Kindness – He Said What?!

The Chicken Whisperer

God did the sweetest thing last week and I wanted to share it with all of you. Some of you read my last blog about how Aaron and I went from a very happy almost three days, to having Aaron crash and taking me with him. We went from happy to sad faster than it takes for me to run from a spider…and those of you who know me know that’s FAST!

On Saturday evening, while Aaron and I were happily watching a movie, I got a message from my friend, Summer. She asked if Aaron and I would like to come down to her family’s home in the country to see their chickens. A couple of the hens recently had baby chicks so Summer thought Aaron might like to see them. I eagerly said yes! That sounded like so much fun. The invitation just added to my happy and I was…well…VERY happy!

Our future chicken visit was a bright spot after Aaron’s happy disappeared on Sunday night. I looked forward to it so much…to having something fun to do with Aaron that was out of our norm.

Wednesday, chicken day, finally came. Aaron slept later than anticipated, but at last he and I made it to Summer’s house. How pretty the day was, and how pretty their home was as we pulled into the driveway! I immediately noticed the windmill and thought it was a perfect Kansas scene.

Aaron was a little nervous because he had forgotten meeting Summer, and he had not met her sons, and he wasn’t too sure about meeting the chickens – fun as it sounded. But Summer came right out to meet us, as did Austin and Tyler, and they all put Aaron right at ease. Right away we were standing at their pond, where they tossed out some fish food and up from the water appeared lots of catfish.

Aaron thought that this very cool! And what fun it was when he got to throw some food out in the water as well!

We walked behind the house then, and there were the chickens…and a goose, Paco. As we approached the gate, one of the chickens hopped up right beside Aaron. Aaron petted her, and Summer told Aaron that he was a Chicken Whisperer. 😊

Inside the enclosure, Aaron got to throw some chicken feed on the ground and soon we were surrounded by chickens.

Aaron got to hold a chicken, managing to still hang onto his prized goose feather he had found at the same time.

Then we saw the cute baby chicks under low hanging evergreen trees. Surprisingly, the mama chickens were very tolerant of us being so close to their babies.

Summer was telling us that no one had been able to hold a baby chick yet because of their protective mamas. Just then we turned around and saw this:

“How did you do that, Aaron?” Summer asked.

We laughed, and I wondered if maybe there WAS something to this Chicken Whisperer after all.

Aaron sat in a chair and Summer gently talked to him about how to carefully handle the wee one.

Then one more up close and personal with one of the grown-ups:

And the opportunity to gather some eggs with Austin before it was time to go.

We left there later with a plate of cookies that Summer had made, and with the eggs that Aaron gathered, and with such happy memories just made.

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When we got home later, after eating too much at the Pizza Hut buffet, a thought hit me. I couldn’t remember when exactly Summer had messaged me about coming to see the chickens, so I looked at my messages and there it was. Summer had messaged me, as I said earlier, on Saturday night.

Saturday night…when Aaron and I were still in happy mode. Saturday night…before the sadness of Sunday night. Saturday night…before I knew just HOW much her invitation would mean to us.

I know in my heart that Summer was nudged by God to message me that night. I was excited to receive her offer, but I had no idea what the next night held. I had no idea that I would be wiping away tears of disappointment on Sunday night when on Saturday everything was going so well.

But God knew. God cared about me enough to prompt Summer to invite us down. God knew before I knew…and He knew what Summer didn’t know…and that was this: that He wanted to bless me and give me a hug when I really needed it through the action of one of His children who was listening to Him.

This thought and this seemingly simple action is simply profound to me. God indeed does go before me in ways I sometimes never see, but when I do see it I can only say, “WOW!!”

And to thank God for His sweet care for me, and for Aaron, by using one of His very sweet families.

No action is too small or insignificant to be used by God in a huge way in someone else’s life.

Thank you to Summer, Tyler, and Austin!

And a special thank you to God!

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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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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Other’s Colors

Do you remember that old song, Color My World, sung by Chicago? I’ve always LOVED that song! The meaning of those lyrics takes on a different hue when I think of our life with Aaron, and how he most definitely puts his own color on everything that we do.

For instance, on Sunday after church I took Aaron with me to our local Dillon’s. The grocery store is one of Aaron’s very favorite places! Every aisle is full of discovery to him. And since those discoveries involve his taste buds, he is especially eager to go along if offered the opportunity.

