June 2018 – He Said What?!

Feeling The Lines

Aaron walked into the kitchen the other night and my eyes were drawn to his feet. Why? Because this is what I saw.

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I poked Gary with my hand and motioned for him to look, and then we both stifled our laughter.

“Aaron?” I asked. “Why are you wearing your slipper socks that way?”

“Because I get tired of feeling the lines,” he answered, matter-of-factly.

Who cares about the safety factor of non-skid lines NOT being on the bottom of your feet where they belong, right? Comfort was most important to Aaron, as it always is…not safety, and certainly not style.

Comfort in areas other than clothing is also very necessary to Aaron. However, these “other” areas are sometimes a mystery to us. Or they are areas in which we know Aaron struggles because of his autism but are also situations over which we have no control. And, I might add, over which Aaron has no control. No matter how much we wish he did, or think he certainly could or should, he just doesn’t have the ability to corral his emotions and frustrations like a typical person does.

Here’s an example: Aaron and I were recently in Longhorn Steakhouse for lunch before one of his doctor appointments. There was a table near us where several businessmen sat. They were having a normal conversation, but one of the men in particular was rather loud. When his animated voice was combined with the normal give and take of the other men, their voices at times overtook our area.

I saw Aaron’s eyes dart over to their table several times. Soon I knew that Aaron was bothered by the sound of their talking, especially the louder man. They would talk, and laugh, and talk and laugh some more. Finally, Aaron was downright staring at them, so I told him to stop doing that.

“Why do I need to stop?” he asked.

“Because you need to mind your own business,” I told him.

“How can I mind my own business?!” he impatiently answered. “They’re talking and laughing! I can’t stand it!!”

I was proud of Aaron for verbalizing his feelings to me. I was also nervous that he would tell those men to be quiet, as he has done in other situations. But he didn’t do that, thankfully, and I was able to keep him engaged in our own conversation about movies and aliens and other subjects that were far more valuable to him than all that silly, loud business talk!

Sometimes the slightest nuances can trigger Aaron. Sometimes what triggered him yesterday might not trigger him today. Or what upset him today is something that he laughed at yesterday. We just never totally know or can predict with accuracy when his anger will erupt…or simmer.

This is one of the very most difficult parental aspects of raising a child…or having an adult…with the behavior issues associated with autism. And even when you have had smooth sailing for a while, a storm can always be on the near horizon.

Another example: Last week Aaron got out of bed and came into the kitchen. I don’t remember what I said or did, but I think I told him good morning and I said it with a face that was a little more alert and happy than Aaron wanted at that moment.

He looked at me with bleary eyes, no expression at all, and then flatly said, “I wanted a normal face.”

And I knew, as well as I knew that the sun was shining outside, that Aaron was very irritated. I mean, it was really pretty funny that he wanted a “normal face.” But I know him well and I knew that if I laughed then I would be in for a very rough morning.

So I just turned away…and therefore he couldn’t see my rolling eyes and my smile…and I made no comment. Sometimes silence…my silence…is definitely golden.

But my silence was also to him, at that moment, a cause for further frustration.

“How about if I tell Sarah about your face?!” he said with challenge in his voice.

Sarah is one of the staff at his day group. Aaron thought that I would not like him to tell Sarah about my abnormal morning face.

Oh, Aaron! Here we go, I thought. So I poured his coffee and escaped to my shower, door closed on both Aaron and his unpredictable anger. Thankfully, by the time I was ready to go a while later, he was over his mad spell and all was well. Plus, I don’t think Sarah ever knew about my weird face…but if she did, I’m sure she smiled behind Aaron’s back as well.

My friend, Wendy, texted me yesterday about her particularly rough time with their Elijah the night before. She went to see a play that her other children were in.

“I thought I had my props ready, the stage set, E primed and ready for our outing…but oh, no. It couldn’t be that easy.”

