Tough Kids. Tough Mom's

Man, I tell you what. This commercial hits the nail on the head.  In my experience with working with adults with special needs and in my own personal life with my own kids, hands down, people with developmental disabilities are the toughest people I know!  They have to fight for everything, day in and day out.  Physical therapy. Speech therapy. Occupational therapy.  Endless doctor's appointments. Lab draws. Med changes.  Psych evals. Extra classroom work. Physical pain. Emotional scars.

But you wouldn't know this.  Not from most.  Most of the people who live with these disabilities rarely see them as disabilities at all.  Most use what you and I see as a disability to be his/her motivation.  Inspiration.  Platform.  Desire.
They have heart.
Drive.
Work ethic.
Life.

I will not lie. There are days when I just WISH someone would live in my shoes.  Live with the struggles I deal with as a mom of 2 with special needs.  The pain.  The behaviors.  The inability to communicate.  The shortcomings.  The exhaustion.  The constant fight.  The sleepless nights.  Just wish people knew how tough life can be sometimes...it's not easy.  And not always fun.  There are lots of things we can't do as a family because of our family.  Places we won't go.  Experiences we won't have.

Yes, it is easy to let myself 'go there' with my thoughts.  To feel sorry. To feel bad.
But then I look around at my kids and the clients I work with, and realize they aren't slowing down to feel sorry for themselves.  To wish their life away for someone else's.  No. They are living it up.  Their way.  Each and every day.  They make that choice.

So should I.

So while this commercial gives credit to the tough mom's behind the toughest kids...which I think is amazing...not just any parent could do it.  I fully believe God knows what He is doing when He creates families. 

But...I feel like I am only tough through the daily inspiration of my tough kids and clients.  They make me stronger. 

For sure.






 

Evolution of Valentine's Cards

As I was digging out the Valentine's Day card I bought last week to give Jerad today, I ran across a pile of Valentine's Day cards.  We are the type of people who leave notes for each other randomly, exchange cards for different holidays/events...so I keep all of them.  In the past 10 years of marriage, I have collected quite a few.  With a few seconds to spare, the two little's watching Sesame Street and no where to have to run too...I decided to take a trip down memory lane and read through them. 

I found myself laughing at the evolution of the Valentine's Day cards over the years...

I'm guessing this first card I found was from our newlywed stage of marriage...and it says, "I love you" all over the front in different colors and angles.  And on the inside it says....well, I will leave that one alone...I know my grandma reads my blog. :)

What I'm thinking/guessing was one of my first Valentine's Day cards in our relationship (wishing now I had dated these)...I am pretty sure this card accompanied some flowers...It said "Happy Valentine's Day...this is Me..." (pic of a cute little cat holding a heart on front)  Inside said "...bringing you all the love my heart can hold!"  Jerad's chicken scratched message to me included a few things that tipped me off to this being early in our marriage...before kids.  "if you are not happy, I'm not happy...and that's why I would really like it if you could tell me when you are having trouble with something or upset with me..."

Probably a few years into our marriage. Leah was maybe a year or two old.  "My Wife, My Best Friend" written on the front..." I married my very best friend and I can't tell you how lucky that makes me feel." written on the inside.  Then Jerad wrote a personal note that said, "Here's to a romantic night...sometime when we can actually get away again, like we used too..."

And finally, I believe this last card was probably from the last year or two.  On the front it say, "For Valentine's Day, Tonight I'm going to let you have what you desire--ALL night long!"  And on the inside it says, "A full nights sleep with all the covers!"  AMEN! AMEN!  He didn't even have to write a personal message, he simply signed his name and said, "don't get used to it!"

Ah, the romanticism seeps through...but I honestly love it! I may not be a flowers and jewelry kind of girl, but having these cards to look through and smile, lets me relive all the past Valentine's Days whenever I choose.  And that to me is priceless.

Happy Valentine's Day!!