Tuesday, December 8, 2015

Therapeutic Recreation: Christmas Shopping at the Mall

Joshua had a big day today. It was Christmas Shopping Day with the FRIENDS. They love going to the mall, and they love, love LOVE eating at the food court.

Like you're surprised. :)

When I got to the Therapeutic Rec Center to drop him off, one of the FRIENDS came up to say that FRIEND Rachel was "crying her eyes out." Ms. Sherrie asked to see her. When Rachel came up to the front, she had tears streaming down her face. All of the FRIENDS were so concerned. Ms. Sherrie took Rachel's hands and talked to her. Rachel is having a sleep study at the end of the week. Ms. Sherrie asked her if she was scared...because Rachel had had one before and it was fine. Rachel said she wasn't scared, she was embarrassed.

Ms. Sherrie held Rachel's hands and rubbed her arms. She took off Rachel's glasses and used a tissue to gently wipe her face.

Not gonna lie...Mommy here got a little choked up. It was the sweetest, most tender thing ever.

After Ms. Sherrie told Rachel about allllll the FRIENDS who had had sleep studies before, Rachel figured out that she didn't need to be embarrassed. All was well, again, and they got ready to go to the mall.

I don't typically give Joshua a lot of money to shop. He...well, all of them...is very innocent and gullible. He knows simple Math, but he can't count backwards to know that if something cost $8.15, he should get back $1.45 from a ten-dollar bill.

What we do is tell Joshua to "scout out" and get ideas for gifts...sometimes he takes pictures of things on his phone...and then when I come pick him up, we go look for the things he's found. It works really well for us.

I had some errands to run in town, and I had a couple of gifts to pick up at the mall. When I got to the mall, I didn't text him...I thought I would try to find his group. The FRIENDS are usually easy to spot, even tho they split up into different groups. I was on the top floor, and I looked over the railing to the food court.

Yep.

FOUND THEM.

Joshua, of course, had already finished his lunch AND PUT HIS TRASH AWAY. He was sitting at the table with some FRIENDS, looking around. When he glanced up, he saw me, and I waved real big.

After I finished up with the items on my list, I went down to get Joshua. We picked up the items he'd found, and we headed home.

I watched "A Christmas Carol" on tv and then got up to start dinner. After Jim got home, the three of us ate, and then we watched "The Santa Clause," which is one of my most favorite movies EVER.

All day today, I was just thinking, "this is a good day." My heart has been so heavy for everything going on in the world, and today is the first day, in a week or so, that has felt "normal." I am thankful for these days.

"In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety." Psalm 4:8

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