I was sitting in the waiting room at Colin’s school today, just reading a book. I heard a familiar voice – but no, it couldn’t be!
As the voice walked out of the building, I said, “Is that Danielle?!”
Yes, it was!
Here’s a cool story for you…
We live about 45 minutes away from Colin’s ABA school. Fun fact, though: we used to live in that very town where he goes to school. We lived there for about six and half years. We moved “back home” (where we grew up) when Colin was about three months old. So that, in itself, is kind of ironic that we ended up right back there for him to get therapy every single day.
When we lived there, we had an amazing church family. Making the decision to move back home was hard because we knew we would miss the people and would never find another group of people like that. Danielle and her family were some of those special people that we hated to leave…
Danielle was the director of the nursery department at our church. Back in the day, Finley was a needy baby. He did not like being left in the nursery during church. So, Danielle would end up carrying him around with her as she walked from class to class, taking attendance and whatnot. He was happy as a clam as long as Danielle carried him around with her! Danielle’s daughters were also part of the youth group/children’s department that Curtis and I worked with. Her oldest was one of the first kids that I really connected with as a youth leader. (And she is graduating high school this year…#ImOld)
So I got the chance to catch up with Danielle. She was meeting with the director of Colin’s school to coordinate some community outreach programs. Danielle runs a program for special needs kids and their families through the church.
After she left, I sat and thought about how ironic it was that she would be there today….but I was wrong. It wasn’t ironic at all! Nothing about our autism journey has been ironic or happenstance. God is planning it all!
I mean, how crazy is it that someone who was so important to us in our early years as parents would resurface now, five years later, as she is also involved in the autism community?! It made me realize this: the people who are meant to be in your life, well, they will be there. God will make sure that everyone is right where they are meant to be.
I could tell you so many stories of how my connection to this person or that person ultimately led us to where we are now…and today was just another reminder for me: we are right where God wants us to be.
They say your past comes back to haunt you, but in my case today, my past was gladly reunited with my present! It might sound silly, but I felt like things came full-circle. Like a connection was made from my “pre-autism life” to my “currently all about autism” life. Like everything -particularly relationships- in my life truly has been in preparation for us to end up right here, smack dab in the middle of this autism journey. God has been preparing us for this for a long time. He has been putting all the right people in the right places at the right times! It really is amazing when you think about it!!
And thank you, Danielle, for all that you do. You take your job seriously, and you are amazing at it. Not only are you reaching and teaching these kids the most important lessons in life, but you are reaching out and helping families who are often overlooked. Families who probably need help more than anyone!! Keep doing what you are doing, because I know that you are reaching more hearts than you will ever know! The special needs community is being so blessed by your efforts and love!