My family has been in the middle of a storm for the past few months. I’ve written posts here and there eluding to the storm but in the interest of privacy, the details are kept quiet. I’m usually pretty transparent with my life, I don’t believe in a public persona of a perfect life. Ive unfriended people on social media for such expression. Seriously. Then I wonder who are they trying to convince? People who follow them or themselves?

Tommy and I have been fortunate that when a storm rolls in we hope our previour supporters. Raising Thomas and having him hospitalized and then in residential schools taught us that not everyone will understand your choices but true friends and family will support your choices and in turn support you. Even when they don’t agree with the direction you’re taking.

Tommy and I recently thought we saw the beginning of the end of this current storm. Not so. I’ve prayed and I will continue to pray. God finds a way when there is no way. Outcomes and next steps we were hoping for are not in His plan. So we continue to have faith and believe that God’s plan is better than our plan. Part of having faith is being patient in the waiting. Hurry up and wait.

Tomorrow really begins the summer session at the school I work at. We we scheduled to go in this past Monday; off for the 4th of July and return today for “orientation.” Ok…done. Went to work with no students to give care to. Tomorrow is when the students begin. I don’t mind working summer. The vibe is usually lighthearted and not as serious as from September to June. Of course there’s still school work being carried out and teachers teaching but there’s a summer theme and everyone works hard to carry out that theme. This summer the theme is “under the sea.” I like it.

This past weekend we celebrated Thomas’ birthday. He turned 27. 27…omg. I don’t see how that is possible. I really don’t. Man the years really do fly by. If you had told me when he was growing up in the middle of all the chaos that things would really, really turn out ok; I probably would have punched you out of anger and frustration. But things really did turn out okay. Thomas is happy (most of the time) living in the group home. He is happy when he comes here every Sunday and he loves his sisters. Things aren’t perfect but nothing is perfect.

I’m very happy with the group home arraignment. I recently was telling someone at work that Thomas lives in a group home and she gasped and with a sad look on her face said, “Oh that must kill you.” I think I shocked her when I told her I was fine with it. However she wasn’t a mom of a special needs child. She didn’t get it. That’s not to say all moms of those with special needs want their children in group homes. Very good friends of mine are content with having their son living at home with them. And that’s ok. They understand how I feel and usually know what my life was like back in the day and I understand how they feel by wanting to keep their son home with them.

What is so different for Tommy and I right now is the stage of life that we’re in. There’s only Samantha at home. And she’s not attention hungry, will cook for herself, likes going out with me and talks to me. After having 4 kids running around at different stages of their childhoods and all having different needs that had to be met, it’s really nice to soak up the quiet. I appreciate my husband more and being able to spend time with him alone. I appreciate that occasionally he won’t go out for a drink with friends because he says he’d rather be with me. That’s indescribable and very sweet.

I like where we are in life for the most part. With the kids mostly grown, Tommy and I have more independence than we’ve had in the past 25 years.