The simplest thing will catch me off guard.
A word a gesture or a simple acknowledgement of something.
Each time I am frozen by it.
Autism changes day to day.
We can have stretches of time where she is calm but there is usually if not always a fall out.
Day to day is hard but we are having longer stretches of good.
Longer days of happy and calm.
And her language is exploding and not just words.
Meaningful words.
Receptive language asking and answering questions.
Yesterday we attended an event host by the Canucks Autism Network.
What an incredible organization that tirelessly works to provide events for our kiddos.
And let me tell you it was wonderful.
It was refreshing to go somewhere that was specifically geared towards our kiddos.
I wasn’t’ going in stressed shaking or sick to my stomach.
This event was for kids with Autism, so I wasn’t worried about anything.
I wish the rest of the world were so accepting.
There are so many things that are hard.
But when those things become easier the gratitude is endless.
As we walked into the grocery store today, I grabbed the little handheld basket and Kya said no let’s get a cart to sit in.
So, we grabbed a cart and she sat in it as usual.
But what came next was anything but usual.
Kya got out of the cart started pushing it and said let’s go this way Jennifer.
I stood frozen in the produce aisle as my brave and fierce daughter carried on.
And by carried on I mean loading the cart full of the treats she wanted, and you can bet your bottom dollar I bought every item she chose.
Once we reached the register I am usually shaking and desperately wanting to pay and get out.
Not this time.
This time my daughter pushed the cart through stood at the end and loaded the grocery bags into the cart.
Oh. My. Gosh.
Something so small but so incredibly significant in our world.
She is making incredible strides.
I know this rollercoaster will take a sharp turn and try to throw us off, but we are hanging on and taking names.
I will never take anything for granted again.
On we go.
Keeping Up With Kya 