Brief Update

So I'm still at home, teaching the kids. Bill works from home: we're very blessed. My eldest just turned 12; my baby is 4. She still won't speak in public, so speech therapy is one of her classes at home. It's hibernation time - just Mom's Group and Scouting to work into the schedule.

She's only 3!

Our daughter, who has PPD-NOS, would not speak. After early intervention services which didn't help, we were persuaded to put her in speech therapy in the local elementary school. After all, we paid for it, might as well get some benefit from it.

For weeks nothing happened. So I thought I would stop sitting with them. Maybe it's me. By this time, she was talking a mile a minute at home; but nowhere else. She had a breakthrough that day and came home like a decorated hero - stickers everywhere!

But it didn't happen again. Her IEP team wants to put her in the Early Childhood Class next year. As veteran homeschoolers we balk at this. We compromised by trying the class for the last nine days of school. My biggest problem is being tied to someone else's schedule. I'm told there is a bus for my convenience. SHE'S ONLY THREE! Why would I put her on a bus? Her security is more important than my CONVENIENCE.

Now how do we turn it off?

Our daughter turned three still not talking. This concerned us, so we took her to a developmental pediatrician. He told us she had PDD and she started speech therapy immediately. We also began iron and omega 3 supplements. Her vocabulary bloomed!...at home. She wouldn't speak in her therapy sessions. We had a happy girl, adding 3-5 new words to her repertoire DAILY, but had to go back to the Dr. to discuss selective mutism.

Turned out the problem was me. I had always sat through her sessions, but one day I dropped her off and left the building. I nearly cried - she is my baby after all. The therapist, on the other hand, was delighted. Caroline talked! To everyone! That child came home loaded with so many stickers her shirt dragged down in the front!

Now we can't get her to stop talking. Or singing. Or humming. We always know where she is, at least. We worried, we primed the pump, now how do we turn it off?

Not a nerd at all

My husband is a true Renaissance man but I have definite strengths.

Simplify Your Life

Through my most recent study I've been asking God how to acquire a Sabbath-Simplicity throughout the week. I'm a Homeschool mom who's always in the car and we were adding more commitments. I have special needs kids whom I shuttle back and forth to therapy and doctor appointments. We were looking forward to our first year of scouting and the local homeschooling co-operative. I was maintaining my membership at Curves; both my dh and I are in Weight Watchers. I'm a Lector at church.

We've been in tight financial straits for some time....It's hard in this country to stretch one income. The brake shoes went in our car at the same time the refrigerator died. My parents graciously helped us out. We don't qualify for the state run insurance premium rebate program (which we were counting on) and we found out today we no longer qualify for food stamp assistance.

So everything extraneous went. Co-op, Curves, Scouts, the dance class we were considering for our second daughter; all gone. I still have Mom's Group (that check cleared a couple months ago), Lector, and Bill declared we need to get healthy so Weight Watchers is staying for the time being. And there's still doctors and therapy. But it's greatly pared down. Simplified, you might say.

Now I have to get a job. Wonder what God has to say about that?

Worth all the Excitement

We attended Mass as a family...and it was worth all the excitement! The children behaved beautifully. The homily was great. Our Lord is there.

Last Sunday, I went on my own. Totally my fault-I didn't conquer Mt. Laundry. There were no towels to bathe the children, etc. Forgive me for what I have done and for what I have failed to do.

I agreed to use my God-given gifts again in Lectoring. I did that for a Tues eve Mass. So good to be serving God that way once more.

I LOVE the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

Too excited to Sleep

It's after 5 a.m. and I haven't slept at all. The house is quiet except for the clicking computer keys and occasionally the bell of a cat. We're going back to Mass tom.....today! after a long time away for various reasons. Going as a family. I can hardly wait.

To see my Eucharistic Lord again....the only other time I remember being this excited was the night before my wedding.