Serenity Now!

What a summer! Can’t believe it’s actually over. Officially, I go back to school tomorrow and the kids start next week. I’ll be working 3 days a week and at home 2 days. I’d hope to be less busy than last year, but I don’t think that’s going to happen. I hope to be able to keep scaling back at school as I take on more clients at home. I really am enjoying doing that! I just adore the kids on my caseload and it’s really fun to be my own “boss”, so to speak, or to really be in charge of the full program of each kid. It’s very fulfilling.

Kids have been in and out of camps all summer. If you read their blogs, you’ll see that Isaak had a rough go a couple times, but they really weren’t that bad. I actually thought he was quite successful! He did do his first overnight camp, and they told me he wanted to go home on Tuesday of the week because the activities were “too long” and there was a boy annoying him, but they helped him through it and he seemed to have a great time the rest of the week. I was so proud of him for doing it! It’s a big accomplishment. It stretched him out (way out!) of his comfort zone. Audra Jr. has spent her time almost exclusively with her friend, Kyndall. They’ve been quite attached at the hip all summer. She’s LOVED it, having all this free time to just hang out. Such a great, typical summer experience, and I love to see her experience that.

Like I said, I’ve just been building my business and loving it. The kids I’m working with are really starting to make some great progress. Dave is nearing the end of training phase and is ready to have his own car! We’ve missed him terribly during all his crazy schedules, so we’ll be glad when he settles down into some semblance of normalcy.

We’ll try to update more often during the school year. Or is that just wishful thinking?

Audra

Here’s a note I found in one of the boxes I’m sifting through from back in 2004. So funny!

If you can’t read it, it says, “Dear Mom, My brain is getting all mixed up for one day. (picture of a brain) Would you fix it? Isaak P.S. I bit Ray’s head because about my mixed brain.”

Yea for summer! We are LOVING the slower routine. My social groups haven’t started, yet, so all I have is a couple of private clients, kids’ activities, and home organization projects. It’s wonderful! The kids are getting into the routine which consists of daily assignments for exercising, talent development, chores, and homework. They have limited “screen” time, although in July we’re doing black-out month, so we won’t be watching TV or playing games this month. Great for creativity and socialization development! At the end of the month, we’ll go to an amusement or water park as a reward.

We’ve made some short trips up to see family in Seattle and Sequim. Another one coming up this weekend. That’s about all. Work finally worked itself out, and I will be working in the schools three days a week and doing private work the other two. I already have a full schedule. I’m also planning on coordinating with a local psychologist who does social skills groups to be her back-up as she goes on maternity leave in October. Lots of opportunities are opening, and I like it. I will need to be careful not to overdo it. I’ll really try!

As far as Isaak’s school, we had considered changing his placement because he hadn’t had a real successful year. He’s at the age where things are getting very complex socially, and it really takes someone with expertise to know how to train and teach the needed skills to be successful. We came to an agreement with the school to increase the level of trained support, so we hope that will be what he needs. He has a ways to go to be ready for the middle school environment the next year. Very scary. We also have homeschooling in the backpocket if we need to. I’d have to scale down work, of course, but I could do that and will, if it becomes necessary.

Audra Jr.’s great. Really enjoying summer. She spends about every waking minute (and many sleeping) with her best friend, and she seems very happy. She sure was mad last week, though, because her pool gave me wrong information about the date of a swim meet and we missed it, so she didn’t get awards, then she missed the pool “party” the next week simply because we forgot. Ah, the tribulations of being a kid!

Dave is liking work much better now. He’s on swing shifts which he likes (I don’t) and he likes his training officer now. He comes home with lots of fun stories to share which is different than his Army work (which he’d have to kill me after telling me if he did).

Send me updates from you!

Spelling Bee champion has Asperger’s. So funny.

Puts things in perspective for me. Yeah, we’ve had some rough patches dealing with autism over the years plus extra family challenges such as a husband in Iraq and now a cop (Serenity Now!), but this? Having all 6 kids on the spectrum? What a woman.

