The Hardest Thing
When I am around Logan and Abby, we always have a great time. They are fun, happy and loving kids. We know them well, we have our way of communicating with them and we know how to interact. There is always lots of laughter, hugging and playing. Most of the time that is enough. Most of the time.
The hardest thing is not Logan and Abby, it is other kids. I do not mean bullies, I mean other children their age who do not have autism. We encounter other 11-13 year old children and we are reminded of what children this age are supposed be like. They may be babysitting or finding their own way for a first job. They hang out with their friends on the street. They are given responsibilities by their parents.
Logan and Abby have the same type of bodies as them but their brains are different. Abby is stuck at the 2-3 year old mental age. We have no idea where Logan is at. But for both of them, they cannot do what other children their age do.
What I need to do is love and appreciate Logan and Abby for who they are right now. There is a part of me that grieves the experiences that they have lost. But perhaps I can celebrate the experiences that they have now that other children were forced to rush through. I cannot pretend that it is not hard, but I must enjoy the children that God has given me.
