Are you in a time of waiting? Waiting for answers? Waiting for God to move?
We’ve all been there. But I think it is especially hard when the waiting involves our children.
Today I invite you to a story of interrupted expectations, unknown answers, and waiting. I asked Cindy to share her journey as I know that many of you will relate.
My child has special needs and I didn’t see it coming. Even as I type that, it makes me uncomfortable because the term “special needs” covers such a vast spectrum of needs from fairly acute and manageable to a life-time of “didn’t see it coming.”
I am sensitive to this fact and want you to know up front that I understand my daughter is on the acute side of this and will likely graduate from her said “special need” in a year or two. I am not here to tell you how bad I have it, rather, to tell you about my journey, what God is teaching me through it, and some tips I have learned along the way. My true hope is that it will serve as a source of encouragement.
I am an almost 30-something mom to 3 kiddos ages 1-5. I’ve been married to my best friend for almost a decade. From a young age, assisted by the modeling from much of my family and an education degree, I have had a teacher mentality. It comes very naturally to me to discipline, encourage, and shape young children. I don’t usually concern myself with milestones or comparisons with other kids. Most kids in early childhood find their way to different milestones in their own time. So you can imagine my surprise when my baby girl, at 13 months, is not eating food of any kind.
My older two children both had their own ideas of foods. My first ate baby cereal, pureed vegetables, fruits, meat, puffs, etc just like “the baby book” suggests. My second never took to pureed food, but soon started eating table food. So at 9 months when baby 3 continued to refuse pureed food, I figured she would progress to table food with little problem.
On her birthday, she was given a cupcake and after touching it with her hand, promptly threw up. At her 12-month well check, she still wasn’t eating any food and had grown only a few ounces but no inches since her 9-month checkup. Our doctor felt it was time to get some more input, so we went to a gastroenterologist pediatrician for a consult and eventually an EGD test was performed (what I call an upper GI). Everything came back normal so we were sent on for a food evaluation and speech consult. It was determined that an extensive speech therapy program from our county early education program would be best.
So here we are waiting.
I’m waiting for her first speech therapy session.
I’m waiting for my baby to begin eating real food without throwing up.
I’m waiting to commit to things because I don’t know what lies ahead.
I’m waiting to dream about what I will do by myself for more than 3 hours at a time, because my 13-month-old is still dependent on me nursing her.
I’m waiting for answers for my baby.
I’m waiting for a plan of action.
But this waiting isn’t in vain.
During this time of waiting, I’m learning I don’t have to busy myself with “good” things, or even God-things, to be doing what God has called me to. In fact, I’m learning that the enemy loves when I’m so busy with “good” things that I don’t have time to do the things to which I’ve been called.
So I am choosing to “Be still and know that He is God.” I am listening to what He is calling me to work on “inside” so when my schedule is more free and open, I will know which direction I am to go on the “outside.” I am making sure I am grounding myself in His Word and keeping my prayer life open and honest. I’m leaning in to relationships that are building me up and encouraging me in the ways of God. He is a good Father.
–Cindy
I love that even in the waiting, God is teaching us. Loving us. Directing us.
This is just the beginning of Cindy’s journey and I hope that you will subscribe to this blog as in the next several months Cindy will continue to share her journey, what God is teaching her through it, and tips she is learning along the way. Read part 2.
Giveaway Winner:
Thank you to all who entered to win The Investigator’s Holy Bible shared in last week’s post. Out of 203 entries, the randomly chosen winner is:
Entry #149 – Erica K. (email erica.kraf…@)
