In August 2011, our daughter Aster was diagnosed with a severe speech disorder, and was recently confirmed as having Apraxia**. At the age of two and a half she could only say fifteen words. At the age of three she could barely say five, and those five were very hard to understand.
We didn’t know what the future held; we just knew we’d been praying and waiting for two years to hear her precious voice. And now it was diminishing. I was in shock. And honestly my heart broke a little more each day for the first several weeks.
I knew God was in control and that He could completely heal her. But my mommy-heart hopes and dreams for hearing my little girl’s voice were shattered. And my world turned upside down for a while.
When we shared our story on Facebook and at some speaking events, many of you spoke hope, grace and truth over our hearts. You comforted us with your prayers and claimed God’s promises over our little girl.
Aster has been going to speech therapy two times each week for six months. Her progress has been very slow. In January we discovered her two year molars never formed enamel so a little over a week ago she had surgery, and little silver crowns were put on them.
What happened next was almost miraculous! The crowns must have relieved severe pain we didn’t know about because she couldn’t tell us. And she never indicated it either. (Her pain threshold is incredible!) Her progress in the past ten days has been amazing. Then last weekend, when they came to get me from the airport after a speaking event, Aster started babbling a ton.
So, I got out my iPhone, turned it to where she could see herself when it was filming and we witness a break-through on camera!! Here’s a sweet little peak into God’s faithfulness! {Note, she had never done this before!}
I can’t help but celebrate the “good things HE planned long ago” for a little girl who needed a family to help her find her voice – and for a family who needed a little girl to help them experience the depth of God’s love!
Thank you Lord for the gift of our precious little Ethiopian princess!
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Very exciting to learn of the progress that she has made!!!!
I AM CRYING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Love you both!
I was saddened to hear about Aster and then blessed to see what God could do. Aster is a blessing to you as you are a blessing to her. Keep up the good work Aster. You are truly blessed.
Girls I have to share this: Psalm 57:7 NLT
“My heart is confident in you, O God; my heart is confident. No wonder I can sing your praises!” This is the Air1 radio verse of the day.
Today I got my AS degree in the mail. This is the mother of 4 (ages 16-21). My oldest daughter will get her AS in May (actually two: one is Diesel and the other is Welding).
Go forth and concur with courage knowing that the light is in front the shadow of death is behind you.
Renee,
Special needs kids are such blessings from above. Our God created them beautifully!!! My son has speech apraxia. God has had me take many steps of faith in the journey and He has it all under control. Since you have an iPad there are tons of applications as you know out there. Embrace it and love every precious moment and celebrate every mile stone…you will be amazed at God’s hand. My daughter who is older also has special needs with Sensory Processing Disorder (to the level of borderline autism) God has moved in her life since her premature birth and my child who stands before me at 7 is an incredible testimony to God’s grace, love, care, and direction and miraculous power. And to just encourage your heart my son 6 months ago said no words complete and at 2-1/2 he had just only begun to babble like a much younger baby (only like 5 1 syllable like ma da and sis and he had fits of rage and many behaviors to the level we thought he was autistic..he tested at 6 month old level at 2-1/2 years and that was barely) and now he is talking in sentences at home and in familiar settings and working hard on so many words I cannot keep up with his progress. And his behaviors and fits of rage have almost vanished. Pray and go with the resources God puts in your hand for your sweet girl!!!
..God’s love SHINES through you in this video Renee….
I join the team of saints who are lifting precious Aster to the Lord!
Also, I am praying for you and the whole family….
May God receive ALL the GLORY!
YEAH for Aster! 🙂 I, too, am a Mom of a daughter who had moderate verbal Apraxia. Good for you to get early speech therapy. That beautiful girl has lots and lots to say, I can see it in her eyes just by watching this brief post. My Ryleigh is now 12 years old and has come a long way. She has been blessed with, can you believe, a BEAUTIFUL singing voice and uses it ALL the time! It truly amazes me to hear her karaoke and watch the expressions of others around us too. At one time, my little girl had created her own “sign language” to be able to communicate with others because we could not understand her. How Awesome is Our GOD!!!! Sing Aster and Ryeigh, sing!!!!
Does my heart good to see this video! 🙂
As a speech pathologist myself, I wanted to jump in the car with you and get to work on her awesome progress, But obviously Aster has a very capable team including her therapist her parents, family and herself. Hang in there, it will work and God bless you all.
