ARFID JOURNEY WEEK 7 (Nov 2020)

We have begun our countdown for returning home. David comes on Sunday the sixth for his training. Mason will have his graduation ceremony on the 11th and we will be driving home on the 12th. We are so excited that the end is in sight.

Mason has not had to tube feed last week. That is a victory. He is taking all meals by mouth and even his nutritional supplement. He even wants to snack on something besides french fries and asked for apple slices at McDonald’s. All of these are small steps in the right direction.

Last week was very hard on me. I am by nature a peacemaker and do not like confrontation. It would be much easier for me to give in to Mason but they are working with me to train me on how to defuse his negotiations and anger. It is very difficult to sit through a meal while your child is shouting that he hates you or while you see him struggle with something that should be so simple. I have put boundaries in place so this doesn’t happen again, but this is my reality. Mason’s anxiety is high. Simple foods stress him out. What he will eat today, throws him for a loop tomorrow. He’s always looking for an angle to negotiate not eating something. 

This reminds me of my own sinful nature and God‘s love for me, in spite of myself. I do not always believe God has my best interest at heart. I do not believe that the struggle that I am currently entering is for my own good. I yell and scream at God in anger because I cannot control the situation. But God loves me and Mason. He is willing to endure because he knows the outcome and I must do the same. I know that this is in Mason’s best interest. I love him and I know the outcome is for his own good. It is not easy. It is not going to be easy but the best things in life are often the hardest to persevere. 

So please continue to pray. Pray for strength. Pray for mercy. Pray for traveling safety for David as he comes to Michigan next weekend. Pray for protection from Covid and finally pray for our journey home.