"Normal"

Sometimes it's the "normal" kid stuff that gets me. Things like head lice can really shake me up. Ear infections, hair cuts...and oh my goodness, potty training...that took forever! Things that every child has to go through, but somehow we wish our child could be exempted from. He's had 3 heart surgeries, shouldn't that be enough? But, no, it's not an exemption for the rest of life and the trials therein.

For the first 3 years of Blaze's life, we kept him at home. His grown up cousin, Melissa, lived with us and watched him. After his last surgery we decided to go ahead and put him in daycare. He's in preschool classes now. Along with that came a whole new set of challenges. He became sick more frequently, he's gotten head lice twice, he hears things we try to shield him from and he has outgrown his favorite teacher's class. Already he has been heartbroken for a teacher...and he's learned what frustrates this new one and tries to use it to his advantage. He's sounding out words and learning to write his letters. All "normal" kid stuff.

And in the midst of the chaos, I'm grateful. So thankful that he's healthy enough for all of this. So pleased he's made friends and he's learning his way. So excited to see how very strong he is.

There's been pain in the process. We're learning together. Some things have been harder than others, but what a blessing it's been.

Blaze is to the point now that people don't automatically suspect he's ever been ill. That's a fantastic place to be. It's hard sometimes, though. We mommies want to bubble wrap our kids sometimes and this little man just will not be bubble wrapped! I'm thankful for that.

There are times where I am just shocked by my child's strong will, and determined nature. My husband will remind me that we prayed for him to be strong, even before he was born. We needed a kid determined to make it and willing to fight, and that's definitely what we have.

We're adjusting to "normal." It really is a miracle to be at this point. So grateful for this opportunity and what we've been given.

What's normal to you?

So grateful to our extraordinary God for even the "ordinaries".