Additional Needs

2019 almost in the rearview

Posted by Brittney Baumgartner on 18th December 2019 Additional Needs, Advice & Support, Disabilities

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With 2019 almost wrapping up, what is the one thing everyone always seem to do?

Reflect! In those 365 days, some of us have experienced new family additions, death, new jobs, travel, and ultimately life’s up and downs.

Whether it was a difficult year for you or one full of blessings, there is always something to look back on.

It was a very mixed year for my household. With me in school full time, along with two jobs, we found many days to be stressed and filled to the brim with things to do.

My husband, Aaron, was working his full time job which requires he work both day and night shifts, and the two oldest boys were off in school during the day with the youngest at home with our wonderful nanny.

Many of our closest friends and family warned me though, “Life will be tough with one parent’s income gone while he/she attends school full time.” “Nights will be long and sleep will be short.”

Nearing the closure of my second semester, I can fully understand the warning lights that were going off.

But when you have been going to college for ten years, toughing it out for one more semester seems like the cherry on top of a nice big sundae.

In reflection, I am so grateful that I took the leap and applied for the program this year rather than putting it off again. I am also grateful that my children can see me graduate and understand that not all plans go accordingly, and that is ok!

You have your own path to follow, and never should compare that to others.

At the beginning of the year, Oliver also experienced his first seizure.

Test and scans later showed that it was not epileptic related, but that he was prone to them at night while sleeping, for whatever reason.

Genetics did come back with an abnormality in a gene, but we have yet to dig into that box of surprises. With him in kindergarten this year, we had every emergency number we could think of set up with the school, prepared for whatever may happen.

We may not have answers for the reason, but writing this today, I can thankfully say that he has not experienced another.

In fact, all three children have grown and thrived in their own, unique way!

While reflection won’t always lead to some awe-inspiring motivation, there may be something you can pull and learn from once it is in the past.

Although I will still be under the current stress of running a very busy household, while in school and working full time, I can at least appreciate that I have successfully completed two semesters with one remaining.

With the household under semi-control, there will be one day when I finish and understand the path set out for me was all for a purpose. Failure and all!