She went on to tell me that he wanted to take his hot chips and his balls into the theater, how he ran in front of a car, how he sat and very loudly crunched his chips, and how humiliated she was.

How I wanted to hug my friend!! How well I understand how she felt!!

We have had those terribly embarrassing and difficult moments with Aaron over the years. In fact, when Aaron attended the day school here for special needs students, we got a phone call one night from his amazing teacher. Mr. Z told us that Aaron had won the Student of the Week award for best exemplifying the classes’ word of the week, which I believe was “patience.” He told us that Aaron would receive the award the next day, and that he just wanted us to know about it before it happened.

Gary and I were amazed and thrilled!!! I felt like Aaron had won a Nobel prize!! I hurried down to the family room to tell Andrea and Andrew.

“Guys!!!” I excitedly started. “Aaron is winning the Student of the Week award tomorrow!!! Guess what the word of the week is?!!”

And without skipping even a beat, Andrea answered, “Hateful?”

We laughed and laughed and laughed. Of course, Aaron wasn’t there to hear any of this. But really, that was a true question. Andrea and Andrew had endured many experiences like Wendy described with Elijah.

At times, Aaron and Elijah just cannot stand to “feel the lines.” None of the rest of us mind the lines at all. In fact, we don’t even see the lines. But our boys do…and so do many, many others who struggle with the issues of autism, be it noises or lights or people or social situations or food or any one of dozens of other frustrating cues that only they see and feel.

So, if you’re out somewhere and you see a meltdown happening, and you see a desperate and exhausted parent, and very humiliated siblings – please don’t assume that this eruption is a result of bad parenting. Don’t assume anything. Just give a smile, lend a hand if needed or possible, show some understanding instead of judgment, and pray for that family as you walk away.

And know that in that paralyzing moment of public shame, every parent would look at you and say with Aaron:

“I just wanted a normal face.”

True, Special Friends

Aaron attends a special needs day group on Monday through Friday. This day group, Paradigm, has clients of various ages – all adults – that have a variety of special needs. They are out in the community nearly every day attending a host of different events and activities.

Aaron has developed friendships there over the years. Like any group that is together as often as they are, there are ups and down. Then you throw in the special needs, medicines and side effects of medicines, behavior issues, lack of filters, and so much more – and there can be plenty of noise and drama and action.

But there is something else I have seen there that is very touching. I have seen empathy for each other. I have seen real caring. And I have seen forgiveness.

Aaron is in a very good place right now with his behaviors. He has, in the past, struggled with anger and has had eruptions because of his lack of control. He has come home with broken glasses, broken watches, ripped clothes, and many tears…his not being the only tears, for sure. So while he is still loud in his playfulness, and loud in his talking, and loud and sometimes inappropriate in his teasing – he is basically very happy and helpful.

When he was having behavior issues at Paradigm, there were very many times when it was his friends who warmly welcomed him back the next day. He may have hit one of them, or insulted them, or yelled at them…but they would warmly tell him that it was all right, that it was a new day, and that they still liked him.

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When he would have a rough day, he wouldn’t want to go back to Paradigm the next day. Almost always, though, with our encouragement he would return. I remember times when he would want me to walk into the center with him, as if my presence would buffer him from either being rejected or from bolting back out the door before he faced his friends again.

I would hear his friends call out to him. “Hey, Aaron!” one would say, and then another. I was just amazed at their forgiveness and their fresh start as they helped Aaron pick up the pieces and have the courage to face them again.

Once I walked with Aaron over to a table filled with his best friends…all girls, by the way. 😊 Aaron was very nervous about talking to them after whatever had happened the previous day, but they spoke to him as if nothing had happened at all.

Aaron’s eyes filled with tears as they darted around the table, afraid to make contact.

“I told Mom I was afraid you wouldn’t like me,” he finally said, his voice trembling and thick with emotion.

He was so like a child, this adult man.

