I saw a meme on Facebook that said this and the women pictured were laughing, but I don’t think in a good way. It got me thinking. I do think my kids have gotten easier now that they are older. I wouldn’t go back to ages 2-5 years if you paid me. Nor would I care to re-live grammar school, for any of my 4 children. I know my life with my children was not a very typical life, with Thomas being special needs and the many rough roads we walked with him, bringing the girls with us. But the girls were very typical in their behaviors because that’s just who they were. Samantha is almost a category on her own due to being the youngest and the age differences between her and everyone else.

In my opinion and experience grammar school takes forever; grades 6-8 junior high is so slow but not as slow as grammar school; and high school literally flies by! First you’re sitting in freshman orientation…then your child is handing you the paper for all the fees associated with senior year. It’s that fast.

I enjoy my kids now that they’re older. Even when they’re moody AF, I won’t mention any names haha. When Alyssa and Lelly went through high school I have to say it was pretty painless, Samantha will be starting her 2nd year of high school and it hasn’t been easy on her being in school virtually for most of her freshman year but she has connected with a couple of girls in person so that’s cool, I’m glad for that. This Covid situation really screwed with our teens. My kids talk to me, some days they’ll tell me literally everything and that’s ok, that’s what I’m here for. And no judgement!

So to all the people who laugh when someone says it gets easier when they get older I say ha! Yes, it does.

I am still writing papers for school. I feel like I’ve been at this much longer than the beginning of June. The class that I had to finish by June 30 required a professional E-portfolio. Which I completed. However the assignment needs to be revised. I’m not permitted to see what needs to be fixed until I re-register for the class at the end of July. I’m not happy about that. Currently I’m finishing up a paper for my second class. I really hope I do well and nothing needs to be revised.

I’m bummed that I didn’t finish up everything the way I had hoped I would. The plan was to pass both classes and be on my way with my Bachelors degree by the end of July. Not happening. But… everything happens for a reason and I’m sure the Lord has his plan.

On the bright side I am just about finished with this degree. When I’m not procrastinating or playing on my phone, or writing a blog…I’m doing nothing else but working on school assignments. I’m ready to be done.

Today my first born turns 25. It feels unreal that my first baby is 25 years old. Of course I remember everything about his pregnancy and birth as all mothers do. I also remember how hard it was to raise Thomas. We were given this baby who grew into a toddler but not a typical toddler and not one specialist/ doctor was of any help to us. It was hard, so hard.

Did Thomas being “different”stop us from having more children? Nah… that would make too much sense, besides I wouldn’t have missed raising our girls for the world. We made decisions and choices for our family and Thomas when he was growing up that no parents should ever have to make. But that is water under the bridge and I regret nothing. I love Maya Angelou’s quote, “We did the best we could with what we knew…when we knew more, we did better.”

It’s difficult to reflect back on Thomas’ childhood without being melancholy. I fought and fought for help for him from the time he was a baby all through his teens. But I don’t expect or want a pat on the back. I’m no different than any other mother of a special needs child. Thomas changed me. He made me be very vocal, I used to be relatively quiet. Thomas gave me a loud voice. Thomas made me more open minded, I used to be a bit judgemental. After Thomas…nope not so much. I met the greatest people ever because of Thomas; women who became soul sistahs and others, ones that I admire more than I can ever express. I was fortunate to have these women in my life. So 25…it’s a milestone for Thomas and us. We all made it!