Life is not fair. We learn that early in life. However, when life is not fair for a child who has a disability and will have a difficult enough life, it makes it especially hard. Why is it that the people who are supposed to be educators and care about each child individually are the one's who want to take the easiest way out without giving the rough patches a chance to work themselves out? Let me explain....
My aspie son was put back into a regular classroom for this fifth grade year. He has essentially gone from having no homework and very little classwork for the past three years in special education, to having a full load along with changing classes with twenty other children. Because his aggression seems to finally have become under control the IEP team decided last May to put him in the regular classroom this year full-time. This is a child who will only give you as much as you require out of him on the front end, never more.
The school feels that because they have been punishing his behaviors daily, behaviors which are typical of an aspie child when placed in a stressful social situation, they have been accomodating and are wanting to have him placed back into the special ed classroom. The new behavior analyst assigned to my son has not had a chance to complete his report and give them his recommendations, although he did tell me that he does not think "they get it". The teachers have not made any effort to shorten assignments nor help him deal with the social situations that cause so much stress for him and for which he has never had any training even though it has been requested NUMEROUS times.
In short my opinion is this, when they punish a child who has Asperger's for things like making noises in class, or even making threats to other children (who were probably picking on him in the first place), then it would not be any different than punishing a child in a wheelchair because he or she cannot walk. When social skills are the main manifestation of this disability and then those skills are never taught, how can they possibly think it is just bad behavior and punish him accordingly??? Why does it have to be a daily battle? Why do they put our children in typical classrooms but not require the teachers to have any training on how to deal with them so that a lot of these things can be avoided???
Those are my thoughts for the day.
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Monday, September 10, 2007
8 Things About Me
Here are the rules:
1. I have to post these rules before I give you the facts.
2. Each player starts with 8 random facts/habits about themselves.
3. People who are tagged need to write a post on their own blog (about their 8 things) and post these rules. (If you don't have a blog email me.)
4. At the end of your blog, you need to choose 8 people to get tagged and list their names.
5. Don't forget to leave them a comment telling them they're tagged and to read your blog.
********************Random things about me**************************
1. I'm not a morning or a late night person.
2. I love italian food.
3. I am a chocoholic.
4. I love to read.
5. I don't like grumpy people (including kids and teens) .
6. I love my new job!
7. I am a couch potato
8. I can no longer be a couch potato because of my back.
I won't tag anyone, since I don't have 8 people who read my blog, but if you do decide to post please leave me a comment and let me know :)
1. I have to post these rules before I give you the facts.
2. Each player starts with 8 random facts/habits about themselves.
3. People who are tagged need to write a post on their own blog (about their 8 things) and post these rules. (If you don't have a blog email me.)
4. At the end of your blog, you need to choose 8 people to get tagged and list their names.
5. Don't forget to leave them a comment telling them they're tagged and to read your blog.
********************Random things about me**************************
1. I'm not a morning or a late night person.
2. I love italian food.
3. I am a chocoholic.
4. I love to read.
5. I don't like grumpy people (including kids and teens) .
6. I love my new job!
7. I am a couch potato
8. I can no longer be a couch potato because of my back.
I won't tag anyone, since I don't have 8 people who read my blog, but if you do decide to post please leave me a comment and let me know :)
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Recent Happenings
Boy has it been crazy for the past month around our house, which by the way has still not sold after almost 300 days, but the good news is two people are looking at it today.
The IEP team has decided our little one is ready to go back to a regular fifth grade full-time next year. He has matured so much and come such a long way socially and behaviorally. I am finding the more independant I make him, the more he wants to be independant. The little bugger told me last week that he could do his own bath all along, it's just that I "always get in there first so he let's me do it." He will be going to six flags next weekend with a friend of his and their parent's and he can't wait!
My oldest is now a Junior in high school :(. In less than a year and a half he will officially be an adult. I just put him on a plane alone to go visit a girl and her family that we met last summer on our vacation (they have been in contact daily ever since). I totally trust her family and I hope we are not wrong about that. The security would not let me walk him back to the gate since he is already sixteen, but I thought that it was not fair, it should at least be eighteen when you have to let them go......(of course he was happy about it). I've been totally useless all day tracking his flight to NC, but he just landed twenty minutes ago so I might be able to breathe again until Tuesday when he gets back on a plane.
The IEP team has decided our little one is ready to go back to a regular fifth grade full-time next year. He has matured so much and come such a long way socially and behaviorally. I am finding the more independant I make him, the more he wants to be independant. The little bugger told me last week that he could do his own bath all along, it's just that I "always get in there first so he let's me do it." He will be going to six flags next weekend with a friend of his and their parent's and he can't wait!
