perspective, take 32.

alternately titled, "d'oh!"

The kids have been going to an amazing camp for the past few weeks. It focuses on both autistic and typical kids, so the twins can go together which is awesome! And don't even get me started on the fact that I have 16 full hours a week to myself...I caulk! I scrub! I nap! I blog! I might even watch a movie one day! Anyhow, the camp is at St. Joseph's University, and the kids' good friend, Mia is there too. She also has autism, and is only two weeks older than Oliver and Violet.

camp orientation!

Oliver, of course, LOVES camp; asks all weekend when the next camp day is, adores the counselors and has big stories for me everyday about his activities. Violet really likes it too, but for the past week or so, she's been crying at our drop-off. It's so, so hard to leave her sobbing, but I know she'll have a great day once I'm out of sight.

Yesterday, I made plans to meet my friend, Deanna, Mia's mommy for coffee after drop-off (having coffee! with a friend! sans kiddos!!). We met up and I immediately dumped all over her how I hated leaving Violet crying, and how the whole car ride there, V kept saying, "I don't wanna go to camp!".
Deanna is a huge support for me, but I saw something shift in her eyes after I said that.

"Violet said that to you? Wow. See, Mia would never be able to use her words like that. She'd cry and grab on to me, but she'd never be able to tell me why."

reality check.

Deanna continued,
"Maybe to put a positive spin on it, Violet's come so far in being able to tell you why she's upset. That wouldn't have happened a year ago, right?"

It would likely not even have happened six months ago. Had I taken that for granted? I pride myself on exhaulting the little things with both my kids. How blessed am I to have smart people who get it in my life to remind me? I obviously needed a good kick-in-the-perspective-pants.