Watching your child with special needs step into adulthood can be quite an emotional ride. It brings a unique mix of pride, worry, and wonder. Lucy’s first college spring break felt like a milestone—a young adult learning to navigate college life, travel, and independence with limited vision and incredible determination.
If you’re new here, I have a collection of posts about parenting a child with special needs. It includes our journey raising a daughter with special needs—including diagnosis, daily life, and milestones like this one.
Utah State has a whole week off for spring break, and Lucy had stars in her eyes about the idea to meet us in Newport Beach to celebrate. Dave and I look for any chance we can get to be with that girl of ours, so we made it happen. It turned out that Grace and her boyfriend decided to join us so it was a party, and we loved every minute of it.
Navigating Travel with Limited Vision
With her limited vision and the added challenges that come with her special needs, it is so much easier said than done to meet up with Lucy. It is tricky for her to maneuver her way to and from Logan. It is far away from most Utah family, of course, she is not a driver. So she’s largely dependent on anyone who may be coming and going, as well as a handy bus service.
The morning Lucy was leaving on the bus to meet us in Newport, my early-morning alarm went off at the same time Lucy called in a panic to catch that bus. She made it and I followed along all day through her connection at the Salt Lake airport (the first time she’s done this) to make it to her beloved Claire who met up with her to take her to the Provo airport.
This was a huge celebration that Lucy made it, this girl who knows how to make things happen. And we were SO grateful to Claire who maneuvered her own schedule to pick her up at the bus stop, celebrate, and get her to the airport.
Celebrating Small Wins in Independence
Joyful reunion with Lucy at the airport, and we celebrated with a sunset walk on the pier, that girl of ours enveloped in our arms and the beauty of Mother Earth we can’t get enough of.
It was so good to be together again, and have a little Survivor Night. Survivor became our “thing” for us to watch together when she was a senior and we’ve been missing that togetherness.
Time Together as a Family
Paddle-boarding Lucy Lucy
The next morning we got to paddle-board with Lucy against the wind. This was one thing she was looking forward to doing the very most.
Watching Lucy navigate paddle-boarding with limited vision and some balance issues got me a bit teary-eyed out there paddling with her.
So proud of that girl and that she can DO this.
And also that she and Dave loved my favorite classical music together on the boat, just the three of us with music turned up loud.
Cooking Together
One of the things Lucy misses the most at college is a good home-cooked meal. So we made enchiladas and of course, baked our favorite cookies together.
There are not many things I love more than cooking in the kitchen with my girls.
Learning Life Skills Along the Way
Lucy had a long list of things she was hoping we could situate while we were together. We worked on her summer plans, residency, and she was so excited to have me help her with her hair.
Doing her own hair is one of the many life skills that can be more complex with her coordination challenges.
Lucy is so earnest in trying to figure out how to do this thing called life. Like many young adults with special needs, she desperately wants to be independent. She doesn’t ask for help on much, so it was pretty special to be cocooned in that spot to work on things together and talk about goals and plans.
Grace & Noah Arrival
Grace and Noah arrived and Lucy opted to hang alone to get homework done while we met them at Din Tai Fung for dinner, our favorite of favorites (NOT Lucy’s:).
Yes, those dumplings are worth waiting for over two hours on that waitlist!
Home for games, Lucy was pretty delighted to have Noah around.
Other Things We Did
We took a boat ride to Mama D’s, which has become our “regular.” But this time we went early to beat the spring break crowds.
We got to ride back along that silky water during golden hour.
The timing happened to be perfect to meet up with Dave’s sister and her husband on the Balboa Island pier. They hopped aboard for a bit so we could catch up and bask in the red of the sunset glowing off the water.
Then, of course, we played games back at the condo and talked until late.
Ever since my sunrise challenge I get antsy to get going first thing in the morning and I love it so much. I love trying to notice “gifts from God” as I explore. One morning I got to examine how amazing it is to watch birds take flight:
And each morning I listened to Come Follow Me podcasts that got me thinking a lot about the beauty of unpolished prophets in the Old Testament.
By the third day it was pulling teeth to get Lu out on the paddle-board and also on the tandem bike, but Grace and Noah pulled it off for the biking. They lured her into her favorite movie guessing game, over to Balboa Island and back on the ferry under the best sunset.
Then over to watch the sun’s last rays sink into the ocean on the pier.
Thoughts About Choosing God from Church
I love going to church in different places. When the parking lot was empty at the regular place we go (it was stake conference), so we drove a little further to catch part of such a beautiful sacrament meeting.
The way church should be: so welcoming, the Bishop being so real. We had our family “second hour” squished together in that car en route to and from church. All about how Joseph in the Old Testament kept choosing God rather than bitterness through all the tricky things that kept coming his way.
I pray every day that Lucy will choose to do the same. That she can seek to find Him even in the dark, and I tried to ever so inconspicuously tell her so. Loved Noah and Grace’s input.
Dave and I sent Noah, Grace and Lucy off to the airport, all packed up in their rental car, a weekend well-spent wrapped up in a bow.
Dave and I slipped out on a little paddle-boarding date to celebrate, and ended up talk, talk, talking on “our” dock down near Mother’s Beach. We happened to see the very plane that was taking those kids back home, onto their own lives and adventures far away from us.
Letting Go While Staying Close
It really is so interesting to have kids grow up. To move away. And to begin their own lives separate from us. Especially Lucy, as she transitions with her special needs.
Independence for a child with special needs often comes in layers—earned through courage, support, and so many unseen efforts—and this trip felt like one of those quiet, powerful steps forward.
Just so grateful for any chance we get to gather and learn from these kids who are becoming our teachers along the way.
Other Milestones for Lucy
These transitions into adulthood look different for every child, especially with special needs. If you’re navigating something similar, I have posted all thoughts about parenting a child with special needs through the years.