My oldest is now a Junior in high school :(. In less than a year and a half he will officially be an adult. I just put him on a plane alone to go visit a girl and her family that we met last summer on our vacation (they have been in contact daily ever since). I totally trust her family and I hope we are not wrong about that. The security would not let me walk him back to the gate since he is already sixteen, but I thought that it was not fair, it should at least be eighteen when you have to let them go......(of course he was happy about it). I've been totally useless all day tracking his flight to NC, but he just landed twenty minutes ago so I might be able to breathe again until Tuesday when he gets back on a plane.
Thursday, May 03, 2007
My Baby Turns 10 today!!
My little one is officially in the double digits now. Wasn't it just yesterday we were bringing him home for the first time ?!? Where does the time go. From a 20-1/2 inches bundle of joy to a 5 foot precocious boy. He has matured a lot over the past year too. He told me the other night that he really doesn't care about presents this year, he only wants his friends to come to his party to play.
Thursday, April 12, 2007
I am sooo Bummed out!
I have been really really busy lately and have not been able to post, but I just have to get my frustrations out.
I have discovered that Goodwill has an auction site, can you believe that?!? I have found so many great deals and bought many wonderful, some brand new things for practically nothing. Well, yesterday afternoon in those last few minutes before the workday ends, when it's too late to start working on something, but too early to go ahead and leave, I was browsing the website. What do I find you might ask? Well, I found a 43 pieced set of my great-grandmother's china for $9.95. I am missing several pieces of the set, so this would be perfect to complete it. Granted the shipping was $40, which is a little steep, but for that much antique china it would have been a steal.
Well I put my bid in with a max of $15, with only two hours to go and no bids already. I left work and went home where the power had been out since early that afternoon. I didn't think anything of it because no one was bidding on the china, so I thought I was a shoo in. The power did not come back on until 4:30 a.m. this morning, so I did not get to look at it anymore last night.
When I got in this morning and checked, I had lost the set by $1. Can you believe that????? One lousy dollar. This totally depresses me because now I have looked at what the pieces are going for seperately and it will cost a small fortune to complete the set piece by piece.
On the bright side though, this is the third time I've seen the set, once at an antique shop, once at my local Goodwill, and now online, so hopefully it will turn up again :)
I have discovered that Goodwill has an auction site, can you believe that?!? I have found so many great deals and bought many wonderful, some brand new things for practically nothing. Well, yesterday afternoon in those last few minutes before the workday ends, when it's too late to start working on something, but too early to go ahead and leave, I was browsing the website. What do I find you might ask? Well, I found a 43 pieced set of my great-grandmother's china for $9.95. I am missing several pieces of the set, so this would be perfect to complete it. Granted the shipping was $40, which is a little steep, but for that much antique china it would have been a steal.
Well I put my bid in with a max of $15, with only two hours to go and no bids already. I left work and went home where the power had been out since early that afternoon. I didn't think anything of it because no one was bidding on the china, so I thought I was a shoo in. The power did not come back on until 4:30 a.m. this morning, so I did not get to look at it anymore last night.
When I got in this morning and checked, I had lost the set by $1. Can you believe that????? One lousy dollar. This totally depresses me because now I have looked at what the pieces are going for seperately and it will cost a small fortune to complete the set piece by piece.
On the bright side though, this is the third time I've seen the set, once at an antique shop, once at my local Goodwill, and now online, so hopefully it will turn up again :)
Friday, March 02, 2007
Up Up and Away!
This week I flew to New Jersey on business. This was the first time I've flown in over ten years, so things have changed a lot. The first thing of course was going through security with my shoes off. Now, first thing in the morning I can see where that would be okay, but late in the day when people have had them on for a while I imagine it gets a little bit smelly. Next thing I noticed was how quiet everything was. Gone are the days when family and friends can see you off or wait for you at the gate. Only passengers with tickets are allowed past security so I had no trouble getting a seat in the waiting area.
This was also my first time up north in about twenty years. It is very different up there. Since I was only there for an overnight trip I'm sure there is a lot more that I would find interesting, but the one thing that I could get used to that we do not have here in the South would be not having to pump my own gas. They have state employees that do that in New Jersey. You pull up and they take your payment and take care of everything right there.
Another thing they have up there that I have never seen down here in the South are Cheese Doodles. We have Cheese Puffs down here but they are no where near as good as the doodles. My favorite author writes about these in her books and I had no idea it was not a ficticious name until I got there. The morning before I flew out I saw them in the machine and I just had to try them, after all Janet Evanovich wrote a whole book around them. So that's what I had for breakfast that day. Next time I go up I will have to try the Tastykakes she is always referring to in all her books. I can see me telling my boss she has to send me back up there so I can try them.