Sunday was a chilly day, but not a super cold day. However, Aaron decided that it was super cold, no matter what I said. So he walked outside to the van with his toboggan perched goofily on his head and wearing his thick winter gloves. I could have insisted that he take them off, but after suggesting such, he still wanted to wear his arctic garb and so I just let it go.

We went in the store, and as I headed to the pharmacy, Aaron veered off to explore the candy and snack aisle. No surprise there! When I veered up the same aisle to join him later, I had to laugh at the sight of him standing there examining the selection of peanuts.

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He did not think it at all unusual to still be wearing his hat and his gloves. Nor did he think it at all unusual to talk loudly when he saw me coming toward him.

“Mom!!” he bellowed. “I’m looking at the peanuts!!”

And with that update, he proceeded to bend over to examine the jar that he thought he wanted.

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And then he had to stretch his arm out to retrieve the perfect jar.

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“See, MOM?!” he continued to bellow. “These are lightly salted! Is that good?”

I assured him that this jar was a great choice, and off we went to the self check-out…where he proceeded to talk to the attendant there about his lightly salted peanuts, in his commanding voice and his even more commanding presence…hat and gloves still included.

Sometimes it’s easy to be embarrassed by Aaron. He doesn’t need the funny hat and gloves to be noticed, trust me! So on this day, as he was even more noticed than usual, I just smiled and tried to see Aaron through fresh eyes…to relish how unusual he is…and to enjoy the moment.

The colors of that moment could have been red from my red face, and maybe my face was slightly red some of the time. But that’s OK. A little red doesn’t hurt me one bit!

Another aspect of my colorful life with Aaron has been the joy of getting to know other moms of special needs children and adults. The special bond we share is a rare treasure. It’s very encouraging to walk the same path with others, though none of us would wish our circumstances on them. But here we are, together on this journey, and our shared experiences make us all stronger.

One of those friends, Joyce, has a particularly rough path as she mothers two adult sons with very significant special needs. I truly am in awe of what she must handle on a “normal” day, much less on the kind of days she has had lately. One of her sons had his wisdom teeth removed. Then sickness hit the family, including Joyce and both her special sons. Intestinal…respiratory…fevers…seizures…many, many sleepless nights.

Her world is most certainly colored right now with the colors of poop and puke and puffy eyes, to be honest. So on Sunday afternoon, I called her and I asked if she might want to escape for a bit…go somewhere and catch a breath of fresh air. Change the colors a bit.

“Yes!” she said. And a short time later, when I pulled into her driveway, she strode out to my van with a big smile on her face. I was amazed, though knowing Joyce, I shouldn’t have been.

“Look at your smile!” I told her as she climbed in.

“Well, I know what I want to do!” she happily declared.

I was expecting her to name a restaurant…or a park…or maybe the mall.

“I would like to go to Dollar Tree,” she continued, “and get five vases. Then I want to go buy some tulips and take them up to Oxford Villa.”

And again, this woman amazed me. Oxford Villa is a senior assisted living center where her mother used to live. Joyce wanted to take some vases of flowers there for some of the residents who might not have anyone who loves them and brings them flowers.

Wow!!

Joyce, I thought, needed some color in her life. But instead, she wanted to GIVE some color to others! I was so touched by her unselfishness! So impacted by yet another lesson taught to me by this dear friend!

Instead of sipping a coke or coffee while eating a piece of dessert somewhere, I watched Joyce buy pretty colored vases and then examine the beautiful colors of tulips at another store. We realized that Sunday was not the best day to deliver the flowers, though, so that job will be completed another day. I hope I can help make that delivery!

Sometimes the best way to mix up our colors in this all-too-demanding life of parenting special needs children…or any other part of life that is draining you…is to look beyond yourself and see the needs of others. To reach out and help carry their burden while taking your eyes off your own for awhile.

There was joy for me in watching goofy looking Aaron find just the right jar of peanuts.

There was joy for me in watching Joyce’s delight in finding just the right colorful vases for some unknown, needy seniors.

Looking beyond ourselves causes us to see so many stunning colors that otherwise would have remained hidden.

It’s so worth the effort, even with red cheeks or through tired eyes!

Thank you, Joyce, for your wonderful and colorful friendship!

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I’ll Be Your Friend, Part 2

I wanted to quickly share with you another sweet Aaron moment from today.

