A One Year Anniversary

It has been almost a year.  2 days from now…. will be my blog’s one year anniversary. My little something for me.

It all started with a breakdown in an office room.  Like so many that have happened since.  One that nearly happened a few weeks ago.  I just needed something that could be all mine.

This blog has sort of taken a bit of a life of its own… but I’m still o.k. with that.

I remember when we first learned of Alexander’s diagnosis.  We wouldn’t tell anyone that he had WHS.  It wasn’t shame…. it was protection.  We didn’t want the “I’m sorry for you’s.”  We didn’t want people to Google all those horrible thing.  We didn’t want people to talk about us in whispered tones.  We actually wrote a letter to all of our family members and friends that told them not to call us or contact us – we just needed time.

Then I found the blogs.  Other mothers… writing.  Writing out their feelings.  Writing out their fears and everyday struggles. They also wrote about their triumphs.  It was private.  I could read… and no one would know.  I could learn and still be alone.  I still needed to be alone in this WHS world.  I read everyone’s story about when they found out.  I wanted to know how each and every person felt.  I looked at everyone’s pictures.  My baby looked perfect to me…. did theirs?  I looked at newborn photos, one month photos, …. I looked for milestones, for glimmers of hope.  I looked for understanding.  Because inside – I was still pretty devastated at how our life had changed on a dime.

December 23, 2010 was my first ever blog post.  My blog was originally going to be private because I was nervous.  I was worried about what my bosses would think of me writing on the internet.  I was worried that my students might find it. Parents of students might find it.  I was worried that my words might make me sound weak.  I worried it might make me look unprofessional.

 It didn’t take me long to realize that I was not ashamed of my feelings.  Everyone has them.  I wanted to help other parents the way people helped me… without even realizing it.

So, I’ve blogged. Through good times and bad.  Through seizures and milestones.  I’ve blogged about our family.  I’ve tried to remember that this WHS piece is only a piece of all the things that make us … US.

I’m really proud of what we’ve done here in the past year.

  
• I connected with a lot of WHS families.  Some of my favorite posts are ones of encouragement and understanding to other parents.
  
• I’ve learned to write about things totally unrelated to our crazy life.  And enjoy those moments.
  
• I’ve become very introspective on the things that impact our life.
  
• We’ve raised $14,000 to get Alexander a seizure dog.  And with seizures that last 5 or so hours, this blessing can’t come soon enough.
  
• We’ve had the opportunity to give some of our blessings away. (I don’t want to take away from those gifts by announcing them… they weren’t for recognition – merely for giving.)
  
• We’ve been the recipient of support.  So much support.  Prayers, prayers, and more prayers.
  
• We won an IPad – which has already made a difference in Alexander.  He is already gaining fine motor skills and becoming very vocal. (tonight, I was going to take him off the couch where he was watching TV with Andrew and Addison and he open mouth YELLED at me.  When I let him sit back down, he stopped yelling. YAY!!!!)
  
• I had the opportunity to travel to a book writing conference.
  
• We were picked up by BlogHer and have been given some exposure by their sponsorship.
  
• There is more.. I know there is more – but that’s all I have right now.

It is a pretty amazing list.  I’m pretty proud of that list.  It still is A Little Something for Me.  but… it is also a little something for a lot of people.  Our families to keep in touch.  Our friends to understand what we can’t always say.  The world to understand what life is really like.  Other parents of kids with WHS or any special need… of our realities.  I like this… Little Something.

So here are a few of my favorite posts of the last year.  Happy Blogaversary to me.
Letter for My Children
PSA
Prayer of a Special Needs Mother
A Year with a Newborn
Life Lesson # 3 – Rubbernecking is not Nice
Because of Easter
Letter to Alexander
15.32
Pure Joy
Letter to a New Mother
Effexor, Self Awareness, and Maturity saved my life.
The Unexpected Pregnancy
Who will Love me for Me?
I’m not going to play nice
Real World

A lot can change in a year. But, one thing remains…  I’m still beyond blessed to have all that God has given us. 



Thanks MamaKat and Shell for the inspiration