Appreciation

I appreciate the gifts God has bestowed upon me, these precious two little ones are my whole world. I appreciate having such an amazing husband, such an excellent partner in my life, a true companion. I appreciate all that I've been given and do not take for granted good health, employment, and a home. I appreciate Mr N's therapist and her dedication to helping my son, it means the world to me.

I try to never take for granted all that I have, knowing that it all could be gone in the blink of an eye. You frequently read or hear stories about spouses who didn't appreciate what they had until it was gone. I never want to walk in their shoes. Daily I try to express my thanks and appreciation to my husband for all that he does to provide for us. I realize I talk about my husband A LOT, I will not apologize. Divorce rates are at 50%, parents of children with Autism divorce rates are at an astounding 80%, I do not want to join them.

My husband treats me with love, dignity, and respect; he frequently tells me how incredibly happy he is with this life we've built together, how much he loves me, how much he thinks about me, and how great he thinks I am as a mother. I'm not ignorant, I know not all marriages are like this, I know I've been blessed with this wonderful man who genuinely loves and cares about me and our children. This man whose heart is just as invested as mine, in our children; I'm so glad he's mine. I've seen the pain in his eyes when he watches his son struggle. He is just as much in this as me, we are a team.

Whenever a decision comes up regarding treatment for Mr N, I'm almost certain what Daddy's response will be, but we discuss it together weighing the pros and cons. He wants to be involved in this process, he doesn't just want to know what happens after the fact. I appreciate this about him. Many parents of autistic children do not agree on treatment methods, do not agree on the therapy, some are in denial and refuse treatment all together; it's a heavy load to bear.

Last night after Daddy got home from work, we played Ring-Around-The-Rosie and Sleeping Giant. The kids squealed with delight as Daddy awoke from his pretend slumber and scared them. He makes a much better giant than Mommy, just ask E. Watching the kids so happy, seeing the joy on my husband's face as he played toddler games made me feel like the luckiest girl alive. I love my little family.

Today I'm missing my husband, it is just another day, but by Friday I've grown weary and the work week seems so long and endless. I shamelessly begged my love to work from home this afternoon, so I can at least hug him and have him home for more of the evening. He is on his way, I haven't told the kids, the joy and surprised looks on their faces are too priceless to ruin this gift of Daddy being home early. Even if he will be working, it'll be nice having him here. This will be Daddy's first time meeting the therapist and being able to observe therapy. Hopefully Mr N shines like a star and makes us all proud.