Common-for-me weirdness

Weirdness is sort of normal in my life. Or maybe its not weird at all. I mean, who makes the scale really?

Some of it just comes along with parenthood. Some of it comes along with parenting children with special needs. Highlights this week:

Monday I found Kate crying and "stuck" in the window (standing on the window sill with her body pressed against the glass and she couldn't move or she would fall)... In just her underwear. Which has to look really strange and inappropriate from outside.

Monday night I cut new bangs for Emily and inadvertently created my own mini lookalike. I'm afraid people will think I did it on purpose. I truly didn't realize she looks so much like me or I wouldn't have cut her bangs exactly like mine.

Tuesday I discussed in full detail, my sons bowel movements to his special education teacher. Including the distinct scent and color. She may have said the words "we thought someone had a strong marker in the room" to me.

Then Wednesday happened and it got me thinking.

Wednesday was just another typical, common-for-me weird day. I got four kids ready for school. Two who do 90% of the work themselves and two who do 10% of the work themselves. I helped Ashley fix her hair, signed Emily's folders and kissed my big girls as I sent them out the door with Daddy.

Then I got Micah and Abby up. I got their lunches packed, made their breakfast, helped them get dressed, brushed their teeth, helped Abby with her shoes, wiped both of their faces, brushed Abby's hair, signed their folders, wrote reply notes to their aids, told Micah for millionth time not to bend forward and flip his heavy backpack up over his head because it could break his iPad, made them both go potty one last time... and then kissed my "middle two" and coaxed them onto the bus. The way I do every. single. morning.

Then I got the two little girls fed and dressed and we headed to ballet. (We've officially hit the place where Mabry is surpassing Micah and Abby in development, so much of the things I do for them, I don't need to do for Mabry. Or even Kate sometimes.)

Kate's Kindermusik class was canceled so I chased her around Mabry's ballet class, thankful that my best friend is the teacher and didn't care about a disruptive 2 year old. (And that the other parents didn't seem too annoyed.)

We had lunch with D'Arcy, with only one "MOM I'M GONNA PEE!!" and emergency potty trip. After that I let the girls run around the mall playland, and left slightly embarrassed that Kate had started stripping when I was involved in conversation. (But just slightly embarrassed. I've gotten pretty used to those moments.)

Then I left the girls with D'Arc and headed to Nashville. I had an appointment at the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center. They wanted to interview me about our church special need ministry and what it means to our family.

So for about 45 minutes I sat in a small, nearly empty, uncomfortably warm room with two women I'd never met asking me questions that they were professionally (and a little mechanically) reading from printed papers. Besides those papers, the only other thing on the board room table was two recorders with the microphones facing me.

At first I was a little nervous. And painfully aware of the clock because if I didn't leave on time, I'd be late to pick up my little girls and then late to meet the bus and the carpool.

But as I answered their questions, the weird situation melted away and several things ran through my head.

"I can't believe we've been a part of Grace Chapel for so long." Part of the interview included what first drew us to this church. I was 18, I don't fully remember. Except that God led me there. I was young, in love with my fiance, and on fire for the Lord.

"I can't believe I'm sitting here as the mom who has kids with special needs." I would never have guessed that would be me. The world of special needs would not only come to define a part of who I am, but I'm passionate about it. Never would have imagined.

"My kids-- all of them-- are loved." Our church special needs ministry makes it possible for parents like me to be a part of service. I drop my kids off and don't give it a lot more thought until service is over. Some parents who have kids with special needs aren't even able to go to church because they don't feel like they can.

"I am so blessed. Thank you Lord, for community, church family, and friends." I am so humbled. And so blessed.

If I could say one thing to the special needs parents out there... the ones who never would have imaged that they'd be special needs parents... the ones who don't think they're able to go to church anymore... the ones who have to do 90% of the work to get their kids ready... who worry about health concerns, behavior issues, stares from others, ignorant questions and who will love their kids if they drop them off in children's church....

Don't give up the search. There are churches out there where you can go. Its worth the hunt.

I know its a very real struggle. That's why the Kennedy Center is doing this research. To help churches help you. Keep trying. You might even meet other families who walk through your same common-for-you weirdness. Then we can all be common-for-us weird. Together. :)