Category: Life

A Letter to Mrs. Cordelia

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In honor of Down Syndrome Awareness Month, I want to share about one of my special role-models, Mrs. Cordelia Conn, through a letter I’ve written countless times to her in my head: 

Dear Mrs. Cordelia,

You had no idea, but you were one of the early pioneers and advocates for people with Down syndrome and a personal role model for me. And you did it simply by being the best mom you could be to Patrick.

When I was younger, I always admired you. You had a confidence about you that even a young girl like me could pick up on. You had the sense of humor that was essential in being a mother of seven. There was a genuineness and openness about you that just felt safe. You told it like it was without a cloud of anger or judgment hanging over your statements. 

What I remember most, though, was how you were with Patrick. How you acted like he was a normal human being that belonged anywhere he wanted to be and especially belonged wherever you were – church, parties, Boomland, etc. You didn’t try to hide that he had Down syndrome, and you didn’t emphasize it, either. You made it clear that Patrick was not a person to be pitied or coddled. You had expectations of him and didn’t make excuses for him when he did or said something you didn’t approve of. Most importantly, you treated him with respect and love, and I saw that. 

Neither one of us knew it yet, but God did. He knew that I needed a role-model to look to when I had my own son with Down syndrome. He knew that I needed more than to just know Patrick and see all that he was able to do. He knew I needed to know you. To see you as a mom to Patrick so I would know what kind of mom I would want to be to my own son. 

When I got to sit down and talk with you last September, you told me that you didn’t know that Patrick had Down syndrome until you took him to your family doctor for his first round of routine immunizations when he was two-months-old or older. 

After I picked my jaw up off the floor, I asked you if you thought the doctors and nurses knew he had Down syndrome when he was born, and you said, “Supposedly they did, but they thought maybe I couldn’t handle it. Who knows what their feelings were?” When I asked if he was healthy as a baby, you again just said, “Supposedly.” To say I was shocked to hear these things is a gross understatement because in the world of information overload we live in today, the chances of a baby being born with Down syndrome and it not being communicated to the mother is virtually unfathomable. To not know if he or she had any medical conditions that would need additional medical attention or care. 

But that’s what makes you so incredible. I honestly don’t think it mattered that you didn’t know right away that Patrick had Down syndrome. Because Down syndrome or not, he was your baby and you were going to love and provide for him the best you could. 

You may have only met Moses a handful of times, but your impact on him is much more than the sum of your brief meetings. Because of you, he had a mom that was ready to accept, respect, see, and love him for the person he is and will become. 

As we talked, you were amazed that Moses has been receiving therapies since he was 6-weeks old. That he was about to start preschool and would be going to school just like any other child. Those things were not available for Patrick, but yet you still made sure that he wasn’t just tucked away and dismissed. You gave him the opportunities to grow. To be seen. To be known. 

Along with a journal and some of Patrick’s old books, you gave me an angel to take home to Moses. You told me to put it up so that he couldn’t reach it and so that it could watch over him. I’m thankful to know that he has another even better angel looking over him now. 

Thank you, Mrs. Cordelia. With my whole heart I thank you for being the mom you were to Patrick so I could be the mom I am to Moses. 

Love, 

Jenny (a.k.a. Moses’ mom)

In loving memory of Mrs. Cordelia Ann Rock Conn (1928 – 2019)

Where I’m Supposed to Be

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I’m where I’m supposed to be.

This is the mantra that has gotten me through this week as I’ve found myself struggling to make sense of life these days. 

This isn’t new territory, either. A couple of months ago, I was going through some old things and I came across a letter I had written to God. I can remember writing it like it was last week instead of 12 years ago. At that time, I was definitely not where I wanted to be. To be honest, I felt like I was on the road to nowhere and I was lost even trying to find my way there. Not exactly what I had pictured my life looking like at 27. 

In the letter, I poured my heart out to God. All the thoughts and feelings of anger and frustration, sadness and loneliness, confusion and fear. I asked Him to help me know what to do to help myself. 

Here I am 12 years later in a much different season of my life yet feeling those same emotions and a little lost again. And this time it’s not just myself I have to worry about. The stakes are definitely much higher now, and my sense of urgency to know what to do to help myself and my family is much more intense.

Where am I? 

I’m at home.

