Aunt Jenn, Colin, Camden, Addison, Grandma and Grandpa Lee, Poppy and Ruth Ann, Uncle Jon and Grant. Thank you for the love and guidance you’ve all given us.
Huge shout-outs to our literary agent, John Cusick, and our incredible editor, Alyson Heller. We stumbled into the most perfect team to help us learn about the vast world of publishing. We appreciate the time and attention you’ve given us to navigate this experience.
There aren’t enough sheets of paper in the world to be able to include each and every person who has made an impact on our lives. First, we want to thank our local community of friends. Jordan is so thankful for her friends in and outside of her school, but especially Quin and Reese. Jen is amazed by the network of women and men who are there to listen and make sure we meet other changemakers in the area. Unplanned text messages that lead to our gatherings are the very best. We are also very lucky to have Alex George from Skylark Books as a friend and guide through the book publishing process.
We are connected to so many amazing current and past students, faculty, and staff at the University of Missouri. We have been a part of the Mizzou community in many different ways. From the medical community, the journalism school, and the staff of the Joint Office of Strategic Communications and Marketing, we are obviously Mizzou Made. We have to give an extra thank-you to the many Mizzou alumni who work in newsrooms everywhere and have helped us tell the Born Just Right story.
Big thanks to our friends who live across the country: bloggers, progressive activists, digital marketing experts, and even our amazing family from the Disney Parks Moms Panel. They have all helped us along the way. It’s stunning how many people play a special role in our lives.
There are many different people who have made a special impact in our lives through the disability community. Thank you to Liz Jackson, Nikki Kelly, Angel Giuffria, Rebekah Marine, Mary Leighton and Camp No Limits, all of our friends at Wounded Warrior Amputee Softball Team (especially Nick Clark), Amputee Coalition of America’s Amp Camp, Helping Hands Foundation, and our Sammy’s Friends from long, long ago. Ryan Haack, you and your family are something special. (Eric and Patti, your families fall in the same category.)
Thanks to the amazing people who keep Born Just Right, the nonprofit, up and running with us. Thank you to Born Just Right’s Design Director Sam Hobish and Senior Programming Director Kate Ganim, along with board members Sarah Granger, Chuck Donalies, and Nicole Shea. We’re also thankful to Sarah O’Rourke at Autodesk for her long-term support of Jordan and Born Just Right’s work. Thank you, Ellen Gerstein, for not only your friendship but your insight and guidance for BJR. Thanks to Dave (“Mr. David”) Rotter for your support as an advisor to Born Just Right and Jordan’s evolution as a prosthetic wearer and designer.
There are some special DC folks we want to make sure we include:
Sara and Giff, thank you for your constant love and the chance to be a part of our lives when we are near and far away. Jen looks forward to future happy hours in person or over Google Hangouts. She is not picky. Heidi and Chuck, we are so lucky you have offered your time and friendship in so many ways. Your family has a special place in our hearts. Stef and Marlene, we are just getting started. We hope our adventures continue together.
Thanks to Jordan’s growing STEAM Squad (especially cofounders Julie Sage, Taylor Richardson, and Allie Weber), #YoungScientistProbs, and #WeVoteNext friends. You are rock stars and we’re honored to be connected with you and your parents.
Finally, thank you to the Born Just Right community—the families, kids, and adults who have connected with us through the years. Thank you for going on this journey with us. We can’t wait to see what we all create next together.