Becoming Normal

I'm sitting at the beach with my husband and my boys. Erick is sitting playing "monster trucks" on the tablet with Caleb and Jacob is building towers with his wooden blocks. I'm sitting here amazed at how normal it feels and I feel blessed for how far we've all come. From the outside we probably look like your typical family of four playing at the beach, but we're much more than that. We're a family that celebrates the small things. Small things that are really huge to us. This year Jacob has accomplished even more than last year. It seems like just yesterday that Jacob would hardly even get out of the car at the gulf. Last year he loved the beach but still had hesitations about some things. This year he's really come out of his shell and is really and truly enjoying himself.

I know that most of you are going to think this first accomplishment is mundane and silly but I just want you to know this is a huge step for Jacob...He actually rinsed his feet off in the shower on the pier at the beach!!!! Not only did he wash his feet off but he did it unhindered!!!! He actually walked up and stuck his feet under the running water without fussing...WHAT??? is this really MY child? I praised him immensely for this.

~Jacob at the bay~

The next accomplishment is that he wanted to swim in the bay that's near our beach house. Year after year we've wanted him to swim with us but he just had too many anxieties about it. This year he actually was begging to get in...too bad the water is like ice!!! This summer we'll have a blast at the bay jumping off the pier and swimming together. Can't wait!!!

I think the absolute biggest accomplishment of Jacob's is that he loves playing with Caleb. This has been a long, rough road and I can finally see the light at the end of that long dark tunnel. It's been wonderful to see them play together and loving it. They are starting to adore each other!!! The sweetest thing is that it breaks Jacob's heart when Caleb gets in trouble. Which happens a lot.

~"Riding" Together~

It's always a struggle for families of special needs kids to feel like they fit in and every time I get a glimpse of normalcy it makes me smile and my heart is overwhelmed with joy. I desire for him to enjoy his childhood like a typical kid with no setbacks or anxiety and this desire is finally starting to come true. But, when I see Jacob spitting into the sunlight to make what he calls "sprinkles" (which is really just spit floating in the air) and then Caleb running through it like it's actually a sprinkler and screaming "Yay," I think to myself "yep, we're becoming normal."