Up Hill Battle

Friends,

I want to be frank with you. Autism is hard. There it's out.

The amount of tantruming and just full blown scream sessions that I've experienced in the last week are too numerous and tiring to recall. I've got bruises on my body from trying to restrain my sweet child from harming herself while head banging in frustration. Yes, she's experienced a minor regression as a result of removing her pacifier (combined with our recent trip to NY).

Regression. I hate that word with a passion. Parents of children with autism are well aware of the implications of such a word. It happens with our children often and it's not something we can control. I can only slightly compare it to cancer...and the way it comes back after remission sometimes (obviously autism is not deadly but you get what I mean). Bella experiences regression when we travel, or when one of us leaves, or if we change something drastically (pacifier)...the list goes on. I wish I could protect her from it but I can't. Life changes. In a perfect world I could keep her in a bubble...like the movie Groundhog Day....then it would be easier;) **She has kept almost all of her words, it's mostly regression in behavior.

These are just words though. It is our life and it is challenging some days to the point of tears and bruises.

Some days I look at Bella and wish she could see how much I love her and desire for her to succeed. I really do love her so much that I could explode. Her eye contact with me is getting longer and more meaningful... and for that I am thankful. The other day I squeezed her face and said, "Do you know how much Mommy loves you?"---I felt like she understood. Then I kissed her face...her precious face. God knows how much I love her and I believe Bella does too!

I saw a mom in Target the other day with a 16 year old boy who had some type of disability. He was moaning, had a helmet on to protect his head, and his mom had him tied to her arm by his shirt because he was roaming around aimlessly. I immediately was struck with equal amounts of respect and pitty, frustration and love, mercy and grace. That mom is a hero to me and all she had to do was smile. To maintain positivity despite a life that is a constant up hill battle. She loves her son more than any gawking bystander could fathom. When I looked into her eyes I felt her struggles to the core of my being. I wanted to run and hug her and tell her she is amazing and it will be ok.... but she had enough to worry about... adding some blonde crazy into the mix would, I'm sure, not help:)

God is stretching Josh and I. He is teaching us reliance on him. I have been praying for God to work in Bella's mind and her heart....I always pray this and I ask you to do the same if you have a moment. Pray for progress--not regression friends. I BELIEVE Bella has the potential to break through the bounds of autism. I BELIEVE God is sufficient and good and full of mercy. I believe He loves her more than I ever could. And I love her endlessly.

This song below is at the end of one of Bella's favorite movies.... When she hears it, she stops and walks to the screen and stands motionless for the entire song...smiling. The words are so ridiculously true...God made her so beautiful. He is proud of her and so am I!