And Just Like That, Seventh Grade

☕ Thursday, August 6, 2026

Good morning, friends!

Grab your coffee and come sit with me for a little while. ☕ Today is back-to-school day at our house, and somehow my baby is starting 7th grade. I’m not crying. 😢 I really don’t know how we got here this fast. It seems like every time I turn around, another year has passed and my boys are a little older and a little more independent. I know that’s exactly what they’re supposed to do, but nobody said this mama had to like how quickly they do it.

If you know Garrett, you know he is my little tornado. He has brought laughter into our home from day one, and I truly can’t imagine our family without his personality in it. He can make me laugh when I don’t want to laugh, keep me on my toes and make a quiet house very unquiet. 😂 We’re working on organization and routines again this year, although Garrett and routine aren’t exactly best friends. He does have some routines he takes very seriously, though. A lot of kids his age might need to be reminded about taking a shower, but not mine. That boy is adamant about his shower every single night. Now, if we could just get him to feel that strongly about keeping his room clean, we’d really be getting somewhere.

School hasn’t always been simple for him, and one thing I’ve learned is that ADHD doesn’t look exactly the same in every person. There are so many different paths, different strengths and different struggles. We’re still learning how Garrett learns best, and I’m praying this school year gives us a better understanding of that. I don’t want him to spend his life thinking he has to learn, think or process things exactly like everyone else. I want him to learn how his mind works and discover the things he’s really good at.

Psalm 139:14 says, “I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.” I think we sometimes read that verse and think only about how God created our physical bodies, but God knows every part of us. He knows how our minds work, what comes easily to us and what takes a little more effort. Garrett isn’t supposed to be exactly like the kid sitting beside him in class. God made him to be Garrett, and there’s only one of those. Trust me. I’m pretty sure the world could only handle one anyway. 😂

So this morning, as I send my 7th grader out the door, I’m praying for a good year. I’m praying for teachers who will see him for who he is, for friendships that are good for him, for growth and maturity, and for us as his parents to have the wisdom to help him along the way. Most of all, I want him to always know that being different doesn’t mean being less. God didn’t accidentally make any of us the way we are. He knows His creation, and He knows exactly what each of us needs.

Maybe you have a child who learns a little differently too, or maybe you were that child yourself. It’s so easy to compare ourselves or our children to everyone around us, but God never asked us to be someone else. Today I’m reminding myself that my job isn’t to make Garrett fit somebody else’s mold. It’s to help guide the boy God entrusted to me as he grows into the young man God created him to be.

What is something about your child, grandchild or even yourself that you’ve learned to appreciate because God made them—or you—a little differently? ❤️

Until tomorrow…

As I watch my boys grow, I’m reminded that every season of motherhood is a gift. Today, I’m trusting God with another school year and thanking Him for the incredible young man He’s allowing me the privilege to raise.

Keep your coffee warm, your Bible close, and your eyes open for the blessings God places in your path today.

I’ll meet you back here tomorrow—with another cup of coffee and another conversation.

❤️ Mandy

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