The ups and downs and in-betweens....

Just figured I would write for a bit since it has been awhile since my last post. I've been thinking about the last two months with J.C. and what it has been like. This school year so far seems to be the least explosive so far. What I mean is... less calls to us (his parents) and it seems like he is getting much more work done (we all know he is smarter than the work he is given, so the teachers are pushing him a bit more this year, hooray!). The hardest part of the last two months or so is that J.C. seems to do so well for a while and then we head back down again... it's frustrating when you see the warning signs and know what is coming. Devon and I are trying really hard to get our guards up and be ready for J.C.'s frequent mood swings and misbehavior when we begin to see the warning signs. I find that my one on one time with J.C. is limited to rides in the car and the occasional chat when nobody else is home or it is spent disciplining him which takes up an enormous amount of time. Much of the time, J.C. doesn't take discipline or the word "no" well at all. LOL!!! I know... what kid does??? But, this isn't like just throwing a "fit" because he doesn't get his way or stomping his way off to his room to slam the door because he's "mad". J.C. finds new ways to elevate the situation almost every time he doesn't get what he wants. From the new choice words he has chosen to imitate from his school mates to hitting walls and himself on the way to his room as he slams the door shut screaming, shouting, stomping and banging into whatever happens to be in his way. When he is on a good upward mood swing, we still don't get a ton of cooperation, but he is so sweet most of the time. Even now as he is entering his teens in a couple months, he wants to hug me goodbye when he leaves for school... or tell me  he loves me... or just wants to sit next to me and chill. I love that about him... it is so hard sometimes to believe this kid is the same kid who just ten minutes ago shoved his fist into his brothers stomach because he wouldn't go skateboard with him. It's frustrating to see that he really does have a good heart and wants to do well, he just can't most of the time. I can't imagine how frustrating that is for him, too. Especially as he gets older and realizes how different he really is from others. It's hard enough to watch it happening,  you know.  I guess according to our psychiatrist, this adolescence time is when the bipolar mood swings really set in so all I can do is pray!! And... ask for my friends and family to rally around us, support us and pray too. 

If you would just take a moment to visit any of the links in my posts.... I would greatly appreciate it! Thanks!!