I’m serving my family. I’m cooking meals, washing dishes, doing laundry, and cleaning up messes. I’m cheering for my daughter as she learns to make a lowercase ‘a’ and for my son as he correctly identifies objects when given two choices. I’m rocking outdoor recess duty. I’m snuggling with Josie when she crawls into bed with me each morning and rocking Moses at naptime because he wants me to. I’m taking deep breaths so I don’t completely lose my temper and reminding myself to keep small problems small. I’m asking for hugs and forgiveness when I fail to do both. I’m excited to see my husband when he gets home so I get to talk to an adult and hear about the outside world. 

When I was at work, I would often announce “I’m going to go change lives!” Now I feel like the only thing I’m changing is diapers. 

Believe you me when I say that I NEVER saw myself as a housewife and definitely not as a stay-at-home mom. I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with either of those by any means. It’s hard work and the pay is horrible. I’m one “official” week in and I’m ready to turn in my two-week notice. 

But I’m supposed to be here. Even when I don’t want to wash another dish, it feels right. I don’t have the luxury of knowing why I’m doing exactly what I never wanted to do, but I do have the luxury of trusting that God knows why I’m here and will help me to understand when I’m supposed to. 

Over the last 12 years I have learned that life isn’t about getting where you want to be and staying there. It’s about continuing to live and experience and learn and grow, and that still includes going through some growing pains at times.

I’m where I’m supposed to be. 

And who knows? This may end up being the best place I’ve been to yet.

The Next Right Thing

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A couple of years ago, my church was offering a book to the parishioners called Perfectly Yourself by Matthew Kelly. As a person who spent the first half of her life striving to be perfect in various ways, there was no way I could pass up this book. 

As I began reading, I appreciated how the author described our quest here on Earth as to become the best version of ourselves. And how that might look different from day-to-day. It was as if I was being given permission to be less than perfect. To be human. And for that to be okay as long as I did my best every day to be the best version of myself. 

One of the guiding principles to achieving that goal was to always look to do the next right thing. That sounded simple enough, and it proved very helpful in guiding my decisions at home and at work. Looking back, the season of life I was in was relatively calm (as calm as life can be with two toddlers) and I wasn’t faced with many difficult situations and the concept made its way to the back of my mind. 

I never finished the book even though it stayed right there on the table by my bed. Then a few months ago, I decided to revisit it. 

This time I took my time reading through it and underlining parts that stuck out to me. Today I looked back and found two passages that I had underlined: 

“We seem to spend endless hours planning and worrying about some distant future that is promised to none of us, and yet effortlessly overlook the fact that how we deal with the here and now will determine what the future looks like.” (p. 48)

Little did I know that just a few short months later, I was going to find myself in this exact situation. Where not only was I constantly looking ahead and trying to prevent my worst nightmare from happening, I was focused more on what I could not control (i.e. other people) than on what I could (i.e. myself). The result was that I was mentally and emotionally drained. I felt lonely and frustrated and defeated at almost every turn. And then I came to the point where I couldn’t go on like that. It wasn’t healthy for me, and it wasn’t healthy for my family which I was desperate to protect. 

Which brings me to another passage I had underlined:

“The truth is that we almost always do [know what the next right thing is]. More than 99 percent of the time, you will know what the next right thing for you to do is if you quiet yourself for a moment and go to that place deep within you.” (p. 49) 

In my efforts to try to control the situation and appeal to others to see and do things the way I needed them to, I found myself in the midst of so much noise that I couldn’t hear that place deep within myself that was pointing me towards what was truly the next right thing. To me, giving up fighting for others to protect me so I could protect my family was akin to failing my family. Failing my son. Even though I was exhausted, I faced each day ready to continue my fight. My motto became “I trust God but I don’t trust people”. I spent my time and energy finding people who understood and supported me and growing more and more resentful of those who didn’t. 

Until I stopped. 

Last Saturday morning, I told my husband that I needed ten minutes of quiet before he left for a few hours. I went outside and sat on the steps and asked God to help me to know what to do. What the next right thing was. Because what I thought was the right thing for me to do wasn’t working. 

I wish I could say that the clouds parted and I heard a voice from above telling me exactly what I needed to do. How cool would that have been? In reality, after my ten minutes were up, I muddled my way through the rest of the morning most of the afternoon. 

It wasn’t until later that afternoon when I was taking some more time to sit in the quiet after talking to Tyson that I was able to start getting an idea of what the next right thing was for me to do. Somewhere in that quiet, I was finally able to hear the answer. Somewhere in the quiet, my heart and mind were open to the possibility that the next right thing for me was not at all what I had in mind. 

