Next week will be the end of what by all intents and purposes is David's junior year. That means one more year and he graduates. It is almost more than I can even imagine. It is such a blessing and yes, a miracle since almost 21 years ago, there was great doubt that he would even make it out of the NICU. To have him graduating high school is just the biggest gift.
At this point, I can't even think about what comes after high school for him, and if I have learned nothing else in the last couple of years, I've learned that I don't have to worry about what lies beyond high school right now. All I have to concern myself with is this moment and in this moment, I just feel such a sense of gratefulness.
I have had so many people tell me that David would not be where he is without me. Well, maybe there is some truth in that, but not how you might think. The reality is that David came without an instruction manual, therefore, for the last 20 years, I have flown by the seat of my pants. Sometimes I had some idea of what I was doing, but much of the time, I was pretty clueless and was basically praying my way through it all. It has been a real roller coaster ride since day one, but without David being who he is as a person and a human being, we would never have made it.
Now as I look ahead to the summer that is about to be on us, I find myself wanting to cram as many adventures and experiences into the next couple of months as I can. It is that whole, "My baby is about to be a senior," thing. Even though he is twenty, he still feels like my little boy and something mentally in me says that once he graduates, he will then be a man. The dynamic will then change.
The other day I was thinking about my boy and how I used to pray every day that David would be able to walk on his own and talk and be able to get the most out of life that he could. It dawned on me though, that walking and talking are really not all that important in the big scheme of things. What is important is that David is able to live his best life, and truly I think he is, and he does, and honestly, what more as a mother, could I ask for?
If you are an Incredible Mr. David blog reader, now might be the time to get those glasses shined up and ready for reading this summer and next year, because I hope to be able to document his summer adventures and his last year of school right here. I know with his wonderful teacher Mrs. P and his amazing para Ms. T, they are going to ensure that his senior year is the best one ever. I also hope for him not only to wheel himself across the stage to get his diploma but also for him to be able to go to prom. I mean...why not?
I know that being the mom of a special needs child may be looks difficult from the outside looking in and a lot of people think to themselves, "I could never do that," but the truth is, being David's mom has been one of the greatest honors of my life. He has brought me so much joy and happiness and he has taught me so much about life and love, that I never knew existed or was possible. Truthfully, if I have any redeeming qualities as a parent or a human being, most of them are because of David and what he has brought to my life and the lives of those he touches.
So be prepared folks. You will likely be seeing a whole lot more about David in the coming year, as a lot of big stuff and milestones will be happening, and I hope you are gentle with me for all the posts and blogs you will likely be inundated with. It is just, that when you bring a child into this world that has a 5% chance of making it and the first three months of his life, his condition is beyond critical, and his prognosis is poor, then you have to understand that David coming so far is a bonafide miracle and it is something that deserves celebrating....and celebrate we will!
Until next time......I hope your last days of school are fun, your first days of summer are amazing, and that you are ready for The Incredible Mr. David 2.0!
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