40 Something

Hello Everyone.

Life is traveling quite well for our family at the moment.
Scott and I have made steps towards a healthier life for both of us.
It is probably best we are both here for the kids long term!
Withdrawl symptoms from some of lifes "basics" is difficult and the bonus is we have not killed each other yet!
The kids just laugh at us.

Amelia is doing really well.
Someone was surprised recently with the amount of "care"she needs.
Someone that should have known better....but then if you do not live here, how would you know?!

Amelia has a terminal, degenerative disease.
She used to attend a "normal" dancing class at 5 years of age, for goodness sake.
People who meet us now have trouble believing that.

Amelia is doing REALLY well in terms of happiness.
That is all that counts.
Her sense of humour is through the roof!

Our house (despite lack of substance abuse) is a happy house.

Recently she attended her old mainstream school.
It was beyond awesome.

Tom "kept her" for show and tell.
The speech he gave about his sister was awe inspiring.
He shuffled his feet with nerves the whole way through.
He talked about her being "normal".
He mentioned that she is "funny" and "clever".
He said he "loved her" to the class.

Tom was proud of Amelia.

When we ventured out into the playground, Tom was right next to her.
Children from Amelia's old year level began approaching from all directions.
"AMELIA"......"LOOK AMELIA IS HERE""........"OMG AMELIA, HELLO".

It was humbling, beautiful and amazing.

The only word I could use to describe it was "swarm".
As I moved away, Amelia had a swarm of children around her (and a MASSIVE smile on her face!).

There were 3 children that new her extremely well that day.
For that 1 hour I was gone, there were 3 children I entrusted her to.
Tom, Georgia and Ash.
Children that will develop into amazing, compassionate, caring children in their adulthood.

And they did me proud.

When I went to pick Amelia up, she had Tom and Ash with her.
She had an AWESOME day.
After a short discussion with the main organiser of such a special day (Mr Barnes), it was decided she would attend once a month.
Amelia is counting down the days to the next one.
(As we were leaving, he tried to give her a kiss. I have never seen her drive into the Kia so quick, laughing hysterically!).

Amelia is also obsessed with the movie Frozen and her favorite music on the radio at the moment.
Her speech therapist long ago (Katie!) mentioned the benefit to her speech of singing.
After numerous downloads and repeated singing of her favorites, she is as clear as day when she sings now.

Tom is still Tom.
Tom will always be Tom.
He now has the whole school calling him Tommy.
It is apparently "more AFL football friendly".
When he is older, he will be playing for the Melbourne Demons apparently.
In the "off season" he will play cricket for Australia.
Inbetween the 2 seasons, he will be a police officer "fining" people who illegally park in disabled parking spots.
When the footy and cricket careers finish, he is apparently entering V8 car driving.

Makes me exhausted writing it!

We are having MASSIVE issues with him being the "clown" at home.
During our consequenses...... his only response?
"But Amelia is laughing".
We look over at Amelia and she is SNORTING through the laughter.
Tom believes that if Amelia is laughing, it is OK.

Isn't that what we work towards?
Making Amelia happy?

Very difficult to explain to him.

Scott?
Well he and I are loving catching up with all of the "old" friends at recent 40th Birthday Party Celebrations.
It is like "old times".
It is like you have NEVER been apart.

I am absolutely blown away that 100% of them read this blog.
I am absolutely blown away that they speak and mention certain blogs that have changed their lives or made them investigate something different in their own lives.

The "melatonin" blog is the most influential apparently and also helping so many more children sleep, that were having difficulty before.

There is also one word that keeps appearing.

"REAL. You keep it real".

I have to kind of laugh at that.
It seems like a "double edged sword".

I have friends say....
"talk about Amelia waking up constantly overnight, needing consoling, toileting and having nightmares".
"speak about Toms' high's/low's and "out there" behaviour and difficulty having a sibling being SO sick"....

BUT WHY?

This blog is about teaching to look at the POSITIVES.
There is always a positive in ANY life.

(I just deleted a comment about a child that I am teaching. This child's situation should NOT happen. But I suppose, at least, my co-educator and I are there and can cuddle).

I like to believe that whenever a child attends "Our Kinder" they are arriving at their "Happy Place".

Back to Scott (sorry Hun, I always forget you).
At recent 40th's and his own...
Scott is hearing about very expensive new houses.
He is hearing about new holidays.
He is hearing about new cars.
He is hearing about Private Education and Children's achievement.

He is home.
Earning nothing.

I am working 3 days a week to "support" us all.
I have struggled with the stress of that.
HE does not like seeing me coming home stressed.

One Life.
One time to make it Happen.
One life to give his wife and children everything they "supposedly" deserve.

MY RESOLVE............

One child gets off the bus.........YOU ARE THERE.
One child gets dropped off............YOU ARE THERE.
Two children wake up.............YOU ARE THERE.
Lunches for school.......YOU ARE THERE.
Reading for school...........YOU ARE THERE.
Special Occasions For School...........YOU ARE THERE.
General "chit chat" after school.......YOU ARE THERE.
A Parent available........YOU ARE THERE.

That is ALL they will remember.

The DAD that was ALWAYS there.

xxx