At this point I wish I could say that all felt right with the world and it was smooth sailing from there. Unfortunately, knowing and doing the next right thing isn’t always easy. Even though I did feel a calming sense of peace knowing that I was going to be heading in the right direction, there was still a certain level of anxiety that things were not going to work out the way I wanted and the consequences of that. Especially knowing that other people other than myself and my family would be impacted. 

Now that decisions have been made and action has been taken, there is a part of my heart that is hurting and disappointed while a part of it is relieved and contented. But in the end, doing the next right thing has put me where I’m supposed to be. It is not what I had envisioned or hoped for, and what lies ahead is still unknown. However, I can already see signs of how God has prepared me and my family for this exact season of life I now find myself in. And it’s all because I had the courage to be quiet, listen to Him, and do the next right thing.

My hope for you is that when you’re faced with a choice, you will choose the next right thing for you. Sometimes it’s easy to know what that is, and sometimes is incredibly difficult. In those times, I hope you will be able to find some time and space to be quiet (even if it’s just ten minutes) so you can listen deep down for the answer that will guide you in the right direction.

Source: Kelly, M. (2017). Perfectly yourself: Discovering God’s dream for you. North Palm Beach, FL: Beacon Publishing.

Living with Healthy Fear

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When Moses was 3-months-old and on a ventilator because of complications from RSV, a common cold to most people, I remember one of the nurses in the PICU telling me, “We have a healthy fear of RSV.” He said that even though they knew how RSV progresses and what it can do to a person’s body, they also know that they have to be diligent while taking care of a patient in Moses’ situation because things can go from bad to really bad very quickly. Case in point: The first time Tyson and I went to the cafeteria together to get lunch, leaving Moses alone in his hospital room for the first time since being admitted, the alarms in his room went off to signal that the thick mucus was clogging up the ventilator tube. When we got back upstairs, the nurse explained that they had to suction his tube out pretty forcefully so that the oxygen could flow through the tube. This happened a couple more times while Moses was on the ventilator. Hence the need for that healthy fear.

When we started to learn of the coronavirus and how it affects the respiratory system, Tyson and I immediately started thinking about how to keep Moses safe. Yes, for the most part, COVID-19 does not affect children as severely as older people. However, from recent reports, it can and has seriously affected children. Because of Moses’ history of having respiratory complications from RSV, he is considered to be ‘high risk’ for COVID-19.

So while we have been practicing social distancing for the past two weeks, I have felt fairly confident that we’re keeping him safe. Of course, there is a part of me that understands that I am not in control of the spread of this virus. None of us are. Despite our best efforts, he could still get it. Because of his age, he could get over it with little to no complications. I’ve read accounts from parents that their children with Down syndrome have gotten COVID-19 and recovered fully from it.

He could develop severe respiratory complications. He could require a ventilator again to save his life again.

And because he has Down syndrome he could be denied that life-saving intervention.

Two states – Washington and Alabama – have already released medical guidelines that more or less outline who gets priority when it comes to being put on a ventilator. Individuals with intellectual disabilities are included in the group that is not given high priority.

To some in the medical field, Moses’ life is viewed as less valuable than a three-year-old with typical intellectual abilities.

I am not okay with that.

I’m not saying that Moses’ life is more valuable than any other three-year-old’s. I am saying that his life is just as valuable as any other person’s on this planet.

In three short years, Moses has impacted so many lives in ways that I may never even know about. But I do know how much awareness and understanding he has brought to our family and friends about Down syndrome and respecting the dignity of his existence. I know how much happiness and laughter he spreads with his wicked sense of humor and his amazing hugs. I know that he has taught me to slow down and remember to find the joy in life’s simple moments and to not let society dictate what is important in my life.

But because he naturally has a shorter life expectancy (60 years) and is prone to have more medical issues, he’s low priority. That means that if the resources were available, he would likely be denied access to them. Because somehow those experts in the medical field are also experts in predicting the impact of a person’s life based on a diagnosis of, oh, let’s say Down syndrome.

I am not okay with it being decided beforehand that people with Down syndrome or any other type of physical or intellectual disability could be denied life-saving measures in the event they develop respiratory complications from COVID-19. I understand that hard decisions have to be made in these uncertain times. However, I don’t believe that when it comes to medical care, especially involving life-saving measures, those decisions should be made without input from the patient or the patient’s family. As his parents, Tyson and I have the right to be part of the decision of whether or not to put him on a ventilator if that resource was available.