Oh well, back to reality and trying to get fit and healthy with all my blogger friends. Gotta get some work done now :)
This was also my first time up north in about twenty years. It is very different up there. Since I was only there for an overnight trip I'm sure there is a lot more that I would find interesting, but the one thing that I could get used to that we do not have here in the South would be not having to pump my own gas. They have state employees that do that in New Jersey. You pull up and they take your payment and take care of everything right there.
Another thing they have up there that I have never seen down here in the South are Cheese Doodles. We have Cheese Puffs down here but they are no where near as good as the doodles. My favorite author writes about these in her books and I had no idea it was not a ficticious name until I got there. The morning before I flew out I saw them in the machine and I just had to try them, after all Janet Evanovich wrote a whole book around them. So that's what I had for breakfast that day. Next time I go up I will have to try the Tastykakes she is always referring to in all her books. I can see me telling my boss she has to send me back up there so I can try them.
Oh well, back to reality and trying to get fit and healthy with all my blogger friends. Gotta get some work done now :)
Friday, February 16, 2007
Oh My Valentine!
My Aspie son has his first crush, although he doesn't actually know he has a crush yet. Let me explain...
There is a young girl in his classroom that has taken a liking to him. The first few weeks of school she would tell everyone that she was going to marry him. He would grin but say he hated her. Several people have teased him about her to the point of him declaring he "hates ugly so and so". He has been picking on her every chance he gets since then.
I dropped him off one day and was talking to his teacher. As soon as he put his things away he went right over to where she was and sat down. I mentioned this to the teacher and he said it was like this all day long, either him going over to her, or her going over to him.
Well, last Tuesday I was filling out his Valentines and I kept asking him to come and help me. He said he was not giving one to her. I told him if he did not come and help me then I would write her a card that says he loves her. Well that got his goat. He stomped over and plopped on the couch. I suggested we find the least "loveable" card to give her. That seemed to pacify him. We went through what each one said and go to one that said "I hope you have an Enchanted day" or something like that. He asked me what that meant and for lack of a definition on the spot I said it was sort of like falling in love or something. He said good, he would put on there that it was so she could fall in love with someone other than him (the little stink).
Well, he called me that next day and he had gotten in trouble at school and had to stand in the corner. When I asked him what for he said it was because he tried to hit the girl. Mom was in the background telling him to tell me why he did that and he said it was because she tried to kiss him. Of course I explained to him that we never ever hit girls under any circumstances. He said he would do it again if she tried to kiss him again.
Ahh young love!!!
On the older love drama, my oldest son came home with a hickie. He said "we just did it to see if you would get mad about it". Well let's just say he found out the answer to that and I don't think he'll be seen within a mile of her dad anytime soon.
Till next time :)
There is a young girl in his classroom that has taken a liking to him. The first few weeks of school she would tell everyone that she was going to marry him. He would grin but say he hated her. Several people have teased him about her to the point of him declaring he "hates ugly so and so". He has been picking on her every chance he gets since then.
I dropped him off one day and was talking to his teacher. As soon as he put his things away he went right over to where she was and sat down. I mentioned this to the teacher and he said it was like this all day long, either him going over to her, or her going over to him.
Well, last Tuesday I was filling out his Valentines and I kept asking him to come and help me. He said he was not giving one to her. I told him if he did not come and help me then I would write her a card that says he loves her. Well that got his goat. He stomped over and plopped on the couch. I suggested we find the least "loveable" card to give her. That seemed to pacify him. We went through what each one said and go to one that said "I hope you have an Enchanted day" or something like that. He asked me what that meant and for lack of a definition on the spot I said it was sort of like falling in love or something. He said good, he would put on there that it was so she could fall in love with someone other than him (the little stink).
Well, he called me that next day and he had gotten in trouble at school and had to stand in the corner. When I asked him what for he said it was because he tried to hit the girl. Mom was in the background telling him to tell me why he did that and he said it was because she tried to kiss him. Of course I explained to him that we never ever hit girls under any circumstances. He said he would do it again if she tried to kiss him again.
Ahh young love!!!
On the older love drama, my oldest son came home with a hickie. He said "we just did it to see if you would get mad about it". Well let's just say he found out the answer to that and I don't think he'll be seen within a mile of her dad anytime soon.
