I visited a friend in the hospital today.  She has just had her first child…..a son.  A tiny little miracle I was privileged to hold in my hands.  What a sweet time to get to share with them!  Doing this brought back a lot of wonderful memories of the birth of my firstborn……my precious Cannon.  I will never forget that day as long as I live.  Holding him for the first time was the most miraculous and spiritual moment of my life.  To think that God, my Father in Heaven, knit this tiny little person together inside of me and then allowed me to have him and trusted me with such an incredible gift……what an undeniable blessing.   I remember how unbelievably joyful I was.  How I couldn’t stop smiling….even through the exhaustion of actually getting him here.  Mark and I thanked God that he was healthy and had no birth defects or other apparent issues.  We never let it enter our minds that someday things could change. 

Four years and some change have passed since that day and sometimes it feels like a lot more.  As a matter of fact, honestly, the last year and a half feels like a decade in itself.  I never in a million of those years imagined I would be facing the things I do today as Cannon’s mom.  But I tell you this with every fiber of my being.  I am honored and privileged to be Cannon’s mom.  I would change NOTHING!  The God I serve is perfect!  His plan is, too!  And he intended, for whatever reason, for things to be the way they are.  This journey has and continues to teach me so much about myself……both good and bad.  But the main thing it teaches me is how much I need God to be a good mom.  To be strong and kind, to have courage and patience , to have the willpower to get through the hardest days.  Autism or no Autism.    To say I am grateful for my Cannon and my Townsend…..is silly because it is the world’s biggest understatement.  Words can’t express the joy I feel when I look at their sweet little faces.  I will spend the rest of my life on this Earth praising God for these little miracles and being awestruck at their creation and Creator. 

Mother’s Day wouldn’t be Mother’s Day without a shout out to my Mom.  The greatest Mom there is as far as I am concerned.  No one could possibly have been better.  To list the things she did for me would take up the entire internet.  She was amazing!  Mind Blowing!  Selfless! I didn’t always appreciate her the way I should but I think I grew up and she knows now how special and invaluable she is in my life.  But most of all she taught me about Jesus, how to love him and why I should.  How to lean on Him when the going gets tough.  Momma…..I love you!  Thank you for everything you did, everything you are doing, and everything you will inevitably do in the future for me and my family!  I was blessed to be your daughter and I will always be grateful that God allows me to call you Mom. 

To my friends and family.  To those Mommies that touch my life with your friendship, love, and kindness.  I thank you.  Thank you for being a blessing to me and for teaching me in all your unique little ways….different things about how to be a better mom.  You challenge me.  And I appreciate it!

And this one is for my sisters out there…….my fellow “Mother Warriors”……..to the Moms who are in the same boat we are…….riding out the storm.  I give you this precious poem.  Stay strong and have a very Happy Mother’s Day!

http://www.rdrpublishers.com/f/A_Mother_s_Autism_Prayer.pdf