When the Declaration of Independence was written, it included this little piece:

“…that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

Declaration of Independence: A Translation. National Archives.

Notice that it doesn’t say “except for…”

Also, the Americans with Disabilities Act states:

“The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act require that health care providers provide individuals with disabilities full and equal access to their health care services and facilities.  Title II of the ADA applies to public hospitals, clinics and health care services operated by state and local governments and Title III of the ADA applies to privately-owned and operated hospitals, clinics and health care providers.

Accessible Health Care. ADA National Network

It saddens and angers me that when I pray for Moses during this time, I not only pray that he stays healthy, but I also have to pray that if he does get this virus, that he will receive the necessary care and resources to restore him to health. That the doctors and nurses at the hospital will see the value in his life without me having to fight to convince them of that. That the principles and laws of our nation will be upheld.

Are my son’s medical rights protected?

Theoretically, yes.

In reality? Let’s just say I have a healthy fear of those people who are making decisions about who gets priority when it comes to saving lives.

Falling Through the Ice

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I’ve been trying to figure out how to describe what the last two days have felt like. As I was putting things away, it finally came to me.

For me, going through life is like walking on a frozen lake. There are times when the ice is thick and solid, and I can walk with confidence. Then that step comes and you hear the crack. Sometimes it’s so soft it’s barely noticeable and it creates the smallest of lines. Other times it is thunderously loud and the break in the ice comes quickly and forcefully.

Over the years, there have been times that the ice breaks enough that my foot goes through and into the icy water. There have been times where I’m able to step over the crack and find my way back to solid ice with reasonable ease. Sometimes, the crack is so small I forget about it with the next step.

Yesterday felt like the ice under my feet simply disappeared and I was plunged into the freezing water.

Dr. Brené Brown, a research professor at the University of Houston, has an amazing video in which she illustrates the difference between empathy and sympathy. (If you haven’t seen it, you can watch it here.) In it, she describes how many times people who are showing sympathy draw a nice silver line around another person’s problem or emotion. I think people try to put the silver lining around a person’s problems and emotions for a variety of reasons: they want to “fix” it; they are uncomfortable with the strong emotion of the other person; they don’t understand the intensity of the level of the feeling for the person; or maybe for them, the same situation wouldn’t result in the same feelings or response and so they don’t understand why it’s happening for this other person.

I think that some people accept silver linings because it’s easier than to stay with the current feeling. Or maybe the person having the strong, hard feeling can tell that the other person is uncomfortable with how she’s feeling and wants to help that person feel better. Or maybe it’s because he’s just not ready to deal with the situation or feeling. And sometimes the silver lining puts things in a different perspective for the person and she is ready and able to move on.

I can be a master silver-liner. In most situations, I can find the bright side and do my best to convince the other person to see the pretty silver light. In fact, I do it to myself all the time.

Worn out after a hard day at work? At least I have a job.

Frustrated at the sight of a dirty house that was literally clean five minutes ago? At least I have a house.

Another medical bill in the mail? At least you are able to access healthcare.

Tired of listening to Josie get anxious when she doesn’t have her note saying that I’m going to pick her up at the same time as I always do? At least she is using her words to express her feelings.

Annoyed at the extra time it takes to put Moses’ socks, braces, and shoes on? At least he can walk.

For any hard situation I may be going through, there is always someone who seems to be going through something harder. But does that mean that my situation magically ceases to be hard? Does it become less important?

Many times, it seems that the answer is “yes”. Get over yourself and your “hardship” and be grateful for what you have. Or at least leave it at the door when you leave your home.

Like in Dr. Brown’s video, I feel like the ice I was standing on – ice that I thought was solid – wasn’t so solid after all. As I kept marching forward on my path, my foot hit a weak spot and I fell through. When I hit the water, many of those hard situations and feelings that I thought I had perfectly silver lined were there waiting for me. I’m pretty sure they are what weakened the ice below me in the first place.

I have been silver lining things in my relationships.

I have been silver lining things in my family.

I have been silver lining things in my job.

I have been silver lining things about myself.

Instead of allowing myself to feel the sadness, disappointment, frustration, annoyance, irritation, hurt, etc., I’ve silver lined it, pushed it down, and went on my way. Sometimes the silver lining works, sometimes it doesn’t. When it doesn’t, that feeling lies dormant until the ice cracks and allows it to come to the surface once more.

