Accepting Change

You know...the older I get, I'm realizing more and more that the only thing that is consistent in this life, is the fact, that time continues on! It just does! It doesn't care what is going on, it doesn't care if you are in a good moment or whether you are in a particularly hard moment....it just continues on! You can't stop it, you can't speed it up, it just goes and the only thing that can be done is accept it!  Accept the fact that no matter the season, you have to learn to enjoy it, embrace it, and try your darndest to make the most of each and every moment! I've been told that you live life forward, but you understand it backwards and it's so true! I've been on a journey, since I was 35, to start truly enjoying everyday life! The very ordinary, mundane...Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday and ohhhh....back to Monday, kind of life! There's nothing extraordinary about my life or anything that would want to make TLC come knocking to show it on TV for all to see what goes on in the Shroyer household on a daily basis, lol! Nope, nothing special, but let me tell you something, I've worked very hard to make sure that those of us in these 4 walls feel special and to love this thing we call life.  Peace is something you have to seek and through life-changing mistakes, I've been able to achieve it thus far. It's not something that stops though, you constantly have to seek peace on the daily and so far, I'm truly living a peaceful journey. I will always be very protective of my family, our home, and my personal space for that very reason....peace! Anyway, all of that said, it hasn't slipped my mind that even on my journey these past 11 years hasn't stopped my boys from changing, growing up and I've had to find my new parenting role with all that, as well. I'm not needed in the ways I used to be! Colin, my 16 year old boy, is changing! Yes, even my boy on the autism spectrum is not needing me in the same ways. I'm learning him, as a teenager, and I'm finding my role now is a bit easier. Yes, he still needs me and yes, I'll forever be his caretaker, but I didn't expect to be enjoying him so much at this age. For some reason, I had in my mind, this stage would be hard and boy is it everything other than that. It's fun, enjoyable, dare I say easy....but, easy! He's changing so much and just a joy! Watching life change through him, has truly given me a new perspective. Autism isn't for the faint at heart, by no means, and it's a constant, very mundane thing to deal with BUT at this stage, Colin has become more verbal, fun, capable, joyful, happy, and just different! All the things, that at the beginning of this journey, I was told to never expect and I didn't. Truthfully, I didn't know what to expect, but I did know that I wasn't going to listen to the negative and put a ceiling over his head for the sake of the doctor's. Nope, never did that! We've allowed Colin to just be Colin, whatever his capabilities are, is exactly what we focus on and by doing that, we've truly been able to embrace a peaceful, joyful life. He brings so much to this family and through him, changed my life in so many ways. What a calm, loving family Brenton and I have created in raising these two boys, all because we were truly blessed to have to learn to embrace the autism journey. Colin started his sophomore year this past August and is having a great start to the school year. So proud of him and just am thankful for this journey! Change is hard, but by embracing it....great things can be achieved! 💙