{future}

This afternoon I was handed a hot cocoa from Starbucks. My favorite. The cup had the following quote...

Every 20 minutes – less time than it will take you to drink your coffee – another child is diagnosed with autism. It’s much more common than people think, with one out of every 150 children diagnosed. Learn the early warning signs of autism, and if you’re concerned about your child’s development, talk to your doctor. Early intervention could make a big difference in your child’s future.

-- Bob Wright Former chairman and CEO of NBC/Universal, cofounder of Autism Speaks

The kick here is that the person who brought me the hot cocoa is the mother of an amazing little girl that has opened my eyes to so much.

For nearly 10 years I dealt with banged up cars & money hungry attorneys. And now I don't. Now I have toys and, occasionally, sippy cups on my desk. I take breaks from number crunching to have a 10 year old show me yarn tricks. My wrist pad often becomes a snake, with a label tongue & all. My last task of the day is to pick up legos.

And all the while, I'm learning things. Things about children that are not typical, but are none the less amazing. In the few months I've been in this new environment, I've seen children come so far. Little things.... like M walking on her heels & not her toes. Big things... like A accepting a hug without crying.

I'm rambling now... I could go on about ways to help children with Autism and how a cure could be so close. But really, educate yourself & question things that don't seem right with your child. Early intervention, early treatments, they mean so much for these kids.

Sadly, I won't have the same interaction with these kids for much longer. My promotion is taking me away from 'my' kids & putting me in a different office. Other kids, but not 'mine'. I'll miss Miss M & her 'oh dear' comments, J's humming (albeit annoying at times), N's attempts to scare me and of course, hearing 'See ya later shorty shorty!' every time C leaves. Seriously, best kids (besides the one I gave birth to of course!) that I've ever had the pleasure of getting to know & I can't wait to see the impact they make on the world in the future.