I took another mental health day today. I felt better than I did yesterday, but I knew that I wasn’t on solid ice just yet. As I was cleaning off my dresser this afternoon, I finally pulled out a bag that has been hiding underneath it for a little over three years.

It’s a bag that I received from the Down Syndrome Association of Greater St. Louis shortly after Moses was born. In it were resources that gave information about Down syndrome, tips for raising a child with Down syndrome, brochures for agencies that provide assistance for kids with Down syndrome, and a couple of books about having a child with Down syndrome.

As I went through the contents, I broke down. Much like I did when I looked at Moses’ first goal report for his IEP.

For three years, I’ve worked really hard at drawing that silver line around the challenges that come with a child with Down syndrome.

He has Down syndrome? At least he’s healthy.

He spent 6 days on a ventilator because of RSV? At least it wasn’t 7 days of watching a machine keep him alive.

He has an ASD in his heart? At least it was able to be repaired by a cardiac catheterization instead of open heart surgery.

He can only recognize and match 10 pictures? At least it’s more than none.

I am fully aware that Moses is doing more physically and cognitively than a lot of other three-year-old kids with Down syndrome. But it’s still hard to see his limitations, especially when it’s in black and white.

As I read through his goals, I was disappointed. I tried to silver line my disappointment with At least he’s making progress.

This place where I’m at is nobody’s fault and it’s not because of one certain thing. It’s a culmination of silver lining my feelings and situations, not taking care of myself consistently, and trying to keep up my facade of strength.

I don’t think that humans were designed to be dismissive of their situations or feelings. I don’t think that humans were designed to be physically or mentally strong all of the time. I think that we were designed to experience life, feel the feelings, rest when we feel weak, and hold others up when we feel strong. And when we find ourselves in that icy water, we can be at peace knowing that God doesn’t want us to stay there and He will help us find our way back to the solid ice.

Giving Up and Giving In: Taking Care of My Mental Health

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When my alarm first went off this morning, my first thought was, “I can’t do this today.” Then I hit the snooze button.

When it went off the second time, I thought to myself, “I can’t do this today. But I have to because I have groups to meet with, students wanting to talk with me, classes to teach, teachers to meet with. I have too much to do, too many people counting on me, so I have to do it.” And then I hit snooze again.

The third time my alarm went off, my thought was, “I can’t do this today. I don’t have it in me to give to others the way they need me today. I’m not okay. But I have to.”

If I were a superwoman, this is where I would tell you about how I got up, showered, put my big girl panties on, and mustered up the strength and energy to face the day.

But I’m not superwoman.

I’m just a human.

The truth is, I hit snooze. Again. And when my alarm went off for the fourth time, I gave up and gave in to the understanding that I wasn’t well enough to go to work today.

At that point I got up and met my husband in the kitchen as he was about to come check on me and tell me how late it was getting. When he saw me, he asked if I was okay, and I told him, “I think I need to take a mental health day.” Then he listened as I stumbled through my thoughts and held me while I cried.

I sent my principals a text saying “So I’m going to take a mental health day today. I can’t really explain it, but I just know that I need to take it.” Thankfully, the only question that was asked was if there was anything they could do to help.

I know that there are some people who don’t understand the concept of taking a mental health day. They are probably the same people who don’t quite understand mental health. They might even be some of the same people who don’t understand taking a physical health day (aka “sick day”). They may believe that unless you’re in the hospital, you should go to work.

We encourage people who are running a fever/throwing up/sending germs into the air with every cough/spreading germs by touching all the things after blowing their green-snotty nose to stay home to get well and keep others from being affected. We understand that when a person pushes himself too much physically when he is sick, it can turn into an illness that is even more serious. That makes sense, right? We understand that, right?

The thing is about understanding when someone is experiencing poor mental health, you don’t have to have experienced it yourself. Just like someone who is physically sick – it’s not about you and how you feel. It’s about understanding that she isn’t well and needs to take steps to get better.

Maybe you’ve never experienced depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), or compassion fatigue. But it doesn’t mean they aren’t real experiences for others. Perhaps you know what it feels like to be extremely sad, extremely worried, or mentally exhausted after going through a difficult time for you or your family.

