Kids + ADD medicine + hotel does not equal disaster

"This is the best hotel we've ever stayed at," were Drew's last words coming out the O'Henry in Greensboro today. Due to schedule and timing realities, the kids and I stayed here last night so that I could make a meeting, then head to Mayodan for Melanie and Gerald's family unification ceremony.

Today was Drew's first day on his new medicine and I have to report that it was a good day. His sister, who spent most of the time with him after he took it, reported that it really seemed to help him a lot. It was interesting listening to him talk about how it made him feel and notice how similar his experience has been to my own.

But the best of all was MK's midday FB message that went something like: "I love my brother very much! He just ordered me room service and made sure they brought me sweet tea!" It tells me a lot about how they can interact when he is better able to control his impulses.... and it makes me sick to think it's taken this long to get it addressed. But even as the medicine began to wear off of him, she was still remarking positively about him. On more than one occasion tonight, she commented on his "swagger" and how really nice that was about him.

After my meeting, went back to the hotel and got the kids and then left to go to Belks to buy a couple things for them to wear to the wedding. The wedding was intentionally low-key, but I knew that Drew's cool t-shirt was not cool enough and that MK wanted something new to wear to the event because what she had on was not going to be good enough.

Watching her grow, and seeing how little things do affects her so much makes me better understand myself. I can remember as a teenager how I felt that everyone was looking at me, noticing everything about me and not realizing until much later that the reality was far from that perception. I hear her talk about this little spot that really bothers her or something else about her body, and have learned to listen, to share my own experiences and to NOT tell her that it's not that big a deal. It is definitely a big deal. The dress she bought was really pretty (even though the low-crop dress and the fact that she can fill it out is really making me sad, and preparing to start shooting some boys...) and she wore it with such confidence.

Drew's own experience at the wedding was fun -- a bit of alone time, a lot of time with the other kids his age who were running around, but as usual, he was just the best dressed kid there. Gerald called him a 'cool cat' which is a very accurate picture of who he is. He's so damn smart, and the remarkable words and thoughts that come out of his head impress me and the people around him. His slightly shorter curls and his good looks are already so dangerous. Today he would walk up to people, stick his hand out and say, "My name is Drew." And the meds do make him better in so many ways.

I had my difficult moments today, but this moon over Burlington this evening really brought me back to center. After a good talk, and downloading pictures, I am going to lay down and get some sleep. I truly, truly need it.