It is difficult to believe that I am posting this early in the month but here it is. I am so excited to have a relatively slow, lazy morning to ‘chat’ with you. We have been so very busy for almost a year now. It is hard to imagine that things are going to slow down but I am making a strides in making it so. I have noticed that OSG functions so much better when he has time at home to regroup. All of the running and pushing to get places really seems to affect him negatively. He is also my sleeper, averaging 12 hours a night. When we are so busy, he does not have that kind of time to rest. He appears to get off schedule from it.
OSG needs schedule in order to complete things but then needs unsctructured to ‘unwind.’ I am not certain if that is a result of his adoption or natural make-up. Given an uneducated guess, I would choose the latter. It has taken me quite awhile to realize that OSG is my laid back, not exceptionally motivated guy. He is good with things being low-key. That is why he has struggled under the weight of the busy, hectic lifestyle we were living. OSG appears to do better without pre-planned activities. Having said that, it is not possible or healthy for a 14 year old boy to be involved in nothing. So we pick and choose which things we invest our time in. OSG is actively involved in his youth group, he sings on the youth worship team, is a member of 4-H and FFA. He also serves in leadership roles in both of those clubs. He rides horse regularly.
My biggest issue with OSG’s list of activities is that none of them include athletics. I think that physical exercise is important, so as part of his school I make him lift weights, hit the treadmill or ride a bike for 30 minutes. Boy, does he fight me on it….
Yet, I think that he needs that outlet. It doesn’t seem like a 1/2 hour would make that much of a difference but it seems to help him greatly- when I can get him to complete it. OSG breathes with a little over 50% of his lungs and has gotten into the habit of using that to excuse himself from the hard stuff. I push him through the things that I know will benefit him and pull him from those that don’t. Hopefully, I can teach him how to compensate for his lack of lung capacity. I believe that it will add to his life. A rich, full life is what I want for him.
~Angie
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