Today was a good day- full of busy and happy and sleepy cuddles- Abe woke up not long after I had posted last night and had a hard time going back to sleep.
We are really, really lucky- for the most part, his sleep meds work well and we get a relatively full night's rest! This is the latest combination of medication we've tried, and by far our most successful! We've only had this protocol in place since late August, so the last 4.5 months have given us a welcome bit of sleep back into our lives! It does, however, make rough nights feel REALLY rough- I'm not used to not sleeping anymore!!! I want my BED! my BLANKETS!!
Hard to believe that our sweet boy went for 7.5 years with fewer than 10 complete nights of sleep. So, so glad he's now getting the rest his body needs.
Today we took a survey entitled 'Parental Resilience' that revolves around the mentality/feelings of parents of children with special needs- it had over 250 questions that both the mom and dad had to answer separately- it asked us questions about our faith, our friends, our feelings about our child, how we feel we handle problems, how we communicate, etc. It asked questions about our Child's temperament, how he shows affection, what behaviors affect us most, how we handle meltdowns.
We responded to the survey with Abe in mind- we found (our 'score' was given to us at the end of the survey, and additional information was provided) that we are a very resilient family :-) <--- we knew that. We found we have a great support base and a love and trust in each other :-) <---- we knew that, too. We were told that we communicate well, we have faith that we can figure out/solve our problems. we are bonded and believe that our family is 'full of potential'. <----- we knew ALL that, three!!
So. While we were taking the survey, a little voice in the back of my head kept reminding me about Aurelia's appointment tomorrow (little voice, my arse- a loud, screaming voice is more like it). About the possibility of soon answering surveys and questionnaires while having 2 children with different diagnosed disabilities.
Here's the thing- this appointment won't change my sweet girl. It won't change what she can, or can't do. It won't change how much we love her.
I realized that I'm already doing this thing that holds so much fear, anger, tears and anxiety.
I'm already living life/answering questions as the mother of 2 children with special needs. I already am the mother of 3 amazing children, 2 that just so happen to have different abilities. I already am. and you know what?
We are a very resilient family :-) We have a great support base, and amazing love and trust in each other. We communicate well, We have faith that we can- slowly but surely- figure out and 'solve' whatever problems life throws at us. We are bonded. We believe our ENTIRE family is 'full of potential'
so.
I'm grateful for this stinking survey and that it reminded me of AMAZING facts I already knew :-)
I'm thankful beyond measure for these three precious pieces of being that God has given us.
via Pinterest.
xo
annnnd tears....
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