Welcome to Special Children-Special Parents! I am so glad you stopped by and look forward to getting to know you. Parenting a child with special needs can be the most challenging—and most blessed—thing you’ve ever done. But I don’t have to tell you that as you are living it each and every day.
I want to share a bit of my heart and my journey with you today so you can get to me a bit better also. I am the mother of three children, two boys and a girl. Our boys have ADHD ( and some other Ds) and, as toddlers and preschoolers had a host of other issues also.
Joseph is 13 and completing eighth grade this year. I can’t believe he will be going to high school in the fall! He is an avid soccer player and a fan of anything electronic. Andrew is 9 years old and in third grade. He is a creator of all things Lego and has a different way of looking at the world which can be quite refreshing and challenging at the same time. Mikayla is 7 years old chronologically, but much more mature than that. Living with two brothers with ADHD has matured her in ways many 7 year olds do not experience.
My husband, Joe, is wonderful! He is the lead pastor of a local church in town and is a great husband and father. He is supportive and encourages us to follow our dreams. Together we have travelled quite a road with our family and it is far from over. We haven’t always been on the same page when it comes to the children, but through prayer and much discussion, we have always been willing to see things from the other’s perspective and work out “solutions” that we can both agree on.
And me? Like you, I do many things—so many some days, it’s hard to keep track. I’m a wife, mother, professional life coach, minister, taxi driver, homework helper, chief schedule administrator, routine initiator, time management enforcer and family cheerleader. On any given day, additional roles may be added but it seems that there is never a day when roles are subtracted…I’ll need to work on that!
I love my children dearly! And I like them too! I really like the people they are and so enjoy their personalities (most of the time) and how very unique they are. Joseph is more comfortable with rules and expectations clearly defined while Andrew is a trail blazer and sets his own pace and agenda in most areas. Mikayla is the boss (at least she thinks so!) and is the most determined and focused 7 year old I’ve ever known. Whatever she puts her mind to, she does and does well.
Life for us has been an adventure! Not always a fun one, but an exciting one for sure! I can’t remember a time I’ve ever been bored—or not tired! Parenting is tough work and parenting children with special needs is even tougher.
But the rewards are amazing as we see our children grow and develop into all they were created to be, one day at a time. I have learned much from my children (that will have to be another post) and have grown tremendously also in the process.
I believe wholeheartedly that my husband and I were chosen specifically to be the parents of our three children. It is by no accident that they are ours and we are theirs. It is a divine relationship created by God. While He could have chosen anyone to be Joseph, Andrew and Mikayla’s parents, He chose Joe and I. And I’m so glad He did!
So on those days when I don’t have the energy to stay awake, let alone help with school work, cook dinner and deal with challenging behaviors, I remind myself of the precious gifts I’ve been given and how only we, as their parents, are so blessed to have them when world told me it was impossible.
And although the days are sometimes long, the years seem so short, and we have but this one opportunity to be the best Mom and Dad we can be. And when all is said and done, I want to know I’ve done my very best. And while I don’t know what the future holds for my children, I do know Who holds their future, and there is great peace and comfort in that, even in the midst of the uncertainty of everyday living.
I pray that you will find joy in the journey as I have, and learn to laugh later at those events that aren’t very funny in the moment. I pray that you will be encourage to know that you are not alone and that I, like you, struggle with special challenges each day because of our children’s struggles. Together, we can share our hearts, encourage one another and share a laugh through this blog and beyond. Won’t you join me? I sure hope so!