Till next time :)
Friday, December 15, 2006
I've Been Tagged (I think)
Okay, so Mom's Baggage (see link to the side) has tagged me, I think. I've never done this before so I am unsure how to go about it. It's supposed to be a MeMe post of Thursday Thirteens (although I am a day late), so here goes.
I am: Very happy I got an A on my final
I want: Lunch, I skipped it to go get a manicure
I have: a wonderful family, even though they are very irritable today
I wish: My house would sell soon.
I hate: When people are moody all the time
I miss: having our own house.
I hear: Typing and muffled talking (I work in an office)
I wonder: what my kids will grow up to be
I regret: not going to college right after high school
I am not: as organized as I would like
I dance: very badly.
I sing: in the car, mostly when I'm alone.
I am not always: neat
I make with my hands: meals and desserts when I can.
I journal: By blogging and Scrapbooking
I confuse: my husband
I need: a vacation
I should: be working right now :)
I start: any thing that interests me.
I finish: just about everything, it just may take me forever.
I'll tag three of the blogs I read regularly, which are Hick's, Mike's and Cathy's.
I am: Very happy I got an A on my final
I want: Lunch, I skipped it to go get a manicure
I have: a wonderful family, even though they are very irritable today
I wish: My house would sell soon.
I hate: When people are moody all the time
I miss: having our own house.
I hear: Typing and muffled talking (I work in an office)
I wonder: what my kids will grow up to be
I regret: not going to college right after high school
I am not: as organized as I would like
I dance: very badly.
I sing: in the car, mostly when I'm alone.
I am not always: neat
I make with my hands: meals and desserts when I can.
I journal: By blogging and Scrapbooking
I confuse: my husband
I need: a vacation
I should: be working right now :)
I start: any thing that interests me.
I finish: just about everything, it just may take me forever.
I'll tag three of the blogs I read regularly, which are Hick's, Mike's and Cathy's.
Thursday, November 30, 2006
Daily Report
Teacher's comment on my Aspie son's daily report:
"Mr. 'I love mornings' ended up having a good day"
:)
"Mr. 'I love mornings' ended up having a good day"
:)
Friday, November 10, 2006
Happenings
Whew it's been a whorlwind year. My oldest son got his driver's license. This is both good and bad. It's good because I don't have to do near as much running around. It's bad because I worry and because he's growing up too fast :(. He went to a dance at school last weekend and drove his girlfriend in his uncle's camero. My youngest asked me if they were dating. When I told him yes he replied "I thought they were just going to a dance" :).
My youngest son just tested for his green belt in Taekwondo. He will be so pround when he finds out how he did next week. The school has sent me a letter about a meeting next week. They want us to consider counseling for him. I'm not sure that is such a great idea. I'm scared to let them send him to their therapist who I know nothing about. At least if I turn them down, I can choose my own (if necessary) who will have experience with Asperger's. He has been doing so well this year that I'm afraid to mess it up in any way.
On a good note, I get to go Christmas shopping next weekend with my cousin and I will actually have a little bit of money. I got their big presents out of the way too so that is a big load off my mind.
My youngest son just tested for his green belt in Taekwondo. He will be so pround when he finds out how he did next week. The school has sent me a letter about a meeting next week. They want us to consider counseling for him. I'm not sure that is such a great idea. I'm scared to let them send him to their therapist who I know nothing about. At least if I turn them down, I can choose my own (if necessary) who will have experience with Asperger's. He has been doing so well this year that I'm afraid to mess it up in any way.
On a good note, I get to go Christmas shopping next weekend with my cousin and I will actually have a little bit of money. I got their big presents out of the way too so that is a big load off my mind.
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
Fall
I just love this time of year. Fall is definitely my favorite season. It is so nice not to have a 120 degree heat index everyday, and I love the trees when they start changing their colors and the leaves start falling. We are staying at our in-law's while we are in the process of selling our house and looking for a new one. She has a wrap around porch with a swing on it. It is so nice to sit out there every night. I've decided my next house will definitely have to have a porch with a swing on it.
We have been so busy lately. It gets this way every fall and every year I say I am going to tone it down some, but it never happens. In addition to working and going to school (me), my oldest is working, going to school, and playing football. That means two games a week because he is on the JV and the varsity teams. Six more weeks and he will be driving. I don't know if that will be a good thing or a bad thing. I won't be stressed out from all the running around as much, but I will be stressed from all the worrying about him being on the road.
My youngest is doing Taekwondo so that's another two days a week of activities. We have finally got our house on the market. No bites yet but I'm hoping it will sell pretty quick so we can start saving for a new home.
