The moment you meet someone you can call friend on your life's journey is exciting no matter how old you are. Our friendships play a major role in defining us, shaping our life whether it's for a brief period of time or a lifetime. You can never really know what road a new friendship will take, but I think there is a guarantee that each friendship will leave a mark on your heart. I met my three best friends thirty years ago. We met in Kindergarten, went through the awkward middle school years together, were in band together. Three of us lived together in college. And I slept on one of their couches when I started my first job. When you have been friends since Kindergarten, it is a beautiful and interesting thing to look back and see how God brought you together and how he interweaves your lives for his good. Laura, Kari, Becca and I have been through a lot together and consider each other family. Kari and I have something very intimate in common though. We both have a child with autism. I think back to our five year-old selves, learning the ropes in school and enjoying care-free time at recess, with no knowledge of the bumpy road ahead of us. While it was never something we would have asked to have in common, we are grateful to share the joy and sorrow that comes with autism. We get each other, and we get each other's families. We encourage each other in all the right ways and stand in for each other when needed. This part of the thirty year story of our friendship becomes more magnificent as it unfolds.
You don't stay friends with somebody for so long without having a million things in common and complimenting each other in ways that can truly only be described as divine, but God has given us opportunities over the last few months to so plainly see why we were given to each other all those years ago. Last week, we walked together through a heart-wrenching and beautiful week in my family's life, a week that will forever change the way my family functions and give Will a leap forward he so desperately needed. For the last four years, Will has eaten only five foods. Everyday, for four years, Will has eaten grapes, strawberries and Ritz wheat crackers for breakfast, lunch and dinner with bananas between meals as a snack and milk to drink. You may be thinking as most doctors do, what about protein? Does he eat meat or eggs? Nope, nothing but the food listed above FOR FOUR YEARS. Selective eating is a common symptom of children with autism whether it's a sensory issue or behavioral issue. Even though we knew Will needed more variety in his diet to function, we had no idea how we were going to get there. Last summer, Kari's daughter had tremendous success with an intensive feeding program through her ABA clinic . After her success, Kari mentioned to me that maybe we should give it a try because the ABA clinic was opening a new branch in Austin. You must understand that this type of feeding program is not offered anywhere in Austin. At the very moment Will had reached an age where we started to become concerned we would have to take drastic measures to feed him, my best friend's ABA provider, who offers this unique program, just happens to be in the process of opening a facility in Austin. We had low expectations, but what did we have to lose? We considered this our last hope. So, last Wednesday we showed up at the facility not knowing what to expect and clinging to the last flames of hope burning in our hearts. It was one of the hardest things we have ever done with Will, but we got our Christmas miracle. After years of living a just five foods, Will is now eating a variety of meat, vegetables, fruit and continues to try new things. On Tuesday of this week, we sat down at the table and had our first meal together as a family. It is all still so surreal. So, you never know where friendship will take you and all of the unique ways God will use you to work good in each other's lives. The friendship I have with these ladies is powerful and humbling, and it's mind-boggling that our story is only half written. This may have happened a different way or not at all if Kari was not in my life. I do know it happened THIS way because of a friendship that was forged thirty years ago. Our family, Will's life, is forever changed.
1 Comment
Uncle Jerry
1/13/2018 06:00:44 am
I am Alicia’s uncle who has a son with moderate cerebral palsy. We were shocked to hear that Taylor was diagnosed with CP at such an early infant age. He was in Galveston NICU for about seven weeks. We did not have time to process what was happening. He was hooked up with wires and tubes and in fairly critical condition.day by day we didn’t know if he was going to be with us. There were babies in there that would fit in the palm of my hand but lungs were fully developed. Taylor was a five pound premie but his lungs were still not developed thus causing the lack of oxygen to his brain. To jump ahead forward Taylor finally was released from the hospital and our life became different than your typical family. Any family can go from typical to non typical in a flash but to start out at birth is not what you expect. The love for Taylor was always there but at the same time you hurt for your child who has to deal with this world. But as time goes on,like in Will and Taylor’s case we parents celebrate and get joy from different situations. For instance your child first steps happens and your overwhelmed with joy. With Taylor our joy came in the form of one little boy with CP and a walker. Taylor took his first steps with his walker on Christmas Eve night. It was a Christmas miracle to us. It is tough to say the least to raise a non typical child, but when that child like Will, eats just fruit for years and finally eats food that he gaged on before, it is a joy and happiness that matches the parents who’s son who just scored the iwinning touchdown. That joy and happiness comes from the love you have for that child. To end, I can’t tell you how proud I am of my niece and her husband. And I know she has people surrounding her that love and support her. I would say that is better then typical.
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Charming, quirky and incredibly loving. Will loves his friends, swimming, the iPad, the Avett Brothers, observing the world upside down, climbing, jumping and being chased.
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