Even small accomplishments count

Today, I did something that I haven’t done in years. Literally, years.

I went out to the store, by myself (no other adults) with my 5 and 3 year old sons.

Shocking? Yes.

Which part is more shocking, you ask me? The fact that I went out alone with them? Or the fact that I haven’t gone out alone with them like that in so long?

Let me clarify…I go out with them every single day. I take them to therapy and doctor appointments and other things literally every day. So it’s not like we sit at home all day, every day.

But what I don’t do, is venture out with them to the stores or any other kind of outing like that, unless my husband is with me too to help.

See…both my kids, and myself, have a rare form of muscular dystrophy. That means that I can (barely) get myself safely from point A to point B, and I might just pass out or otherwise injury myself trying. My boys are unable to walk for any distance really, long or short. And they both need to be carried or pushed within just a few minutes of exertion.

It’s basically a recipe for disaster, and I generally feel very unsafe and incompetent physically to be alone, in public places without help.

So me, alone, pregnant and alone with them….yes. It was impressive.

But my 5 year old son had been asking me for a new Buzz Lightyear book ALL week. And I told him if he earned it with good behavior, we’d see about going on Friday, the only day we don’t have any therapies. And to be honest, I love going to Target, and it gave me an excuse to shop for some baby things.

You probably think this is the stupidest shit ever, and that it’s literally not an accomplishment at all. But when you AND your kids live with significant physical limitations…well, shit. Then you get to celebrate a by yourself outing to Target.

When I told my husband what we did today when he got home from work, he was surprised and proud of me.

I know this is a small thing, but hey. It’s something, and it counts. It’s an accomplishment, it made my sons happy, and we did something a little different today. With a 3rd baby on the way (and one with the same diagnosis), I don’t see many more of these solo shopping outings happening. They’re just so physically demanding.

But today, we did it. And I think that’s something worth being a little proud of myself for. Even if it’s small, it’s still worth noting.

Small accomplishments add up, and you need to take a moment to appreciate them. Whenever they come up, however often that may be, we owe it to ourselves to recognize them.