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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I have trudged through Apraxia for the past 12 years, and I’m here to tell you that I KNOW how your mothers heart feels. Simon has had thousands of hours of speech, camps, assessments, testing, and through it all he has shown me so much more than words ever could. We are at the point of being “released” from speech, and though that is cause for celebration, there are so many other things I worry about. When my heart feels heavy, I rest assured knowing Simon was wonderfully made and is who he is supposed to be….to us, to Christ, to our family. If I can offer you anything by ways of answering questions, lending an ear, or simply lifting you up in prayer….please know I will, and am. When your heart is weary, place your hope for tomorrow in His hands, they’ll never let you go. Blessings to you and your sweet girl!
Praise God! I heard your story on KLOVE yesterday and I knew I had to immediately read your blog. My son Liam has severe Apraxia of Speech. He has been getting speech therapy since he was 2. He is 6 now and is making slow steady progress. He has a lot more sounds now and a couple of words but is still basically non-verbal. So I understand the heartache, frustration and how you just yearn to hear your child call you Mom. I will pray for your family everyday and I am so happy for Aster’s progress-Amazing!
God Bless,
Jenn Inglis
Scarsdale, NY