Editor’s Note. Look for upcoming articles from Kimmy, I am so excited to be growing our community of Special Needs parents and children to share with us. If at any time, you are interested, please send me a note.
Hi, my name is Kimmy. Who am I? I am many things. Let’s start by talking about the “me” me. I am a chick in her early thirties who loves to bake, craft, thrift, write, read, travel, and much more. When I’m not being: “Wife”, “Mom”, “House Manager”, “Homeschooler”, “Advocate”, and “Wrangler of Craziness”, I can be found sitting on my couch with my pile of pillows, leaning against one of my best friends; my heating pad. She is always there for me, ready to wrap me in her warm embrace. We snuggle while I check out the latest list on the wonders of vinegar on Pinterest. Then, we scoot over to Facebook to see what everyone is up to. After that, we may catch up on an episode or two on Hulu, if we are left uninterrupted for more than fifteen minutes! We savor these quiet moments and look forward to when we meet again.
Next, let’s move on to the “Wife” and “Mom” me. I married my high school sweetheart when I was eighteen years old. We have been married now for 15 years. I am very proud of the marriage my husband and I have built. Marrying at such an early age comes with its challenges. My husband and I have grown up together. Growth is beautiful. Growth is painful. Growth makes us better people. I am so happy that I am able to share my life with this wonderful man. We have three children, ages thirteen, eleven and seven. We also have two sweet goldendoodles that always keep us laughing. Our thirteen year old son is intelligent and creative. He likes to crochet, sculpt things out of clay, draw, and write programs on his computer. He also has anxiety and depression. Our eleven year old daughter is the kindest child I have ever met. I am often stopped by school staff to tell me how sweet and thoughtful she is. She also has dyslexia and ADHD. Our seven year old daughter is independant and beautifully stubborn. She also has Down syndrome. Parenting three children with special needs is rewarding at times, but can also be filled with stress and challenges. My mom hat has three layers, each softly complex in its own way.
This brings us to the “House Manager”, “Homeschooler”, “Advocate”, and “Wrangler of Craziness”. I hold these titles like a sack of bricks tied to my back. These are the jobs that occupy the majority of my days. One moment’s challenge may be scrubbing muddy paw prints from the couch while the doorbell rings and my daughter hurls her sippy cup over the second floor railing. Such is life, and I have a great one. I am very thankful that my daily struggles are very miniscule when compared to the real problems in our world. Sometimes a little dose of perspective is all we need.
So, that’s “me” in a tiny nutshell. I look forward to sharing more about myself and my family in the coming months. As I sign off, I leave you with a question to ask yourself. Who is the real “me”? Tell me about yourself in the comments!
Warmest regards,
Kimmy