"When one door of happiness closes, another opens;
but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us."
Helen Keller

Friday, September 16, 2011

"Heaven's Very Special Child"

This was posted on FB by a mommy friend that has a son with a disability.  I questioned God for a long time after Brycen was diagnosed, and now that I am beginning to accept how life is, I don't question God near as often anymore.  I was raised Catholic and Brycen's diagnosis made me question the beliefs I was raised on more than anything else.  I have recently begun attending church again and I find peace with going and thinking about the teachings of God after every mass.  I know there is a reason for everything, and I know that Brycen was given to us to show us how to be better people, parents, and to teach us compassion for anyone that may be different.  I have learned that judging and having rude thoughts and making rude comments about others is not fair to them, nor is it fair to my children who I am here to set an example for.  Brycen has changed me for the better!


HEAVEN'S VERY SPECIAL CHILD

A meeting was held quite far from Earth!
It's time again for another birth.
Said the Angels to the LORD above,
This Special Child will need much love.
 
His progress may be very slow,
Accomplishments he may not show.
And he'll require extra care
From the folks he meets down there.
 
He may not run or laugh or play,
His thoughts may seem quite far away,
In many ways he won't adapt,
And he'll be known as handicapped.
 
So let's be careful where he's sent,
We want his life to be content.
Please LORD, find the parents who
Will do a special job for you.
 
They will not realize right away
The leading role they're asked to play,
But with this child sent from above
Comes stronger faith and richer love.
 
And soon they'll know the privilege given
In caring for their gift from Heaven.
Their precious charge, so meek and mild,
Is HEAVEN'S VERY SPECIAL CHILD.
by Edna Massionilla
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1 comment:

  1. UnknownSeptember 30, 2011 at 3:40 AM

    I know you aren't in Waterloo, but the Waterloo Catholics website has some info on a retreat and a renewal coming up for parents with children with special needs.
    http://www.waterloocatholics.org/AdultFaith/specialneeds.htm

    There are things that I don't agree with about the Catholic church, but when I do go to mass, I find comfort in the rituals. My family has been attending Sacred Heart almost since it was opened, so I also feel connected to my family, even thought I'm the only one that goes there! :)

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Autism and Our Family

"Autism"----It's one word that can change the life of a child and family in so many ways. Autism Spectrum Disorders are being diagnosed at a rate of 1 in 68 children currently. If you do not already know someone that has been diagnosed, the statistics say it won't be long before you do.

Our son developed typically until around the time he turned 2 years old. We heard words...we saw him play with other kids...we watched as he played with his toys appropriately...we made eye contact with him...overall we understood his wants and needs. In a matter of a few months, that was all taken away from him. He began lining up toys, lost all of his words and signs except for one word "ball", ignored other kids, could not sleep through the night, lost eye contact and the ability to follow directions, and he had no way of letting us know what he wanted or how he felt. It was heartbreaking to see something happening to our child that we couldn't stop!

Brycen began receiving home therapy 1-2 times per month for about 6 months before we realized it wasn't just developmental delays. We knew it was Autism...we just didn't want to say it outloud to anyone. He was officially diagnosed with Autism (classic form and regressive), as well as Mental Retardation in August 2009 by the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.

We continue to learn as we make our way through this journey with Brycen and we will continue to share this journey with you on this blog! The blog has been a great therapy for us to be able to vent our frustrations and struggles with accepting that we have a child with special needs, while sharing how blessed we are to have a child teach us what life truly means. It has also been a great way to inform others of his progress and changes over the last couple of years.

Thank you for your support of Brycen and our family! We hope you are able to learn something through this blog no matter if you are a parent of a child with special needs or a neurotypical child, a teacher or therapist, a family member, or just someone that is interested in the journey that a family goes on as they learn their child is battling a life-long disorder.