On a happier note than that last post...Yesterday I went to see Kevin. We went to our usual haunt. On the way, we got stuck in a traffic jam and I had my camera, so I took a whole series of pictures of him in the back seat. He was in a great mood, and seemed to like it that I was taking his picture.
We met my daughter and beau at McDonald's and Kevin had a great time watching all the kids bounce around the play area and a great time looking at all the pictures on the camera that I'd just taken of him. He especially loved the ones that his stuffed Barney had made it into.
After a couple hours, we headed back to his group home. We pulled into the parking lot of his apartment complex and I parked the car and turned off the Disney Children's Songs CD we were listening to.Kevin took off his seat belt without being asked, and he opened his door without prompting. He got out of the car and stood waiting for me to get out and close my door. We started to walk together back to his apartment....and that's when I knew something had changed.
Kevin was home.
I don't know how I knew...but I did. Kevin was home! Kevin was home and he wasn't unhappy that he was home! Kevin has his own home!
I walked him in, and we ended the visit as we always do...His bedroom is on the bottom floor, so after I kiss him goodbye in his room and leave the apartment, I always walk around the outside and knock on his window and tell him again that I love him. He sometimes smiles, but usually he just hangs out in his room until he sees me at the window, and then he walks back to the living room, and I walk away to my car feeling a little sad and guilty. Nothing different last night. Except that everything was different. Kevin was really home and he knew he was home and I knew he was home, and we were both completely okay with that.I walked back to my car smiling.
Thought you'd all like to know that....
5 comments:
That is *wonderful* news!!!! Great pictures - he sure looks happy in the car as well, and what a goodlooking guy. So glad he's 'home' at the home!!
Holly
You've come to an important realization - and what a sense of peace that must give you. Kevin seems like a happy young man and engaged in life. And it's wonderful he has such a good home and also a family that loves him too!
Thank you for your thoughtful comment, Kate. You are right...it has given me a peace I thought I would never have as far as Kevin is concerned. It's just such a relief! :-)
what a wonderful blessing for all of you!
I was just reading back through your blog and came across this one that I'd missed somehow. My daughter has Asperger's and although our situation isn't entirely the same, I certainly can relate to your feeling of peace realising that things are going right for your boy :) I've felt that way as things start to improve socially for my daughter who'd been having an utterly horrible time with her peers. Your story goes to show, as much as we go through with our kids, it's the little rewards that make it all worth it :)
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