We are really looking forward to visiting our son in Utah during Christmas time. We will arrive on Christmas Eve Day and stay for five days. This year we are so grateful for the help we have received from the many professionals who have guided us! And of course we are thankful to all our friends and family that keep sending wishes of support and love. That includes YOU the reader! Thank you! I hope you will continue to follow our journey in the coming year!
This year since our Christmas celebration will be not be at home, and the cost of treatment has been astronomical, we have the opportunity to “dial it back in” and show by example what is truly important to us. Instead of giving too many expensive gifts, we are only taking a few small items to him. Don’t spill the beans: a non electronic watch, Star Wars movie tickets and a mechanical pencil and drawing book. Our biggest gift this year is the gift of being present. I am calling it the Present of our Presence! What exactly does that mean? Our most important and meaningful present is US!
We have been lucky enough to have seen our sixteen year old four times during the last six months. The first visit was when he was in Wilderness after seven weeks for a family therapy retreat. I recall that when he first saw us, he said it felt like Christmas morning! I know we missed him terribly, and by that statement it’s safe to say he felt the same way!
Each of the visits had a special purpose. The next was transporting him from Wilderness to the RTC (residential treatment center/school) where he is located now. The third was for Parent Days filled with lots of family sessions on the topic of boundaries. The fourth visit was purely social during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. This upcoming Christmas visit will have the same goal of “having fun”!
We will be able to spend quality time together! We will work on our communication without the distraction of iPhones or computers. We will put our devices away and he isn’t allowed to have any use of electronics at this point in time. We will eat some good food and take some beautiful drives and hikes. If the snow arrives, we will play and ski if we feel like it! We will limit our movie going, so we are active and not participating in passive activities. I’m sure we will pack our days up with lots of fun in during our five days together!
Right now the boys at the school are reading a book called “The Ultimate Gift”. We parents were given the same assignment. After finishing it, we had the opportunity of watching the movie by the same name, starring James Garner and Abigail Breslin. I urge you to read the book or watch the movie and share the dozen lessons it teaches. Perspective allows one to see things differently. We are certainly in the middle of the process of a new perspective!
Wishing you and your families the happiest of Holidays! We look forward to a bright 2018!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Thanks for your continued support of this blog.
WARRIOR MOM
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