I almost didn't have a birthday party for Evan this year.
I know how it sounds, but let me explain. I had read an article some time last year about a mom who had an autistic son who had quit having birthday parties for him. She wrote that her son never seemed to enjoy the parties, despite all her planning. He never participated in the activities or played with his friends she had invited. He seemed not to care for the presents he received. So she had decided to do the things he liked to do on his birthday instead of trying to plan a party that he wouldn't enjoy. On his birthday, the family did those activities, and her son loved his birthday more than he ever had.
Reading this article reminded me of Evan. Evan has never really gotten into his birthday parties. He never played with the few friends we had invited. He often would go to his room and just play by himself rather than being with the family that had come to visit. Most of the gifts would end up in the toy box after the party never to be pulled out again. And with his limited diet, he would not eat all the goodies we had made - except for the cake. He does love cake! I thought that this lady in the article probably had the right idea, and I had determined that this year there would be no party. We would invite the immediate family over for dinner on his birthday, have cake, and call it a day. That would be it.
Then March 20 happened. We walked through some bad days, but the Great Physician healed our child. While we were still in the hospital, I ordered the shirt that he had on in his birthday post. I knew God had saved Evan's life, and that alone was worth celebrating.
Little did we know all that God would do in the last month. After not being able to refill one of his seizure medicines, Evan has made a miraculous step forward and is doing better than he has ever done. He is interacting with everyone. He is all over our house, and I lose him often. He is trying to talk constantly. He is happy and giggly all the time. And the seizures? GONE! We attribute this to God and God alone for not allowing us to refill this medicine.
Evan's birthday party was last Saturday, and this picture pretty much sums up how he felt about it.
He had a ball! An absolute blast! He smiled and laughed. He played with his friends. He helped open presents. He even played with some of them on the spot. And he loved swimming and playing the water. I could not help but thank God for giving him to us in the first place but then giving him back to us after walking through the valley of the shadow of death. It was a day full of God's goodness to us. I am thankful that this party happened!
I know how it sounds, but let me explain. I had read an article some time last year about a mom who had an autistic son who had quit having birthday parties for him. She wrote that her son never seemed to enjoy the parties, despite all her planning. He never participated in the activities or played with his friends she had invited. He seemed not to care for the presents he received. So she had decided to do the things he liked to do on his birthday instead of trying to plan a party that he wouldn't enjoy. On his birthday, the family did those activities, and her son loved his birthday more than he ever had.
Reading this article reminded me of Evan. Evan has never really gotten into his birthday parties. He never played with the few friends we had invited. He often would go to his room and just play by himself rather than being with the family that had come to visit. Most of the gifts would end up in the toy box after the party never to be pulled out again. And with his limited diet, he would not eat all the goodies we had made - except for the cake. He does love cake! I thought that this lady in the article probably had the right idea, and I had determined that this year there would be no party. We would invite the immediate family over for dinner on his birthday, have cake, and call it a day. That would be it.
Then March 20 happened. We walked through some bad days, but the Great Physician healed our child. While we were still in the hospital, I ordered the shirt that he had on in his birthday post. I knew God had saved Evan's life, and that alone was worth celebrating.
Little did we know all that God would do in the last month. After not being able to refill one of his seizure medicines, Evan has made a miraculous step forward and is doing better than he has ever done. He is interacting with everyone. He is all over our house, and I lose him often. He is trying to talk constantly. He is happy and giggly all the time. And the seizures? GONE! We attribute this to God and God alone for not allowing us to refill this medicine.
Evan's birthday party was last Saturday, and this picture pretty much sums up how he felt about it.
He had a ball! An absolute blast! He smiled and laughed. He played with his friends. He helped open presents. He even played with some of them on the spot. And he loved swimming and playing the water. I could not help but thank God for giving him to us in the first place but then giving him back to us after walking through the valley of the shadow of death. It was a day full of God's goodness to us. I am thankful that this party happened!
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