A Bewitchingly Ordinary Life!

Yesterday I was reflecting on my own parenting journey and how that journey ebbs and flows with the different paths we take, we choose, we refuse, we reluctantly take, and paths that surprise us.  I began thinking that after making a final choice to step away from all parenting boards and parenting 'cliques' .  With my own paren ting journey and the struggles it has brought with a child facing special needs and another child who is extremely stubbo rn, I felt it was best for my own sanity.  I need support, all mothers need support.  At the end of the day if we can't get past a style or parenting choice and choose to tear down each other , then we have accomplished nothing.  Yet if we can ex tend a hand , offer a hug or encouraging word when another mother is struggling, then we could very well change the world ! Today has been one of the challenging days with David, then adding Aaron who is a typical 4 year old...well it makes f or a less than thrilling d...

As a parent, have you ever had those moments where you look at your child, or an item of your child's , and had an epiphany ...that familiar one that seems to come again and again...."Wow, I am someone's mom! " It's almost eeriely haunting to me every time it hap pens.  As if I didn't truly realize it until that moment.  I know I'm mom, but sometimes I truly "know" it.  How odd it seems to type that because honestly there are no mortal words to desc ribe what I'm trying to convey.   But most parents understand it I'm sure . Today was one of those days.  As I was pulling out David's drawing projects from his backpack I came across the one in this blog post.  I stared at it a moment as if I had never seen a child's drawing in my whole life.  Almost deciphering what was depicted.  Not because I didn't recognize it, because I did!  Easily it was a parent, child, and a Christmas tree.  I was deciphering because I kept asking...

This past week has been sad, tough, tear producing, and failure.  Eric's grandmother, on his mother's side, passed from this life.  She was a beautiful lady who from day 1, like Eric's mom loved and accepted me.  That was sad.  Eric flew to Ohio to be with family from Sunday to Wedn esday.  I understand that this week has been a set of variables that have made up my week .  And I realize that some things were in my control and some where not.  It seemed from the moment Eric left the boys become off kilter.  David had more meltdowns than he has had in a long time.  A lot of ste mming, a lot of noises, not connecting action A with ac tion or consequence B.  Aaron was Aaron, all of 4 spunky years old.  Lots of "NO!"  Lots of tantrums, lots of stubbornness.  There was virtually no break in behavior. IN short, this week was about more than I could handle.  There were tears in my own eyes a few times.  I love my child...

I find myself on a rol ler coaster many times.  There are times when it's downhill, in a great way.  The days are tackled, everything under control.  A feeling of "I CAN do this." And then there are the uphill climbs.  Chugging along, jerking upward, a feeling that the crest of hill will never come.  That is this weekend . Only in the last couple of months have I really rea lized and accepted that David has special needs more than what I ever imagined in the beginning, and they will never "go away" or "be cured".   I have learned so much about approaches to guide him in life.  I have watched him grow and flourish and seen his brain expand like a sponge with knowledge that reaches far beyond his years.  I have seen him go from barely saying 30 words to talking on a n almost adult level. I've also seen him struggle more and more as he grows .  4 years ago I knew something was up.  And when I lea rned h e had a speech/developmental ...

There seem to always be so many thoughts swirling in my mind.  And while in my mind I can see the connection, it can be hard to put those mind thoughts into written thoughts.  I ask that if you are interested and reading this, please bear with me while I try to put these thoughts to words.  I have been always felt "alone" in the world even though I'm surrounded by people.  Not because I'm not loved, because I am.  And not because I don't love, I do!  But more because of how I feel.  What I think.  What I believe.  Misunderstood!  Perhaps that is a better word?  I am not sure really, but I know my heart has always been heavy for humanity in general from a very very early age.  I can remember feeling this way before I was 5 years old.  Feeling like people need to hate less, love more and stop "being mean".  Fast forward to now.  I'm 41 years old and still feel the same, have a lot of the same thoughts.  Ev...

It's hard to believe that we are coming to the close of the first 2 weeks of summer vacation and more importantly the first two weeks in our summer homeschool journey.  I really wanted to do this for 2 reasons.  To give Aaron an jump start for VPK.  And to keep David in the game over the summer so as to not lose what he has learned [and to hopefully propel and push him a bit to learn above/beyond]. These first weeks have proven to be both fun and frustrating.  The first day was amazing.  Right to the schedule, both boys did everything asked of them with excitement.  No whining, no crying, no fighting amongst each other, even went down for nap times easily.   Cue: day 2.  All started out okay until sentence writing time, David had a little meltdown, Aaron ran amok a bit.  But we worked through it and had another successful day.  The days from there are like your typical school days.  Some days "you've got it" other days not...