PUZZLES & CAMO SHELLY HUHTANEN

Tiramisu of Events

In life, a lot of little things that add stress and slowly add weight can become layers like tiramisu. In other words, life can be a "tiramisu of crap."

It’s not just one event that can throw you over the edge. It can be a lot of minor events that over a period of time, can slowly break you down. Caretakers of children with special needs understand this concept extremely well. It may not be just one thing. It may be a string of events that when compiled with the added stressors of life, becomes difficult to handle. Raising children with unique needs builds a foundation that encompasses long-term stress. We are ensuring our child’s medical needs are met, as well as respite care and educational needs, or are faced with an incomplete plan for their care once we, as parents, can no longer care for our children. Stressors, such as these, never go away.

Years ago, a wise counselor told my husband to picture in his mind a speedometer. The minor inconveniences of life may keep you at lower RPM's. As long as you can keep operating at lower RPM's, you have the ability to process and handle anything that comes your way. Are you a few minutes late for an appointment? No problem, just call ahead and let them know. Did your puppy chew up a pillow? Maybe it was an old pillow anyway, and it was time to replace it. These experiences alone are fairly manageable, until they aren't anymore.

What if added stressors in our lives drive our RPM's to the point that we are operating daily, just under the red zone? The red zone meaning that it's difficult to hold it together. If that is the case, then just one or two things that normally wouldn't be that big of a deal, become just that. So, many parents raising chil

dren with disabilities operate in this zone every day and they walk among others that do not have that foundation of added daily stressors.

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT: "This is Broden learning how to drink without a straw! You can see how it was going by looking at his shirt. He improved the more we practiced!"

Granted, it may not be one large impactful event. It could be a series of small mundane events that occur over time. I picture in my mind these small and mundane events as layers, small and light layers, if they occur independently. Over time, as each small event happens, things can build. They will lay over on top of one another and can get heavier and heavier. I picture in my mind a scrumptious piece of tiramisu. Tiramisu is a deli

cious treat that is comprised of individual layers of coffee-soaked ladyfingers, custard, and whipped cream. Each layer doing its part to provide you with an unforgettable edible experience. One thing I connect with tiramisu is that it is heavy. Each layer doing its part adds weight and once the dessert is complete, it can be surprisingly heavier than expected.

In life, a lot of little things that add stress and slowly add weight can become layers like tiramisu. In other words, life can be a "tiramisu of crap." The other day I had to pick up Broden to take him