I wrote yesterday about Aaron’s sad day on Tuesday, but how that episode confirmed to him that he truly does have wonderful friends at his day group. Here’s the link to that blog – I’ll Be Your Friend

He not only gave Natalie a card yesterday, but he also filled a baggie full of Cheez-Its for her, which he happily carried with him to Paradigm that morning. I’m sure he was all smiles as he handed that baggie to Natalie.

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But he also has another friend there, one who is on a very restricted diet. Aaron has often felt sorry for her and has wished that he could give her some of the snacks that he takes to share with others.

When Aaron took his baggie stuffed with Cheez-Its yesterday, he asked Barb if he could give some to his friend, H. But Barb said that he couldn’t due to her strict diet. But, Barb added, H. could probably have four or five of those crackers.

And so today, before we left for his day group, this is what Aaron did.

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Five Cheez-Its, just for H. to enjoy all by herself. To me, this is a picture of simple kindness. I love that beneath all the complex layers of Aaron’s personality and of his autism, he has a heart that loves to give to others.

Gary and I have talked occasionally over the years about how, when Aaron was young and we lived in Germany, we met with a professional. This man talked to us about Aaron. We were pretty offended by some of the things he said…things about how Aaron would probably never go to college, get a big job, yada yada yada.

So O.K. Aaron hasn’t been able to do many of the things that his peers have done. But today, Aaron put five Cheez-Its in a little baggie for his friend, because she can only have five. He didn’t find a cure for cancer…or put a man on Mars…or finish his fourth doctorate.

But he made his friend, H., very happy.

And my mother’s heart is as proud of him as a mother’s heart can be.

I’ll Be Your Friend

I pulled up to the curb in front of Aaron’s day group yesterday, a little early to pick him up at the end of his day. Soon Aaron walked outside, heading toward the van, followed by Barb. Barb is like Aaron’s second mom. She is also a manager at Paradigm. Sometimes Aaron wants Barb to come out to talk to me so that she can tell me something fun about Aaron’s day. However, fun was not part of our conversation on this day. I realized this right away as I looked at the tears on Aaron’s face when he sat down beside me in the van.

“Mom!” Aaron choked out through his tears. “Natalie got mad at me and called me…….” And on and on he talked, his voice thick with emotion and his hands rubbing together in frustration.

Aaron loves to give his money to his friends, especially to Natalie, and it’s sometimes a real problem. Aaron isn’t supposed to give away his money, and Natalie isn’t supposed to ask him for money, and when they are found out, it can be touchy. Both Aaron and Natalie have trouble controlling their emotions when things get stressful, which certainly happened yesterday. Words spill out…tears are shed…accusations made…

If you close your eyes, and if the voices were far younger, you would think that once again we were on the school playground trying to settle a spat between two kindergartners. But these are two adults, who because of their special needs happen to, at times….many times….still operate as little children.

Aaron was being very dramatic, which showed me how much his giving heart was hurting. He had done wrong and tried to deny it. Natalie had done wrong and got very mad at Aaron. Both were hurt and upset. But Aaron…his heart wants to give everything he has to his friends and when it all messes up, he feels betrayed and lonely and adrift.

“I don’t have any friends,” Aaron sadly declared as his voice broke with emotion. “And I don’t want to come back tomorrow!!” Just then, standing behind Barb, came the voice of Koren. She’s Aaron’s friend, and though at times she’s hard to understand, I clearly understood this.

“I’m your friend, Aaron,” she said. “I’ll give you a hug.”

So Barb stepped aside and Koren gave Aaron a dear, kind hug along with a few pats on his back. It was just the sweetest thing!!

Aaron and I sorted through the story with Barb before finally pulling away from the curb. But soon Aaron said he had left his billfold with Barb, so I quickly turned around and drove back to Paradigm. I went inside, and when I came back out, there was Aaron leaning inside the van that held Natalie. I was concerned! But as I stepped closer, I heard Natalie say, “I’m still your friend, Aaron!”

Aaron backed out of the van, his face a picture of relief…and Natalie’s face alight with a smile.

Later Aaron, as he so often does, asked me if he could give Natalie a card the next day. After saying he didn’t want to go to Paradigm the next day, I knew that wanting to take a card was a good sign that he was softening about going. So I found a card for Aaron and he carefully wrote Natalie a note…a short note with a huge message.

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We all need a friend, don’t we? One thing that amazes me at Aaron’s day group is to walk in and see the interactions of these special adults. They love being and having friends, just as much as you and I do. Life is so very hard for them, harder than I can even begin to imagine. Sometimes it would be easy to feel sorry for them, sorry to the point of tears.

