A Weekend of Normalcy

The last few weeks have flown by. Graduation party for the eldest, working on a kitchen remodel, and not much out of the ordinary to report. I sometimes forget how far we have come until I am reminded by either my sister or by reading old posts in this blog.

The boys have been busy with activities. The older two have work and swimming. Colin has been going to cross country practices and recently finished up a SAT review class. The new X-Box has also been getting a workout with Colin and his middle brother. Having two teen boys that can drive has been a lifesaver for our family. The boys can be left home alone during the day and are fairly self-sufficient.

I have decided to continue with weekday doggie daycare for Sumter. I know from last year, that our pup will be largely ignored other than mealtime and bathroom breaks. I have found that Sumter is easier to manage when he has had a full day playing with other dogs and comes home worn out. Our beloved pooch has been instrumental in Colin's reintegration into our home. I am committed to providing the best care possible for him.

Almost Like Old Times

This weekend has been one of the most "normal" since our son has been back.Friday night, Colin and his Dad went shopping for new running shoes. Saturday night Colin came along with me to pick his brother up from work.  We got take-out from Wendy's then stopped at the grocery store on the way home. The boys stayed in the car while I purchased  a few necessities.

Later that night, Colin mentioned that he might want to go running around the neighborhood. He was feeling guilty about missing Friday's cross country practice and wanted to test out his new shoes. I looked at the clock and it was almost midnight. I mentioned that it was late and not a good idea. I realize that he does not want to run into anyone he knows from his middle-school days. The stigma from his interrupted school year still hangs over his head.

Sunday afternoon, while I was mowing the back yard, Colin, Sumter and hubs came out back. I took a break and we all sat down. Dad decided to take Colin down to his high school so he could run the team's usual path. As we relaxed and chatted for a bit, my husband and I exchanged glances. Not a word needed to be uttered to know what the other was thinking. We were having a "normal" boring day. And we were ecstatic!

To top things off, we made plans to go out for a Sunday family dinner. The WHOLE family. After some deliberation we decided on a nearby restaurant. Colin and his middle brother wore sunglasses. For my 17 year old, he was making a fashion statement. As for Colin, I believe this was for protection, in case he ran into someone he used to know.

Dinner Confessional

The coast was clear with not one familiar face in the restaurant and dinner was relaxed. The boys bantered about. My middle son mentioned his upcoming trip with me to NYC. Just the two of us are going on a mini vacation to visit family, take in a couple of college visits and see a play that my nephew is in. To my surprise, Colin mentioned that he might want to go. His middle brother mentioned that it was too late, tickets were already purchased. I mentioned that we can take another trip with him.

Truth be told, this would have been a very bad idea. While I am encouraged that Colin was interested in going with us, I know he is not ready. Until he is able to openly talk about his sound issues, there is too much room for things to go terribly wrong.

However, we may be seeing baby-steps in the right direction. In the course of our dinner conversation, my middle-son mentioned that he is slightly OCD. He and his eldest brother got into a debate about this when Colin chimed in.

"You know." he piped up, " I was diagnosed with OCD". There then was a bit of silent hesitation and we all dropped the topic. This was the first time our son had mentioned something from his hospitalization. While he was never formally diagnosed with any disorder, this was one of many possibilities mentioned.

We are all being careful to avoid mentioning anything from "the year that is not to be spoken of". We don't want to spook Colin. I have found that if you focus on listening and not reacting, every now and again a snippet of information will slip out.

Baby-Steps....

As always we are a work-in-progress!