Time to Give Thanks

I love Thanksgiving.  It's such a great holiday with great food and a break from the normalcy of school and work.  This year I have been thinking of where I was a year ago.  I was facing a lot last year.  We had Eli on a waiting list to see a specialist and we didn't know what to expect.  I was hearing from every single therapist who worked with him that he displayed a lot of signs of Asperger's.  And that scared me to death.  I didn't know how we would handle this.  But as much as I counted on a diagnosis for him, it really didn't change anything.  Not like you would think.  Eli is still my little boy, who I love with everything in me.  He is still him.  With his diagnosis came positive things though.  We are able to get him therapies we couldn't before.  The school is working with us and him to make his transitions easier.  I have heard from so many parents 'I don't want to label my child...'  And while I understand that, I also see what positive things have came from getting the correct diagnosis for Eli.  He has come such a long way.  A year ago if you told me that he would be thriving in kindergarten and making friends like he is, I wouldn't have believed it.  I am so thankful for the progress Eli has made.

A year ago, Zack was still not talking.  I was worried that we would never hear him talk like his brother.  The progress he has made is amazing.  He is talking in sentences, paragraphs.  The boy never stops talking now.  He asks us questions constantly.  It is so amazing to hear the simple little things that he says. Something as simple as 'I like Butterflies.'  Brought me to tears.  So you can imagine how I reacted when he hugged, kissed me and said 'your the best mommy in the whole world!'  Yeah...it was a little more than tears.  Hearing him voice what he does and does not like is such an amazing blessing.  One that I took for granted with Eli.  He talked from an early age, so I didn't savor the little sentences and phrases like I have with Zack.  I am so thankful for the gift of his voice.

So to say that I have blessed this year may be an understatement.  This year has been amazing.  I know all this comes from my God and Savior.  He has heard my cries and prayers for both of my boys.  What an amazing God that I serve.  Happy Thanksgiving to you all :)