The past three weeks have been terrific ones for Daniel. He passed his driver’s test (with less nerves than I felt as his mom). He attended two weeks of full day comedy camp and put on a wonderful show with his fellow classmates. He went to bed on time each night on his own, got up easily and drove himself to and from camp. He went straight to his room each night to regenerate but he LOVED the camp. In most camps Daniel has done in the past, I have had to pick him up early or he has gone a few days and been overwhelmed and not finished the week. But this time, he finished two whole weeks! These are huge milestones for him. I am so thankful God is showing both Daniel and me that there are amazing things Daniel can do. He is overcoming and excelling. Wow!

He has missed church for a few weeks due to his need to recharge with some alone time after camp but he wanted to go to Sunday School and church this past Sunday. We arrived as usual and I dropped him off in the big entryway area where the teens gather before dispersing for their Sunday School classes. I went to my class upstairs and left him to his own devices. A few minutes after class started, I looked outside the room and saw Daniel standing there looking concerned. I excused myself and went out to talk to him. He told me that he was a little overwhelmed with all the kids and all the noise. He didn’t remember where his class met and didn’t see any of the kids from his class. I told him I was surprised that he was overwhelmed since he had been doing so well. He answered profoundly, “Mom, no matter how much I overpower it and push past it, I still have two disorders, you know” (ADHD and Aspergers). Another wow! I gladly indulged this wise truth and invited him to come to my Sunday School class. He came and really enjoyed it. He even asked if he could continue to come to my class and my kind Sunday School class teacher told him he was always welcome. It is a pretty laid back class and he enjoyed the humor, the people, and the lesson.

I am so very thankful that the Lord is at work in Daniel’s life. He is growing and maturing and learning so much about himself and the world around him. I am so thankful to see the self-awareness, and thus other-awareness, growing. It is so nice to have such hopeful signs in our life. Way to go, Daniel.

~ Brooke