“We like you, Aaron,” one of the girls said. And they all said those same words as they affirmed to Aaron that he was their friend. What wasn’t voiced, but was as clear as the morning sun, was that they understood Aaron, and they loved and accepted him just the way he was.

Aaron has made huge strides in learning to accept his friends there, as well, on many different levels. He is sometimes curious about their physical handicaps…wheelchairs, muscle issues, deafness, seizures, etc.

He has seen many behaviors that are disruptive, loud, angry, and irritating. And other behaviors that are just very unique – the young man who wears a suit and tie every single day, or the one who keeps a towel around his neck, or the person who rocks – and so many, many more.

He has been curious about those who can’t hear or who can’t talk well. About those from different ethnic backgrounds. Or ones who are from different countries.

“Mom!” he said one day. “Giselda said she was sorry in a Mexican way!”

What is very sweet to me is to see how this setting is now so very normal to Aaron. I hope that makes sense. We might walk into Paradigm and see special needs. Aaron walks into Paradigm and sees friends.

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Not long ago, as Aaron and I stood at the card counter trying to pick out a greeting card, Aaron remembered that he wanted to tell me something.

“MOM!!” he bellowed for all around to hear. “I forgot to tell you something!!”

“You did?” I asked when he paused in order to see if I heard him. How could I not?!

“YES!!” he continued. “Guess what?!”

Aaron is great at making an effect.

“What?!” I obediently asked.

“Shauna got a NEW wheelchair!!!” he exclaimed.

My emotions tumbled at that point. I didn’t let Aaron know this as I responded with excitement and asked him to tell me all about it.

You see, most 33 year old men would be saying things like: “Guess what? So and so got a new job…or a new car…or is having a new baby.”

But Aaron was just as excited about Shauna’s new wheelchair as anyone else would have been about those other life events. It was sweet, but sad to me in a way, too. It was just something that drove home to me once again, out of the blue in front of the card counter, the reality of Aaron’s life.

As I dropped Aaron off at Paradigm a few days later, Shauna and some of his other friends were coming down the sidewalk. Aaron quickly lowered his window.

“Shauna!!! Come and show my mom your new wheelchair!!” he yelled.

So she rolled over to the van to show off her new ride, and I loved every minute of it. Aaron was so very excited as he jumped out, rubbing his hands together in pure delight. Shauna was all smiles.

How could I be sad when there are so many reasons to be thankful?

Watching him walk into Paradigm with his friends just gives me every reason in the world to be happy as I drive away, on so many days.

And to the business owner across the street who one day called the Paradigm clients “a circus”: I would choose that “circus” over yours any day of the week.

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My Crazy Start

022419-061718 It was a hot June 18 in Princeton, West Virginia, WAY back in 1955. Beth King was busy watching over her three children, ages 4 and under, as well as preparing for her parents to arrive from Florida. Her husband, Jack, was at work and so she busily got the house and dinner ready for her family to arrive. Oh, and someone else was getting ready to arrive, too. Beth was 9 months pregnant! And so in her typical hard-working fashion, she decided to tackle one more task that needed to be done. Grabbing the lawn mower, she set out to mow the large yard. She was barefoot – after all, this WAS West Virginia!

After mowing awhile, Beth ran in to check on the dinner in the oven. She had made a specialty of hers – Cheese Souffle – and knew that she needed to watch its rising very carefully. Bending over, she slowly opened the oven door and received quite a surprise. Her water broke!!

I don’t remember all the details at that point – I was the one about to be born – but I can imagine that there was much rushing around and changing of plans and phone calls and getting to the hospital!

Dr. Pace had to be called in from a family picnic on this beautiful summer Saturday. I had no concern for other’s plans, only my own! Dr. Pace was wearing a very bright Hawaiian shirt and didn’t have time to Patty as a baby with siblings change because I was in a hurry. Mother had green feet from mowing the lawn. And so I was born, looking at green feet and a bold Hawaiian shirt.

Does this explain me to all of you? It should.