But then I see them welcome Aaron when he walks in the door. I see their smiles, their hugs, their concern for each other expressed in various ways. I see Aaron welcomed and loved, even after having a hard day previously.

His friends there are a picture of love and acceptance. I don’t see jealousy or judgment or bullying. Maybe those things happen at times. But there, among all the varying special needs and all the medical conditions…from wheelchairs or braces…with halting speech or deaf ears…curled hands and bent bodies…I see so often the joy and the love of friendship.

That scene has touched my heart more than I can express. I would love to share pictures, but privacy issues won’t allow it. So you must take my word for it, and try to imagine it yourself.

Sometimes the most needy ones are the ones who give to each of us a picture of what we need the most.

Genuine, unconditional friendship.

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Green Coffee and A Good Book!

I just wanted to quickly share with you the day that I shared with Aaron this week. On Tuesday, he had a dentist appointment so of course that also meant that we ate out for lunch. He came out to the van carrying his new book that he got for his birthday. He hasn’t been reading much lately, so when my niece had an Usborne party I ordered Aaron a few books. The one he chose to read first is about true survival stories. I thought he might like that subject, and I believe I chose well.

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We ended up at our new IHOP for lunch. It’s near our dentist’s office, I had a free coupon, and Aaron was agreeable. Perfect!

We ordered some coffee right away on that cold, drizzly day. I poured some creamer into Aaron’s coffee, under his watchful gaze, and then he thought that Mom might need some further instruction.

“Can we twirl it and make it green?” he asked in all seriousness.

Interpretation: Could I stir the creamer into the coffee?

Further interpretation: Aaron is color blind, so just like my dad – the light brown color of coffee with stirred-in creamer is…green.

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I didn’t even bat an eye at that, but I did chuckle.

Aaron is so unique on several levels, that’s for sure!

He finally narrowed down his food choice after much discussion, turning of menu pages, and closely examining every available picture.

Fried Chicken Breasts….crunchy!

Mashed Potatoes.

No. French Fries.

No. Back to Mashed Potatoes!

No Broccoli. (But broccoli came anyway and it was the first thing he ate.) (Only one food at a time for Aaron.) (You never mix foods!!)

Honey Mustard sauce for dipping the crunchy Fried Chicken Breasts.

And…the requisite Side Salad, with NO croutons.

So after the lunch was ordered and his coffee was a comforting green, Aaron reached over and took his book that he had carried in with him, opening it to the first chapter.

He was serious in his reading, and the quietness of those few moments was very unusual for me. No talk of aliens…Captain James T. Kirk…Darth Nihilus…Malek… Just quiet reading.

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I loved it!!

And then his salad came, so the True Stories of Survival book was closed after he carefully inserted his bookmark…a random card of some sort that he had scarfed at some business and put into his pocket.

Every bite of salad and broccoli and mashed potatoes and chicken was eaten and totally enjoyed, as well as more green coffee. Aaron was very happy!

Off we drove to the dentist, where Aaron marched in with not only his new book, but also a DVD and a CD that he wanted to have close by for some reason. He immediately claimed his couch, crossed his leg, and opened his books. He was very serious and full of purpose.

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Until he spied Tammy behind the counter!

Fresh ears!!

So up he hopped and with even more purpose, while ignoring my pleas for him NOT to bother the staff, he proudly showed her his new book.

He told her to read it. And she, as patiently as if she had all the time in the world, opened his survival stories book. She read a little, turning the page, and expressing great interest in his book.

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And Aaron expressed his great excitement by rubbing his hands together in typical Aaron fashion.

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“Read it!” he kept insisting.

But I kept insisting that he let Tammy get back to her job, so he finally took the book while Tammy told him how interesting it was.

And I was thinking of how interesting Aaron is! And how interesting he makes my life as he takes me along with him in every unusual and unique moment.

He wanted to read his book while he got his teeth cleaned. But the logistics of that wasn’t going to work, he realized, so he was content to supervise me as I put the book on the windowsill along with the DVD and the CD. But only after Shelly, his hygienist, had also taken a look at the first pages of his very important new book.

God bless the kind staff who didn’t act the least bit hurried or uninterested!

And God bless Aaron, who makes normal old IHOP and dental visits anything BUT!!

And who gives us yet another of our very own survival stories!

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