I have an exam and an essay due at the same time this Friday so I have been cramming like crazy. I guess it keeps me on my toes, but I will have to do something fun and relaxing this weekend after this week is over. It is the beginning of hunting season here so my husband and oldest son will be gone. That should make it a little more peaceful.
We have been so busy lately. It gets this way every fall and every year I say I am going to tone it down some, but it never happens. In addition to working and going to school (me), my oldest is working, going to school, and playing football. That means two games a week because he is on the JV and the varsity teams. Six more weeks and he will be driving. I don't know if that will be a good thing or a bad thing. I won't be stressed out from all the running around as much, but I will be stressed from all the worrying about him being on the road.
My youngest is doing Taekwondo so that's another two days a week of activities. We have finally got our house on the market. No bites yet but I'm hoping it will sell pretty quick so we can start saving for a new home.
I have an exam and an essay due at the same time this Friday so I have been cramming like crazy. I guess it keeps me on my toes, but I will have to do something fun and relaxing this weekend after this week is over. It is the beginning of hunting season here so my husband and oldest son will be gone. That should make it a little more peaceful.
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
Summer
Boy this has been a crazy, busy summer. My younger Aspie son went to Taekwondo camp for a week. That was interesting because it was the first time he has ever been away from home.
The week after that we all went to Disneyworld and took my neice with us. We had a blast. My teenager fell in "love" for the first time (in a while anyway). Lucky for us she lives in a different state :) My Aspie son summed up the rides at Disneyworld. He rode his first roller coaster and loved it. He told his grandmother he really did not like the "It's a Small World" ride. When she asked him why he said "It's a lot of nice little people doing the same thing over and over again; they will definitely go to heaven."
My oldest son has been playing football again which takes up most of our time now. When I have a few minutes maybe I can catch up some more...
The week after that we all went to Disneyworld and took my neice with us. We had a blast. My teenager fell in "love" for the first time (in a while anyway). Lucky for us she lives in a different state :) My Aspie son summed up the rides at Disneyworld. He rode his first roller coaster and loved it. He told his grandmother he really did not like the "It's a Small World" ride. When she asked him why he said "It's a lot of nice little people doing the same thing over and over again; they will definitely go to heaven."
My oldest son has been playing football again which takes up most of our time now. When I have a few minutes maybe I can catch up some more...
Friday, June 02, 2006
Real Life Conversation
This is a real life conversation riding in the car with my aspie son in a traffic jam:
son: "Where are all these people coming from anyway?"
me: "Well, there are a lot of people that live in our city."
son: "How many people?"
me: "Well, I'm not sure exactly how many."
son: "Well, why don't you know, they do that thing every few years where they count all the people in the world."
son: "Where are all these people coming from anyway?"
me: "Well, there are a lot of people that live in our city."
son: "How many people?"
me: "Well, I'm not sure exactly how many."
son: "Well, why don't you know, they do that thing every few years where they count all the people in the world."
Busy Busy Busy
Whew it's been crazy at my house lately and it's only going to get worse from here. School starts back for me Monday so I can add that to the confusion we already have. And here I thought summers are supposed to be boring. In addition to working full time I am now in the middle of moving, starting back to school, teaching a teenager to drive, and teaching my aspie son to wash his own hair so that he can do that for himself while at summer camp in less than two weeks.
Our teenager is driving us crazy learning to drive. He was a perfect driver BEFORE getting the permit, now that he has it he has turned into a road monster. It's like ha ha ha, I passed I can do what I want, I know what I'm doing, and don't try to tell me something I already know. The first day he had his permit I decided to let him drive me around the city for a while. For the first half hour he did very well. He had both hands on the wheel, elbows out, sitting up straight and totally focused on the road. The second half hour however was a different story. He had one hand on the wheel, slouched back in the seat and totally paying attention to how many girls were paying attention to him. If I live through this it will be a miracle. My hubby came storming home with him last night and very firmly announced, "That boy is not to get behind the wheel again, ever." After the typical "he tried to kill me" and my personal favorite "he said it's everyone else's fault but his" I very calmly tried to explain to my husband that our son will never learn to drive correctly without killing anyone until we teach him how to do it. Of course, getting a teenager to believe that mom and dad do know a little bit about driving, and that maybe they don't quite know everything yet, is a whole other ballgame I don't want to get into yet.
My aspie son only has nine days to go before camp starts. I've tried to prepare the counseler as much as possible what to expect. Now I'm working on preparing my son. He is having to learn to wash his own hair because for some reason, the camp counselers don't want him to wait six days until I can do it for him :) This week he started day camp and the Y and has started testing it to see how he can get sent home so he won't have to go back. I had already prepared the director of the camp before my son started. So when my son announced the other day that he didn't know why he was acting up, that "his brain just made him do it", and that if he just got wrote up three times he could go home, the director looked at him and said "uh uh, I ain't writing you up, you ain't leaving". I think he's met his match.
