Puppies and Rainbows

I started to reply on my FB to the post about the other blog I linked, but then I thought it would be best on here as I (as always) have more to say than the max words allowed...

Yes, she is bitter. Damn skippy.And she has every right to be. Please realize that Michelle is probably not who you think she is. This was ONE post on a blog she has kept for years. I reached out to Michelle a year or so ago (we share a biomed doc) as I connect with her on a few levels. Over the past year or so (with the whole cross-country move thing) I forgot about her blog and stopped reading (like I do with so many blogs I enjoy, unfortunately). Another biomed feed I am on passed on her post about Autism Awareness and that's what linked me back with Michelle. Michelle is an incredible woman who values her faith and her family above all else. This wasn't a fluff piece she wrote for her community paper for Autism Awareness month--this is HER BLOG. Her real feelings and real opinions and how she was feeling at the moment she wrote it. I applaud her. I am assuming, for her, like it is for me, it is incredibly therapeutic to write down how you REALLY feel. I am aware that makes others uncomfortable. I am aware that it makes others feel awkward towards you. But let me ask you this...how can we say over and over how unaware and ignorant people are, and expect for that to change if we don't SHARE what it's really like?

So yes, she is bitter. Sometimes. Sometimes she encouraging and thankful. Sometimes she is loving and grateful. Sometimes she is at her wits end.  I GET IT. She is a real mom of a disabled child. It's not all puppies and rainbows. For starters my son is allergic to dogs and the rainbow is too bright for my light sensitive child's eyes. ;)

I think that goes for all moms though. Life is WAY more Roseanne than it is Claire Huxtable. Kids are funny. Life isn't perfect...and some of us choose to laugh about the same things that make us cry. I have always gravitated towards the REAL moms- you know, the ones that actually admit they didn't have time to take a shower today because Jimmy pooped his pants then proceeded to scoot across your new carpet...the moms that roll their eyes at the other moms that have picture perfect hair and are wearing their knee high boots to pick their kids up at school. THOSE are my peeps. The ones that stay at school and spend time volunteering in "perfect mom's" kid's classroom while "perfect mom" is off at the gym.
I love when my closest friends tell me about their imperfect lives. It makes us BOTH feel better. It's cheaper than therapy. My whole life is imperfect so I hold my friends, you know-the REAL ones, super close.  ..and while I know some choose to not make their life public on blogs or FB or whatever- they choose to have others perceive them in the perfect way that they showcase...but I don't ever want to be that person. I will continue to be me-and maybe a small note from my brother reminded me of that-and write about what I feel if I so choose. The highs and the lows. If you can't handle the lows, then check back tomorrow..I have a feeling the storm may have passed and you will catch a pic of my beautiful kiddos.