I shared this on Instagram last week…
What I wish people knew about having a child with special needs (things I’ve learned in 13 months so far)…
It can feel lonely. Living with doctor’s appointments and tests and therapies and drugs and always having something to worry about can feel lonely. You see all those other kids hitting milestones and excelling and parents talking about the future while wondering if your kid will ever walk or talk.
Many people are clumsy. You get looks and looks, but people often don’t go along. It’s more common for people to look and then look away instead of coming up to you or saying something (or even smiling sincerely). (It’s also very common for people to come up to us and gushing about how cute Kierstyn is and not say a word about D — even when he’s there.)
You are so proud of your child – and you wish people would take the time to really get to know them as they are and not just see them for their diagnosis. You wish people would just come and talk to you and interact with your child instead of avoiding you because it makes them uncomfortable.
You think a lot about the future. How will your child be treated in 8, 15, 25 years? Will they have friends? Are they being bullied or hurt? Will they ever be invited to things? Your heart breaks when you think of everything they might not be able to do and how they can be treated.
There are days when it’s really hard. There are setbacks and discouragements. There are doctor visits and test results that are overwhelming and heartbreaking.
But you wouldn’t trade any of it for the GIFT to be your child’s parent. You are fierce and madly in love with them. You wish the whole world would know the joy they bring and the blessing they are. And you scream from the rooftops and plead like no other to help others realize that your child has so much worth and value and that anyone who doesn’t get to know him and don’t love him is missing out.
She’s getting so big!!
Jesse and I went to a dinner hosted by the nonprofit organization of which I am the chairman. It was SUCH a beautiful evening and I am so honored and grateful to be a part of this foster care non-profit!
All weekend I was at a girls camp with all the girls in our youth group. It was a packed weekend (and quite a lot for this 7 1/2 month pregnant mama!) but also such a great weekend to be able to flow into the six girls in the small group I co-lead.
Afternoon tinkering with my small group.
The camp was in Mentone, AL and it was a new campground that we loved!
We had to babysit Champ yesterday while his mom was working. This is a blurry photo, but here’s how he and Kierstyn greeted each other.
These two are always together!
We all loaded into the car and fit the three big kids in the back, three car seats in the middle and the parents in the front!
He talks so much more and when we took him for a ride in the car he said “I yik it!!” (“I like it” – it was so cute!)
Watching Jesse pour into this kid and his mom is one of the most heartwarming things ever. I thought I was so in love with him when we got married over 19 years ago… but seeing him as a father and foster father has made me fall so much more in love!
My 6 goals for last week
Personal Goals
reading goals
Business/Blogging Goals
Post about the books I read in April. Rewrite/edit chapters 7-9 of my next book. Complete and submit the devotional Proverbs31.org.
My 6 goals for this week
Personal Goals
reading goals
Business/Blogging Goals
Rewrite the last chapter of the book + conclusion. Complete and submit the devotional Proverbs31.org.
This post A look at this past week (+ my 6 goals for this week)
was original published at “https://moneysavingmom.com/a-peek-into-this-past-week-my-6-goals-for-this-week-4/”
