Today I'm grateful for several nice things that have happened for my disabled ds who is 29 years old. He has support services from Department of Disabilities and Special Needs, one of which is a job coach. He had a job at a really nice grocery store for a little over a year. He loved it and they loved him. The store is close to my job, and since he can't drive I would drop him off on my way to work. I'd pick him up in the afternoon and he'd hang out at my job until I was through. He enjoyed sitting with the residents and talking with them.
Then COVID. 
His epilepsy makes him high risk so he stayed out at first for a couple of months. Once they had safety measures in place he could have gone back to work but he can't come inside the building where I work. We live 30 minutes away with no traffic, so there was just no way for him to get back and forth.
So he's been stuck at home since March. He was bored and lonely and it was just another thing COVID was taking from us.
Well, his job coach and his DDSN case worker found the most perfect situation for him. They operate a thrift store and coffee shop, and there is a man who lives next to the property who keeps bees. DS has gone and spent several days with the beekeeper, learning how to manage the bees and harvest the honey. They invested in his little business, helped him develop a logo and labels and they are selling the honey at the coffee shop. He got his first check this week. 
He wrote out his story-- being diagnosed with epilepsy in 2nd grade, being called "retarded" by his pediatrician a year later,and how that has driven him to want to succeed.
A local TV news reporter did a story this evening about the coffee shop and featured an interview with my DS. He is so happy. He's getting out 2 or 3 days a week, spending time with people other than JM and me, and has something that is HIS. Something he is working for. The smile on his face when he showed me his check... Lit up the whole house. 
The other nice thing was that he got a Facebook request and message from his high school girlfriend. He hadn't heard from her in quite some time. She moved several states away the summer he graduated and he hasn't dated anyone else since then. This girl was precious--quirky and cute and just fit with him. She reached out to let him know she is moving back to SC by New Years. I know a whole lot has happened in 10 years and nothing may ever come of this. But again, it was precious to see him smile as he was telling me about hearing from her.
What are you grateful for today?
[This message edited by HFSSC at 8:58 AM, December 12th (Saturday)]
