Ryder has headed off to school, and I am sitting here on a sunny morning, sipping coffee and enjoying the quiet before the day begins. I love this time of day; so peaceful and calm, but I don’t often get to enjoy it. Our mornings are often busy and chaotic, or I crawl back into bed for an extra hour of much needed sleep before Hayley wakes up. In a perfect world, I would make sure I had this time every morning to centre myself, and get ready for the day ahead, but my world isn’t perfect, so I take what I can get and I do what I can.

We spent the long weekend camping in the mountains. It was so wonderful to get away and off the grid. There’s no wifi or phone service, no distractions from the outside world. It’s a lovely way to spend time connecting with our family. The kids loved it, and it makes me so happy to see Ryder enjoying his trips more and more each time we go. Like everything we do, it’s taken many tries to get it right. Practice makes perfect when it comes to going out with a child who tends to prefer the comfort and safety of his own home, but over the past couple of years we’ve learned how to make it work for all of us. Sometimes I think must be crazy, preparing meals for days and packing up half the house, but when we hit the road with our trailer in tow, the kids are so happy and you can just tell that we’re all feeling free and ready for an adventure. We realized a few more things this weekend, like that Ryder actually eats better outside at the picnic table rather than inside the trailer, and we continued our tradition of getting him out for a long walk first thing in the morning. Whether he walks himself or rides in his Chariot, the quiet time out on the trails seems to really set the tone for his day, helping him to regulate, and giving him the bit of space he needs. The close quarters of a trailer are hard to manage for a guy who loves the space of his own bedroom, but he does incredibly well, and has grown to really enjoy the whole camping experience. It’s heaven really, for two kids who love to be outside. Hayley had her things packed, including 42 beanie boos, all the wrong clothes, and a few packs of oatmeal, almost a week before we were leaving. She’s been waiting to go camping since last season ended. She was so tired by the second night, she asked to come inside to go to bed before 7pm, a sure sign of an awesome day! We spent our weekend playing outside, walking and biking the trails, and hanging out with friends and family. Last year I would have told you that camping is not relaxing, but this year, it feels like we’ve finally found our groove, and I can say that it was actually relaxing. Still “family vacation” relaxing, which I’m sure every parent can relate to, but it felt calmer than it has in the past. Thankfully we all enjoy being active and on the go, so keeping up with the kids is enjoyable for us. It’s really neat to have found something that we all like so much. Ryder actually sleeps rather well when we are camping, other than the 5am wake up calls, but we’re usually able to keep the kids happy until a more reasonable hour, when we get dressed and head out for our first adventure. We don’t have to chase him as much as we used to, though we do have to be prepared for the fact that at any moment he might decide to take a stroll, or a sprint, down the road. It’s important for families like ours not to be afraid to do things. They might be hard at first. Some might be total failures. But if you feel it’s something that might be good for you, keep trying. You might be amazed at the outcome.

We’re blessed to have access to a campground that is designed and reserved for people with disabilities. Everything is accessible, including the hiking trails. It’s a very special place. I smile a lot when I’m there. It’s beautiful to see all these families, who face all kinds of challenges, being able to enjoy one of Albertans’ favourite past times. It’s one of the places where I feel a real sense of belonging, and understanding. Everybody just gets it. It’s calm and quiet. People are kind and friendly. It just feels good. One of the highlights of my weekend was meeting our new friend, Stanley, and his parents. We met them several times on the trails, and I could just feel the love their family shares as I watched them hold the hand of their adult son while they walked through the forest. I’m not sure why, but it gave me hope. It reminded me just how strong a parent’s love is. It wasn’t sad to see a grown up person having to be in the care of his parents. He was so happy; so were they. It was just really, truly lovely. We laughed with his Mom when she told us that from the time Stanley was a baby, he never really slept through the night, and that even today, she invokes a strict no noise rule when he is sleeping. For me, it reaffirmed that things will be okay, even if I’m running on caffeine for the rest of my life. That even a life that you had not planned or expected can be beautiful; sometimes even more beautiful than the “normal” life you once wished for. It reminded me that it’s okay to need to hold your mom or dad’s hand when you’re a grown up. We’re all different. And that’s okay.