I Am Lucky

Sometimes it’s easy to be envious of neurotypical families. Especially parents of neurotypical children. But then, God reminds me of his promises in scripture. Romans 15:13 reads “May the God of hope fill you with all the joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.”  It’s through His word that God reminds me that I am one of the lucky ones.  

I am one of the lucky ones because I have a son who brings joy and humor into everything he does (like FYI brushing your teeth is hilarious). My son Kaiden just makes everything that much more fun. For example, it’s basically Christmas year-round in my house. Kaiden’s favorite movie is Elf (yes, the Will Ferrell Elf). His other favorites include Barney Christmas (we know all the songs) and Santa Clause Two and Three.  Oh, and Kaiden loves water. He especially loves his water table that sits on our back patio. During a recent snowstorm, Kaiden requested to play with the water table. Not the snow. So, I did what any good mom would do and carried bowls of warm water from the kitchen sink to the water table for his enjoyment.  Also, we get a lot of cardio in our house because we play Kaiden's favorite game of “Chase around the couch” 9,687 times per day. And I should mention that Kaiden’s favorite song is “Happy Birthday” which he randomly sings around the house.  

I am lucky. Parents of children who have special needs are lucky. We are lucky and we are chosen by God to nurture and care for some of the most amazing kids. To the parents who are nodding their heads in agreement I see you and I’m with you. To those who are not familiar with this lifestyle, well, if you ever want to watch Elf in the middle of April or play with a water table in the middle of a snowstorm or simply be serenated with the Happy Birthday song on any given day while running circles around a couch; our door of love, joy and humor is always open.  

You guys are awesome, I mean it.  

By: Allison Fournier, Board Member of the Banquet Network