Inside Scoop! Life Inside My House

A Day in the Life...



I was inspired today to right a blog about what life is like in my house. In particular what life is like with 2 special needs kids.  There are so many misconceptions out there about what special needs kids are like.  I can only speak from the experience I have.  My experience is with twins who both have cerebral palsy.  I am happy to say on the spectrum of CP, my boys, Michael and Matthew I believe are on the milder end.  What I mean by that is that they both function pretty well.  Michael especially at this point can do many things for himself.

Life inside my home is crazy.  My husband and I have 5 kids who are, well kids.  They are loud, they run around and they fight.  I have been assured by other parents that this is NORMAL.  The reason I say this is because my husband and I are BOTH only children.  Yes, we both have no idea what it is like to have siblings let alone a large family. Everyday for us is uncharted waters.  Now, throw in twins with disabilities and it got a lot more interesting. 

Everyday we have to step out in faith.  Some mornings I feel like I am waking up on a battlefield.  Some one is hurt and/or crying.  Everyone is hungry.  Everyone wants everything now.  I just want to hide in bomb shelter ;-)  Thankfully are older 2 children are good about getting the little ones
breakfast. 

 Somehow my husband and I manage and we get everyone out the door to school.  Currently our older two children go to Catholic school, the twins go to public and our youngest is still at home.  My mother watches him while Mark and I are at work.  Mark and I both work part-time so we can tend to the needs of the kids, especially Michael and Matthew. 

Michael and Matthew are in therapy outside of school 4 days a week. Michael is in physical therapy and Matthew is in both physical and occupational therapy.  When the boys are not in therapy they are at home playing like every other child does.  Matthew loves Wii bowling. He stands up and leans against the couch to play. He can't swing his arms like you normally would but, somehow he makes it work and does quite well!  Michael loves playing on the ipad and is sure to ask us everyday if he

can.  They love playing with their toys as well.  Star Wars is their favorite and light saber duels are had on a weekly basis with all 4 boys.  Michael loves to sing and he can be heard humming the Star Wars theme or Imperial March. 

Michael either crawls or uses his walker to get around the house, go to the bathroom, etc.  Matthew is only beginning to use a walker.  He mostly crawls around the house and needs help getting on and off the potty.  Both boys what to be very independent.  Sometimes I forgot how far the boys have come and sometimes I don't let them try to be as independent as they can. 

As far as our other children, they are helpful and supportive to their brothers.  They accept them for who they are.  All of 5 of them are unique gifts from God. 

 

 

 

Can some days be tiring, of course they can.  That is true in any household with "normal" kids.  I put normal in quotes because there is a general perception of what "normal" is.  My normal is different than my neighbors normal.  My  normal is 5 kids, 2 of which have disabilities.  Honestly, I am tired of the word "disabled".  They are not disabled in my eyes.  They are loving, sweet, happy, smart boys who just have a more difficult time using their legs.  So what!!!  Are there days I wish it wasn't so hard and we didn't have to all the extras, i.e. going to and from therapies.  Yes, but I am only human.

 

I don't know why God has given us what he has but, I am thankful for it.  He trusts Mark and I enough to try raise his beautiful gifts.  We succeed and we fail, but I think God expects that.  I rely on Him everyday to do the task that is before us.  There are days I want to quit but, most days I just have to look at my kids and smile.  There is nothing like getting a huge hug from one of them to make it all worthwhile (or a raspberry).