Sometimes I forget that I am a special needs mom, until I see an invitation for an alumni dinner and realize how impossible it would be for me to go. I feel so jealous when I see posts on Facebook about date nights or babysitters. My husband and I don't get nights out, or any time to ourselves, for that matter. One of us has to be fully present all the time, and even when we're both "on duty," it's often not enough.
It wouldn't seem like two kids would be that challenging, but with sensory issues, food allergies, extreme extroversion, and other exceptionalities, life has been really hard lately. We are exhausted. We know we need self-care, we just don't have time for it. Family tries to help us out, but if it's a bad day (which it often is), all bets are off.
I only have two plates spinning in the air - home and our non-profit - but I feel like both of them are about to break. For one of the first times ever, I wish we could just skip Christmas, or put it off a few more months. We could use a vacation, but if we spend 6 hours in the car getting there, it will be more like a nightmare. Figuring out food in new places is always hard, and often the risk outweighs the benefits, so we just stay home.
I cannot pause our lives. We must soldier on, praying that in the end, our kids will be okay. Please, Lord, let them be okay.
Hey there, I found you via the NaBloPoMo blogroll.
ReplyDeleteI recommend to you the At Home Holiday. We've done this a few times and I find that it is awesome. There are a few simple rules - eg, we make sure we have everything we need meals wise so there is no need to go anywhere because part of the at home holiday is staying at home and not going anywhere. ;) Plus, we make sure to plan meals that we love and that are not too much work.
Even if it is just for 24 hours, disconnecting from everything and just being together can be all it takes to go from exhausted to renewed.
Having Aspergers I get the sensory thing - all it can take to mess with my mind is a running engine outside, or a bell ringing, or someone talking and I can't hear what they are saying. I think it is like Ghostbusters sometimes - I need just one pure sound stream, and crossing the streams is very bad.. if there are too many streams I can't deal and have to leave.
Anyway. I hope you can get a break soonest. ;)
As part of NaBloPoMo I try to comment on as many participating blogs as I can, and I also add participating blogs to my feed reader. So I’m just dropping by to let you know I’ve added your blog to my feedreader, I’m reading you loud and clear.
I have created three bundles on Inoreader so that bloggers can easily visit other participating NaBloPoMo bloggers which you can find here -
http://www.snoskred.org/2014/11/nablopomo-bundles-final-edition.html
Your blog is in the second bundle.. I have a link up going at my place so my readers can find participating blogs which you are more than welcome to add your blog link to.
Looking forward to seeing your posts. You may see me drop by again during November, but it might be December before I finish my first drop by to blogs if I don't get faster at leaving comments. :)
Happy NaBloPoMo to you!
Snoskred
http://www.snoskred.org