Life is hard….what can I say…our family struggles every day. Her siblings try to play and help where they can.  Maslynn takes up so much time, patience, and energy I feel like my other two children don’t get the attention they deserve and need.  Maslynn has made great progress but she has a long way to go.  She is able to speak with limited language and words but gets her point across.  She is mentally like a 2–3-year-old, so we constantly have to watch over her every move even though she is 10 years old.  She has a lot of autistic behaviors as well, sensory, touch, noises, crowds, routines all affect her, and we never know what we are going to be dealing with behavioral-wise.  She will self-harm and harm me and my husband and have melt-downs when things are not going her way or if she simply does not feel good.  Self-help skills are very limited.  She can eat by herself if her food is cut up for her in a bowl, sometimes put on her clothes (without buttons or zippers) if you lay them out exactly right, wash her hands, and get a cup of water by herself.  Everything else must be done for her or with her with great help.  She is repetitive in everything she does.  She continues to struggle with constipation, UTI, kidney issues, apraxia, speech delay, hypotonia, occupational skills, developmental delays, intellectual delays, and various medical issues.  She continues to go to several therapies a week along with tutoring.  She listens to every word you say and understands what you are talking about but sadly she can’t respond back or process what to do or say.  Our lives revolve around her and what she needs.  Unless God choices to heal her or we find a genetic cure she will need continuous care for the rest of her life. 

On the bright side, she loves us unconditionally, gives hugs and kisses, wants to laugh, and puts a smile on everyone’s face.  She is ornery, loves to joke around and be silly.