I am so thankful for...
- Julie Sando and her Natural Play Therapy (NPT) that is showing me a way to use many therapies to help George through our 'relationship' with him and NOT feeling like I have to force therapy on him or coerce him into therapy daily to "fix him" or "make" him fit in to our world
- Julie's web classes Rachel and I will be taking to learn more NPT strategies
- all our financial supporters making NPT possible for us to have one paid part-time NPT leader to take the pressure off of operating solely on volunteers
- a supportive case worker respecting our desire to do NPT, finding us some respite money and sharing the resources she has that may benefit George
- an opportunity to give others in the community valuable experience working with a child/family affected by Down syndrome/autism and learning a therapy that shows respect to the child/person and has the ability to enhance their own relationships
- support and prayers from friends and family
- Rachel working with George 15 hours a week
- Rachel desiring to understand Natural Play Therapy, not only to help George, but others she encounters in her life
- Rachel's love for George and her creativity in the playroom
- my amazing and generous volunteers that help in the playroom and in our home
- the times George will now for the first time, bring me his drink cup to let me know he wants more of his smoothie
- the time George showed me he had a preference by putting my hand on a cup he wanted his drink in, clearly not wanting the one I had filled for him (Grateful for the communication, I filled the one he wanted and he happily walked off drinking it.)
- George taking his supplements and nourishing foods (although pureed), so wonderfully
- the videos he now brings me, sometimes 10 seconds after I have changed one for him, letting me know he wants to watch it and him finally picking one over another when asked
- the 4 toys he will play by himself at times, when he does not have someone to play with him
- George bringing me the book with the proper cartridge to let me know he wants me to put it in his Baby Leap Pad (Wow!)
- seeing George look up at people now when they address him
- the precious looks on my older boys' faces when George really looks in their eyes for the first time, really seeing them
- my older boys helping me with George out in public, entertaining him, helping me strap him in carts, pushing him or carrying him on their backs, holding his hand 'tight' so he won't bolt away
- time in the playroom with George when we really 'connect', when we work through a frustrating time when I don't know what he wants and we solve the problem
- a travel brush, comb, or chewy stick that will bring George comfort in a different place
- his amazing hugs and the way he gently strokes my eye lid and hair
- putting George to bed at night and curling up with him as he melts into me quickly drifting off to sleep and sleeping ALL NIGHT
- meeting amazing parents affected by autism that are following the same dietary protocol we are for autism and seeing improvements daily from people all over the world
- hearing about 16 children/teens in my support group that lost their diagnosis (recovered from autism) since we began at the end of August
- meeting other parents doing Natural Play Therapy and sharing our experiences
- my husband's support and him spending time with George every Sunday morning, so I can go to church with my 2 older boys
- all the lessons I am learning while interacting with George and learning about relationships in general
- last but not least, God's mercy, grace and forgiveness for the many times I fall short and the strength that he gives me daily to never give up on George and our family (Breaks and re-evaluations are okay, giving up is not an option for me!)