And guess what my favorite meal is, the one that Mom always made for me when I would come home from college or from being around the world as a military wife? Cheese Souffle, of course!!

I love you, Mom, for giving me life on this day 63 years ago – strange as it was!

Unknown Ground

I wrote last Thursday about my mostly happy, musical day with Aaron. Singing We Go

But there was also the issue of his wet bed, which I thought was due to him drinking too much water before bed. Pretty sure I was wrong.

Aaron’s new seizure pattern and the hard end to our mostly happy day certainly pointed to that reality.

I was cleaning the kitchen after we ate a late supper. Aaron walked through the kitchen and then I heard a noise. I looked over and saw him face-planted on the kitchen table. What on earth? I thought he had stumbled and fallen on the table.

“Aaron,” I asked as I headed toward him. “Are you OK?”

That’s when I saw him falling over and I knew that he was seizing. I yelled for Gary as I ran to Aaron, catching him somewhat as he hit the chair and then went down on the floor. Gary helped break the fall, too, and then got a pillow for Aaron’s head as the seizure continued for awhile and then eased.

I knew, as I watched him, that Aaron must have had a seizure during the night…a seizure I didn’t hear. This is his new pattern. A low front with storms came through during the night. Every seizure in the past 2+ months have come during low fronts, with one seizure at night and then one or more seizures the next day while he’s up and about, out of nowhere.

All this academic stuff, though, did nothing for my racing heart and the feeling that I had been punched in the gut. Just looking at Aaron as he lay on the floor was heart-breaking, to say the least, and was a very unwelcome confirmation to us of this new chapter in his seizure journey.

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“What are we going to do?” I asked rhetorically to Gary as we stood in the kitchen.

“I don’t know,” he answered, wearily. “This is unknown ground to us.”

And as quickly as Gary said those words, God spoke to me. I don’t say that lightly. But I know that it was God speaking His words of hope to me…to us…as surely as I know Gary’s voice.

“It may be unknown ground,” God said. “But I have told you that I know the path that you take.”

Such comfort washed over me at that moment! I mean, I still felt the physical effects in my stomach from the fear of seeing Aaron fall. I felt weak and teary-eyed and worried. But really, the “peace that passes understanding” kept rolling over me as I thought of those words: “I know the path that you take.”

This is hope. This is true, biblical, God-focused hope that the world does not offer or understand. Haven’t we seen that recently in the spate of suicides of very successful people?

There are two kinds of hope. When I relate them to our situation with Aaron, I see that we have the first kind of hope quite often. Gary and I hope that Aaron will improve. We hope that he’ll be safe. We hope that something we try will help his seizures to decrease. We hope that we can find caregivers for Aaron, especially during our daughter’s wedding in Texas.

This kind of hope is a feeling, not based on any certainty, but just…well…a hope. We hope for the best, but aren’t sure if it will happen.

But there’s another hope, one that comes from knowing God personally through our relationship with Jesus. This is the hope that Paul, for instance, talks about in Romans 5.

This hope is one directed toward God’s promise, and CERTAIN of it’s realization.

This hope is IN God…in His character…in His Word…in His promises to me…in WHO He is!!

And this hope is why I was instantly filled with God’s peace as Gary and I talked about our new and unknown ground upon which we are walking.

This certain trust born from my relationship with my known Savior is what this world needs, and doesn’t have. Nothing in this world can manufacture this kind of purpose and peace and comfort.

Nothing!

No amount of fame or money or success or promotion or self esteem or anything else that we strive for can bring us this certain hope.

Only a personal relationship with God will result in such hope.

Our problems may not go away, but that desire is not on what I am to place my hope. Hoping in a desired outcome is normal, but does not bring me any lasting assurance at all. I’ve learned that much in my life.

My only assurance is in knowing that God is sovereign. He is in charge of my life. He loves me. He knows what’s best for me…for Gary…and for Aaron.

Sometimes His best is hard, but it’s always best.