This was precious and my daughter and I enjoyed it…God works ALL things for good…my 5 year old was waving because she thought Aster could see us too, like Skype…too cute!
Authorine says
March 12, 2012
Aster! A beautiful love child. I pray that God will continue to bless her, and that her speech will continue to improve. Renee, thank you for sharing with us this special report of God good work. Joy and peace to you and your family.Give Aster a kiss for me.
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God Bless!
Thank you for Blessing us with his Precious Video.Your Daughter Aster is Heaven sent she is a Specail Gift from Heaven.And I Pray that God uses her in His Kingdom to be a witness for others that need to see the Power of God’s Love for His Children.I read Elizabeth George books.And in her book A Mom After God’s Own Heart it saids The Soul of a child is the loveliest flower that grows in the garden of God.This si sooooooo true,As Moms we have to Pray over our babies and [PSALM 121:5-8]Is a Prayer to Pray over them.I raised a Grandson that was not able to talk when he came to live with us and we had to learn sing Laungage so we could Commuicate.We went through the Babies can’t wait Program with Christopher.He was 1 when we got him and we had to grow together.It takes Prayer God’s Strength His Patience and a Heart after God’s own heart to raise a special Child. Christopher now is 5 and He Loves the Lord he still has speech problems but he has come a long way. Weve had in in school since 3 years old.And I know that God has A Plan A Purpose and A Will for each of our Lives.You are that Parent that God sent this Little Blessing so that some day she can be All God Called her to be.Many Blessed years ahead for you and Your Beautiful Daughter.Praying God’s Love and Peace and Prosperity on your family.Your Friend and Sister in Christ.
Renee, What a precious daughter you have!! AS a former foster parent, this just warms my heart! You were obediant and have opened the world up for Aster. I know how it works, in turn for you blessing Aster’s life, God is blessing yours!!
As I watched this video, I also had on Pandora. So, as I watched you and Aster interact and work on her speech…I hear the lyrics, ” Like a rose trampled on the ground, you thought of me above all!” Brought tears to me eyes! 🙂
God bless you and I look forward to more updates on precious Asters progress!
~b
LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My son’s speech development was slow and he has been going to speech therapy once a week for over a year now. He went from a 3-year-old that spoke one and two-word sentences to babbling on about everything under the sun in 6 months! He is still unable to make the “t” or “g” sounds, and I have worried over this a lot. Through your Confident Heart study, I have officially turned over this issue (and so many others!) to God and am trusting in Him fully to take care of the rest of my little one’s speech difficulties. God is good and faithful, and you will probably be able to hear me YELLING AND SINGING PRAISES all the way from Texas the first time I hear that precious boy say his brother’s name correctly for the first time (my youngest is Carter–and my oldest says his name as “Tarter.”) 🙂
I forgot to mention that my oldest is now 4 1/2 🙂
Dear Renee: She is such a precious child of God’s. How blessed she is to have you as you are to have her. May our Great Physician continue to let those sweet sounds ring from her lips. Thank you for all that you do for God’s people by sharing the Word.
I was truly blessed by this video. A precious reminder that nothing is impossible for God and that He is faithful to put those people in our lives to help us achieve the goals He has planned for our lives. He gave Aster a mommy and daddy to love her and to help her find her voice and her place in God’s kingdom. Thanks for sharing!
This touched my heart, Renee. How very precious! Thanks for sharing this. I’m so grateful your family took in this special child to love and to help find her voice.
How precious! I have an adopted sister-in-law and I heard this poem once and loved it:
“Not flesh of my flesh
Nor bone of my bone,
But still miraculously my own.
Never forget for a single minute,
You didn’t grow under my heart,
But in it..”
I love how God works! His plans are more wonderful than we could ever imagine. So thankful that He brought little Aster into your life and you into her’s. Such a blessing!!
This is so wonderful. I know why you love her so and I am so excited about what God has planned for her life…Thanks for sharing
Thank you for sharing! What a wonderful example of all God is doing in her! It is so good to see God working in our children and answering the prayers we have for them! They each are so special to Him and He has a special purpose and plan for each of them! Praise the Lord for the mighty works He is doing in your beautiful little girl!