Church

Attending church as a family has been a real struggle for us for the past few years. Leaving Caleb in Sunday school was near impossible, we would always be paged/called back to get him because he was crying; crying because we left him, crying because another child was crying, crying because a toy was too loud, or he couldn't take the sounds of children being loud and having fun. We tried different churches, different times, and it seemed like every family could do it but us. I also had a hard time leaving him (duh). We've known for a while that Caleb was exceptional in some way, and I didn't feel comfortable leaving him with someone I wasn't familiar with. Every person in his day-to-day knows him; they understand how he communicates, what triggers a meltdown, and they're very okay with coming into his world. I guess it was a lot for me to finally put my trust in someone who wasn't family, wasn't a friend, wasn't a professional...who may not have ever seen a child with Autism.

Well that time has come, my friends. For the past year, TJ has so diligently attended Beachpoint Church, here in Fountain Valley...while I have sat at home with the kids (for the reasons stated above). After we finally got Caleb into school, and then got our Autism diagnosis, I felt more secure with the idea of church. We went a few weeks in a row, and I stayed with him in his Sunday school class. I enjoyed seeing him playing around other kids his age, and the Sunday school teachers, Miss Kristen and Mister Ryan, seemed like absolute pros at wrangling/teaching preschoolers. Then, at about the 3rd week, Mr. Gabe (director of children's ministry) asked if I'd feel comfortable leaving him. Uh...oookay? Sure? No problem at all?? <----were all phrases I did NOT think or say (...well maybe I thought them sarcastically). I gave my reasons for being apprehensive, and he took notes on his iPhone as I listed thing after thing that Caleb liked, disliked, set him off, etc. He assured me that for at least a few weeks, he'd be the extra help to properly acclimate Caleb to the Sunday school experience so that TJ and I could worship together. I gave my phone number to Miss Kristen, and then prepared to leave him the next week.

Early the next week, Miss Kristen called and offered to let me get to know her better, so Lilly and I met her at the park while Caleb was at school. Be still, my heart...she brought Starbucks with her, and we chatted about our lives and about Caleb. I told her all about the way he ticks, and she seemed very comfortable with stepping into his world. Little did I know, she has a lot of experience through her family with disabilities...she even knew what an IEP meant. Not to mention she's also a mom, and has been teaching Sunday school there for a long time. I felt so great about getting to know her, and I felt like God placed her and this church in our lives right now, at this specific time. I don't know that I would've felt so comfortable handing him off to another church volunteer, but God truly knew exactly who to put in this position for Caleb (and for me). Caleb smiles when he sees her, and he's smiling when I pick him up. She's even teaching the other kids how to be gentle with him, which is something that is very close to my heart. I'm so SO thankful for her, and I'm absolutely elated to be able to worship again with my husband (really...it's been a long time, folks).

I can't forget to mention LC! She cries almost every Sunday when we hand her off, but *most* of her tears are dried when we pick her up (and there is the sweetest girl that plays with her in the nursery every week).

I have yet to meet the pastor, or really introduce myself to anyone else (let alone join a Life Group), but just to be in that space, worshiping and feeling secure is more than enough. We are truly blessed.