So God’s best…God Himself…is my only hope. And it’s enough, because God is enough.

Edward Mote says it perfectly in the old hymn, The Solid Rock:

My hope is built on nothing less

Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness;

I dare not trust the sweetest frame

But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.

When darkness veils His lovely face,

I rest on His unchanging grace;

In every high and stormy gale

My anchor holds within the veil.

On Christ the solid rock I stand;

All other ground is sinking sand,

All other ground is sinking sand.

To end our evening, as I stood in Aaron’s room and looked out his window, God seemed to smile at me as He gave me this little touch of beauty from heaven.

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God knows the path we take. All is well.

Singing We Go

Aaron LOVES listening to CD’s when we drive places…and yes, we still use CD’s in our van, and sometimes in our kitchen, because we’re old and our van is old and Aaron LOVES CD’s.

Why does he love CD’s? Well, he can hold the case and look at the title of each song that is playing, as well as the number of the song on the back of the case. This is orderly and sensible, which makes great sense to Aaron.

It’s pretty hilarious, actually, to watch Aaron go through this process, and to hear his voice. He watches the CD player in the van, for instance, and as soon as the number of the song pops up, he then repeats the number to me and tells me the song title. It doesn’t matter that I haven’t asked for this information. He gives it anyway.

The current CD that we are playing becomes his sole focus for however long it takes us to finish this CD. It’s usually several days, so for that period of time we hear all about the singer or the group. Again, it doesn’t matter that we haven’t asked for this information. We will get it anyway, an any time of the day or night.

At this moment in time, Aaron is listening…again…to Ronnie Milsap. He adores Ronnie Milsap. He knows all about Ronnie Milsap…where he was born (near Gary’s hometown!)…his childhood…his blindness…and definitely his songs! And I can’t tell you how many times Aaron has said, “Mom, when Ronnie Milsap sings, he goes like this!” At which time Aaron jerks his head around just like Ronnie Milsap does, because Aaron has watched him on YouTube and has keenly observed Ronnie Milsap’s head jerking and swaying as he keeps time to the music. But when Aaron copies those movements, it’s quite hilarious…and to people in cars beside us, it’s probably quite puzzling.

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Another musical trait that Aaron displays, proudly and loudly at times, is to sing a main phrase of the last song that he has heard before we exit the van. There was the day, etched into my memory, when the last song that was playing before we entered Wal-Mart was Shania Twain’s classic, “Man! I Feel Like a Woman!” So yes, Aaron walked around Wal-Mart singing…more like saying…with his unexpressive and flat voice, “Man! I feel like a woman!”

That was a very interesting day.

Aaron had a doctor appointment today, so I decided that it was a good day for a morning haircut and beard trim on our way to lunch. We drove to Great Clips, and on our way Ronnie Milsap was singing. Aaron reached down between our seats to grab the CD, look at the number displayed on the CD player, and then match the number to the title index on the back of the CD box.

“Number 6,” Aaron intoned. “All Together Now Let’s Fall Apart,” he read with no expression.

We soon sat in Great Clips after confirming our on-line check-in. Aaron was ready for his hair cut NOW, but I told him that we needed to sit and wait…that it wouldn’t be long.

I hoped.

Soon another customer entered and walked up to the counter. Aaron immediately thought that she would delay his haircut. In disgust, he uttered his favorite saying lately.

“Oh, puhleeeese!” he muttered.

“Aaron!” I then muttered close to his ear. “Don’t say that!”

So I began tickling his back, which always calms him, and sometimes gives me hope that he’ll be quiet.

Then another customer entered.

“Oh no!!” Aaron said.

Now I was REALLY tickling his back, pushing him down so that I had better access, and also so that his face and mouth were facing the floor!

He then decided to sing.

“All together now, let’s fall apart,” he spoke/sang in his usual monotone.

No joke, I thought!!

