We had some rain. We had some heat and humidity. And we have – or rather, I have – one huge horse fly bite.
Other than that, the day has gone as smoothly as one can expect in the middle of nowhere.
Sean’s mood has been practically stellar. Sure, he has his moments when he’s annoyed with me for starting a sentence and then stopping (I am hot and tired – I should be allowed momentarily lapses of the brain). He also lacks patience when my instructions to him are not as clear as he needs.
There’s been so much telling him what to do that even I am getting sick and tired of hearing myself.
Time to get your shoes and socks on….
Ten minutes until we leave for class….
You have to eat something on the plate…
I feel awful every time I have to do it. It’s not like I enjoy being an overbearing mother. But he’s here to earn merit badges. He needs guidance. He needs some prodding.
OK, let’s be real…. Sean needs some nagging.
As expected from any teenager, each instruction is met with an exasperated sigh. It’s as if he’s saying to me, “Really mom, can you just be quiet?”
My patience takes a little ding, a nick, with every sigh. Boy Scouts is his thing…. not mine. I’m here to guide him from Point A to Point B and hopefully earn some merit badges along the way.
When I got pregnant with Sean, I hardly imagined that one day I’d be sweltering in a tent with a thigh-sized insect bit on my leg or spending hour upon hour hiking with sand in my gym shoes.
This experience was never written about in any “What To Expect” books!
Sean can sigh and moan all he wants but I’ll still be here. I’m his mom so I have to be. I have to be his guide, his mentor, his pain in the butt.
And I have to have patience.
Lots of it…
Thus, the next time he sighs, the next time he attempts to roll his eyes, the next time he says “OK” when he really wants to tell me to go away, I’ll take a deep breath, dig deep, and remind myself.
Special needs or not, Sean is still just a kid….
Patience is what I need to give him above all else. It will take him further than any merit badge ever will.
And then, when I get back to civilization, I’m going to call my mother and thank her.
She had more patience than I could ever wish to have.
So thanks, Mom!
I love you…
See you soon.
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