Picture This

I'm swimming lazily on my back in the pool. There is no one else in it but me and my son and he is on the other side practicing bouncing on his toes in the 3 1/2 feet section. The cumulus clouds are blinding white against the intense azure of the sky, framed in my view by the tall pines and oaks that surround the pool. The only sounds are the drone of the cicadas and a family of squirrels scampering through the trees. Dragonflies occasionally swoop down for a drink or to light on my toes. I stop swimming and look across the pool at my son who is happily doing the breastroke all on his own. He has a big smile on his face as he blows water through the space in his teeth in one big stream. He is my little otter. "Having fun?," I ask as I get out and towel off . I spray sunscreen all over my body and set the lounge chair to the reclined position and relax, a word that has been foreign to me until now.

I see we have been swimming for 2 hours. Lib had his last swim lesson of the summer this morning, in which he learned to go in the deep end to swim, and to jump from the side. A sudden and loud crack of rumbling thunder causes me to jump. I look up and see the clouds have morphed into huge billowing towers of puffy white thunderheads. I like to imagine as I look at them that I can actually hear them blow up, like the swoosh of hot air balloons. We are heading toward out traditional late summer afternoon of thundershowers and I am in love with the day. August is my birth month and it is special to me not only because it is my father's birth month, too, but August is the time for hummingbirds sipping at the feeders, the change of light that turns into liquid gold in the afternoon, and the spectacular tapestry of mixed sun and clouds.

This summer has been my first taste of freedom in seven years. The fact that Liberty can now swim on his own, and that we have something we can share together that is beneficial to both of us is a miracle. I have gotten much needed exercise. He has developed muscle tone and confidence. I can't remember the last time I spent so much time in a pool - maybe not since I was a child myself. It's been so much fun.

There has been an unexpected and welcome benefit as well: Lib is starting to say words. Even two-word phrases slip out now and again. The other day, after a long day with my family, I told him we were going to pack up and go. He said, "Well, good!"

We are starting chelation soon. I know I have said it before, but we had to start over again. The diet- cleaner. The bowels - moving. The supplements - tweaked. All food cooked from scratch. Exhausting, but moving ever toward better health and Lib's current state I feel is testament to all of the hard work we have done. Now, the metals we will address soon and see what happens.

In the meantime, my dear friend Michelle, sent me this wonderful article today that has inspired new hope in me. It is written by Wendy Fournier, president of the National Autism Association. Her daughter Aly has been non-verbal since her vaccinations. But...she began speaking at the age of nine! There is a video you can watch of Aly verbally identifying all of the letters of the alphabet.

You can read about Aly and watch it over here.

Hope. It's what I'm all about these days.