For example, I’ve personally never had the flu, but I don’t need to have had the flu to understand that a) it’s real, and b) the person who does have it needs time to rest, recover, and feel strong again. I’m certainly not going to tell a person who has the flu to suck it up, maybe take a nap, and just try to be positive. I wouldn’t do that because I have been sick before and know what it’s like to need to take the time to rest, let my body recover, and regain my physical strength.

Likewise, you don’t need to have experienced a certain state of mental unwellness to be able to understand a) it’s real, and b) the person needs time to rest, recover, and feel (mentally) strong again.

It’s called having empathy.

It’s called having compassion.

Instead of questioning or making judgments about a person who is in poor mental health, just understand that she is not okay. Ask what you can do to help. Send her a message or Bible verse that might bring some peace. Understand that he may just need some time to regain a state of mental strength wellness.

Was it easy to take a mental health day today? No, it wasn’t.

As I sit here typing there’s a part of me that feels guilty that I’m missing work and inconveniencing people even though I’m not running a fever, puking my guts up, hacking up a lung, or blowing my nose a thousand times an hour. Part of me is uncomfortable thinking about people who may not understand or judge me because of this.

But I also know that because I took today to rest, cry, pray, and just let God hold me, tomorrow will be better.

I will be better.

Take care of yourself.

1-800-273-TALK (8255)

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As a parent, I know that there are certain topics that are hard to talk to your child about.

Sex, drugs, and alcohol are probably the main three that a a lot of parents dread having to talk to their kids about. When it comes time for the conversation, the message is simple:

Don’t do it.

There’s another topic that parents can’t afford not to add to that list.

Suicide.

The message is just as simple:

Don’t do it.

As a parent, just the thought of your child knowing about suicide is sickening. The thought of your child having suicidal thoughts is enough to take your breath away and bring you to tears.

For a lot of parents, it’s easier to think that it’s not necessary to talk to their child about suicide. To default to thoughts like, “My son/daughter would never do that.” or “I would know if my son/daughter was having a hard time.” or “My son/daughter is too young to talk about suicide.”

Like abuse, trauma, and addiction, suicide does not discriminate. It doesn’t have an age limit. Skin color does not provide protection against it. Nor does gender. Zip codes mean nothing.

In my career as an elementary school counselor, some of my most difficult days were the ones when I listened as students told me of their desire not to live anymore and their plans to attempt suicide. The youngest of these students was in Kindergarten. My first experience of a student contemplating suicide to the point of having a plan was with a 1st grader. Some may say, “They’re just saying that for attention.” And I would agree. These students were not okay. They needed help. Big time.

Listening as these students talk about these things is heartbreaking. Calling parents and hearing the shock and confusion is hard. I’m sure the conversations that were had at home were extremely difficult.

But you know what would have been even harder?

Finding out that one of those students attempted or completed suicide.

We all have mental health, and just like our physical health can change at a moment’s notice, so can our mental health. It’s nothing to be ashamed of, although there seems to be a part of our society that is bound and determined to convince us otherwise.

Don’t let them see you cry.

Boys don’t cry.

Neither do big girls.

Suck it up.

Get over it.

You’re fine.

Today I spent the morning in a neighboring school district trying to provide even a little bit of comfort to students that were struggling to accept and make sense of the fact that one of their classmates completed suicide yesterday. More than once I heard them say things like “He was always so happy”; “I never thought he would do something like that”; and “I never thought that would happen here.”

Please talk to your child about suicide. You’re not going to plant a seed or “give them ideas”. What you are going to do is open a line of communication that is vital. That lets your child know that you’re not going to stick your head in the sand and that she can come and talk to you when she’s struggling. That he can tell you about a friend that he’s worried about. That you will listen and take her seriously when she says she feels hopeless. That you will find the right way to help him just like you did when he had a fever and a sore throat.

If you’re wondering how to talk to your child about suicide, this article gives some good ideas on how to broach the subject.

If you’re wondering what to say to your child if he tells you that he has thought about hurting himself or has had suicidal thoughts, keep it simple. Say “I’m so thankful you told me” followed by “I’m going to help you get through this”. If anything else, call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255.

I’m not saying it’s going to be easy. But it will be easier than wishing you had.

Losing “It“ and Finding Grace

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I lost “it” this morning.

By “it”, I mean my patience, my mind, my cool, my sanity, my control.

