Words are not just words... anymore

It is funny to me how often life experiences can change the way you feel about something as simple as a word... In our household, the words "typical" and "normal" have taken on a negative feeling. In the past, I used these words without so much as a thought or feeling; they simply were just words. However, over the course of the last few months or so, that is no longer the case.
I can be shopping at the grocery store, walking through the halls of our church, or even having a conversation with someone and if those two words are spoken, immediately I have a physical reaction: stomach tightens and twists, facial muscles stiffen, ridged posture. Sometimes it is in reference to my children and sometimes not, either way the result is the same: negative. Brent and I joke about how we respond to these words yet deep down I know we both are bothered by the fact that they bother us. Our children are perfectly "normal" and "typical" to us; it is the outside world that has issues, not them.
Since our life turned upside down almost 9 months ago, random people have said things that have inflammed me, frustrated me, hurt me, and encouraged me. I write some of them down so I can laugh about them later or strengthen me when I feel overwhelmed. I'll give you a little view of what our life is like:

"Is he on any medication for that?" - A doctor actually said this to me after reading in Brycen's medical file that he was diagnosed with autism

"Oh, wow.. is he ok? He's not blind is he?" - A woman said this to me after seeing Brycen visual stimming (i.e. walking sideways with eyes slanted to the side)

"There's a cure for that right? I mean, Jenny McCarthy cured her son" - For those of you who do not know, I am NOT a fan of Jenny McCarthy and her lies of having "cured" or "recovered" her son from autism - there is NOT a cure for something that is not a DISEASE nor can you recover from something that was not (in her words) "like a traumatic accident"

I could go on but I think you get the picture. Though the saying goes that ignorance is bliss, I do not believe in this situation blissfulness is what I am feeling, : ) The one comment that has inspired me, encouraged me, and definitely made me stronger is this:

"God created Brycen just the way he is!"

Through all of this, Brent and I have grown stronger together and so has our family. We still have a long road ahead with plenty of heartache and joy, but it is the road that God made for us and He loves us! And THAT is completely AWESOME!! I'll step down from my soapbox, updates coming soon!! : )