Parenting brings obstacles and challenges like none that we've ever dealt with before. My first was when my son was born. He was the most difficult baby I'd ever come across, and I got to be with him all the time . I remember how defeated and discouraged I was, and how I thought to myself, "I can't do this. I can't parent this child, make him happy, stay sane. I don't even want to". I didn't know how I was going to get through his infancy and this obstacle felt like the greatest obstacle of my life. We got through it, I got through it. Time passed and allowed me to forget the depth of the struggle so that when the next challenge arose, that one felt like a new biggest and worst. The new challenge was now the thing that was going to end all civilized thought in my head. Again, we got through. Time and again, challenges, the biggest and worst, have arisen. Each time I have thought, "How? What am I supposed to do with this...
Tonight the kids and I were walking home from work (mine, not theirs) just as a piano class was letting out. A cute little Japanese kid - probably about 10 - saw the kids and I and turned and ran back inside shouting. A moment later he reappeared with a friend, to show us off. It was pretty comical! It’s those moments that I laugh on one hand feel so grateful on the other. I feel so thankful that Lil and Jax are growing up rounded, being exposed to so many different versions and variations of life. Speaking of variations...here are a few of the differences we are experiencing here: Uniforms - I’ve posted pics of the kids in the uniforms, but that was just the beginning. Since then we have had to buy their school hats (2 for each, one bright yellow for to and from school, another, red, for outside at school), school umbrellas (bright yellow), school shoes (2 pair, one for inside and one for out) and PE uniforms. In the grand scheme of things it is easier, as in, no arguing o...
Short version: Today's Children's Hospital visit didn't give us answers. We are waiting on labs and a new specialist. The MRI was clear, and Lily is still lactating (for more on that fun fact, read on...) About 10 days ago, Lily emerged from her therapists office, shyly. We are close. She tells me everything. For her to be shy was unusual. Turns out, she's been lactating - for about 3 weeks. She didn't know it wasn't normal and was really embarrassed about the whole thing. During school she'd feel the leakage begin and just hope that it wouldn't show through her shirt. She talked with her therapist about it - only to discover that, it is not normal for a 15 year old to lactate, unless pregnant or having just given birth. Lily has never even seriously held a boys hand, let alone being pregnant. Barring divine intervention, this was a new problem. I called her doctor (and bought the poor girl nursing pads). A blood test revealed high...
Am enjoying your blog :-) Am hoping to come visit with Leslie before your contract is finished.
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