Josie has been struggling for several weeks with going to to school. Part of it has to do with having separation anxiety, which she also went through last year. Part of it apparently has to do with having a fear of people dying and being sad when they are in Heaven. Part of it has to do with wanting things to be the way she wants them to be but not getting her way. Part of it has to do with the fact that she’s always been an emotionally intense child.

A lot of it has to do with her being five and having a lot of big thoughts going on that her brain just isn’t ready to make sense of yet.

As a school counselor, I’ve done my best to go through all of the techniques and strategies I can think of to figure out what would best help her.

As a mom, I have been doing my best to practice things like taking deep breaths and expressing gratitude to help her through this season of challenge.

Every day I have prayed for her to find peace and happiness. I have prayed for myself to have the patience and ability to help her.

Today I failed her. Big time.

As I was yelling and slamming doors and stomping and crying, I knew it was the absolute wrong thing to do. But her five-year-old tears and whining and ungratefulness coupled with my own personal stressors and frustrations resulted in me losing it.

By the time we got to school, I had calmed down enough to apologize to her. To try to explain that my reaction was in response to my frustration at her behavior.

When I got an email from her teacher letting me know that she had a couple of rough moments during the morning, including yelling and stomping her feet, I had to admit to my role in that. That it was my fault she acted that way, not Josie’s. Let me just tell you that admitting to a co-worker that you failed your own daughter and caused hardship for both of them is a very humbling experience.

Throughout the day, I cycled through feelings of disappointment, anger and guilt for my behavior; frustration at not knowing how to help my daughter; fear of how my words and actions may have affected her.

By the end of the school day, I was drained. Physically, mentally, emotionally.

It was when I got downstairs to pick Josie up that I found what I didn’t expect but so badly needed.

I found grace.

When she saw me and broke out in a huge smile, she gave me grace.

When she hugged me tight and told me she had a great afternoon, she gave me grace.

When I apologized to her again for the way I acted this morning and she said, “You already told me that.”, she gave me grace.

When she told me, “It’s hard for both of us.” after I apologized again and told her of my plan to do better tomorrow, she gave me grace.

I didn’t deserve this child’s forgiveness and grace today, but it’s what I got because it’s what I needed.

I pray that this reflection of my own shortcomings might serve to remind you of the importance of seeking forgiveness and accepting grace. Especially when you feel you least deserve it. In turn, be ready to give forgiveness and grace to those who may not deserve it but desperately need it.

Finding Santa

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“Mommy, why do you have to work so hard?”

“What do to mean?”

Today had started off relatively slow and relaxed. At least I thought it had. All I had done since the kids had gotten up was strip their beds and washed their sheets, make breakfast, clean up from breakfast, put the sheets in the dryer, fill up the water table and kiddie pool for them, change two poopie diapers, fix lunch, clean up after lunch, read a couple of books for Moses and then put him down for a nap.

As I was taking a shower while Josie was also “resting”, I had actually thought that it has been a nice, quiet morning before a busy afternoon of swim lessons and physical therapy and knowing that I was on my own with the kids for the evening while Tyson was at a meeting.

So when Josie asked me that question as we were laying in my bed chatting a little while later, I was genuinely confused where it was coming from and asked her what she meant.

She said to me, “Why do you always have to work so hard at home and at your job? …You need someone to help you.”

“Someone like who?”

“Someone like…Santa.”

I smiled at her and told her that I worked hard because I wanted to do a good job at home and at my work. Because I had things that I was responsible for doing, and because if I didn’t do them, then they wouldn’t get done. I also told her that I did have people that helped me, but there were some things that were just my job to do.

I don’t identify as a feminist, but I think that’s because I never saw myself as unequal to my male counterparts. There was never anything that I aspired to be that my gender would hinder my chances. However, I’m also not blind to the fact that there are political, economic, and social inequalities based on gender that do exist.

Marriage has opened my eyes to that more than anything.

The “traditional” roles of marriage are largely outdated. The idea that the man is responsible for working and the woman is in charge of all the things at home applies to fewer and fewer families today. (And God knows that the idea that “children should be seen but not heard” is dead and gone.)

Thankfully, my marriage has more or less been one in which my husband and I have our fair share of duties. At the same time, we both acknowledge that I do more on a day-to-day basis around the house, and, as I once told him, I’m okay with that because I take pride in making sure that my family has a clean house, food in the fridge and on the table, etc.

I’m also very much aware that I assumed those responsibilities because that’s what my mom did for her family, and it’s what her mom did for hers. I’m sure Tyson didn’t question it because it’s what his mom did for her family and what her mom did for hers.