Our teenager is driving us crazy learning to drive. He was a perfect driver BEFORE getting the permit, now that he has it he has turned into a road monster. It's like ha ha ha, I passed I can do what I want, I know what I'm doing, and don't try to tell me something I already know. The first day he had his permit I decided to let him drive me around the city for a while. For the first half hour he did very well. He had both hands on the wheel, elbows out, sitting up straight and totally focused on the road. The second half hour however was a different story. He had one hand on the wheel, slouched back in the seat and totally paying attention to how many girls were paying attention to him. If I live through this it will be a miracle. My hubby came storming home with him last night and very firmly announced, "That boy is not to get behind the wheel again, ever." After the typical "he tried to kill me" and my personal favorite "he said it's everyone else's fault but his" I very calmly tried to explain to my husband that our son will never learn to drive correctly without killing anyone until we teach him how to do it. Of course, getting a teenager to believe that mom and dad do know a little bit about driving, and that maybe they don't quite know everything yet, is a whole other ballgame I don't want to get into yet.
My aspie son only has nine days to go before camp starts. I've tried to prepare the counseler as much as possible what to expect. Now I'm working on preparing my son. He is having to learn to wash his own hair because for some reason, the camp counselers don't want him to wait six days until I can do it for him :) This week he started day camp and the Y and has started testing it to see how he can get sent home so he won't have to go back. I had already prepared the director of the camp before my son started. So when my son announced the other day that he didn't know why he was acting up, that "his brain just made him do it", and that if he just got wrote up three times he could go home, the director looked at him and said "uh uh, I ain't writing you up, you ain't leaving". I think he's met his match.
Thursday, May 11, 2006
Happy Mother's Day
It is almost Mother's Day so for all you other mother's out there I hope you have a very special Mother's Day. I love that we have this day to recognize our mothers and to be recognized ourselves for all that we do.
I was sitting here tonight playing Spider Solitaire thinking of when my youngest son was first diagnosed with autism six and a half years ago, only a parent who has been through it knows the grief you must first go through before you can move forward. I was having some work done on my office PC and the technician working on it had been to my cube several times before. I knew he was a christian, but I really did not know him at all that well. I mentioned that my son had just been diagnosed and I will never forget his words to me that day; He paused what he was doing as if searching for his words and he said, "God must have thought you were a special person". I will never forget that moment and when times start getting rough I think back on his words to me and it always helped me through.
I know that God spoke through him that day to me to let me know that he is there with us on this journey. To all of you other "special" mothers, and to all mothers and want to be mothers have a wonderful Mother's Day and God Bless You and your families.
I was sitting here tonight playing Spider Solitaire thinking of when my youngest son was first diagnosed with autism six and a half years ago, only a parent who has been through it knows the grief you must first go through before you can move forward. I was having some work done on my office PC and the technician working on it had been to my cube several times before. I knew he was a christian, but I really did not know him at all that well. I mentioned that my son had just been diagnosed and I will never forget his words to me that day; He paused what he was doing as if searching for his words and he said, "God must have thought you were a special person". I will never forget that moment and when times start getting rough I think back on his words to me and it always helped me through.
I know that God spoke through him that day to me to let me know that he is there with us on this journey. To all of you other "special" mothers, and to all mothers and want to be mothers have a wonderful Mother's Day and God Bless You and your families.
Monday, May 01, 2006
Pins & Needles
Everything that ever happens to me seems to come in droves. It is impossible for things to happen individually for me. That would be too easy.
Last week I noticed a position open at work that I am interested in. I have been in my current position for six years and I am ready for a change. I applied for it in the middle of the week. They called me the very next day and wanted me to interview that day. Of course I was not dressed for an interview that day, so I rushed home at lunch to change clothes. The interview went really well and now I am on pins and needles awaiting their decision.
I have also decided to go back to school this summer. I had taken a year off because my son was having problems in school. While I was appyling for the position online, I was on the phone with the college to get re-enrolled. I went to meet with an advisor Friday and she was very rude. She asked me if I was on the twenty year plan, this was after I told her I have a full time job, a husband, two kids (one of which is Asperger's), and so on. I wanted to have some sarcastic retort, but I was not sure who she was in the department so I did not want to step on any toes that I may need to carry me later. I am so glad I kept my mouth shut because, as it turns out, she was a professor in the department and in charge of one of the areas I may need. I became so indignant at her statement that I registered for a full course in the fall. I may back out closer to time, but she really got under my skin.
