Monday, January 30, 2012

Do I know how to party or what?


Saturday night, we went to a party at my friend Sarah's house. Every year, she has a New Year's bash the last weekend in January, and it's a great thing to look forward to; there's always a great mix of guest and hors d'ouevres.

Sarah is a parent advocate and special education advisor and is a special needs parent, too; her company is New York Special Needs Support. It was a crowded party but inevitably, I found the other special needs moms. Like heat-seeking missiles, we always make contact.

In the course of the party I told a mom about Max having a stroke at birth; empathized with another mom about the challenges of finding time for yourself; listened to a mom's story about her son, who has heart issues and who was hospitalized for two years; traded notes on NICUs and therapists; and learned about an excellent neuropsychologist in our area, David Salsberg at the Rusk Institute of Rehabilitative Medicine at New York University. I am thinking it would be good to take Max to visit him, to help us better understand how he learns and what we can do to encourage him.

Also: Wine. White wine.

I left feeling relaxed, content and really glad to have met these moms and spent a Saturday night with them.

En route home, we passed by a bar I used to go to a lot when I was single. I stared at it, remembering how much fun it was to hang out there, drink beers, mingle.

It felt like another lifetime.

I've gotta say, I did not miss it.


Flickr/Sifu Renka
at

8 comments:

  1. Mary@LifeAfterIEPsJanuary 30, 2012 at 9:27 AM

    Yes - you do know how to party, Ellen! Enjoying the people you're with - the moment you're in. Now.

    This weekend our "baby" (age 24) moved to Arizona (we're in PA). We shed some tears. Spent some time "missing the old days" when she was little. So many wonderful memories. Seems like "another lifetime"...

    But then we Skyped and we could see how happy and excited she is - heard her laugh - saw her new surroundings... Can't say I don't miss her, but... we raised a glass to celebrate the dawn of a new season. For her and for us...

    (And to thank God for Skype and US Air!)

    Here's to savoring the Now!

    ReplyDelete
  2. consultingforspecialneeds.comJanuary 30, 2012 at 10:03 AM

    So glad we went to the party! I never knew we were "neighbors." Looks like our husbands hit it off as well. We should all get together sometime.

    Lucy Pritzker in Scotch Plains

    ReplyDelete
  3. AlexandraJanuary 30, 2012 at 10:38 AM

    This sounds wonderful, a community like this is so very important.

    I'm glad I stopped over today, because you were that community to me years ago before I began blogging.

    You gave me a sense of belonging, Ellen, and I am so very long overdue in thanking you.

    I thank you today, in my post for you, to you, today.

    Thank you, Ellen...I should have told you years ago.

    You suggested I start a blog, and I did, and it changed my life.

    thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Melissa MJanuary 30, 2012 at 10:47 AM

    Ellen -
    Just so you know, David Salsberg is excellent! He is thoughtful, insightful, and so easy to talk to. I highly recommend him! We are going through the Turning 5 process right now and did a great eval of my boy. Definitely book an appointment, if you can!

    Best,
    melissa

    ReplyDelete
  5. AutismWonderlandJanuary 30, 2012 at 11:05 AM

    So sorry we missed Sarah's party. It would have been great to meet you. We went to the Monster Truck Jam show early in the day, and as it was my first time - I left with a migraine and slightly sick from the fumes.

    I hear Sarah throws a wicked party.

    ReplyDelete
  6. AnonymousJanuary 30, 2012 at 12:14 PM

    @Mary:

    I, too was encouraged by my parents to pursue a long north/south move, and enjoyed some of the best years of my life. When I decided to return north, I heard the surprise in their voices that they had lost their winter retreat. Enjoy your visits to Arizona! It's fun as a child to realize that you are exposing them to new things that they wouldn't have done without you. Which seems to be a focus of this blog!

    ReplyDelete
  7. RhondaJanuary 30, 2012 at 6:11 PM

    Wow, your Saturday night sounds like it had much better results than mine. After staying up till 3AM, I ended up with a bad cold.
    I think it's wonderful you have that sense of belonging with other Mom's of children with special needs.

    ReplyDelete
  8. NishaFebruary 5, 2012 at 6:03 AM

    You better hope Max and Sabrina don't read the part about the bar so they are not able to throw it back in your face when they are old enough to drink LOL :)

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for sharing!