If I Had Not Been Up So Late Last Night Watching Football, This Post Would Be Much Less Rambling

Random thought for the day: if orthopedic surgeons are going to recommend that their knee patients ride a stationary bike for extended periods to improve their quadriceps muscle strength, they should really invent one that does not have quite such an uncomfortable and butt-numbing seat.  Ouch.

I was thinking more about my Maria post over the past weekend because of a couple of conversations I had at soccer fields.  (One good thing about all the soccer my kids play is that I do get the chance to catch up with many of my friends while watching games or practices from the sidelines.)    

One mother was telling me that her son is severely dyslexic and also on medication for ADHD.  I've known her and her son for a long time, and never had any idea.  That came as a real surprise to me.  Then, in a separate conversation at another field, I was speaking with two other mothers, one of whom has a son with social issues and ADHD (also on meds) and the other whose son is really struggling with language arts and receiving special help.  Again, I had no idea.  And I don't say that because it is any of my business to know these things--clearly it isn't, and if the moms hadn't volunteered the info in the course of casual conversations, I still wouldn't know.  What struck me is that in all three cases, if I had taken any time at all to think about it, I would have assumed from the outward appearances that all three were completely "normal" kids (however that might be defined.)

Sometimes I feel very isolated in being the parent of a special needs child.  It is both good and bad that there happen to be an unusual number of special needs kids in Thing Two's grade at our school, but in general, I've often felt like we have an extra level of challenge in our daily life that a lot of other families we know just don't have to deal with.  In thinking about these conversations and a few others, I'm coming to the realization that more parents than not probably do have something that they worry about for one or more of their kids.  It's just that some of the kids' issues are milder or easier to miss from an outsider's perspective than others, and also that some parents talk about their concerns less frequently than others.  I've always been very open about Thing Two, partially because it helps others to understand where he's coming from and partly because it's therapeutic for me to talk about it, but that doesn't mean that the parents who are quieter necessarily have any less to worry about or deal with.

Going back to the Maria post, it's that whole judging books by their covers thing again.  Seems to be a big problem of mine.  It does make me feel better to know that we are not quite as isolated as I had thought, though, although God knows I would not wish any behavioral or learning-related issues on any other child.

On a much lighter note, fall has officially arrived.  The air was positively chilly this morning, and against today's crisp blue sky, the oranges and pinks of the clusters of fall leaves are standing out in almost gaudy relief.  I took The Hound to the dog park this morning after my penitential session on the stationary bike, and she galloped and ran and wrestled joyfully in the falling leaves with another dog who was there.  The icing on the cake was that this dog turned out to be another rescue from the same rescue organization The Hound came from, which is run by a good friend of mine.  I asked the other owner for her permission to take a picture of her dog and send it to my friend, who always loves to hear how her rescues are doing at their new homes.  This one was the picture of canine health and happiness and sweetness, and I know that it will make her day to see him all grown up and loved.

Looking back on this post, I don't have the foggiest idea how to tie all these unconnected thoughts together with a coherent title.  If I can't think of one soon, I will blame my wandering mind on Sunday Night Football!