Refreshed, Renewed and Ready to Go!

I am back! As most of you know who follow the blog, I was away on vacation to New Mexico to visit family and friends.  It was an amazing and much needed trip.  I am refreshed, relaxed and ready to push on.

Tonight’s post is just a short jaunt letting you all know I’m still here and going to be continue with the blog.  I have lots of exciting things to write about.  My brain got much needed downtime and a reboot.  One topic I’ll be covering are airport ratings for travelling with small children and a different look for special needs children – it is nothing I expected, but, hopefully, helpful to someone out there.

Travelling with little man proved to be difficult at times, but he handled everything amazingly well.  I am so proud of him.  He had so much thrown at him and he handled most of it in stride.  Remember, he is 3, so some behaviors were expected.

Anyway, I am happy to be back and anxious to start writing again, but I need to give myself another day.  I contracted strep throat the Friday before we were to leave and Hayden got an infection too.  We went to Urgent Care in New Mexico, but what they gave us did not help (another interested blog may be coming about our experience with healthcare outside of your network).  We saw our doctor when we got back and got onto the correct meds.  Unfortunately, Hayden had to go on a steroid for his cough and steroids and little children don’t mix well.  He’s been keeping my husband and I very busy and having little tantrums over the strangest things.  Therefore, I am a little more tired than usual, especially as I recover from my own infection.

Keeps your eyes peeled over the next few days for some fun new posts.  I hope you have all been well!

Always

Sheri

---

A Phoenix Rising from the Ashes

I’m back after a wonderful break with my family for Christmas.  I hope each of you enjoyed time with your friends and family over Christmas and New Year’s.  We have done quite a bit of travelling since my last post and we aren’t done yet.  We leave for New Mexico for two weeks in less than a week.  I plan to enjoy every moment, as I did this last 10 days.  

Today marks the start of a new year and for some a new chapter in their lives. Some will be making resolutions, others not.  This time of the year is about reflection.  Where were you last year at this time? Did you make progress? If not, what can you change going forward? If you did make progress, what’s next?  Life is not meant to be lived holding still.  In order to become our best self, we must be constantly improving and learning, no matter how small. 

I have had a lot to reflect on my year over this last few days.  The last year has seen more downs than ups, but I feel at peace.  Things had to go the way they did so that my family could, pardon the cliché, be like the phoenix and rise from the ashes anew.  I know what direction I am headed and what I needed to do to get there.  It won’t be easy.  In fact, this year will see downs that will outnumber the ups as well, but not as many as the last.

 I’m in a regrouping part of my life.  I had a plan for the way I wanted thinks to go.  You know what they say, “You want to make God laugh, show Him your plans.”  I touched on this a few posts ago, so we won’t rehash it.  My point is to keep going.  You may have been knocked down and it’s ok to be down and sad, but don’t build a tent and live there.  It can be incredibly difficult to rise back up, but you can do it. 

I can remember how I was last year.   We were about 2 months in to Hayden’s ASD diagnosis, a month into speech therapy, seeing 2 in-home therapists twice a week, a month away from him starting Pre-K (which entailed many more evaluations) and me spending countless hours on the phone looking for a mobile therapist.  Plus, I was prepping for Hayden’s 3^rd birthday in a month.  I don’t know how I did any of it.  I had a lot of support and that’s what it comes down to.  No one could walk this walk for me, but many people were there encouraging me.  If for some reason you don’t have someone to encourage you, reach out to me.  I may not be able to understand what you have going on, but I can be your cheering section and sound board. 

I am now off to bed.  I have a lot to accomplish before we leave for New Mexico.  I can’t promise I’ll post a lot when we are there, but I will try to post more over the next week. 

I wish you all the best in 2018.  May you find joy in your sorrows, a smile after the rain and courage to know when the battle is lost, you can still win the war.  Peace and blessings to you all! Be the change!