Some Days

Some days are lovely.
The weather is perfect.
The children are completely self-entertaining and especially sweet.
There is a suitable diversion in which both parents and children thoroughly enjoy themselves.
The food is top drawer. Everything comes out looking like the photo in the cookbook.

Today was such a day.

We spent a good portion of it at a gymnastics birthday party that was infused with autistic children and their parents. Ryan's quirky behavior didn't even register on the radar. The food the parents served was nutritious and beautifully plated. And all the gifts were developmentally correct! Even ours - we have been giving a Klutz toy lately that is usually a hit with the 6-9 set.

But the Very Best part for me was the parents. They understand and agree when I say "Ryan has been the biggest gift of our lives. And a great part of the benefit of having a Ryan is the parents of other special needs kids you meet along the way."

Then tonight we had a Time of it. And I had to remind myself "This is a Gift. This is a Gift. This is a Gift." Ryan needs more processing time. And by 8 at night, I'm all out of patience.