Everyday is a beautiful part of our journey!
Success with special needs children and adults is possible. It's not always the big stuff that brings contentment but the small overlooked things. When Remi is happy the whole family is happy! Remi loves her hair straight and she loves fashion so the outfit and the hair had to be straight! She puts her own outfits together and loves shopping! I especially love her white pants and pink jacket look. The pink jacket is actually from this years dance recital performance. That's right.....repurposing her own pieces..I love it!
Remi has always loved school which is truly a blessing. When Remi doesn't want to do something it can create frustration and difficulty for everyone. So getting her up at 5:30am was a dream...she loved it! Most of the time she would get up at 5:00am and I would have to tell her ...."please go back to sleep". I'm not a morning person so every second counts. Now 2 years out of high school Remi's at a great program that we both love.
The first 2 years out of school was definitely an adjustment for me and Remi. I went from running my jewelry business to making sure Remi had plenty to do and stayed active. It was crazy to say the least emotionally and physically. But we relied on the strength of God, and survived it. During that period I homeschooled Remi and we did a couple of classes at Northern Virginia Community College. As well as continued participating in the Special Olympics and dance class. Although we stayed pretty busy Remi still missed the structured schedule of school. Finding the right program or employment for a special needs adult can be very difficult especially in Northern Virginia. As a parent or care giver you have to stay positive and creative. Remember you are your childs advocate. Which I know is not easy as a working mom or stay at home mom. Especially when you have other younger kids. For my family it has always been a group effort. Out of my own need to find more support and activities for Remi we founded Remi's Bus. A group for girls of all ages doing fun activites and enjoying each others success. The girls meet at my home just about every Friday for dinner and lots of fun! This is a true blessing to my family.
Remi has been super excited this week. She received a warm and loving welcome from her friends and staff at the program. Remi attends the program 3 days a week so I'll be planning a schedule of activities for the 2 days she will be home. Remi is still very interested in college so I will be looking into maybe one or two classes for her at the community college. It's all about scheduling ...I need 5 more hours in the day. But I know than I would say I need 10 more hours in the day. We're excited about the new year and all the great things Remi will do and teach us! God Bless!
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