“What a great morning,” I thought as I got to hold and feed the cutest little 3 week old baby boy. There is nothing quite like holding a newborn.  The little sounds they make, the softness of their skin… enough to make the cares of the world melt away. The hope and promise of a new life. The dreams of what will be are magical.

Freddie, Ethan and I then rush off to pick Ansley up from school. We would be a little early, but I prefer it that way.

It is amazing how God can line things up. The timing was perfect. A Deputy Sheriff waved us down in the neighborhood as we were passing by him. We stopped and backed up to see what he needed. He was looking for the POA office. We told him where it was, but offered to let him follow us as we were sort of going that way. He did follow us. We were going to drive away, but he rolled down his window and began to talk. It strangely felt like talking with an old friend. He seemed so familiar. Maybe it was because we are in the same type of family.

“My grandson has autism too.” His frankness and intuition caught me off guard. Many times, when Ethan is quiet, people don’t know. This gentleman has lived it, so his ‘autism radar’ picked it up. We listed to his story. We listened to his pain and his love for his grandson. His story was so heartfelt and sincere. It took all I could do to keep the tears from falling. I could see Freddie nodding his head as his listened, but I couldn’t look Freddie in the eye at this point as I knew I would cry.  So I listened to the Deputy and wished with all my heart that my Dad were still alive to know Ethan.

He let Ethan lean in his car and turn on the blue lights. I took pictures so Ethan could see how super cool he looked with the Deputy Sheriff (although he insisted on calling him a Police Officer). We gave him our contact information as we hope to keep in touch.

The timing had to have been perfect for the conversation we had today. Things that Freddie and I just discussed yesterday, the Deputy may have given us answers to, although he doesn’t know it. How perfectly God planned out this day. We may have our way, but God will always have a better way.

“If I didn’t have Jesus Christ, I would have never made it through this,” he said. I agree. Through the toughest of times, we too can look back and see how God worked it all out.

God has consistently brought people into our life that has encouraged us along this autism journey. Words of hope, love, and victory for the boy we love so dearly. Today, it was a Deputy Sheriff that waved us down on the road, looking for directions. Today, we were reminded that God has not forgotten us and our journey. God reminded us we are not alone in this. God reminded us, he sees it all and will stay with us on this journey.

**May God continue to watch over and Bless the Law Enforcement Personnel that risk their lives every day for us**

Deuteronomy 31:6- Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”