Interview Questions

By Sandy on November 8, 2012

Recently, a very special college student who is like a daughter to me, sent an email. She is majoring in Special Education and was given an assignment to interview the parent of a child with a disability. She asked if I would be willing to answer her questions. I was happy to help.

It didn’t take long to write out my answers. The words just poured out. Little did I know tears would be streaming down my face almost the entire time. I’m not sure it really matters, but I felt the need to share. Here, in part, are her questions and my answers.

Late Night Fun

By Sandy on October 12, 2012

Josiah loves milk. Last night we realized just how much. Way past Josiah’s bedtime, I heard a loud banging sound in the kitchen. Assuming Josiah was yanking the oven door open and slamming it closed, as he lately enjoys doing, I raced to the kitchen to redirect him back to bed.

It wasn’t the oven door. Josiah had yanked a gallon of milk from the refrigerator and threw it to the ground. The lid popped off. I found Josiah crouching on the floor, staring intently as a stream of milk flowed from the jug, creating a massive, white puddle all around him. He was fascinated.

Oh What a Day

By Sandy on October 3, 2012

Yesterday, I had the occasion to be the hands and feet of Jesus. OK, maybe that’s just what I told myself, to get through the day. It definitely was a character building sort of day with ample opportunity for selflessness and sacrifice.

Josiah was sick. Read that to mean, we were all a little sleep deprived. It’s never a great idea to begin a character building day with minimal rest. But then again, lack of energy is often times part of the equation when learning to sacrifice and improve selflessness. Let me just state for the record character building lessons are not by choice.

Nonetheless, we often find ourselves plunked down, smack dab in the middle of them. Quite often.

He Wins

By Sandy on September 24, 2012

Over the years Josiah has done a great job of decluttering our home. We have very little ‘stuff” lying around. If you look closely, you’ll notice, no end tables, no lamps, very few decorations of any kind. Those things used to be magnets, attracting Josiah’s attention. He felt it necessary to see how far he could throw them.

That boy LOVES to knock things over. He repeatedly throws his kitchen chair to the ground. Often, he scans counter tops for things to throw. Occasionally, at school, he overturns chairs and tables. When he was too little to reach the fireplace mantle, Josiah would hurl a sock or a shirt in that general direction, attempting to knock over figurines.

Will Work for Beads

By Sandy on September 21, 2012

Josiah will do just about anything for a shiny string of Mardi Gras beads. Dangle a strand just out of reach and that boy snaps to attention. It’s best to keep a nice stash of them on hand, which is why I frequent the Dollar Store to load up. It’s why I try to keep some in my purse and in the van and in Rick’s car. It’s also why the aides on Josiah’s morning and afternoon buses each keep a string of beads.

I’m telling you, life is just much easier with beads in tow.