So, that was how my week went last week. I have been sitting and waiting for the phone to ring and debating whether I can handle school and a new job with everything else I have going on in my life. I guess we shall see. Just when I think I have enough to handle I got a letter stating I have been selected for Jury Duty. When it rains it pours........
Last week I noticed a position open at work that I am interested in. I have been in my current position for six years and I am ready for a change. I applied for it in the middle of the week. They called me the very next day and wanted me to interview that day. Of course I was not dressed for an interview that day, so I rushed home at lunch to change clothes. The interview went really well and now I am on pins and needles awaiting their decision.
I have also decided to go back to school this summer. I had taken a year off because my son was having problems in school. While I was appyling for the position online, I was on the phone with the college to get re-enrolled. I went to meet with an advisor Friday and she was very rude. She asked me if I was on the twenty year plan, this was after I told her I have a full time job, a husband, two kids (one of which is Asperger's), and so on. I wanted to have some sarcastic retort, but I was not sure who she was in the department so I did not want to step on any toes that I may need to carry me later. I am so glad I kept my mouth shut because, as it turns out, she was a professor in the department and in charge of one of the areas I may need. I became so indignant at her statement that I registered for a full course in the fall. I may back out closer to time, but she really got under my skin.
So, that was how my week went last week. I have been sitting and waiting for the phone to ring and debating whether I can handle school and a new job with everything else I have going on in my life. I guess we shall see. Just when I think I have enough to handle I got a letter stating I have been selected for Jury Duty. When it rains it pours........
Monday, April 10, 2006
Summer Camp
My young Aspie son started Taekwondo two weeks ago. He's doing very well at it and getting some much needed exercise. They announced last Thursday that there is a summer camp coming up that is a week long. My son really wants to go. His instructor is supposed to get with me about him going.
I don't know what I will do for a whole week without my son. I've never been without him more than a day or two while he was at Grandma's. He wants to go so badly that he has started learning to shower himself and wash his own hair, which he has never done before. My baby is growing up.
When he first realized it was a week long without me I thought he would not want to go. His reply when he found out was "Cool! A whole week without the bad luck charm" (in other words without me).
I don't know what I will do for a whole week without my son. I've never been without him more than a day or two while he was at Grandma's. He wants to go so badly that he has started learning to shower himself and wash his own hair, which he has never done before. My baby is growing up.
When he first realized it was a week long without me I thought he would not want to go. His reply when he found out was "Cool! A whole week without the bad luck charm" (in other words without me).
Friday, March 17, 2006
My Garden
I have been such a slacker lately with everything. The house, work, the car, etc.... Last week I decided I would start the garden that I have been intending to start for the past six or seven years. I bought all the seeds, a shovel, a cute pair of garden gloves and I even got two window herb gardens for my kitchen. So last night, in a spurt of energy, I went ahead and planted the window garden. I planted basil, parsley, chives, oregano, thyme and lavender (in two seperate garden boxes). The directions said to use only five seeds of each but they were so tiny I just let them all fall in, so we'll see what happens.
This weekend I plan to start a vegetable garden. I will have to go get some chicken wire to put around it to keep my dogs out of it (hopefully). Of course I do not have a green thumb at all so I am not even sure this is going to work, but it will give me a hobby for a while and if it does work maybe we can get a few meals out of the fruits(vegetables) of my labor. I got corn, squash, watermelon, and some other seeds that I cannot recall at the moment, but I know they will be consumed if they do grow. I will post again and let you know how it goes (of course I'm talking to the computer since no one reads my blogs :)
This weekend I plan to start a vegetable garden. I will have to go get some chicken wire to put around it to keep my dogs out of it (hopefully). Of course I do not have a green thumb at all so I am not even sure this is going to work, but it will give me a hobby for a while and if it does work maybe we can get a few meals out of the fruits(vegetables) of my labor. I got corn, squash, watermelon, and some other seeds that I cannot recall at the moment, but I know they will be consumed if they do grow. I will post again and let you know how it goes (of course I'm talking to the computer since no one reads my blogs :)
Monday, March 06, 2006
It Seems to be Coming Together
Well we have had an eventful year so far. My Aspie son starting having problems in school and the school was not following his behavior plan so it got to the point where they were sending him home everyday. Then we had a meeting and they proposed sending him to a school that had no permanent teacher and would be closing at the end of this year. I refused their offer and they could not come up with another option so we ended up filing for due process to settle this in court (I proposed a private placement which they refused to pay for). I had my prayer team going and I was feeling good about our decision.
