The BESTest Weekend

We hardly have a weekend together as a family because Brady works on weekends, by choice - so that one of us is always around for Joseph. If we somehow get a weekend together, it is always planned, but not always special. But the weekend we just had, might just be the best ever.

We decided to rent a water slide and have a few kids over for Joseph. We did not exactly want to have another almost-birthday party because it could be pretty stressful and frankly, work has been kicking my behind lately...We need something low-key. So on Friday, we eagerly awaited the arrival of the slip 'n dip.

Joseph just had to try it...at least the splash pool at the end of it. In the meantime, Brady also cooked supper for some of his friends - garfish balls in a gravy. You know, those ugly alligator-looking fish. His friends started coming in and soon we had a houseful of people, some with kids and a couple of wives. Suppers/Get-togethers like this used to cause me a lot of anxiety and negative feelings as I tried to work through the grief of seeing what other kids get to do, and Joseph could not do. It distressed me, too, watching other kids play with Joseph's toys and he could not do the same. Anyway, we've been through a few of these suppers through the years and I feel okay now. I'm not exactly sure how my Joseph feels about these things.

So I asked him, "Do you mind if the other kids play with your toys?" To which he replied, "No. I kinda liked it."

And then, there was the girl who a couple of years ago grabbed a toy Joseph was holding and refused to give it back to him. Joseph followed her around, crying, while I watched and felt so heart-broken for him that he could not just grab the toy back. The girl's mother acted appropriately and made the girl apologized to Joseph. I smiled but inside I was so mad. But it's okay now. This same little girl, without being prompted, spent time beside Joseph drawing pictures for him. She even drew a picture of Joseph with Mickey Mouse. It's so good to know that kids do grow up; including a big kid like me.

On Saturday, we had our little get together with almost the same kids.

We even slid/slipped Joseph back and forth on the slide. It was not pretty. I'm surprised my back is not hurting after that, but Joseph had a great time doing it.

Joseph with his old girl-friend Riley, with his toy alligator.

After his time on the slide, he came back in the house and spent time with the girls.

Today, instead of just resting at home, being Sunday and all, we drove an hour and a half to Opelousas to have lunch at Soileau's. And Joseph and I shared a first-time experience...

He tasted alligator meat!

Joseph and Mommy both "stuffed" and ready to go home. We rested a little,

then it was time to take a final dip in the little pool before it gets picked up tomorrow.

Now, what is he looking at?

This? No, wait for it...

It's Daddy!

A happy boy giving thumbs up to this weekend.