Summer is the time for swimming pools, picnics, family vacations, cook outs, and just good-old-fashion-fun! This summer we have dabbled in all of the above....
With the boys out of summer school and Frank knee deep studying (he is in a master's program to become a CRNA), things became... shall we say... stressful at our house. Despite my efforts to swim the boys into total exhaustion, if they knew Daddy was home all was a loss. So, I pack our bags and the boys and I headed to my home town of Grayson, Kentucky (very beautiful place to visit by the way... wonderful state parks... rolling heals... trees... great hiking...). Daddy could use the quite house and the boys LOVE seeing the grandparents!
Despite swearing last summer, "I will NEVER do that trip with the boys by myself again!" Here I was by myself with the boys, DVD players running, van pack, travelling east on Interstate 64 for the long 8-10 hour trip (depending on how many stops we need to make). The perks for Frank seemed to out way the stress. We arrived at 1a.m. on Sunday morning. Because it was the 4th of July weekend, the boys and I went to the church picnic with Grand mommy (my mom). To be quite honest I was dreading it a bit... I was still wiped out form travelling and Caleb can have real issues in strange, loud, crowded places... and this would be all of that and more (100+ heat index)! But my fears were ill-directed.... The boys did rather well...
Grand mommy and I tag teamed it! She hung out with the boys as I got some good all-American hot dogs. Then I fed the boys while she got the sides. We both shoveled food down just in time for the boys to want something to drink. We gave a few hugs , exchanged a few. "How are you doing?"'s But all the while keep an eagle's eye on the boys...
As Mom I always have this nagging fear that my boys won't make friends, or that they will be picked on by other kids; yet, I want them to be independent individuals. This combined with other physical and social quarks we have not tried any organized sports. We go to the swimming pool, but that is not a team sport nor dose it require the boys to wait turns... But, what is a big picnic without some fun games?! They called for all sack race runners to come to the starting line... we watched as a small group of kids hopped down the grassy stretch. Once the kids were done they returned to their parents, but Caleb's gaze never left the burlap sacks. He casually but very purposefully started walking toward the vacant starting line. My first reaction was to yell at him to come back over to his seat... but I didn't, instead Grand mommy walked with him. Without any prompting Caleb pick up a sack, and in his own time and in his own awkward way, got that sack on & started jumping! I stood in total amazement...
"My Caleb just figured that out! MY Caleb! All by himself!" For kids with Down syndrome nothing comes easy... He has had therapies to teach him to do EVERYTHING! He still receives Physical, Occupational, Speech, Behavioral, & Music Therapies during the school year. We have had to literally teach him everything! Caleb watched what the other kids did... wanted to do it... and figured out how to do it himself! Totally amazing problem-solving-skills! And to beat all, this is a very age appropriate activity! Another struggles I have as a parent is seeing other kids mastering activities that Caleb (and Joshua) are unable to do... But Caleb was standing before me jumping his heart out in a potato sack! "My Caleb is growing up!"After some time to practice, Caleb got Grand mommy in a burlap sack as well. By this time the announcement had been made that another sack race was about to start. Adults and children alike were lining up with sacks on. Side by side, Caleb and Grand mommy waited for the, "On your mark... Get set.... GO!" With great effort and extreme concentration Caleb crossed the finish line of his first Sack Race! Several of the other "racers" cheered him on as he proudly finished the race. My heart was so full of joy that nearly cried!
I had one of those moments of peace... Caleb is growing up...he will get there... he will be potty trained... he will dress himself... he will carry on a conversation... he will... he can... he is able! Like this sack race, growing up is done in Caleb's own way... it takes a bit longer, it's done a bit differently, often it's a bit awkward, and is finished when he finally gets there! I just have to be patient...
Lord, thank you for creating Caleb and Joshua just they way they are! Thank you for have patients with me even when I seem to run this race at my own pace and a bit awkwardly... Help me to hear your cheering voice in the crowd!
