unexpected answers

This week has been a week full of unexpected answers to prayers and beautiful moments that just last week I thought wouldn't happen, or at least not for a long time anyway. It started on Tuesday, when Josh decided that the battle for potty training wasn't worth fighting anymore, and though we have had many accidents we have had more successes than failures and hope is renewed that my child won't be the only one in kindergarten wearing diapers. I can't really express to you the weight that it's lifted, the fighting that is now over was wearing me down, and the joy I feel when I see him trying so hard without yelling 'NO' at me eases a burden that I have been carrying for some time now. I was joking last night with some friends that I have no one to share my excitement about this with, that every time we have pee in the potty and yes even poo in the potty I want to call someone and let them know, and yet who would care? So, I bbm Tim, and let him know... 'pee' or 'poo' and I know that it's received with a great amount of relief and maybe also with a touch of 'do you really need to bbm me at work for this?'. This I suppose is the life of a stay at home mother.  (and yes, I do realize you probably don't care to hear about his potty issues either so I won't continue on with it.) :D

The other unexpected answer to prayer has come with Josh's communication. I see him every day, I hear all his words and I rarely see the great strides he is making. It often falls on other people who haven't seen him in awhile to mention 'he's doing really well' for me to see it. However, this week as we were driving to school and I sat listening to Josh in the back seat of the car I realized he's had an explosion of language in the last week. He's using feeling words, he's telling me about his day when I ask instead of just repeating back to me what I ask him. The other night he told me 'Josh eat popcorn' when I asked what he did at school, and sure enough when I asked his teacher the following day, he had indeed eaten popcorn. I was thrilled with this new development because finally I am hearing from him, I am able to communicate with him on a new level. He walks around the house spelling his name constantly, and counting everything he can (he can get to thirteen now without difficulty).

Suddenly I am seeing the fruits of so much labor and my heart is light, my shoulders less tight, my hope renewed. With Christmas so close I can't help but think that maybe God isn't giving me a Christmas present of the best kind; a chance to talk with my son.