Things don’t really “go back to normal” in a house full of neurodivergent, gender-diverse teens and preteens.  It’s a constantly fluctuating roller coaster of conflicting feelings, anxieties, insecurities, and behaviors.  Issues can be expressed in varying ways by each kid:  mood swings, despondency, barely-concealed distress, a nonstop frenzy of chattering or activity, or retreating to solitude.  One can be lost in the shuffle of others’ urgent needs.  Meanwhile, life must go on, or try to.  And Avdi must continue to manage it all, with or without help.

Y has been wanting me to spend time with them more, which I’m glad to do.  Yesterday they were making jewelry with their latest haul of craft supplies, including beautiful custom insect wing earrings for me.  Whenever he could, S would hijack me and treat me to a nonstop manic monologue about whatever fantasy adventure he was on.  E was baking/going through their own personal emotional turmoil.  K was holed up in his lair, staying out of the fray, though at one point he asked me to teach him how to make an omelet, and was very pleased with the result.

Later in the evening, Avdi built a fire out on the patio, and Jess, Y, and S joined us for a while.  Avdi was just trying to find a moment of peace to unwind.  Y wanted to sit next to me, bundled up in a blanket.  S kept chattering, vying for attention.  Eventually they got bored with the boring grownups and went inside.  I was just enjoying the fire, and the string lights I had strung up all over the yard, once I figured out how to turn them on!

Just a “normal” day in the STL suburbs.

The facility let Y out yesterday, and they are safe at home, decompressing from the ordeal, with our help.  I’m sure the processing will continue for a while.  They actually gave me a big hug, which was a nice breakthrough.  We tried to make them feel welcomed and secure.

Just for the occasion, I made special challot loaded with colorful sprinkles.  As it turned out, everyone was headed in various directions, with Avdi shuttling back and forth, so I made it a casual grab-and-go meal.  Given the unusual circumstances of the week, flexibility was in order.

I actually got a night’s sleep for a change of pace–more like overslept.  I still have the serious dizziness, but it hasn’t escalated to full vertigo, so that’s a relief.  Relieved in every sense.

Here’s what Missourians do when tornado sirens are blasting in the middle of the night.  Two people in a row said, “What sirens?  I slept through it!”  Midwesterners.

Halloween seems to be a really big deal here, at least where Avdi lives.  Even I got into the spirit(s) of it.  Only, it was a little sad for us this year, with one family member absent, temporarily detained in a facility through no fault of anyone’s.  But they’re getting out!  Then we’ll celebrate.

Once again, here I am wide awake in the wee hours.  It seems to be a trend.  Someone’s got to keep the fires burning.