Monday, June 25, 2012
Messy Mondays - One Year
12:00 AM | Posted by
Michelle |
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Messy Mondays where I share what God has been showing me through the messiness of life. It is my personal belief that this walk isn't clean and crisp and straight or narrow. It's wide and twisted and mucky and messy. It's about the ups and the downs, but through it all God is there with us.
Sometimes a year can go by so quickly. Sometimes nothing changes in that year. Sometimes everything changes. A year ago this week we packed up our belongings, loaded them in a truck, said good bye to our dear friends and little town and moved back to Alberta. We had made the decision to move to get more help for Thomas. He had just been diagnosised with Autism. His speech was almost unintelligible, even for those closet to him. He couldn't deal with large crowds. Socially he was so far behind his peers. He had very few friends and those that he did play with were 2 years younger than him.
We hestitantly placed him in kindergarten. It was not something we wanted to do. We were sure he wasn't ready for it. However, to get the funding for him we needed to. We lucked out in getting a great teacher, Mrs. B. She was a lovely woman. She was the grandmother everyone wanted. I was to find out later that she was a believer, which just made her even greater. Whenever anything came up, she would contact me immediately. When she felt that something was being done that wasn't in his best interest, she would call me at home and support the decisions I made. She nurtured Thomas. She encouraged him. She pushed for his best. She was part of the team that only wanted the best for Thomas.
We also were blessed by the therapists and aides. They engaged Thomas the way he needed to be. Encouraging him to push beyond the limits. To seek out more than what the world wanted for him. Thomas blossomed. We saw changes in him almost immediatey after the start of school. For a little guy scared to even sit on the table, he started to climb up to his sister's top bunk to read with her. This spring he became evil knievil, putting on his helmet and racing down the hill behind our house on his plasma car.
He made friends among his peers. He was a very popular fellow. He had a few close friends that seemed to know when he needed sensory stimulation. Even though we as adults were trying to teach Thomas to high five his friends instead of hugging them. These little boys knew when Thomas needed to wrestle and get that stimulation. They made a game of it. Thomas was included in their parties. One of the moms told me that he was so good at the party. That she wished the other boys were like Thomas. He listened and did what was asked of him. She didn't worry about him at all.
Thomas still needs further therapies. We still need to work on his speech and his fine motor skills regarding hand writing need further work. He still gets disorientated when he is in large crowds. One year though has made a complete difference in his and our lives.
I will admit that last year I thought he would be repeating kindergarten. Not that I underestimated him, but I knew we had so much work to do. I am so proud to say that he is going to Grade 1 next year. His report card was above average (I might be exagerating a bit, but it was awesome). He is working on reading. He is using his laptop to write out his sentences and work.
God has blessed us with the people around us who want Thomas to succeed. Where others may have wanted to put him in a box, God is tearing that box apart and is showing us what inclusion should be through Thomas. Thomas is one of God's sons. He is perfectly and wonderfully made. God has great plans for Thomas and I have been able to view these over the year and hope to see more of His plans through the next year.
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- Michelle
- Alberta, Canada
- I'm a 39 year old (oh yeah I'm telling you my age) Stay at Home mom. A former Bad Girl now reformed sinner, I'm married to my Y2K guy and raising 3 great children from God. Proudly Canadian, however, missing the West Coast, I currently live in the prairies watching the farmers fields produce as I learn how God produces the fruits in me.
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5 comments:
SO glad for thomas and your family. what a success story. did i tell you i picked up a child with autism in one of my 7th grade social studies classes last year? he had been homeschooled since kindergarten and started school for the first time suring the SECOND semester of SEVENTH grade. what a tough tough transition. he made it through, but it was so challenging for him. i'm glad thomas is off to a great start.
For as hard as it was to see you leave our little town, I am so glad that you've been able to get for Thomas everything he's needed to succeed. I can't imagine the change in him and in turn the change it would make in your family. May God continue to bless you and your family Michelle!
I am so, so happy for you and Thomas! You know I didn't like seeing you guys move, but I'm glad that God has surrounded him with exactly the people he needs. I still miss you both, though! ;)
Wow! Once again God showed up bigger than could be imagined.
Of course.
Praise God!
What a wonderful praise report! Give him a big hug from me! May God continue to grant him success.
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