I will try to limit this list to the top 7 things I have learned on our journey thus far. There is a lot more but I will leave that for a follow up post.
1 - You appreciate the little things.
In our world even the little things are big things. When Jacques goes to visit grandma (who lives on the same plot as us), I get the chance to make a cup of coffee and drink it hot. This may sound like such a small thing, but after the third luke warm cup of coffee because you had to change his nappy, or pick up the pieces of popcorn he threw around earlier, that hot cuppa is a life saver😉.
2 - You have to have a sense of humor. When your 14 year old son leans over from the backseat to press the hooter on the steering wheel (for the fifth time in as many minutes) you learn to go with it and find it as funny as he does.
3 - You grow a thick skin.
Most people we meet on this journey are very understanding but you get the less than understanding folks. Jacques loves clapping hands when we go out to eat. VERY loud clapping. And we have had some less than friendly stares. Usually I just start clapping with him and ignore the sour grapes. Yes, I can be quite spiteful😜.
4 - You don't really think about the future. Or try not think about it too much. We live each day like it's a gift, because for us it is. Jacques' lifespan will most probably be a lot shorter than we want. That makes us appreciate everyday for the gift it is.
5 - You appreciate the friends that are still around. And don't judge the ones that didn't stick around. If I could I would also not be friends with us. But the few friends that are still around are now family. And we can not express our appreciation and love enough.
6 - You appreciate your family. Our family is our tribe. And like the saying goes it takes a village to raise a child. Much more so when you have a child with special needs.
7 - You learn how strong you really are. This sounds cliché but this saying is so so true. You never know how strong you are until being strong is all you have left.
Like I mentioned at the beginning of this blog post, I can really go on to list probably another 7 things I have learned so far, but I will leave that for a follow-up post.
1 - You appreciate the little things.
In our world even the little things are big things. When Jacques goes to visit grandma (who lives on the same plot as us), I get the chance to make a cup of coffee and drink it hot. This may sound like such a small thing, but after the third luke warm cup of coffee because you had to change his nappy, or pick up the pieces of popcorn he threw around earlier, that hot cuppa is a life saver😉.
2 - You have to have a sense of humor. When your 14 year old son leans over from the backseat to press the hooter on the steering wheel (for the fifth time in as many minutes) you learn to go with it and find it as funny as he does.
3 - You grow a thick skin.
Most people we meet on this journey are very understanding but you get the less than understanding folks. Jacques loves clapping hands when we go out to eat. VERY loud clapping. And we have had some less than friendly stares. Usually I just start clapping with him and ignore the sour grapes. Yes, I can be quite spiteful😜.
4 - You don't really think about the future. Or try not think about it too much. We live each day like it's a gift, because for us it is. Jacques' lifespan will most probably be a lot shorter than we want. That makes us appreciate everyday for the gift it is.
5 - You appreciate the friends that are still around. And don't judge the ones that didn't stick around. If I could I would also not be friends with us. But the few friends that are still around are now family. And we can not express our appreciation and love enough.
6 - You appreciate your family. Our family is our tribe. And like the saying goes it takes a village to raise a child. Much more so when you have a child with special needs.
7 - You learn how strong you really are. This sounds cliché but this saying is so so true. You never know how strong you are until being strong is all you have left.
Like I mentioned at the beginning of this blog post, I can really go on to list probably another 7 things I have learned so far, but I will leave that for a follow-up post.
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