Today, I asked Noah what he wanted to be when he grows up and he spelled out D-O-C-T-O-R. I asked him what kind and he spelled out A-U-T-I-S-M. Then he spelled out C-H-I-L-D-R-E-N.
I said, "You want to be a doctor who works with children who have autism?" and he spelled out Y-E-S.
Then he spelled out I G-O T-O C-O-L-L-E-G-E and looked at me as if it were a question. And though my heart was breaking, I said, "Of course you'll go to college! But you'll have to work really hard."
And the truth is... I don't know what will happen 8 years from now. Or 18. Or 28. Maybe he WILL go to college one day. Maybe there will be a cure. Maybe we'll find a way to continue to tap into his potential and he'll be the first nonverbal/autistic college graduate in the world. Maybe he'll talk! I have no doubt that he'll make a mark on this world. But as his mom, I want ALL his dreams to come true. Not just the little ones, but the big ones, too.
And while it seems daunting... And the works seems so hard...And so tiring, something else he told me gives me the motivation to keep going on...
When I asked him to give one piece of advice to parents who have a child with autism, he spelled out D-O E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G.
And so we will continue to do everything we can to help his dreams come true. Even the big ones.
Especially the big ones.
And since it's been AGES since I've posted any pictures, here are a few we took yesterday at the Dallas Zoo and Dallas Arboretum. Of course, the boys both got haircuts today, which just means I'll need to take new pictures, too!
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