This Week in Backseat Driving - Grit & Grace

It’s been a little busy around here, and I’ve been a bit of a hot mostly happy mess in the process. So much so that I haven’t been able to write much of anything until just a few days ago. In the past week, one daughter completed testing and registration at our local community college as a dual-enrollment student. She’s hoping to earn high school and college credit for her final two years of high school. This August will be our her first semester, and she’s we’re pretty excited. Two days after her registration, that same daughter had oral surgery, bringing with it our her first experience with general anesthesia. This past week of rest and recovery has been a sweet time of keeping her as comfortable as possible while watching copious amounts of Parks and Recreation and Gilmore Girls. We just went to our post-op appointment this morning and all is well! Yesterday, we finally started on some work that needed to be done on the school room ceiling because of some water leak issues we’ve been having for months. So all the furniture is out (and relocated along the walls of our living and dining room, among other places), along with the ceiling. Now to wait for a strong enough rain to reveal where the leaks are coming from, and then hopefully repair them and put a fresh ceiling back up.

Which brings me to this afternoon, and some news that has rocked my world in such a wonderful way. My 18 year old son got his driver’s license. Yep, you read that right: my 18 year old. Now, that may not seem like a very big deal to you. Those who know me, and especially those who know my son, might have a better idea as to why this is such a huge accomplishment. Some would call him a late bloomer. I know I’ve often thought of him in that way. Over time, I’ve grown to REALLY dislike that word, and am pretty ashamed of how often I’ve felt that about him throughout the years. Comparing where he was based on where others were, or where they thought he should be. Thinking he was “late” based on someone else’s standards, instead of seeing how fearfully and wonderfully he met God’s standards, exactly as he was and is.

My cautious and extremely methodical young man takes his time. Even before he was born (my labor with him was induced at 41 weeks), he will never be in a huge rush. It took him forever to learn how to walk. It took him even longer to learn how to speak and articulate in ways that others would be able to understand him. The first time he had a conversation with someone other than me WITHOUT needing me to translate for him took my breath away. He was probably about 8 or 9 years old at the time. And yes, I was a hot mostly happy mess on that day too. There is so much more I can say about the journey towards achieving each of his many milestones. Suffice it to say, it has been the roller coaster ride of a lifetime.

I’m not really a huge Wikipedia fan, but I really appreciated this definition I found on their site: “A late bloomer is a person whose talents or capabilities are not visible to others until later than usual.” Later than usual. What is usual is what is expected. Usual is ordinary. My son has brought me such unexpected joy through all the struggles, and he is anything but ordinary. Being a late bloomer sounds pretty amazing when you look at it that way.

Well, I’m off to pick up my youngest (she is at the first of two birthday parties she is attending this week), who is doing her best to keep me as busy as my other two kiddos have done this past week.

I’d love to know your thoughts:

What do the words late bloomer mean to you?

Were you a late bloomer growing up, or are you currently parenting one?

What’s been helpful/unhelpful on your journey?

Becky is a Miami native, and has lived here all of her life. Married to her husband for over 20 years, they lead a very active lifestyle along with their three teenagers and Riley, their rescue dog. Becky loves to teach, and has had the awesome privilege of home educating her children for over twelve years. When not teaching academics, Becky loves to equip, encourage, and empower women through the teaching of her group fitness classes. Becky and her husband lead various ministries, and their family loves to serve the community through the countless opportunities provided over the past twenty years+ in their local church. She enjoys filling her “free” time with reading, writing, watching movies, and just spending time with the family. Becky has a passion for living her life with grit and grace, and encouraging others to do the same.