My Normal

My Normal - 2010

What is Tourettes? It's complex to explain in one sentence or less to the average passer-by, but what it looks like when you're out in public is that you simply have a very ill mannered child.

This week our youngest child is being assessed for Tourettes Syndrome. We were asked to make a movie of our life with Jenna - no more than 20 minutes. It is our normal. We've had hectic week so we've been able to gather a lot of footage.

When I watched it back I found it interesting to see myself and Jenna, through the lens. In some of the scenes I watched myself run through my wealth of strategies to help Jenna. Distraction, humor, choices, no choices, warnings, hugs, love and everything in between and yet, the chaos reigns.

When I watched it back I realized how different our normal is. It is my life, every day, there are intense emotions while trying to get through the day to day routine... waking up, getting dressed, eating breakfast, driving somewhere, bathroom, bedtime. Every time we ask Jenna to do something we are met with frustration.

When we are not asking Jenna to do something she is wonderful, delightful, funny, and 100% joy. Every day she makes me laugh, I love her hugs and kisses, I think that she makes me a better person. I love the silly things she does, the way she plays, the way she copies her big brothers. I love that she tells every one that "I own it" and that "I the boss". I think it's great that she is independent and has strong opinions.

This is our normal, this is our life. I embrace it, I accept it and I enjoy the good in everything in between. The great thing about intense emotions are that they go both ways, pure joy and total chaos. We take it all and make the best of it.

The next time you see an ill mannered child out it public ask yourself, what is their normal? what is their story, and how can I help? Maybe you can be a distraction, maybe you can open a door or maybe you can just smile and say, I've been there, and it stinks!

Ask yourself this, what is my normal?