Ray of sunshine

There's a ray of sunshine in our house.  On cloudy days, we always have sunshine. Our sunshine is 10 years old. Hates mornings but loves horses. Loves Dim sum like her Dad and hates tomatoes like her Dad as well. She loves to draw, especially horses, and hopes to be a book illustrator when she grows up. Our sunshine also loves to dance. And she doesn't run, she gallops/trots/lopes. This ray of sunshine is a giving one. Has a heart the size of Texas and a smile that will melt your heart.

Yup it's our little girl. If  you have followed my blog for a while ( or personally know our family) you know she has had some struggles in her life. Academic struggles mostly but some social as well. She doesn't really realize any of it...well actually that's not true, she doesn't really understand. Which has been good for her because she doesn't realize she is different from other kids. She hasn't understood when other kids were making fun of her, when other kids were being extremely disrespectful to her. I saw some of this happening from the from the back of the classroom or playground, even in our own house. To tell you it hurt would be an understatement. No one likes to see your child hurt. You may think I am a horrible mother for not stepping in. I always figured why make a big deal out of a situation when it really wasn't a big deal to her. She just wants everyone to get along. It's a great ideal, but not realistic. It's not time to burst her bubble...not yet. I find times to explain to her about "real life". She is slowly understanding, slowly seeing some people for who they really are.

But you know what?

 I love that she is different. I love that she sees the glass as half full. I love that she sees the beauty in every person. I love that she doesn't " always get it".  I think many people in this world need to take a few pointers from her. Walk in her shoes, see her view of the world.

She has had a LOT of tests, scans and assessments. The amount of questions this girl has endured in the name of diagnosing her has been immense. She never once has complained about driving to another province to see doctors and have blood tests.  Even when she fell off the swing or fell off the horse, there was hardly any tears. Ask her to clean her room though and you'd think the world was ending.  I think we could all take cue from her and cowboy up!

All this testing is now coming to an end. We have gone down all the pathways we feel we need to follow. We feel we have pretty much figured out/diagnosed all there is. We have been given advice on how to help her cope.  Here is where I am gonna gloat about our school. I can't say enough thank yous to her teachers in the past 6 years. Thank you to the  EA's who spend so much time with her and love her. Thank you SO SO SO much to the other resource person in her life. To her riding teacher, you are making a little girl's dream come true.

 It feels like we can get on with our life now.We are free of waiting for results to come in. I feel like I now actually have some instructions to add to a parenting manual that got lost in the mail 10 years ago. There are gonna be struggles ahead,  stormy waters to navigate and I will make mistakes. But with the love and support that I have felt from friends and family...you have saved me. And I will need you in the future.


So look at life as a glass half full. And if the glass looks a little different than all the rest...be thankful.