I’m so sorry I’ve been falling behind! Things got crazy, but I can feel them calming down. I only have a few more weeks and am even ahead in my classes! I expect in another week or two, I’ll be home free. I can’t believe it!

So, we’re going to check out the Vancouver, WA area next weekend. Dave has a board interview with the police department down there and I have an informational meeting with a birth-to-three center about starting a program for kids with autism. We’re going to look at the area and get a feel. I didn’t know anything about the area, but when I started researching it, I got kinda stoked! They have a bunch of magnet high schools. One of them is a science/math magnet (Isaak?) and another is an Arts magnet (Maggie?) that even starts in 6th grade. How perfect would those be? I’ve heard really good things about both schools and the area so far. We’ll see when we drive around. I’m sure we’ll “feel” it if it’s right for us.

I dragged Dave to a conference this week on RDI (Relationship Development Intervention). It’s the new autism trend. It supposedly gets to the core deficit which is building relationships. I had watched training videos and read books, but going to an interactive conference is something else. I am that much more sold on the philosophy! It’s really cool. While ABA is all about skill-building and is very successful at that (look at Isaak’s progress), the one thing that it has lacked is how to get to that core deficit of understanding, caring about, and knowing how to build relationships with the people around you. We have felt that Isaak has stalled in his progress because he has built all these great skills, but the one thing we haven’t been able to “teach” him in a skills-manner is that relationship building. I wish we had had RDI back then, but it’s a new thing. Anyway, it’s not too late, and I got some great ideas, and TONS of ideas for the little kids I work with. I can see a complete program being this relationship developing stuff coupled with ABA skill-building. A complete circle!

And lastly, my little boy turns 9 this weekend. I can’t believe it. That is getting too close to pre-pubescency! I can’t handle it! Have to say, though, even all these years later, he still is DANG cute!

Then..

And now…

What happened?!?