What is your normal?

Yesterday I had so much fun in a very “normal” way. I often ask myself… “What is normal?” Our family and our situation may not be your “typical” family BUT it is our “normal”. Yesterday I had the opportunity to have a wonderful normal moment. A couple weeks ago Regan’s teachers asked if I would come on their field trip with them. I was very flattered seeing as how I was the only parent invited. I am often in the classroom volunteering. So, I know all of the children in her class. I told the teacher that I would LOVE to go with them BUT I just had to worn her that I am an unreliable person, not by choice but rather by circumstance. So, I was ecstatic when I realized that Collin was feeling well and I was going to be able to go with Regan on her very first field trip to the Aquarium. It was so much fun to see a different side of “normal”. The only other experience that I have had with field trips is with Collin’s class. So, to see children so excited to ride on the bus for the first time was so sweet. Their faces lit up when the bus started to move and they all said that it felt like they were on a rollercoaster. When we were at the Aquarium it was so fun to have the children describe the fish to me and see the amazement in their eyes as the big fish swam by. Oh, it was just so much fun, exhausting, but fun!


After the field trip I went back to my “normal”. I picked up my little boy and loaded his heavy, “normal”, wheel chair into the back of my van. Then we got home and it was “normal” for me to change my eight year olds diaper. Then feed my sweet little eight year old baby jar food. My normal with him does not include words describing things to me or telling me how much he loves me. It is just the opposite. My normal with Collin is drool, smiles, grunts, tears, and laughter. My “normal” is Regan telling me what he is saying and her describing how she loves her handicapper brother. My “normal” is sleepless nights, early mornings, lots of medication administering, hugs and cuddles, trying to comfort and explain to Regan what is going on, trying to find a balance between giving Regan a fun “normal” childhood despite her limitations because of her sweet brother and his allergy to the sun.


Now, you might be asking why is she going on and on about “normal”? Ok, I will get to my point. Yesterday with all of those sweet little children was amazing! I have to admit though as wonderful as yesterday was going with Collin’s class to the bowling alley and watching their faces as they were able to push a ball down the lane was pretty awesome. You could see such pride and happiness. The smiles on their faces were endless. So, it bring me to my question “What is normal?” Both sets of children had a blast in such different ways. Both sets of children lead VERY different lives. Both sets of children enjoyed every second of something new. So, to answer my question…. I don’t know if there is such a thing as “normal”. I think that there are differences every where we look BUT there are also so many similarities we just need to take the time to find them. I love MY NORMAL! What is your normal?