Thankful to have moved to a new chapter

I have a lot to give thanks for today, though one of the biggest things will not be discussed around the dinner table. But, she'll be sitting right there, surrounded by her brother, sister, two adoring cousins and the rest of the family.

I have written a little about what went on this spring and summer, when my vibrant oldest child suddenly stopped eating after getting sick in public with another friend's family. But, those months seem almost surreal now.

From a fear of food making her sick again, it became a fear of being away from me, and then a fear of leaving the house. It was sudden, shocking, sometimes violent and very scary.

We were lucky, though. We were able to get good help fast, help that is still there to talk to when we need it. We were able to put a common, much less scary name on it: Anxiety.

I have come to understand that her anxiety is probably like the anxiety that bubbles up in me far too often, but as a child, she doesn't know how to cope with it as well as I (or perhaps I have just found less visible signs of coping: grinding teeth, pacing, crying while driving so the kids can't see, shutting down to everyone around me when I need to focus, focus, focus or the world will spin out of control.)

Things are not "back to normal", though who knows what normal is anymore? But, I do know that she can eat again. She will play with friends. She laughs and explores and runs and tells funny stories, and I'm pretty sure anyone who sees her now would never know how tough things were in the middle of the year.

For all of this, I am so very thankful.

May you have much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving as well.