Getting Pizza, Winning at Life

Success comes in all forms and ways. Last week, success came to our family at a pizza place.

One evening, I gave myself the night off cooking and decided to order a pizza. Jaycee had just finished her medications when I was about to leave to pick up our dinner.

While helping Jaycee off of her airway clearance machine, I asked her, "Do you want to go get the pizza with me?"

She smiled and signed "pizza." That was a yes.

We loaded into the van and made the short drive. Along the way, I gave her my usual reminders, "We are going to get pizza. We are going to eat it at home with your daddy and bubby. We are just picking up the pizza. We are NOT eating at the restaurant. We are eating it at home."

I said this at least twice during the drive and again right before we exited the van.

We walked into the pizza place. Jaycee stood right next to me as we gave our name and paid for our order. Pizza in hand, we then walked out the door and made our way back to the van.

And then I took a second and thanked God for progress.

You see, a few years ago, this would have never happened.

Back then, Jaycee would have walked into the restaurant and veered off to the table that she considers "hers." She would have sat down. Despite me telling her that we were leaving, she would have persisted to sit. I would have paid for the pizza and returned to Jaycee who would still be at the table. I would have showed her the pizzas and reminded her we were eating at home. She would have gotten upset. She might have refused to get up. I may have had to physically lift her from the seat and help her towards the door while juggling the pizza. We would have made a scene. She would be mad and confused. I would be frustrated and stressed. Even though I tried to warn her to prevent this from happening, her limited speech and intellectual disability made it hard for her to understand.

But that was then.....

Thank God for progress! Thank God that Jaycee is understanding and maturing. Thank God I can get a pizza without stress now.

That's a win for us!