Catching Up

It's been almost a week since I've been here. I didn't intend to be gone this long but things have been pretty busy.

Austin's 14th birthday was Tuesday (8/31) and Michael's 4th birthday was Friday (9/03). We had a small party for them here at home on Sunday. It's amazing how fast they are growing up and I am enjoying seeing them grow and learn but at the same time I find myself wanting to hold on to each day as it passes, not wanting to miss a moment.

Austin had a friend here from Friday evening until this evening. Amanda had two friends here overnight Saturday night and then another friend came to visit for a  few hours Sunday evening.

Even though today is Labor Day we were open for business and had seven daycare children. My helper came in for awhile but left early because her allergies were bothering her so bad she just wanted to go home and try to sleep.

I spent a large part of the day doing the final preparations for our homeschool year which begins tomorrow. I had gotten all the materials we need but needed to organize a little and plan out our time. The current plan will probably take us about 2 1/2 hours a day. I'm looking forward to it and I think Austin and Amanda will enjoy their studies. Math may be an issue because neither of them like it but we will do that first thing in the morning and get it out of our way. We are doing a lot of reading aloud with me reading to both of them. We always enjoy learning this way, it gives us a chance to learn together. History, science, Bible and literature are all going to approached this way, at least at the beginning of the year. There will also be silent reading assignments for each of them.

So I guess I'll get some rest and get ready for our fun tomorrow.

More Alike Than Different

It's a little mind boggling to me sometimes that there are thirty different children here on a fairly regular basis. I've been thinking a lot recently about the mix of children we have here and how that works out daily. About how each day is different, each day is a blessing, each day is an adventure (and each day is exhausting). And no matter the strengths and weaknesses, each child brings some something special to our group.

We have so many issues to deal with each day. Within this group there are physical challenges - asthma, acid reflux, tumors, blindness in one eye, migraines, allergies, and seizures. We also deal on a daily basis with ADHD, Bipolar, Nonverbal Learning Disorder, Asperger's ,Oppositional Defiant Disorder, anxiety, depression, global developmental delays, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, and one of our kids is nonverbal. And within all of this there are also the kids who have no diagnosis, no major problems, are healthy and "neurotypical."

There are lessons I am learning as I spend each day with these kids.

I am learning that the human spirit is amazingly resilient. That even though there are frequent setbacks, days that are discouraging, long and exhausting and days when it seems there always just one more drama around the corner, there is always tomorrow. We always get to try again. And the amazing thing is, they really do try again. Sometimes it seems like it's two steps forward, two steps back, one step forward, three steps back, five steps forward. But they try.  They get up and try and try again. And on the days when I think there is simply no way I can keep going I realize I can't let them down when they are fighting so hard. And so we all get up together and keep on going.

I've learned that I can function on very little sleep and lots of coffee. For a surprising number of days. I've also learned that eventually it will catch up with me and I will crash. Hard. So now I try to build mini breaks into my days. Even if it's just to read a few blogs that help me not to feel alone, catch up on my twitter friends, sit quietly for five minutes and breathe deeply. These little breaks are invaluable.


One of the most real lessons to me, though,  is how in spite of all the "differences" we are really all more alike than different. We all want to be loved, to be happy and safe, to be valued for who we are individually. We were each created and designed for a special place and we want the chance to fit into that place and grow into the people we are meant to be. And it's such a privilege for me to be able help each of these kids, even if only in some small way, to find that person and place they are meant to be.