Autism x 6: Family’s kids all have the disorder

We’ve had a pretty OK week. Things (I hope) are winding down for the end of the school year. Only a week and a half left! Lots of visits from new families to my school plus last minute meetings with out-going families. I officially let them know that I cannot keep a full-time position next year because I really want to build my private practice. They seemed “eager” to have me stay in some capacity, so I am looking at another position still in the district that is part-time.

I’m really enjoying my private consulting. I guess that’s where my heart is. I enjoy designing and running programs. I like working with families who are involved and are “choosing” to do this. Mostly, I love working with the wee-little ones because they make such tremendous progress, and it’s so fun to be a part of that.

Audra (Jr.) had a rough week. She’s an interesting little girl, I have to say. She is about as unique as they come. She has this incredible energy level, she’s boisterous, animated, and not a girly-girl. She’s not into fashion or the newest trends as some of the girls are beginning to be. She still loves Pokemon and Webkinz and wears sweats whenever she can and gets grass stains on her knees. Her best friend lives two doors down and they spend almost every waking minute together. If it weren’t for her, I’d be really worried about Audra. She does not fit in with the girls at church. She is never invited to hang out. Once every other week she goes to an activity with the girls at church her age, and she’s been feeling unsure of herself. I guess it all came out this last week. I think because she’s feeling a bit like a misfit, she tries to do things to get attention or find a way into the “group”, but it just ended up with her being dumb and getting her feelings hurt. I feel bad for her, but she’s a lot like I was and it brings back many memories. I didn’t have a “place” through junior high school. I wasn’t trendy. I liked strange, alternative music (following after older brothers for that). I didn’t fit in with the “Mormon” girls, but I’d moved to the area recently enough that I didn’t have any non-church friends. Those years were tough! It wasn’t until high school where I found others mistfits that we fit together that I felt I had a place, but those weren’t necessarily people with the best influence on me. I struggled for many years to find who I was, to be who I wanted to be but while being surrounded by good people. It took me serving a mission to really grasp the fact that I didn’t have to fit into a “group”. I could be just who I was and still hold on to my morals and ideals, and I could be perfectly happy without any group whatsoever if I needed to. I suppose that’s just maturity.

I just feel for my girl. I can see her struggling with the same issues I did. What she has that I never had was one good friend with strong morals who let me be who I wanted to be. Audra has that. I am so grateful for her friendship with Kyndall.

Have a good week!

It’s been a couple of weeks. Let’s see. At school, it seems that all the classes wait to take their field trips until the last month and a half, and since I have to go on each field trip that one of my students goes on (with few exceptions), that means I’ve been on lots of field trips! Combine that with final meetings, visits from new students and visits for my outgoing students, it’s been really busy. But, I can see it winding down soon and I’m really looking forward to the end of the year in two weeks.

I went to our 5th graders “Resident Outdoor School” or 3-day camp. That was pretty fun. I found a new tutor while we were there! The counselors there are high school students, and there was this one counselor who just outshone all the others in her ability to be full of energy and spontaneous as well as keep kids under control. You’d see all the students getting all lively and out of control, and she’d start doing something and they’d just stop and give their full attention to her. Found out she lives right by me and offered her a part-time summer job. She will be great! Also have two staff assistants from school who are joining the team (one is already rocking!) and two clients, so we’re off and running. I still don’t know about next year’s school schedule–whether I’ll be full or part-time–but I am really enjoying my private consulting so far.

This summer, I’ll be seeing my private clients and running regular social groups for 10-11 year old boys three times a week. That and keeping the two kids of my own engaged will keep me busy!

So, site is getting up and getting “constructed.” Check back soon for completion!

Autism Behavioral Consulting

Dave has completed his first rotation of officer training and is now on swing shifts with a new training officer. He’s learning and seems to enjoy the challenge (more and more as the weeks pass and he becomes more comfortable). We won’t see him much while on swing shift until school’s out for he leaves when we’re at school and comes home when we’re asleep, but school will be out soon and we’ll be happy campers all, then!

Hope to hear from you loved ones soon!

Planning some big changes for next year (fall), but I can’t announce them yet as they haven’t been solidified. I’ll keep everyone posted. But, that’s keeping me busy (deciding and preparing).

KATU News segments:

Segment 1

Segment 2

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.