From a 10 Year Olds View

My sweet Kaelyn

So I couldn't get Kaelyn to actually type her own words for her guest appearance in blogging. She said "it would take me forever to type anything out." So I thought I'd save her the stress and type her story out for her and add some of my thoughts.

Kaelyn was asked to write a personal narrative for class a while back. The catch is it had to have something learned in the process. She has never been into writing. It is very hard for her. So when she showed us her story it really brought tears to our eyes. I think it was a breath of fresh air during a time of stress.

My Brother Can Be Difficult but I Love Him

It was the first week of school and I was excited to go back. I met my teacher and she seemed really cool. The week had been going good except Thursday was great. That was the day I found out I love my little brother.

I was waiting for my mom to pick me up from school. She was really late. When I got home it was really boring. I told my mom I was bored and she said, “Well Kaelyn, you can vacuum, clean your room or make your bed”.

“Mom, I don’t want to do any of those things”, I said.

So I went to my room. When I got there apparently TJ got in trouble and mom told him to go to his room. We share a room so TJ came in crying. When he came in I remembered I should pick up stuff for my mom. I told TJ to get out and he yelled “NO!”

I let TJ stay in the room. We started to listen to music, dance, jump on the bed and make silly faces. It was really fun. I learned that day that I love my brother and that he is not that bad.

Kaelyn Worst, 10 yrs old. 9-30-10

As you can tell Kaelyn has such a big heart. She at times has more patience than her mommy and daddy. ;) Tj will go to her upset and she loves him despite how hard things can be.

A few weeks back a local radio station that we listen to was asking what our memorable kid story was. So I logged on Face Book and wrote under their status this: 

 "We have four children and our youngest is 4 years old and has autism. He is a lot of work and we often worry about the girls as they grow up with a sibling with special needs. Our 10 year old wrote a paper for school titled "My Brother can be Difficult but I Love Him". It was beautiful and captured her ideas on what it's like and that she has compassion and is always trying to understand him. Talk about an incredible moment reading those words. A "Story" we will NEVER forget."

At the time I posted this I did not have her story and couldn't exactly remember what she said. We talked about the paper the night I read it and I was really proud of the things she said about TJ. She is learning so much as all the girls are.

I received a message later that day from one of the DJ's from HOPE 107.9 saying that they made Kaelyn their Friday Kids Day "Big Town Hero of the Week". She won $40 in BTH gift certificates. She was so shocked when I called and told her she won. She now enjoys writing so much more.
I thanked them for honoring our sweet girl as she learns compassion for special needs children and learns to love her brother even when he hits, kicks, screams, and runs off constantly.

How beautiful as a mom to see that we are doing the best we can in our situation, a situation that so many families are faced with as autism is still so early in it's research and the numbers keep rising. God has been good and we trust Him in all that we are faced with.

 

 The views of autism are much different from a child's point of view. We are so blessed to have been keeping the communication open with the girls. It is far from fair as TJ takes so much out of us but the girls love him and are such huge helpers. So today I honor my sweet Kaelyn. She is so beautiful, loving, caring, and compassionate. Her prayers for her family and friends have blossomed as well and it brings us to tears to see how God is using their little hearts to serve HIM, our GOD.

 

As we approach Thanksgiving I am set on focusing on all things beautiful and what I need to remember to be thankful for. When faced with adversity it's easy to be down in the dumps and focus on the stress, the negatives and the insensitivity that is out there. 

 

This moms heart if filled with joy as I watch my oldest live up to her role and part in this family. She is incredible!!!