HAWAIIAN SON-RISE: Ka'eo Jr's Journey Out of Autism
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Through the Eyes of an Angel

4/27/2014

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Earlier today, I went into Ka'eo Jr's Son-Rise Program Playroom to clean up before our next volunteer came to play with Ka'eo Jr. I noticed Ka'eo Jr had scattered some of his board books in the middle of the floor. I gathered them together and noticed they didn't close tight anymore because he'd bent some of the pages.

When I picked up these books, I noticed the books looked like the one in this photo...just another board book that Ka'eo Jr had started to "destroy" bending the pages this way and that.

"Oh well...they're his books..." I thought briefly as I put them back up on the shelf.

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Later today, our volunteer came out of his session with Ka'eo Jr and said, "wow, it's so cool how he bends his books like that!" I looked at him with a puzzled face..."what do you mean?"

"I mean the way he bends every page to make that pattern," he said. Then he handed me a Blue's Clues board book and said, "I noticed he bends them, and then looks at them from the side like this."

I held up the book and I was blown away by the amazing beauty Ka'eo Jr had created with this simple children's book! It looked like so many beautiful things in the world: a peacock, a Japanese fan, the light reflecting in it looked like a star, even a beautiful palace...

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I took it to the window to take a picture of it and then I noticed even more beauty coming from its sillouette against the Hawaiian evening sky.

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Our angel is such a miracle. He sees and experiences our world in such a different than we do. We are so blessed to have him in our lives. I'm grateful that we, and everyone else on Team Ka'eo Jr, has learned to look at him and everything he does through "Son-Rise Eyes" meaning without assumptions or judgements, with open minds and full of love.

Thanks to God, Ka'eo Jr is our greatest teacher.

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HAPPY EASTER!

4/20/2014

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This Easter, we remembered that Christ died on the cross for our sins and rose again to join our Father in Heaven.  We are so humbled and grateful for God’s blessings in our lives.  Ka’eo Jr is truly an angel sent to us to save our family.  He’s taught us so many amazing lessons.  

For years after he was “supposed to”, Ka’eo Jr didn’t speak a single word…he couldn’t ever sit still…he wouldn’t look into the camera for any length of time…his skin was so sensitive that he couldn’t tolerate wearing anything on his head…he spent 99% of his days aloof, in his own world, disconnected from us in our world…

There is no word that describes his journey better than a “MIRACLE”…in this video Ka’eo Jr is present, he’s sitting with us, he’s looking at the camera, he’s wearing bunny ears, he’s responsive to our requests, and he even says “Happy Easter!”  

Not only have our lives been blessed by Ka’eo’s amazing journey, but God has also given us 2 more angels, Koali’i and Maraya.   

GOD IS GOOD, ALL THE TIME…and…ALL THE TIME, GOD IS GOOD.
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BELIEVE IN SMALL MIRACLES (Matthew 17:20)

4/17/2014

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Today was filled with small amazing miracles!!! Ka'ēo Jr said "playground" so we went running hand in hand and chased birds TOGETHER! Later he said "walk" to me and we went on a walk TOGETHER and chased geckos...and then EACH OTHER!Three times he looked at me with a smile and said "tickle mommy" as we walked hand in hand on this gorgeous Hawaiian spring day! THREE TIMES!!! He responded to EVERYTHING I said to him. Then...when we went back to the house he immediately pulled me into his playroom and asked me to play hide and seek with him which we played for over 20 minutes! TWENTY MINUTES!!! And get this folks...when I said it was his turn to hide...HE DID IT!!!!

These accomplishments may seem small to most...but they are huge to me because they come from a child who was soooooo UNREACHABLE a few years ago.  A child who appeared deaf and blind and stuck in his own world.  A child who pushed people away and could not say a single word.   And now...wow. I am speechless.  Thank you Jesus for every small miracle I witnessed with my special angel today.
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A Dream Come True

4/5/2014

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For what seemed like forever Ka'ēo Jr had the hardest time naming the people around him. People with autism are described as being "being in their own world" and seeking predictability and sameness. They are drawn to objects rather than people because objects are controllable and people are not. My son could communicate his wants and label objects and things in a book easily. He just could not label people. We tried making posters and albums and photo cards in the past but he just could not get the concept that people had names. 
I finally let go of being attached to him doing this. I never let go of my want for this but decided it was okay if he never did it...that I knew he loved me and knew that I was his mommy even if he never called me "mommy." I believe in him and held on to the dream that someday...when he was ready...he'd do it. 

Yesterday my dream came true! He asked for me 3 times yesterday!!!! THREE TIMES!!!His Auntie Anna, Uncle Danny and his Daddy all told me he asked for me by saying "Mommy" on his own!!! Then when I went in his playroom to say goodnight he looked at me and said "Mommy" all on his own!!!! No prompting or requesting! I then brought down some pictures and taped them to the wall and he named every person!!! "Anna, Daddy, Koa, Mommy, Kathleen ("Katy"), Danny ("Annie" - lol)" and then smiled at me...I pointed to my face and he said "MOMMY!!!" then ran into my arms giggling!! I cheered and gave him a zillion kisses!!!! Wow. He did it!!! Sigh...

THANK. YOU. GOD!!!
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Ka'eo Kissed His Sister!

4/3/2014

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Ka'ēo Jr has come a long way when it comes to his awareness of the people around him. When his little brother Koa was born he was so aloof that he didn't even acknowledge his baby brother's existence! It wasn't until Koa was 20 months old that Ka'ēo Jr began to "see" him. Now fast forward to today...here he is kissing his baby sister Maraya, helping me change her diaper (he hands me a diaper from the drawer and opens it up...and even identifies the Sesame Street characters on them)...and then when asked - he identifies his eyes and her nose too! So sweet...
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    Authors

    Jackie and Ka'eo Griffin Sr. are the authors of this blog.  We want to recourd our journey with our first born son, Ka'eo Jr, as we work together towards his recovery from autism.  Mahalo for reading.  Please share your thoughts with us!

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