Paralympics and all the thoughts that has elicited.

How long is it since I have posted? A fair while. What do I say now?

I suppose I can start with why I have not been here for so long. Basically it is because Mary has not been making as much progress as expected and predicted. The medics are still confounded by her and the educators are struggling with her. I am struggling with her. She on the other hand is not struggling with us. She sees it as the world's problem not hers. And long may that attitude continue. Well except while I am trying to instill some knowledge, values, everyday abilities and such like into her!

I started the Blog initially as a way of recording the progress Mary has made as a way of seeing that the implant operation and the therapies were working. Just reading back on what I did write reveals that we are a little further ahead but not greatly. Mary's speech is coming along, slowly. She still does things in her own time. She seems slow to grasp some things and yet incredibly quick to grasp others. To say it is frustrating is an understatement.

Another reason to start the Blog was a way of me coping with my life at the time. Two years on I find myself a single Mum with almost full time care of both my girls. I hold down two jobs and run the household. Their Dad still sees them and is quite good at being there for them. But it has been an emotional rollercoaster. Oh what  a cliche!! As things improved in my life I did not need to record every small improvement in Mary. Also I was too busy so things got left. Now I shall explain what brought me back to the computer.

This summer we have been watching the Olympics and Paralympics. Who hasn't? this has gotten me thinking on so many levels. I am coming to terms with Mary as she is. And Katy, can't forget Katy, she is turning into such a lovely young lady I am so proud of her and do try and remember to praise her and tell her. She wants to follow in the footsteps of Rebecca Adlington. We have signed her up to the local swim club and we shall see where that goes. Does one need to buy a hat to attend the Olympic Medal Ceremony of one's child? I shall Tweet and ask the Olympians and Paralympians I follow. I am on Twitter!! Joined this morning.

I have a need to connect to people. And boy have we seen some great people over the Summer. I have made some great friends via Facebook but still I want to meet and befriend more people. I think this is my thing in life. Being stuck home alone most days I do struggle socially. But I have some fantastic real life friends and my end of summer resolution is to bug them more. Thank goodness for Facebook. It connects you with people any time of day or night. People who have similar experiences, similar views and similar ways of looking at the world and making me laugh. People who have struggles of their own and also try not to let it get them down.

I am not one to force myself upon people. I prefer to let them come to me. But how will people know I am here? Because I can write about it. I joined Twitter after refusing for so long. I have yet to decide whether it is for me. You can't write much. And as you can see I like writing a lot. But it is another way to connect to other people and hopefully continue to share in the inspiration brought to me this summer. I am not one for celebrity and giggling over who I may or may not have seen walking down the street. I see most of them as people who have been fortunate enought to either be in the right place at the right time or to know people who know people. Yes a lot of them work hard at what they do but then so do most of the non-celebrity persons in the world. Hard work is not necessarily the thing that made them famous. Hence my reluctance to join Twitter and the hype associated.

The Olympic and Paralympic theme has been inspire a generation. Inspire them to what? Sports? I realise that not all of us can become elite athletes and indeed sport is not for all of us. I do try and keep fit, I walk to school everyday. I swim with the girls regularly and on my own when I can find the time. I even joined the gym two years ago although I fear the novelty is waning somewhat. But I have been inspired. I want to connect with more people and I want to write. This Blog is the start of that, joining Twitter is the start of that. Something I can do in the evenings on my own when I am not being bugged.

As to the tone of the Blog. That is changing. I have so many thoughts and feelings associated with raising Mary. She is wonderful adn magic but extremely hard work. On Facebook I try to be up beat about stuff but that is not always the way I am feeling. I am going to use this Blog to write about my feelings and I am going to be mostly quite honest. It would be great to have some support for that side of this journey. I shall write some more in the week. I have so many ideas. Until next time...