I wonder who was in charge of making up the Christmas Holidays schedule for the public school board this year? Friday December 23rd, 2011 was the last day of classes for my herd and they don't go back until Monday January 9th, 2012! That's MORE THAN TWO WEEKS of heart racing, blood pressure rising, nerve racking adventure! Over two weeks of non scheduled time to fill!!!! I don't know how they're going to (I mean, I'm going to) survive? Now don't misunderstand me. I love my children more than life itself. But somedays I can only take them in small doses at a time. I thank God daily for schools and educators and patient resource workers and teacher's aids. But I'm starting to think that there is some evil plan in action this time of the year .... where the "higher ups" in the education system actually design this block of "vacation time" (at the most inopportune time of the year) to sabbotage the very foundation of the family unit and shake the confidence of the most secure parent. Why else would such a lengthy furlough from school occur at THIS TIME OF YEAR?!?! When sugar limits have reached their peak and patience is at an all time low? Where melt downs are imminent, excitement levels fluctuate in such a way that we appear bi-polar, and total destruction is only one candy cane away? 
My best guess is that these Big Wigs who create the school year calendar are NOT parents themselves, or they're beyond that stage in life and have forgotten what it's like. Sure as shooting they're not parents of "special needs" children like some of us out in the real world - other wise they would NEVER deviate from the daily routine our kiddos so desperately require. Routines, charts, and schedules.... this is my life! We are the proud parents of seven kiddlings. Six of which are "special needs" children. No one is "more special" than any of the others but some certainly are "more needy" than the rest :) And ALL of them require ROUTINE! One change or substitution can send a seemingly calm and collected kid into an all out emotional meltdown that lasts for hours or goes on repeatedly for the ones with OCD! (obsessive compulsive disorder). Christmas holidays are always stressful for us. The kiddlings are clinging on to every ounce of self control they have, trying to behave and do the right thing in a variety of situations that push their buttons and take them to the edge of their self-constraint. Sometimes they have success .... but often times they do not. It's in those moments of unsucessfulness (never say failure!) when I wallow in self pity and question my parenting abilities that I am reminded that these kiddos are not a punishment for some terrible sin I commited in my youth or some secret thought I wished upon someone, these babies are my blessing! The kiddlings I cried out for when my barren body refused to co operate and my empty arms ached so badly I didn't think I could stand another day of being childless. These children are my answer to prayer.... the long awaited gift I dreamed of night after night, for years. These "special" kiddos are my joy. Each one a precious gift bestowed upon me - an answer to prayer and the reason I wake up in the morning with a renewed sense of determination that "things are gonna be different today!"
Could we live without the ADHD, ADD, OCD, FASD, AD, LD, CAPD, ODD and the whole host of other letters that often trail behind their names? Sure we could - how liberating it would be to put the doctors, specialists, therapists, tests, appointments, equipment, and medications behind us - but their "special needs" are not what frustrates me and causes me to think dark thoughts on sunny days.... It is MY RESPONSE to their short comings that causes me the most grief. My less than ideal ways of handling the stress .... so I cry out to Him (the giver of the gifts) and He reminds me that my babies are not mine to "fix" - but to love and accept and that they can be used to mold me into His image :) So I dry my tears and dust myself off and get up and begin again..... and then I sit in front of my computer and write a lengthy, but professional sounding letter to the Head of the Public School Board insisting they investigate this suspicious conspiracy they've obviously over looked in their scheduling department. And over the next week while waiting for the school year to resume I will faithfully repeat the mantra that has saved my sanity on more than one occasion..... "This too shall pass, this too shall pass, this too shall pass, this too shall pass........"*Here's a few funnies from Our House to Yours *
* "Mama, I been crapping!" shouted Little Susan excitedly. "WHAT?!?!" I responded. "I been crapping," she replied "You know - crapping my hands!" (clapping)
* My teenaged niece Marie stayed at our house one weekend and watched a scarey movie. While watching she kept her hands over her face and peered cautiously through her fingers with just one eye. When I questioned her tactics she said "It's less scary beacuse it's one eye and not two"
* Daniel approached me with a look of concern on his face. "Mom, Latoya is cryin' 'cause her doll has no clothes on and she's sayin' it's inappropriate!"
* It was Daddy's day off and Nicholas noticed he was dressed up and studying some notes on the table. "Where are you going Dad?" he asked. With a coffee in hand and a heavy heart Daddy sat down on the couch and sighed. "I have to bury a man today" he said. "Oh." replied Nicholas "What happened?" he inquired further. Daddy looked at him and retorted "He died."
* Little Susan lovingly petted our shih tzu puppy, Buzzy. "He's so cute with fur on him." she cooed.
* "Where's Daddy? When is he coming home?" asked Little Susan. "He will be home later, he has to work." I replied. "He stays there ALL day?" she asked incredulously. "Yup." I responded. "WOW, him's praisin' da Lord and singin' and doin' his work and him's with his girl...what's her name? The girl who works there?" she rambled. "Eileen?" I offered. "Ya, Eileen... that's such a nice name." she replied.
* Daniel was looking through a book in Grandma's room. "That's the first virgin!" he announced excitedly. (version)
* Daddy got a game camera to capture pictures of unsuspecting deer and other wildlife out back near the bush. "COOL! Can we play games on it?" Shane enquired.
* Grandma assisted Nicholas while doing dishes. "That goes in the China cabinet," she said. "Where?" asked Nicholas, looking confused. "Here, this is the China cabinet." Grandma showed him. Quick to respond, Nicholas retorted "Why? Was everything in it 'made in China'?"
*Over the holidays we all spent plenty of time 'digesting' on the couch. Little Susan and Daddy were curled up together on one end of the couch when she put her two hands on Daddy's belly and began pushing - like she was doing CPR. "I like to hump (pump) Daddy's big belly, it's so big! Hump, Hump, Hump." She announced! Hahahahaha.
Subscriber's Stories
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Blessings to you - from my Fish Bowl to yours :)
Lucy
Another job well done mommy! Very good. Cant wait to read your next one! You are such a great writer. You should write a book! :)
ReplyDeleteLove,
The Teenager