God is so faithful, I may say that a lot, and I am okay with repeating that truth! His faithfulness has been evident in the many wonderful relationships I have been blessed with over the years. Louise is one of those gifts! We met a church and served alongside one another through various ministries and enjoyed time together in Bible study and fellowship. Louise always inspired me with her grit to rise early, get on that train to work, and, along with her husband Sean, manage the home and raise two boys! She is a servant at heart and, yes, a go-getter! You will see in her bio a hobby that she continues to this day that inspires me. She reminds me to keep fun things in my life, remain connected to community and keep Christ at the centre of it all. I am so thankful that Louise and I have connected again through the Seasons of Motherhood Series! Stay tuned for our chat on youtube in the weeks to come! Thank you, Louise, for sharing your heart with us today!

 

 

Louise Jardine – Seasons of Motherhood

I’m a believer and child of God (for which I am so thankful).  I’m a mom in a blended family (3 stepchildren and our own 2 boys, David (22) and Daniel (20)). I’m a wife – Sean and I have been married for 27 years and I’ve been through many, many seasons of motherhood (and step-motherhood).  I’m a sister and daughter having grown up with two parents in our home and 3 brothers.  I’m also an employee and a leader.  I have always had a career focus, so worked all through my young motherhood years, and I continue today to work in a busy and rewarding management position for a large life insurance company.  I’m a volunteer at my church – the most amazing time of seeing God at work was spending 10+ years in youth ministry, supporting pastors, leaders and students.  Some of my friends thought I was a little crazy to spend so much time in youth ministry, but I loved it!  I’m less involved these days – I am resting and waiting for God to prompt me next.  I’m sometimes a loner and other times a friend and even a teammate.  A jigsaw puzzle is always underway in my living room, where I have some quiet moments – often praying silently as I place one piece after another.  I learned long ago, as a mom, to have something just for me – so fun fact, for the last 12 years, I have skated on a synchronized skating team.

 

 

♥♥♥

 

 

 

 

Season of hope

We knew our eldest son was special. At six months, we played a blinking game where he would repeat a blinking pattern we did with our eyes when looking at him. At age 3, he was reading words, and his memory of reciting back books read to him was incredible. At the age of 4, at my 40th birthday celebration, he performed a poem from memory for our guests. Intelligent and curious, he was a charming toddler and preschooler. We were so proud of this bright boy.

 

Season of worry

As he entered school, we were surprised to hear “we don’t really know what to do with him” from educators, despite his obvious intellectual giftedness. His natural curiosity was labelled distractibility. In grade 2, he was diagnosed with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). He was twice exceptional – gifted and ‘disabled’. While this label helped along the way to get an individual learning plan, it also came with a stigma. Those not familiar with his exceptionalities were quick to judge him. His peers mocked him or ignored him. So started the years of advocating for his needs, especially with those educators who failed to educate themselves. Don’t get me wrong, he had some wonderful teachers who saw the whole child, but he had more who only saw him as a problem in the classroom. One amazing teacher asked, “Where has the life of my classroom been?” when we returned from a family vacation that took him out of school for a week. That statement was so encouraging for me and still brings tears to my eyes when I recall the memory. Then there was another teacher along the way who made her own diagnosis of Asperger’s and told me so in a private meeting (without any school administration support at the meeting). Mama Bear came out at that meeting, as you might imagine.

Our son was often without friends. This made me worry. He preferred staying inside for recess to read a book rather than playing outside in the schoolyard. This made me worry. His aloneness didn’t seem to bother him. He was ok being atypical. Like water off a duck’s back, he had an uncanny ability to shed the judgment of others without any impact on his own feelings of self-worth. This made me worry.

To be honest, I, too, saw him through judgemental eyes, despite being his mom. Was he ever going to stop interrupting? Was he ever going to be able to sit through getting his homework done or sit through a meal without getting up? Was he ever going to stop being distracted by something catching his attention while we were having a conversation or by a TV commercial he could see from the corner of his eye? Would he ever be able to function as an adult in a world full of judgment?

I want to say that I never lost hope for him…. But I did lose hope, time and time again. This burden was heavy in those early years. These were years of continual advocating for him and daily coaching in life skills that, for most, are intuitive. Many prayers came from my heart, asking God to make things easy for him, to forgive me for my lack of faith and patience, and to take away my worry about the future.

 

A season of hope revived.

 

Then came middle and high school years. I learned so much from him and about him. As I look back now, I can see how God answered prayers in unexpected ways. God blessed him with a middle school cohort that was like none other. A handful of peers became his friends, accepting him with all his quirks and gifts. His teachers seemed to understand his unique abilities and were inspired by him. A teacher even told me that my son advocated for himself with the whole classroom – letting his classmates know what he needed from them in order to learn well.

High school was also filled with blessings. Despite his ongoing struggles to stay focused, the environment created by the dedicated staff of educators at his gifted school saw his amazing potential. Each of them individually worked with him to create a learning environment where he could thrive. I want to say that he had become more typical, but this was not the case. He was actually more atypical than ever, but all those around him were embracing it….including me. I started to worry less while continuing to provide the necessary support for his academic success.

 

A season of worry returned.

Now, he is in 3 rd year of university. He is pursuing his dream in computer science. In recent years, I have had to continue coaching him in life skills to keep himself focused on priorities and stay organized to complete his assignments. He has matured slowly, but I can see the young man he is becoming. He will always be twice exceptional and always have challenges with who God has created him to be. The worrying has returned as I let go to give him the independence necessary to enter adulthood. It’s hard…but I lean into this season, knowing that God will always be by his side (and mine).

 

Season of hope and word of encouragement

I know that my season of hope is coming as I continue to walk in my motherhood journey with my son. My hope is based on my faith and the evidence of God’s grace in these motherhood years. I’ve been in a season of hope in the past, so I know it is coming again.

For those moms who face challenges that come with having atypical and exceptional children, I want to encourage you. You and your child are not alone, despite feeling like you are. Many resources are available for you if you face a diagnosis for a child. Seek out those who have walked a similar path. Soak in their wisdom and filter out what is right for your situation. Feel your gut. Lean on God. Rest in knowing that seasons change, and don’t be surprised that sometimes they repeat themselves.

4 responses to “Seasons of Motherhood with Louise Jardine”

1. So glad to hear Louise speak from the inside out. Parenting is the same in many ways for each of us as mothers but also different. She has walked an amazing but difficult path with her firstborn. What I love best is her Godgiven ability to hang in and for those who spoke life to him too. We need others. We’re never an entity to ourselves and to know ultimately her hope is in God is the best. So privileged to know Louise and Sean. God bless and guide you!🥰 And thanks Sandee for this platform for her! Mom/Gloria

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   • What a joy to speak with Louise! Her heart overflows for her kids through this post and the video to come!

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2. Gloria – thank you for being part of our journey in those early years. Your mentorship and encouragement were such a blessing to me and the other young moms in our circle. I appreciate you so much. Thanks for your kind words

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   • She is a treasure!

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