My daughter never ceases to amaze me. Those of you who have read other compositions by me here on foggy rock know know that only 2.5 years ago she was diagnosed with severe autism.
I remember one afternoon when I held her in my lap facing me, she was curled up in a ball, she was almost 2. She was calm if I crushed her till she almost couldnt breathe, but if I let go, and tried to get her to look at me she would scream. I am sure those of you with children on the spectrum know the sound, it is a strange haunting scream that I have only heard autistic children make. At one point we locked eyes, and there was a blank stare, then a glimmer of my daughter in pain, and then the blank again...it was too painful for her to even look at me. I cried

As time went on those little glances extended. To this day I cant tell what has made her decide to come back. I know it so painful for her at times and yet she fights on.

On the day she was diagnosed we were told she would not talk, she would not attend a regular school, she would live with us for our whole lives etc... She was in the room when these things were said, and I wonder if she didnt take note because on June 6 we get to return to that team and provide t hem with the following documentation...

Well, actually - she will be able to tell them herself...her name, her age...and a whole lot more. My baby is a superstar. She is in kindergarten. she is the best reader in her class. She does math. She is getting ready for grade 1! (heaven help us)
She plays on a soccer team...and she is the TOP SCORRER...yes (ok it is a team of 5 year olds...but I dont care her normal older brothers never scored a goal and she has scored 2!!!! in her first game!!!!) and this is the BEST part.... when her coach called her off the field - yes her aide is on the field cause she doesnt understand the concept of out of bounds - so for safety the association requires her aide to stand in the middle of the field lol...

anyways, Eowyn is called off the pitch, and she doesnt want to come. So her aide picks her up and my daughter yells "But I have to help my friends"

did you get that....her friends...and they see her as a friend too, even though she takes the ball from them more than she passes it to them. She greets them by name and with hugs. They think she is a little odd because she doesnt sit very well and she screams when it is windy...but they take it all in stride...and they are her friends.

I started crying right there on the sidelines. No one understood why....but wait till those pessimistic old doctors hear this.

Not only is she getting by at school....she is thriving in life. She has friends, and she sees them as her friends, not like when parents make playdates for babies...they are friends of her choosing.

When I look in her eyes now, I dont see pain, I see joy and many other emotions. There are still times - hours some days when she retreats into herself, but when she hears her name...she comes back to us readily and willingly. I respect that she needs these breaks. Our world is a hard place for a child without filters to live in. I admire her tenacity and her drive to come back as she has and I am optimistic that she will continue to crush the barriers that doctors and others says she cant climb.