We keep chasing the perfect lazy weekend and it's always just out of reach.
At 8:30am Saturday morning, we ate egg sandwiches in the car as we drove Ian to an art school that offers a special needs class. An extra hour of sleep would have been nice, but this class is good for the kid. He ran into the school with a big smile on his face. He's the highest functioning kid in the class and could probably do OK in a regular art class. We send him there, because the teachers are warm and nonjudgmental. Sometimes it's worth giving up an hour of sleep for a nonjudgmental art class.
We got a lot of judgment at church on Sunday. When he receives communion, Ian's hands aren't perfect. I whisper "plate hands, plate hands" at him, and he tries to make his hand flat, but it doesn't always work out. He tends to munch on the host on his way back to his seat, rather than eating it immediately, so the church ladies scowl at us. He doesn't stand and kneel on command. He likes to cuddle up next to me in the pew. Because he isn't obviously disabled, people just think he's naughty.
Ian hovers at the border of disabled and non-disabled. When given a choice, we opt for the disabled world, because it is so much nicer.
While Ian was in class, Steve and I hit a couple of estate sales near the school, because it is a prime location of rich old lady homes. We bought a nice mid-century sofa for the playroom. It needs new cushions, but for $180 it was worth it. We bought a set of outdoor chairs and a table for $100. And for $7, I have a new pile of hardcover children's books. At some point, I'll sell them on the internet.
A lot of other things happened, too. We went to the town pool. We ate burgers. We saw Ice Age 4.
We bought paint. We cleared out bedroom to prepare for the painters.
We roasted vegetables, made salads, and went to a BBQ at my sister's house.
Next week will be quiet, we promise ourselves. A novel in the backyard and lots of quiet. Just not yet.
Apt. 11d 
“Because he isn’t obviously disabled, people just think he’s naughty…. Ian hovers at the border of disabled and non-disabled. When given a choice, we opt for the disabled world, because it is so much nicer.”
Oh yes, this. We had a big blowup on my parenting list (old-school, we are) this weekend because someone basically said that kids who don’t communicate well to their elders are obviously poorly parented, but no, she didn’t mean to offend anyone. We’ve all been on this list together for at least 13 years, and she didn’t see how this would be offensive? And how the hell can she be on this list for 13 years, reading our various vents and angst over our kids (we have a few with Asperger’s and various anxiety issues) and not have some understanding? It was just another reminder of how hard it is to parent disabled kids in this world.
Our weekend was lazy. S and my husband went to see Batman, which disappointed them both incredibly. I tried to download the Hollow Crown. We cleaned up E’s room so we can get it painted. I read Gone Girl and tried to make reservations for a hotel in a small town in Germany where my ancestors are from.
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It always baffles me how a church can be so fraught with judgment and outrage, passively aggressively expressed although it may be. Our church has been very welcoming as several other families know Youngest well. Alas, there’s a stained glass window that freaks out Youngest and we can’t convince her to return.
Here’s for quiet weekends: we’re not getting many. Husband is unexpectedly employed this summer so we’re up early every weekday instead of sleeping in. That also means that weekends are getting crammed with chores that need the both of us and I spend extra hours behind the wheel, often with Youngest in the back seat, jamming to her iPod and reading a book. Thank goodness she likes car rides!
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I love Smashburger!
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I’m sorry your son gets judgmental stares in church of all places. What is wrong with people? Hypocrites.
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I’m thinking being naughty in church is a good start in life. So the misperception is a big help! Though, um, it takes parents who are kinda chuffed about the church-lady stares….
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