Catching Up and Reflecting on Life

It’s been far too long since our last get-together and I hope everyone is doing well! Life has been a whirlwind for us, with Carter juggling two ice hockey teams and a roller hockey team, swim lessons for both boys, and our usual chaos that comes with daily life. Now we have added PSR and Jackson is getting ABA therapy 8 hours a week! YAY!! I’m sorry I haven’t posted sooner.

For those that do not know, this past year has been incredibly challenging for myself and my family. I lost a dear friend, and then tragedy struck when my birth mother was taken from us in a sudden accident at the young age of 56. From the outside, it may seem like I have everything under control, but internally, I’m just barely holding on. It would be so easy to stay in bed or not leave the house. Honestly, most days that is how I feel. Somehow, I manage to keep pushing forward, and today, I experienced what I can only describe as a divine intervention.

Dan and I were discussing today how most families don’t fully grasp the effort it takes for us to have a simple outing. For instance, if Carter has practice, and we want to go out for a family dinner afterward, it’s a real challenge with Jackson. No matter how much we prepare him, his limited attention span and sensitivity to noise can turn what should be a pleasant evening into pure physical and emotional exhaustion.

This morning, Jackson had soccer with SPENSA, an incredible special needs organization with over 200 dedicated volunteers. We bumped into my friend Ryan and his family, whose beautiful daughter has Down Syndrome. They were there, just like us, to enjoy the socializing, beautiful weather, and the sense of belonging to a team. It struck me that God brought Jackson into our lives to connect us with some truly remarkable people we might never have met otherwise. While this journey was unexpected, and we often felt lost, we’ve discovered our path and made wonderful friends along the way.

I was doing the laundry this afternoon, actually folding it after taking it out of the dryer – that is a miracle in itself. Out of nowhere, the song ‘Awesome God’ popped into my head. I was born and raised Catholic and attended private school through high school and there are few songs that stick with you. That happens to be one of them. I grabbed my AirPods, played the song, and started singing out loud (don’t worry, I have a pretty good voice!). Midway through, tears welled up in my eyes as I thought about my birth mom, my friend Marina, and Jackson.

Regardless of your spiritual beliefs, something moved me to tears today. Perhaps it was a mix of stress and anxiety, a reminder to pause and grieve, or a reminder to be grateful for the amazing people surrounding us. Likely, it’s all of the above.

XOXO