Chill

Bull Bottom Farms is an amazing farm in our small town that hosts families twice a year for a day of fun! They have a corn maze, pumpkin patch, animals, giant slide, bouncy pad, cow train, corn pit, zipline, and more! As soon as the weather starts to cool off, kids know Bull Bottom Farms is opening soon and start begging to go! Nolan's class at school goes every year on Special Needs Day, and it has been something I look forward to! There is something special about being surrounded by other kids who are different and their teachers and families who get it! If a grown kid lays on the ground having a tantrum, nobody gawks in shock. There are no stares if a child flaps his arms in excitement going down a slide. Instead, there are smiles, cheers, and encouragement because everyone understands!

Nolan loves going to Bull Bottom Farms on this day because it's all about him and what he wants to do! He runs wide open and I follow his lead! In the past, he has gone straight to the giant slide and usually walks up the big hill, waits impatiently in line, and slides down in a fit of laughter at least 5 times! The cow train is his second favorite thing to do; it is a little train pulled by a tractor, but the train cars are painted like cows! He usually rides this several times as well! The zipline and bouncy pad are always a hit too! As I got dressed for the day, I had to give myself a pep talk for the extra energy I knew I needed for Special Needs Day at Bull Bottom Farms! It is exhausting but so much fun too! I put on a shirt I wear every year that says, "My child my be nonverbal but his mama ain't!" It always gets smiles and laughs from others because they completely get it! I will admit I was a little nervous this year because since Nolan has started his new medication for seizures he has experienced some rough side effects. This past weekend has made him feel more emotional and agitated. He has also been more tired. His doctor advised a supplement to take that helps offset these side effects but of course, things take time.

As Nolan got off the school bus, he was happy to see me and calmly held my hand as we waited in line. I expected him to bolt toward the big slide, but instead, he wandered toward the little playhouses. We walked around those, then he headed for the corn pit. He hardly ever wants to play in it, but this time he took his shoes off and got in! He wanted my phone, and while I was hesitant to let him have it, I set a timer on my watch and told him he could have it for 5 minutes. He turned on his favorite song and played in the corn for a little while, and once my timer went off, he handed me the phone and was ready to move on to something else! As I followed his lead, he walked to the gift shop, which was weird because he'd never been in there! Then, he walked to another area he'd never gone before: the snack shack! The lady behind the counter looked at him and said, "What can I get you today?" Which by the way, was awesome because most people talk to me instead of him. He said, "Popcorn" and waited patiently. I almost fell onto the ground right there! This kid just walked up to the counter and ordered his own food! I happily paid for it and he led me to a picnic table and sat down to eat. I can't describe the state of shock I was in. Me and Nolan were sitting at a picnic table at Bull Bottom Farms relaxing and eating some popcorn!

Once we were done with our snack, Nolan walked right past the big slide and went to the treehouses. He got on the swings, explored the houses, and went down all the little slides having so much fun! After about thirty minutes, he looked at me and said, "Go home." I was a little surprised because he still hadn't done several things he usually loves! I asked him if he wanted to do the big slide or the cow train and he said, "Bye bye cow." I laughed and thought about pushing him to do it, but then I decided that he was communicating exactly what he wanted and this day was about him, so we started walking towards the exit. I talked to his teacher, signed him out, and we walked to the car. This experience was unlike any other! Nolan had a great time on his field trip to Bull Bottom Farms. He didn't run wild, throw any tantrums, push past people in line, or even get aggravated. He was just chill.

Since Nolan has been struggling the past several days with medication side effects, life has been harder for him than usual. I think God knew he needed a day to just chill and enjoy some sunshine. I'm not naive enough to think that this is how every outing will be. But if I could go back in time to Special Needs Day years before, I would tell myself to hang in there because the day is coming when you will walk around Bull Bottom Farms instead of running! You will watch your son be independent, share a snack with him, and casually walk to the car instead of carrying him because he's overstimulated or having a tantrum. Hold onto the hope that things will get easier for him, keep praying for Nolan, and don't ever give up! And also, this kid is not nonverbal anymore, so get a new shirt!