I had been warned that their attorney likes to intimidate people and that that is the reason he wins so often. We did not hear from him right away after filing so I was hoping maybe it would be a different attorney. No such luck. He had just been on vacation.
We had a resolution meeting last Thursday with the head of special education for our district, their compliance monitor (who knew us well from working with us in the past) and their attorney. They listened to our allegations and what we were proposing and then they left us for forty-five minutes while they decided what they could offer us.
They offered us an excellent school in my neighborhood that is one of the top ten in the state. I also found out from people outside the district that this school has dealt with issues like ours and worked with the kids and got them into regular mainstream classes within the same year. I toured the school that same day and was very impressed with the school and the staff. I called my attorney and we accepted their offer.
I took my son to tour it Friday and he loved it. That is the first time in years he has liked a school and been excited about it. I was a little worried that it might take some time to prepare him, but he wanted to start immediately. We had had issues before when they were going to try to change his school and I took him to tour it and we could not even get him in the door. He loved everything about the school and some of the boys in his class had asked if he could stay and play, which really made him feel good.
The school had already been advised of the situation with my son and things they would need to do in order to make this transition successful. By Friday morning, his teacher had already been trained by the behavior specialist. I took him over the weekend to get a few new school shirts and a new backpack since the zipper on his old one was busted.
Today is his first day at his new school and he went grinning from ear to ear. I'm so excited for him and I hope it goes well for him.
I had been warned that their attorney likes to intimidate people and that that is the reason he wins so often. We did not hear from him right away after filing so I was hoping maybe it would be a different attorney. No such luck. He had just been on vacation.
We had a resolution meeting last Thursday with the head of special education for our district, their compliance monitor (who knew us well from working with us in the past) and their attorney. They listened to our allegations and what we were proposing and then they left us for forty-five minutes while they decided what they could offer us.
They offered us an excellent school in my neighborhood that is one of the top ten in the state. I also found out from people outside the district that this school has dealt with issues like ours and worked with the kids and got them into regular mainstream classes within the same year. I toured the school that same day and was very impressed with the school and the staff. I called my attorney and we accepted their offer.
I took my son to tour it Friday and he loved it. That is the first time in years he has liked a school and been excited about it. I was a little worried that it might take some time to prepare him, but he wanted to start immediately. We had had issues before when they were going to try to change his school and I took him to tour it and we could not even get him in the door. He loved everything about the school and some of the boys in his class had asked if he could stay and play, which really made him feel good.
The school had already been advised of the situation with my son and things they would need to do in order to make this transition successful. By Friday morning, his teacher had already been trained by the behavior specialist. I took him over the weekend to get a few new school shirts and a new backpack since the zipper on his old one was busted.
Today is his first day at his new school and he went grinning from ear to ear. I'm so excited for him and I hope it goes well for him.
Wednesday, February 22, 2006
Kid's Say The Sweetest Things
Sometimes kids can say the sweetest things. I am going through a very difficult time right now. I am in the middle of a very heated Due Process hearing with our local school system. In order to keep my sanity I try to find the humor in things. This past Sunday we had a lot of ice where we live and our heater broke at our house, so our kids spent the night with their grandparents and rode to church with them. Later that day my Aspie son and I were riding in the car together and he said to me that there was a "weird man at church today."
I asked: "What do you mean "weird?""
He said: "He had a big nose."
I said: "I hope you didn't say this to the man."
He said: "No, I did not embarrass him. Nobody is perfect."
He then looked at me with those sweet eyes and said to me, "I think you are perfect though."
Now I went all day thinking how sweet my child was and that I was perfect in his eyes. I brought the subject up again before bed that night because I wanted to let him know that I thought he was perfect too. Here's how that went.
Me: "Do you remember when you said I was perfect earlier?"
Son: "Yeah, but I forgot about that birthmark on your arm."
Well, that's an aspie for you. At least they are honest....
I asked: "What do you mean "weird?""
He said: "He had a big nose."
I said: "I hope you didn't say this to the man."
He said: "No, I did not embarrass him. Nobody is perfect."
He then looked at me with those sweet eyes and said to me, "I think you are perfect though."
Now I went all day thinking how sweet my child was and that I was perfect in his eyes. I brought the subject up again before bed that night because I wanted to let him know that I thought he was perfect too. Here's how that went.
Me: "Do you remember when you said I was perfect earlier?"
Son: "Yeah, but I forgot about that birthmark on your arm."
Well, that's an aspie for you. At least they are honest....
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