Choices

This journal entry comes at a special time for our family.  Will just graduated from college and he’s back home with us for a few months, saving up some money before he moves out.  Mikey is also getting ready to move to an intentional community for adults with special needs. I’ve been teasing that it is our last run with the ‘core four.’

Our family is tight knit and we love each other.  For us, sometimes loving each other means doing what we need instead of what looks good to the outside world.  

Will graduated from the University of Alabama.  We live in Connecticut. Mikey doesn’t do too well traveling these days. I knew that the best thing for everyone would be to get Mikey a babysitter so Dave and I could go down to Tuscaloosa for the weekend and celebrate Will.

But

I still find myself worrying about how that looks to other people who don’t know us as well. Do they think we don’t include Mikey? Do they think that we don’t want him there? Do they think that we think less of Mikey because he was not on the trip with us for this big family milestone?

I know that our people know how much we adore Mikey. They see us with him, and they know that we include him. We think about his feelings. We give up experiences of our own so that his needs are met and we never give it a second thought.  They also know that Will is the most supportive brother and that he deserves some time with his parents that is only about him.

So

We took a weekend away and celebrated Will’s college graduation.  Dave and I showered him with the love and attention he deserved at this milestone. Mikey stayed home and did not mind one bit! He gave Will a big hug when they reunited…because, after all, Will is the best!

As it sometimes is for families like ours, we did what was best for our ‘core four’ and I’m not too worried about what people think…most of the time. Sigh.