Serenity Now!

I got a call from my parents in Guataloupe yesterday. How fun is that? I guess they are settled and keeping very busy being the only adult missionaries on the island. I understand they spend a lot of time running the missionaries around in their car since all by the zone leaders don’t have any transportation. Can’t wait to see pictures.

It’s been busy at work. We’ll all taking the WASL, our state exam. General ed classes just have to take one grade, and they have them all divied up and spread out a day here and there over three weeks so as not to overwhelm the students, but I have to test 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders ALL, so it’s been very busy, to say the least. Three more days and it’s done! Then, back into the swing of everything. I’ll be so glad to have it behind us.

Life’s been mostly full of swimming and baseball for the kids. Isaak’s coach was kind enough to let him pitch an inning game before last. Really kind. Isaak had been pestering and pestering and was finally patient enough and got his chance. The coach is so good with him and the team, all the players, have been so nice. They really made him feel good. And darn it all if he didn’t throw a couple strikes! He was so proud. Of course, the next game he had a complete meltdown and lost all control over nothing, but he got over it. He’s at the point now that he really realizes that he’s not good at baseball, even if he loves it. It’s something novel for him–not being good at something he really loves. So, he’s down on himself and wants to quit, but I explained that he made a commitment to his team and his team is counting on him, and he has to fulfill his commitment. If he chooses not to sign up next season, that’s fine, but he needs to finish this season. He says to me, “Yeah, well a commitment is just a promise, and sometimes promises get broken!” Sorry, bub, not this one. He came around and was fine by the end of the game and will likely be fine by next game, but I think it’s important he learns that lesson–not only about fulfilling commitments, but also that he doesn’t have to be good at everything to enjoy doing something.

I’ve got Isaak signed up to go to his first overnight camp this summer–to a camp for kids with disabilities. They’ll have plenty of staff and great activities like canoeing and hiking, and I won’t worry about him freaking out on someone and them not knowing what to do. I’m really excited for him.

Audra Jr. came with me to work on Take Your Kid to Work Day. She’s been looking forward to it all year! It was fun, but I think she got a little bored. I don’t spend all day in a classroom doing activities or anything. I do a lot of management and checking in on students. So, I sent her to recess several times, to 2nd grade for lunch, and then for more recesses, and I think she liked that. She was a great helper during two social groups at the end of the day. It was just nice having the day with her.

I gave a presentation at a stake Primary teacher training on movement in the classroom. Seemed to go over well. Oh, and my sweet little 2-year-old I’m seeing is starting to make some progress. I love seeing a kiddo start from scratch how I get to see the rapid progress that can be made. I’m really looking forward to it! She’s such a sweet, darling girl. I have great hopes for her! I haven’t decided how many more clients I’ll take on over the summer. I think I will likely stay one more year at school and then go private full-time (or half-time, actually, for I can make more money working half as many hours!). I feel like I’m just getting my feet wet this year and next year I’ll really be much more productive, and the skills I’m learning at school are really important ones, too.

BIG NEWS!!
If you’re in the Vancouver/Portland area, the KATU News segment they came and filmed at my school will be on Sunday night the 6th at 11 PM and a second part on Monday the 7th at 5 PM. Check it out and tell me what you think! I have no idea how much we’ll be on or what the slant will end up being, but I’m excited to find out! Fingers crossed for a good, balanced, information piece!

I left my “brain” at work (my calendar), so let’s see what I can remember without it. Had a fairly normal week at school. Oh, local news did come and film the program. They were there filming a variety of things for over 2 hours, but the “bit” will only be about 3 minutes. The anchor-babe was really nice and apologized for the butcher job in advance. But she did say that her boss is looking at doing a half-hour special on autism, so they got some good footage to bring back to him to get the wheel turning on that. I’ll let everyone know when it’s on, but it will be a couple weeks.

Met a new family whose 2 year old I will start seeing. I guess I really need to get my therapy room set up. Until then, I’ll see her in her home, which is just fine. She’s such a darling kiddo. I’m really looking forward to it. I haven’t had the chance to write real programs, especially for the little ones, in a while, so I’m excited for that. It’s always a riot and so rewarding to work with the babies. They make such tremendous progress; it’s really great to be a part of it.

