oh so far

I need to take a minute for a Matthew update. I'd have previously titled something like this post an "OT update" but we no longer need therapy. We are no longer bound by chains that bind us.... we've made such progress. We still have a long way to go. There are still tears and trials, but my we've made such progress...

If someone looked at Matthew today… and saw him eating pepperoni and sausage pizza with carrots in ranch and with strawberry cheesecake pie for dessert… that person would never believe that two years ago… he was only eating bacon and croutons and granola bars each and every day for each and every meal.   We no longer bring “Matthew’s food” with us when we go places.  We know we can order chicken nuggets or fingers wherever we go. We know we can find potatoes or fries most any place.  We know that he’ll at least TRY something because we’ve established good habits.

I am not sure I can even list all the new foods that Matthew can eat at this point. He’s come so so far. So far. We’ve started something a while back called “Try it Tuesday” and the kids (both Mark and Matthew) understand that we’re going to try something new and you can get your “own” food when you’ve tried it.  Gagging doesn’t get you out of trying it. You get to try another bite.  Matthew has become a pro at this. He doesn’t like it. But we’ve past by the crying, gagging, whining about it for the most part.  On some past Try it Tuesdays, he’s tried grits (we’ve done that a couple times actually, be/c breakfast is a fun dinner), we’ve tried different kinds of pasta dinners, chicken cooked with rice, Chinese fried rice and chicken, or it might be a new vegetable, etc…   he doesn’t have to eat the whole plate… just one bite. And we’re learning what he likes and what he doesn’t like this way. It’s been a good adventure.  And my favorite and best part of dinner is when I don’t have to make multiple meals… we can all eat pancakes, eggs and bacon. we can all eat spaghetti and crescent rolls. we can all eat paprika chicken with corn and potatoes. THIS has been the most rewarding part—making our dinners a happy time without challenge or fuss. He can eat spaghetti without too much trouble. Still doesn’t like mac and cheese, but okay. He can eat almonds, peanuts, pecans, walnuts… He can eat a strawberry or two without moaning. He still shakes when he eats blueberries but I think that’s just a game at this point now. He can eat about five blueberries. Main fruits are still grapes, apples and bananas. He’s okay with pears and melon but doesn’t prefer them. Same for mandarin orange slices.   He can eat a bite of lettuce (one leaf) dipped in ranch – that’s actually our next project to see if we can build him up to three bites and then five and then a small salad!  We’re still only at one bite of peas and one green bean at a time, but that’s something. He does fine with corn. He also doesn’t like cooked carrot—again mushy—but does great with raw.  He eats cornbread, rolls, biscuits, muffins. He eats cheese… he even ate a grilled cheese about two weeks ago for the first time!!! He is more willing to try foods now. It’s amazing. It's just amazing. Matthew has come so far. oh so far. 

Thank you Lord Jesus, for bringing Matthew -- and all of us-- out of the bondage we were in because of food. Thank you for rescuing us from that place of hard ache and torture. Thank you for growing us all. Thank you for the trials Lord, and for bringing us to the new morning through the storm. 

This morning, Matthew was singing "Oh no You never let go, through the calm and through the storm. Oh no You never let go in every high and every low. Oh no You never let go!"  .... How true that is. How blessed we are. What a peace You Oh Lord have given us that we've come oh so far.