But soon his hair cut was done, lunch at Longhorn was happily completed, and we ran home for a few minutes. I needed to let Jackson out to potty, and I also had another chore to do…a bit of a yucky one.

Aaron had informed me, just before we left for Great Clips, that he MIGHT have wet a little…maybe just a little…in his bed during the night. It wasn’t a seizure, but instead a result of TOO much water before bed. He has been read the riot act on that, by the way.

More of the story and the extent of the damage was found just before we left, with no time to clean it up. I couldn’t stay too irritated for too long, though, when at Longhorn Aaron agreed to ask the blessing before we ate. He stretched his hand across the table for me to hold.

“Dear Lord,” he began. “Help me not to pee in my bed again. And thank you for this food.”

How could I stay mad?

So at home, I gathered up his bedding…ALL of it…his many covers included. I examined the carpet, and then knelt down in the tight spot between his bed and the wall. The spray bottle wouldn’t work at first, but eventually it did. But my legs wouldn’t work well, either, as I struggled to get up. Just then, I heard Aaron at his desk…singing…

“All together now, let’s fall apart,” he once again flatly sang.

He has no idea how my loud laughter made getting up off the floor even harder!! And how much it helped dissolve my frustration.

I have two Ronnie Milsap songs that I have decided are Aaron’s songs, though he is clueless about them.

The first one was playing in the kitchen last night.

“Number 11,” Aaron said with no emotion. “There’s No Getting Over Me,” he read.

“That’s a funny name for a song,” he added.

But it’s a PERFECT song for YOU, Aaron!! There’s no getting over you!!

And I don’t want to, either!

The second song? It was playing when we pulled into the driveway after his doctor visit today. It’s on the second CD disk, in case you’re wondering.

“Number 1,” Aaron said, of course. “I Wouldn’t Have Missed It For The World,” he finished.

BINGO!!

Happy, Helpful, and Forgiving

It’s beyond time for an Aaron update. I do believe I could write every day about life with that young man of ours. I wish I had that kind of time, so since I don’t, I’m sitting here wondering how on earth to corral my rambling thoughts on recent…or not so recent…Aaron antics. And not only his antics, but what those actions show about the real Aaron, deep in that brain of his.

Aaron has been mostly happy lately. He is showing that happiness in various ways. One way is by being extra helpful, so he’s been taking out the trash and the recycling; setting the supper table; carrying in groceries; and even helping others in ways that are…well…a little intimidating.

I saw that for the second time yesterday as we left Sam’s. We were walking to our van when Aaron spied a lady near where we parked, putting her items in her car trunk. She had a couple heavy packs of drinks. Before I knew it, Aaron was running toward her. I knew what he was going to do because he had done this same thing last week at Wal-Mart.

“Aaron!” I said. “Come back here!”

But he was determined to help this random lady. She looked up, a tad startled at first, but then she quickly relaxed when she saw Aaron.

“Hey!” Aaron blustered. “I’ll help!!”

She smiled and actually let him! Then she looked at me with a big smile, which made me very happy, as Aaron proceeded to put her two heavy drink packages in her car. She thanked him as he stood there with a huge smile, rubbing his hands together in his Aaron way, and then came back to the van. And I don’t know who was happiest at that point…Aaron, or me!

The lady last week at Wal-Mart was kind but said no to Aaron. So as I did then, I once again explained to Aaron that his offer was very nice but that he had to understand that running up to various women at their cars might be scary to them. Aaron thought this to be strange, even after I explained it to him. It’s so amazing that he doesn’t get it, that social norms elude him.

I had just seen this demonstrated a few minutes prior to the parking lot incident, while we were in the self-checkout lane inside Sam’s. A man in the other lane beside us was trying to get the attendant’s attention. She was talking to someone else and was unaware that this man needed her help. He continued to try to get her to notice him. What I was noticing was that this exchange was bothering Aaron. He was bothered by the fact that the man’s voice was rising, and he was bothered by the fact that the attendant didn’t hear him. Therefore, Aaron decided to be helpful once again.

