A couple of months ago, I dropped Suzanne off at a Hobby Lobby as I ran over to Menards in Champaign. Back to pick her up, she looked puzzled, so I asked the reason. She said, “I ask a clerk where I could find a sex book, but she didn’t seem to understand”. Looking at her with excitement in my eyes, I shared that I didn’t think Hobby Lobby was the right place to look for that item, then repeated her statement just as I had heard it. The reaction to my words was priceless as she realized that the sketchbook she was seeking was greatly misunderstood.

Almost two years since her surgery, I have actively served as her interpreter with everyone she meets. This job entails trying to make sure that those around her understand what she is saying, often just repeating what I hear. I don’t always get it right, though. Usually, it goes something like this: I’ll repeat what I heard the first time and she’ll shake her head no and proceed to say it again. I’ll attempt a second time to say what I heard which is often the same thing I heard the first time. At this point, I usually get a frustrated look in return. If on the third try I don’t get it right, her inner Mark Harmon from NCIS comes out and I get a slap to the back of the head. . . smack, “Hey, OUCH!”

With all that in mind and as a public service, I have decided to publish Volume one of Suzanne’s indistinguishable terminology.

• Header hoop = Cheddar soup
• You stress = UPS
• Kitten = Quitting
• Wava = Guava
• Sex = Sketch
• Wood = Good
• Green tea = Room key
• Brain = Bring

Sometimes sharing with her what I hear brings us both to tears, happy and sad. Even so, it’s truly amazing how far she has come. From basically being told she may never carry on a conversation, to actively participating in one-on-one and even group discussions; I’m very proud of her. Even so, if you’re ever around her and she says “did you stress brain my kitten sex book”, you’ll now know what she means. . . . smack, “Hey, OUCH!”

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.

2 Timothy 2:15