After yet another day or two of destruction while we were gone, we decided to get Katie an indoor kennel and put her in it while we’re out. She seems to like it OK, and more and more each day, and it’s nice to come home to the room the way I left it and no extra clean up to worry about.

Mostly, that’s it. Pretty boring week. I’m revving up and getting ready for summer. I’m getting paperwork in to possibly send Isaak to an overnight camp for kids with disabilities. They’ll have plenty of staff (1-1 or 2-1 ratio) and won’t be put off if he freaks out once in a while. Plus, the state gives us money to use in such situations, so might as well take advantage of it. Also looking at taking on a couple more private clients, myself, plus preparing for the BCBA exam in August and I’d like to start on a new book. Lots to do!

These next couple of weeks are crazy at school. It’s WASL time. Ugh. Wish us all luck!

Fun week! This week was Spring Break. Kids and I had it off, so of course we loaded it up with activities. We had family (sister and fam and sister-in-law and fam) all come and hang out with us. Dave likes to say we talked straight for 5 days. Pretty much right! It was a blast. We “girls” need that time. Anna Marie (Dave’s sister) and Amber (my sister) have been friends since they were kids, so it was fun for them to hang out and have kids get to know each other. Amber’s youngest (boy, 2) and Anna Marie’s only (girl, 1 1/2) were darling together. Audra Jr. thinks they should get married. I guess they have no blood relation! Anna Marie’s kidlet was SO cute with the dog. She just adores her, and the feeling is mutual. Katie is such a sweet, gentle dog and she loved all the attention, even the sticking of the fingers up her nose! She didn’t even flinch!

First part of the week, we had a get-together with my class staff (teacher’s assistants). One of my assistants lives up in slightly higher elevation. She’s joked how she lives in a different weather system, but I had no idea until we went up there and it was just overcast at our house but actually snowing at her house! It was really fun. The kids caught tadpoles and thought that was the bomb (that word is SO out of date, isn’t it?).

Had a nice easter. Had a bunch of kidlets find eggs at our house which is always fun. Audra Jr. found the trickiest hidden egg. Clever girl. But, she found too many, so I told her to re-hide some of them for the littler ones to find again. She’s such a good sport. She’s really a good nurturer. I saw that this week with all the little cousins. She’ll make a good babysitter in a few years.

Isaak had some great interactions with little ones, too. He’s funny in that he knows the little ones are little, but he doesn’t change the way he communicates with them. Nature of the disorder, I suppose. So, little Gwen (1 1/2) would bring him a toy, and he would, in a gentle, sweet voice, explain what Pokemon it was and how it worked and all very much too old for her to understand, but it was cute. And she insisted on sitting on his lap in church and when he went to the bathroom, she was very distraught.

Overall, it was a great week. Audra Jr. adds, “a long week, too.” Yeah, but all worth it. It was lovely.

Até já! (See ya later)

We’ve been busy!

Isaak’s started baseball and loves it. He’s no “pro” by any stretch of the imagination, but that’s good for him–to learn to enjoy something he doesn’t excel in. The boys have been real good with him and he’s had few issues to date. But, the season is still young! This is the only photo I have so far. Pro shots are coming out soon.

We went up to Sequim a couple weekends ago for my parents farewell. They are going to serve a year and a half mission for our church in the West Indies–they expect french speaking islands. They’d like us all to come and pick them up October of ‘08. That would be so cool if we can save enough money for it! Isaak sang, “I Hope they Call me on a Mission” as a solo. The boy has no fear. I wish I could hear him, but I was playing piano, but I hear it was nice.

We had a great time with family that weekend. Even our niece, Cat, came up from CA to visit. Can’t believe how old and grown up she is. What a great person.

And, of course, Dave graduated from the Police Academy and is a real-life scary-man police officer now. Who thought to give that boy a pair of handcuffs and a gun? What an idiot! The world will never be a save place to live now.

And him standing with some of his graduating class.

We all had a nice time up there, but it sure is nice to have him back home. Although, the very first weekend he’s “home”, he has to do his Army weekend! So, he’s gone again. Oh well. I assume we’ll get into some sort of schedule soon, or am I just kidding myself?

Oh, and the Renton fam had a super nice birthday gathering while we were up there, including a surprise visit from my best friend, Allyson, and the new babe who I hadn’t had a chance to kiss yet. What a treat!

I treasure these memories.