My favorite time of the year is in full force. School is back in session, our family is back on schedule, and I finally have my peaceful mornings back. Don’t get me wrong- I absolutely love spending time with my 7 year-old daughter. We are besties, soul mates, the prototype of what a mother daughter bond should be.
BUT… I. NEED. QUIET. I need a break from the constant distraction of that sweet little voice that calls me “Mommy” who I love so incredibly much.
We have a special bond. Through her Dad’s deployment when she was a baby to the time he spent recovering in the hospital after he lost his limbs, we have been side by side through it all. I hauled her around Fort Sam Houston in a baby carrier on my back through hospitals, recovery centers and the hotels or small apartments we happened to be rooming in at the time. That baby carrier was the best damn thing ever made. Sometimes I worry that she missed out on a “normal” childhood, but then I look at the beautiful, brilliant, healthy adult-like child asking me to help her make a slime machine for the 5th time in a day and I just would not change one single thing about her.
People often refer to a Veteran’s injuries as an event. A specific time in life. I even catch myself saying, “After my husband’s injuries….” This isn’t the case. Instead, it’s a life-long journey, one that never ends. For my family, we are at peace with that. Sure, my husband would love to have his 3 limbs back. Most days he’s content with how far he has come, and then others the reality sets in and anxiety takes over. We’ve learned to plan ahead, avoid large crowds, always and I mean ALWAYS have a back up plan regarding the wheelchair. This is our life now, and it’s no different for our child. She’s unique and will always have a beautiful story to tell.
It’s the first week of second grade. I didn’t cry on her first day this time. My queue to leave happened fast when I got the ‘Relax Mom, I’ve got this’ glare. When did she grow up? I know that in the blink of an eye, this Mom will be ugly crying as I have a college graduate eager to create her own ending to an already unique story.
-Ashlee Williams
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