And just like that, the month has come to an end.
This was such a fast moving month. With so much on our plate, the addition of Bradley being sick for most of the month just seemed to fast forward everything anyway. Halloween, which is so fun and such a big day in our house, was a quiet footnote that was bookended by stress as we worried about the smoke from the fires and the wind, and then the stress of looking up and knowing that the smoke over the hill represented a whole other trouble coming.
And it is the biggest fire burning right now. Last night, as we watched the orange glow as it kept burning up the mountains, I was glued to my twitter feed and the news, trying to keep track of the fire map and evacuation map. No, the fire was not really threatening us, too many houses between us and the fire. But embers are embers and they can fly anywhere in the winds that we have had. But mostly, it was the concern of where the smoke was going to go. Would it turn and flow right towards us, or turn away? The last update I read before I went to sleep, the article was talking about the fire possibly turning south...we were south. In that moment, I felt fear. But I’m an educated woman and know to use more than one resource... I did manage to sleep last night, whenever I wasn’t hanging out with Bradley.
The kids were all home today. The girls’ High School is a only a few miles from the southern part of the fire, with farms and houses in between...but still, I would have kept them home. It was pretty funny, at 1:55 pm we got the call that school would resume Friday. Then, the fire started at 6:13. First call was the notification that the fire was being monitored, the school cancellation came in at 7:30. Anyway, the last thing we need is a vast change in direction and me trying to get to them or waiting to see if Madison gets her sister and gets them home. Bradley’s school cancellation came in late, but he wasn’t going either, risking the air wasn’t worth it for sure.
So we had the girls prep their go bags. And I started making lists in my head of things to do. We were pretty sure we weren’t going, but if the winds shifted, we’d be part of a voluntary evacuation if it came up and if the winds were against us, we’d go too. But mostly, we felt that if the girls were prepped to go, then they could keep Bradley occupied to give me a chance to prep and pack if necessary. And maybe, they would be calmer about it.
Despite drone operators downing the water drops from the air support, responders were able to keep the fire in the containment box they were hoping to establish. We’ve seen some line jumping today, but despite zero containment, responders have held the lines and kept the fire where they want it. Trying to get it out while in those lines is the toughest part. So we pray for the fire fighters holding that line, the people in the way, and the hope that more can be saved then lost.
As for us; at our house, the winds were milder, the smoke heading away and the skies were so clear. Bradley chose to visit with me at 11:00 last night, and again at 3. And still felt that our day should start at 6:30 this morning. But similar to school, there is much to be said for an early morning nap. Because he is sneaky, he went to Sydney’s room and stood next to her bed. When she asked if he was going to lay down with her, he turned and left the room. Then, while I was prepping his medicines, I didn’t see him and went looking for him. He was laying with Madison. Seeing that they were chatting, I went back to finish his medicine. As I sat and waited for him to get bored with hanging out with Madison, I ran through the latest news on the fire.
Finally, I looked up and noted how much time had passed. Hmmm.... worried he’d snuck out of her room and past me, I walk back down the hall. He didn’t get bored; in fact, he got too tired to get up. He was sound asleep, snuggled up with Madison and slept until after 9. Good grief! Why couldn’t he have just stayed in his own bed, mine, or even toddled on down to her room and climbed up there and left out the middle mom? Ugh!
We spent the day playing blocks and tiles. I did more laundry than I thought we owned collectively and listened to the girls as they tried to help each other navigate the world of dating in a digital world, complete with showing emotion with punctuation, and using the smiley face with a ‘ because that indicates a different level of emotion. For Heaven’s sake! I am so grateful that my dating years were completed with nothing more than a pager and brief use of a my first cell phone. How they are doing it now is just, wow. They are braver than they realize, smarter than me, and flexible in ways that they don’t understand. Their roots are deep and solid, but like Willows, they bend in the wind and stand through the storms. I’m proud of them!
As for my boy? He’s pretty great. He may not actually be moving towards potty training, but he is responding to the need to take care of diapers and meds by pausing and then running down the hall. This morning, I told him to go get his stool so he could climb up for his diaper and meds, so he turned and left his room, went to mine and grabbed his stool and carried it back to his room and then climbed up on his table. Understanding. Comprehension. Compliance and Follow through. It was AMAZING! So you bet, I am so proud of him!
Life with Bradley is a gift. But then; when you are Blessed to have children, and you let them be the joy they are meant to be in your life, they are all a gift. I look at my oldest; knowing she is close to leaving the nest, and her life flashes before my eyes from baby to Senior in High School and so many moments along the way. My Sophomore is not far behind, and I find I am having similar reactions when I look at her too. Hazards of having them so close together. Sigh... And my Bradley, growing up fast and right now, developing in leaps and bounds. I miss them as babies and I miss them as toddlers...but I believe that’s the job I applied for. Their job is to grow up and grow strong and change the world. I just love them along the way.
So my friends, here ends the 31 For 21 Blog Challenge for Acceptance and Awareness for Down syndrome. You see, life is what you make of it. Play your cards from the heart and the path will lead where it is meant to lead. Your kids get sick, they get healthy, they are brilliant or they aren’t.. an extra chromosome allows you to prep ahead of time so the valleys aren’t stark and bleak, but rather filled with flowers meant to make your way go a little better. It’s not easy, but it’s worth it. Being given something extra to go with your ordinary? Pretty epic in the grand scheme of things. When you are down, hit your knees and pray...but then get up and keep walking. Whether there is an extra chromosome in your family or not..life is about standing up and keeping walking. Thank you for joining me on this monthly journey about this little family and our little extra.
Until next time sweet friends!
