My Hope For You

Last month, a police officer did a walkthrough of our office building to assist with the lockdown procedure that is being written for our building. It's sad to think that a lockdown procedure would be necessary for an office building, and yet, here we are.

With all of the recent shootings that have been plaguing our society, I have noticed something they all seem to have in common: There were warnings: stories of how the perpetrators were often bullied at school, or talked about their intentions before the shooting ever happened.

Let me ask a question: If someone you knew, your child even, was having a problem, how could they communicate that? Most people take for granted the ability to speak to communicate their needs, their wants, or even their fears. What would you do if your kid couldn't tell you what was going on in their lives?

What if? It's a question that often comes to my mind. What if someone hurts him? What if he's not safe? Feeling confident in your care provider becomes that much more challenging when your toddler/preschooler/grade-schooler can't tell you how he got teeth marks on his arm!  What if he wanders off? Besides, all the worries that come along with having a non-verbal kiddo, are all the missed moments.

I'll never forget my son's first day of Kindergarten. I have several friends with kiddos the same age and they all started school the same week. I watched on social media as they all talked about how their kids jabbered away about their first day of school. Some were excited about the funniest things, some were excited about recess, some about lunch. As I drove my son home that day, I remember looking in the rear view mirror and catching myself about to ask him excitedly about his first day of school only to realize he wouldn’t answer.

Having a child who is non-verbal means a lot of different things. It means we have to be his voice, his advocate. It means we have to be extra vigilant when it comes to his safety. It's because of this that I am so very thankful for the people in my son's life. My hope for you is that you and yours can have what we have been so very blessed with.

Taking a rest from jumping at the
Corn Maze/Pumpkin Patch. Maybe
it's a Kansas thing!

I hope you can send them into the world knowing that not only do they have their most basic of physiological needs met, but they also have safety, security, and a sense of belonging, friendship.

I hope they can be surrounded by people that love your kids and see them for the kind, fun, and quirky individuals they are. I hope they have someone who will treat them like family with kindness and understanding. Someone who is excited to see them walk in the door not just after a long absence, but every single day.

I hope they have someone to take the time to make them funny snacks and crafts and take them on fun field trips; trips you don't have to worry about whether they'll be safe or not because you know beyond a doubt that those people will treat your kids like one of their own. I hope your kids can have someone they feel safe with. Whenever there is a break in the school year, I ask him if he wants to go back to school.
"Are you excited to go back to school?" He signs "Please" and will answer the same when I start to list his teachers. I know he feels the same way about his teachers as they do about him!

I hope you have someone to help pick you up whenever you're down and make you feel just as loved and taken care of. I love all the people in my son's life and I can't even fathom how I would make it through the day without them. Their kindness seems to have no limits and I know how hard they work on a daily basis.

Mostly, I hope I never forget to tell you, "Ladies, you are wonderful and I hope you never stop knowing how appreciated you are. You make me laugh and you bring my family such joy. From the bottom of my heart, thank you, thank you, thank you!"

I 'mustache' you a question: Will you be my Valentine?