A New Year = New Classes and Change
I am not one to procrastinate when it comes to getting things done and checked off the list! However, I was slowed down in December because I got sick with pneumonia (right before Christmas!) and my "perfectionist" ways made me realize that I am not God. I have had pneumonia for nearly a month and I started to freak out about the recovery time it takes to get completely well. I stayed in, didn't celebrate Christmas with my family on Christmas day, but what I came to realize is that I have an incredible family that loves me-- sick or well. My problem I was having is that I really wanted to finish my Power Point presentation and hand-out for my workshop before the new year. I didn't get my work done because of my health, so now I am putting on the finishing touches of this huge project. Life threw me a curve ball as I was not expecting to come down with pneumonia before Christmas, but it made me stop and reflect on my life. I am only one person, Cole only has one mom, and my husband is my rock. I have the most amazing life and I feel that God was telling me to slow down. I am beyond busy trying to figure out what is best for Cole, in terms of education, future employment, what he will do after he graduates from high school, and if he decides to get married. The reason I state these things is because when you are a mom to a child that has autism or a child with special needs, your worry doubles. I worry that when I die or when my husband (his amazing dad!) dies, how is Cole going to handle it? He asks us all the time about when we are going to die. Cole quotes exact dates of people he has loved when they died. For example, Cole may have never met them, like Robin Williams, Dick Clark, or Don Pardo, but he truly loved these people. He is obsessed with dates, so I chalk this up to his incredible memory and his "autism". I have this incredible kid, who happens to have autism, but as a parent, you always wonder "what if". I always look ahead to the future, as we never know what each day brings. I feel planning, preparation, and a lot of prayer goes into having a great life. I know if I don't prepare and plan, then prayer helps me realize that I need to!
By now, if you have read all of my blog posts, you will realize how much I love my son and my husband. Cole has, and always, will be my world. I have an incredible partner and husband that supports me and Cole in anything that we want to do in life! Cole's dad and my husband is one of those rare people that gets me and Cole. He loves us unconditionally and gives us anything and everything we need. I could write poems, sonnets, songs (which I have), and a book about how my husband loves us. You never know what life is going to give you, but I am thankful every single day for this man. The reason I am gushing about my husband and Cole's dad is because he has stood by me, pushed me to where I am today, and knows exactly what I need. My husband has given me wings to fly, which in return, has given Cole the ability to go out there and seize the moment. I couldn't have done my Power Point or workshop without having the right partner and husband supporting me. He encourages me and Cole to do our best, to love life, but most of all, he has given us a feeling of security. I love my parents, but having a mate that supports me in everything I do is paramount to how I feel: I feel I can conquer the world because of the love of my husband! He has given me and our son, Cole, a home that is full of unconditional love and support. My parents gave us love and support and I am forever grateful for their support, but having a husband that "gets it" makes life that much better for me and for Cole.
I know I titled this post: A New Year = New Schedule of Classes and Change. Cole loves school because he has amazing teachers, an incredible staff, and wonderful friends. However, if I didn't fight for his education, he would be just a statistic. He has the same DJP (Developmental Junior High Program) teacher for English, Math, Social Studies, and Science, but he has a new class this semester, which is working out great! This class is a human services (think sewing, travel, cooking....) class and he loves it, simply because he has three friends in his class. He also said the teacher is "hot". Yep, he's a lady's man for sure! I told Cole it's a good thing her husband works at his school, so he can watch out for boys like Cole! I did have words with the counselor (she is lazy, as I have found out from various sources), simply because I feel Cole needs to be mainstreamed as much as possible outside of his DJP classroom. His DJP teacher, Ms. Tamayo, is incredible! However, I expect great things from Cole and he is getting closer to high school, so I want him to go to college. Does this sound attainable for a kid who didn't really talk until age 8? I think it is very attainable. I don't give up on Cole, and he doesn't give up either. We are blessed to have each other in life, but most of all, we are supremely blessed by my amazing husband that gives us the confidence and strength to pursue our dreams. Have a great January and there will be much more to come from my blog in the coming months! Stay tuned, but for now (in Cole's words), "Happy New Year 2015!".........