The difference between our moms and me is that other than 8 weeks of maternity leave, I didn’t leave the workforce while my children were young. Yes, I am off work for a couple of months in the summer, for the other 10 months of the year, I have a pretty mentally and emotionally demanding full-time career, too. Much like many other wives and mothers of today’s society.

It’s a choice, sure. I suppose I don’t have to work. I could’ve stayed home while Josie and Moses were little. We wouldn’t be able to afford the lifestyle we enjoy now, but we could make it work. But I want to work. I don’t want to be a stay-at-home mom. I’m super thankful I don’t have to. (Seriously, you SAH moms are saints on earth.)

However, for many families, there’s no choice of whether or not one of the parents will work. The chances that my daughter will also be a working mom are fairly high, I’d say.

In a way, I’m happy to be setting an example for her to work hard. Not because I’m a woman, but because I believe in the value of working hard and doing things to the best of my ability.

However, there’s a part of me that is fearful that I’m setting her up to feel like she has to do it all. That she has to work hard at work and at home without any help. That she has to do what she saw her mom do. Or what she thought her mom did.

The thing is, I do have help at work and especially at home. However, a lot of the things her dad does at home are things she doesn’t see. She doesn’t see him scheduling payments and writing checks. She doesn’t understand how much time goes into maintaining the yard. When he’s doing the dishes, she’s usually off playing. She doesn’t understand that he does his own laundry. She doesn’t understand that his job simply keeps him away from home more than mine so he is limited in how much he can do at home.

I definitely want to set the example that as a female, she CAN do it all. But that doesn’t mean that she has to do it all by herself. I am encouraged when I read or hear about couples that share equally in managing their household. I pray that she finds a partner that will be just that – a partner. A person that she can depend on and knows work hard with her.

I hope she finds her Santa.

Running On E

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You can’t pour from an empty cup.

That’s the thought that has been running through my head.

Because mine is about empty.

Tonight I have gotten to work on refilling it.

This kids are at my in-laws. My husband is out celebrating the end of his school year.

I am ignoring the piles of clothes covering the dining room table that need to be put away and the mess of papers littering the kitchen counters. I’m going to let the dishes stay in the dishwasher until tomorrow and not care that the bathrooms haven’t been cleaned this week. I decided against going shopping for a new swimsuit or flowers that would’ve likely died before I could plant them. The top of my dresser has been collecting papers and pictures and dust for months, but I’m not going to clean it tonight.

Instead, I took this evening for me. I have gotten to sit on the couch and eat too many chips and french onion dip while watching TV. I got to finally take full advantage of the free vacuums at the new fancy car wash. (I don’t even want to know how many Cheerios, Fruit Loops, and penguins were in the cracks of those car seats…). I was able to turn off my phone and sit quietly with my thoughts for 45 uninterrupted minutes. I’ve taken the time to write.

I know that I’m in the season of life that requires me to take care of others in a big way, both at home and at work. But that doesn’t mean that I have an unlimited reserve of mental, emotional, and physical energy to unceasingly meet the needs of those who depend on me. That I don’t need to have my own needs met.

Right now, I’m tired.

Mentally.

Emotionally.

Physically.

Which is why I need time like this to myself. It’s quiet times like this that I am able to think, reflect, and pray for direction.

Some may think it selfish for me to be as thankful as I am to be at home alone this evening. I know there was a time I thought it was a selfish thing to want to do, let alone actually do it.

But even Jesus needed time alone to think, reflect, and pray, right? There were times that he told the twelve guys following him to leave him alone. I think that’s pretty understandable considering he spent his days being sought out to heal the sick and raise the dead, feed the masses and turn water into wine, and somehow also find the time to teach life-changing lessons in ways his students could understand. He knew there were times that He needed to take time for himself up on a mountain or in a boat in the middle of the sea. So He did. And then He was able to come back and continue serving others.

I know that doesn’t quite compare to what I do on a daily basis for my husband, children, geriatric dog, friends, students, etc. But like Jesus, after spending my days serving others, there comes a time that I need to stop.

Be still.

Be quiet.

Pray.

Tomorrow when I wake up, my cup will be refilled. It may not be overflowing. It may not even be to the top. But at least I will feel like I have something in there to pour out for others. Because you can only run on empty for so long.

I hope that you will make the time and take the time to make sure your cup is filled, too.