Wednesday, August 31, 2011

A New Venture

I have taken the plunge into blogging!  I have so much to learn and when that's the case I tend to pull back, telling myself that I'll try again tomorrow.  Maybe.  But I have been encouraged by many friends to blog - to tell my Aaron stories and share my lessons that I learn in my everyday life.  So here goes. 

Let me introduce Aaron to you.  He is our oldest child.  Gary, my husband, and I were married for five years when God gave us Aaron.  He was born in Colorado Springs in the old military hospital on Fort Carson.  That was an experience!  What an adorable, perfect little boy he was!  We were stationed in Mannheim, Germany when Aaron had his first seizure in the first grade.  It was so terrifying!  He was diagnosed with Epilepsy and began taking the meds.  Two years later, after no seizures, our doctor weaned him off the drugs.  Sadly, the seizures returned and so Aaron has been on anti-seizure meds ever since. 

We noticed Aaron's social behaviors kept getting harder and harder to understand the older he became.  Finally, at the age of 14, Aaron was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome - high functioning autism.  Life was very hard during those teen years.  Behaviors were very trying and seizures were horrible.  But now things have settled down.  Aaron's seizures are in his sleep and don't occur that often.  Last night and early this morning he had four hard seizures.  That probably won't happen again for a few weeks. 

Aaron graduated from high school in Goddard, Kansas at the age of 21.  We had home schooled him for 8 years but when we moved to Kansas we eventually put him into school.  He did very well for the most part.  Now he attends a day program called Paradigm.  They have an awesome staff who love him and understand him.  Aaron still lives at home and provides us with lots of conversation.  He loves to observe the world and TALK about it in some very interesting and humorous ways.  I want to share Aaron with you.  His take on life can be hilarious but also at times very touching. 

I also want to share the lessons and thoughts that God gives me at times as I just live my life.  For God is the center of our lives, the reason we live and love, and the One Who deserves our attention and praise.