I will be the first to admit that I love quiet time. Who doesn't? My house is a noisy one and quiet is too often hard to find. So, when the opportunity for a little time of peace comes my way, I usually take it - for the sake of my sanity.
This week was especially nice. My parents, aka "the reinforcements", were in town. When they visit, the boys usually spend a night with them. This is so nice because it gives Roger and I an opportunity for a date night. It is such a blessing to have this opportunity. Well, on this visit, the boys spent two nights this week with Nana and Papa. I am not sure if it was because they wanted to spend some extra time with the boys or they could see "exhausted" written all over me. Maybe a combination of both. They asked for a second night and we didn't fight it. I mean, who would we be to deny grandparents the joy of spending quality time with their only grandkids?
So, do I sound horrible yet? You might say "How could someone get so excited about their kids being away?" I love my boys with all of my heart and miss them when we are apart but, it is because of those times apart - quiet times - that I can better manage the noise and all that comes with it. I was able to enjoy time with Roger, catch up on a few things and get a little extra (much needed) rest. I am not exaggerating when I say it was like a mini-vacation :-) I am so thankful for this respite. So many families don't have this kind of opportunity. I don't take it for granted.
So, this morning, when the boys came through the door, I was ready with a big smile and open arms. And open ears. For any of you who know Nathan, you know he is often shy around others but I promise you, the boy can talk...a lot. (I can't imagine who he gets that from.) He is quite the thinker and I am pretty sure I have heard every thought. I am thankful for that. I always want him to be able to talk to me. And then there is Luke. He still may be considered nonverbal but he can make some noise. We still have some issues with screaming but it is getting better. More and more word approximations are coming out of his sweet little mouth. He takes in everything that is going on around him and it is starting to come out in sounds that I can understand. On the way home from school, he was pointing out of the window and saying "chees" over and over as he looked at the trees. This evening, he took me by the hand over to the bookshelf and wanted me to sit on the floor with him and look at books. He pointed to a clock and said "ca"...a duck and said "cack" for quack...blocks and said "ba"...blue and said "boo"...bed and said "be"...cookie and said "cook". He pretended to shut the gate (by slapping his hand on it) in a picture in one of his favorite farm books. To top it off, he led me to the snack cabinet and said "pop" which, in this case meant popcorn (it means popsicle when he goes to the fridge). He wanted popcorn and asked for it by name! This is huge! It may not sound like much but it is music to my ears! His communication is getting better with every passing week.
The world of autism can be a quiet one for many, and a lonely one. So many kids are nonverbal and never speak at all. For me to get to hear these "words" is such a blessing. I am blessed to have this noise fill my home. Of course, there are days when I am frazzled and cannot hear myself think. But, there are days of laughter and squeals of joy and new words. So, when the peaceful times present themselves to me, I snatch them up and simply enjoy them while they are there. But when it gets a little noisy, I have to remember that with the noise, comes learning and language and opportunity, and that is a great thing. I may love the quiet, but I really love progress! And I love these boys! I thank God for them for they are truly gifts from Him.
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