{The most perfect day}

I woke up at 5:30 am yesterday to a sweet and happy boy. This to me is my sweet spot. The place where my sweet, boy is not filled with frustration and anger.

After the week we had it is like being able to breathe again. {He is very cyclic}

Here’s what a perfect day for us would be, and was.

We ate some breakfast, watched a bit of T.V. Daddy came home from an early am job he had to do and played with Michael for a couple hours before he had to go back to work. Then the thing I look forward to....nap time. Oh no not just for Michael. No, this momma has stopped taking advantage of his nap time to do things and will usually lay down with him. Yesterday’s nap was a record 3 hours 8:30 to 11:30.

Daddy came home for lunch. Then off I went to take Michael to school. Yesterday when we got to school it was different. Normally when I take him as soon as he hits the floor he is saying “bye” to me and scooting off to play. Yesterday he got on the floor, started to do the whimper cry and say “Momma, Momma, and Momma”. I know sad right? Still it was a perfect thing to happen. He wasn't screaming and throwing a fit but rather, he was being quieter and using his words. {Our inside voice coupled with emotional expression. Progress!}

While Michael was in school I went to get some things done and when I returned to get him I was early {usually the case with me I have phobia about being late}.
I was very excitedly greeted by his teacher and physical therapist. Open arms and hugs as I was told Michael used his walker to walk in class.
Of course it was at that moment that it was everyone’s time to leave. Eileen prompted Michael to stand {verbally} he then turned around to stand in the walker and held on correctly. Michael started to walk! Eileen was walking behind him but not supporting him. He was doing it by himself. At one point a couple of his class mates started saying “Come on Michael you can do it!”During the huge event I was standing behind a door and peaking around the edge so I could see him but he could not see me. I was sobbing like a baby {quietly of course}. As soon as Michael saw me he was all done. He sat down in his chair and the many praises flooded from me to him.

Son we are so incredibly proud of you. You continue over time to beat the odds. You keep pushing on. We are so thankful you chose us to be your parents. We love you

{Walk in their shoes…}

Having our son Michael has taught me so many things I can’t count them all.
One of them is compassion for people with disabilities.
Before he came along I was very ignorant and plain old mean hearted when it came to people who have disabilities.
Laughing at the boy with Down Syndrome who loves his Mickey Mouse gloves and Merlyn hat so much he walks all over town with them on, laughing at the people who walk down the street talking to them selves, and criticizing people for being “slower” than I am.
Using words like retard and gimp {Yuck!}
Looking back at my own behavior is so disappointing. I look at our son and my heart breaks to think I was so cruel before.
Now, I find myself having to hold back my hurtful words when people stare at us when we are out and he is throwing a fit, when people stare at him when we are pushing him around in his chair, when people snicker as he is trying to talk and the words are understood by me but not to them, or when a little old lady says “he’s a little big to be pushed around shouldn’t he be walking?”
Rather than lashing out at those people because they are ignorant, I need to turn the compassion around that I have learned to have for those with disabilities and have the same compassion for those who are ignorant. I need to be an example, an ambassador, and a teacher to those who otherwise don’t know any better. Show them that we are not to be made fun of, or felt sorry for, but rather understood and perhaps a little envied.
See, our family is special, we have our own club. We get to have our own language. We get to experience life in a whole different light than everyone else. We get to realize how special our abilities are. We get to love and trust each other unlike anything else in this life. We get to see the value in EVERYTHING.
So, next time you see someone who has a disability try talking to them, be a friend to them, try understanding them, rather than staring, pointing at them or being impatient with them.
We are part of a special club, a club like no other, you will never have more, joy, laughter, and love, we would love to let you in.