This picture is from May last year. Jake was ten. When I look at this picture I see my little boy becoming a tween. And I guess that makes me more than a little sad. Life is difficult for an autistic, even someone high functioning like Jake. He has always face life's difficulties with that smile but I don't see it as much these days and fear I will see it less in years to come. I suspect that his teen years will be especially difficult as he struggles to adjust to the changing social rules of his peers. The truth is, a large part of me wishes he would stay a little boy forever. That way I could always look over and protect him. I guess a lot of parents go through this but I didn't really feel this way with the older boys so it's new to me. Keep smiling, Bubber. You are still my hero.
You know why he'll be fine? Because he knows he has you. Seriously, he has his dad's love and he knows it. I know that he KNOWS that because it has shown in all of your pictures. He is protected by that knowledge of your love.
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