Wednesday, March 26, 2014

What's Ordinary?

No, seriously, What is "ordinary"?  


I'm a mother.. My youngest son, Jacob (who just turn 3 on March 1) was recently diagnosed with autism. By the time Jacob was 2, I knew something was "different" so by the time the diagnosis came, I was ready to take it head on. Completely ignorant to autism, I went looking for answers everywhere. The most helpfu have been websites like Cafemom.com and blogs from mothers like myself with children on the spectrum. Because they aren't doctors telling you what you "should do" or what you're "supposed to be doing" for your child. 

While searching the internet late one night, I noticed a lot of mom's say they don't have "ordinary days" and their child "isn't ordinary". So I asked myself... What's ordnary? 

Ordinary: of no special quality or interest, commonplace; unexceptional. (This is the dictionary's definition). 

So who wants to be ordinary?

If you're new to this, like myself, you learn there is no such thing as an ordinary day. I'm still having trouble getting Jacob on a schedule so no two days are alike for me. Then there's appointments everywhere not to mention tending to my other children who are school-aged so there's PTA meetings, extra-curricular activities and the list goes on and on. Aside from that, Jacob is non-verbal so in the mist of everything I trying to potty train him. Oh, and I'm a single parent so there's really no such thing as "me time"... 

Jacob isn't ordinary, none of my children are... They're unique... one of a kind. Jacob though, he teaches me just as much (if not more) as I teach him. Ordinary is boring! In the mist of the chaos in my daily life, there's so much joy, laughs, and love. There's newfound patience and faith in my abilty to parent.  I no longer question "why Jacob" nor do I wish he was "Ordinary" because he's, in fact, extraordinary. Some days, I wish bedtime came a little faster or wish I could scream my head off... But there are days that makes every one of those days worth it. 

Thank you for reading and following Jacob's Journey... I'm looking foward to meeting some extraordinary children and mom's on this journey. 

Remember: NOTHING IS ORDINARY!