“HEY!!!” he yelled out.

Well, well, well. This did get the attendant’s attention. And Aaron got a very annoyed look from her, with a raised eyebrow to boot. I apologized to her while correcting Aaron, and then she realized about Aaron, and she was kind and understanding, and Aaron’s face turned very red, and I have no idea what the irate man was doing.

WHEW!!!!

It was another teaching moment for Aaron, with me doing the teaching and Aaron looking around for someone else to help.

OK, where was I?

Oh yes, I was talking about how happy Aaron has been and how he shows it. He was so happy to see my good friend, Jennifer, in Sam’s that he gave her a big hug. Yeah. SO big and strong that I texted her last night to see if she was hurt. She said she’s not. Oh, Aaron! Just another social norm and boundary that Aaron doesn’t get.

Sam’s was pretty exhausting yesterday, can you tell?

In fact, by the end of the day, Gary and I were at the end…of our patience and our wits and our nerves. I don’t know, it was just such a tiring evening with Aaron. He wasn’t bad at all. But goodness, he LOVES to talk!!!!

That’s another way that he shows his happiness. Talking! Almost incessant talking!! He’ll be in his room for a few minutes and then we hear him barreling down the stairs. He finds us no matter where we are…outside, downstairs, in the garage, on the porch or patio, or in the bathroom. It matters not! Aaron has something to say and he WILL say it, even if he’s said it a million times before. You think I’m exaggerating? It certainly doesn’t feel like it to me and Gary.

We often tell Aaron that we just talked about this…that he needs to look that up on his computer…that we don’t have a clue about it…and we even throw up our hands as we say, “I DON’T KNOW!!!!” But Aaron is not easily deterred as he pushes on with his comments and his questions and his observations…over and over and over.

I wish I could say that I’m ever the wise and patient mom. I wish I could give examples of how to always be on top of these issues. But in all honesty…and I do try to write this blog with all honesty…I’m just not. Not always patient and calm and understanding, much as I want to be.

At the end of last night, when I was at the end physically, Aaron and I were in the kitchen. He was talking again and I was just so done. He, I thought, spilled a little water on the kitchen floor and that was it. I didn’t yell, but I talked through…I’m ashamed to say it…gritted teeth.

“Just clean up the water,” I said, in my “gritted teeth” voice.

I hurt Aaron’s feelings.

“Shut up!” he responded. More than once.

This prompted a stern rebuke from Gary.

Well, the rest of the evening went fine as Aaron and I went through his bedtime routine. But when it came time to give him his hug and a kiss on his cheek, he put his arms under his covers and said no. No goodnight. No hug. No kiss.

“Because you were mean to me,” he said.

So I left his room. But before long he was at my bathroom door.

“OK, Mom,” he said. “I’ll say goodnight.”

He walked into his room with me following. He got under the covers, held out his arms for my hug and accepted my kiss on his cheek. Bless his heart. He so wants our love.

Forgiveness is a big part of our life. We have to forgive each other a lot.

God forgives, too, and I’m surely thankful for that.

And God understands, as my dear friend Linda reminded me this morning. She understands this kind of weariness as she reminded me that Jesus often tried to get away to be alone…but the crowds still followed Him. I’m so thankful that God understands, and ever thankful for the forgiveness and peace He gives.

I’ll end on a funny note. I am sometimes amazed at how quickly Aaron can be irritated by me. I mean, really – ME?! Be irritating?

It is very puzzling, though, at what can set him off. Like the other morning, when feeding our Great Dane and fixing his pills in some peanut butter, I dipped into some peanut butter for myself. This really bugged Aaron.

“MOM!! You act strange!” he said angrily.

“How do I act strange, Aaron?” I asked.

He stared at me a minute.

“In lots of DIFFERENT ways!” he replied as he turned and walked away.

Now if that’s not the pot calling the kettle black! HaHa!!

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