Tidbits of Normal

Every now and then, God gives me little tidbits of normal: Those rare moments when, for a brief moment, Asperger's doesn't seem to exist, when I think maybe I might be able to survive this syndrome in its mildest form after all.  Maybe I can survive homeschooling and an adorable little monster toddler, too!

I've had several of these tidbits, which I latch onto with a tight fist. They give me hope and strength for the next day (and the weeks to come).  The morning I took Noah to school and heard both boys singing Chris Tomlin's "Our God" in the backseat as the sun rose is one of my favorites.  Noah anointing and praying over me and Shawn is another one I hold closely.  When I see Noah playing with Avery and doing big-brother type activities, when my heart isn't aching or breaking: those are little tidbits.  These are the times when there is no Asperger's, no Sensory Perception Disorder, no low self esteem, no meltdowns or anxiety attacks, no left field:  just a happy, normal kid.  Just a happy, normal family.

God gave me another tidbit of normal last night.  A friend of mine has two sons in need of better schooling and their best chance was with a lottery for a charter school.  She had asked me for prayer and good thoughts.  I told Shawn about it, explaining the needs of my friend's children, asking him to do the same.  As parents who have struggled with school issues ourselves, we were happy to help this friend.  I tend to forget that Noah has ears like a bat and eavesdrops more often than not.  Last night when Shawn got home, I told him the good news; my friend's middle son had gotten into the charter school and her oldest is third on the waiting list for third grade.  Noah said, "That's so great!"  I looked at him and said, "You don't even know what we're talking about!"  He said he did, so I asked him to explain it to me.  Sure enough, he repeated back to me exactly what I had told Shawn! Then he said, "I'm really glad your friend's kids got into the special school because I don't think it's fair when other kids have to suffer and struggle like I did."    


Sometimes I want to pull up one of his eyelids, peer inside his head, and say, "Asperger's?  Are you really in there?"  

*Story about my friend and her children told with her permission*