An old dog, trying new tricks.

For anyone who read the previous post linking you to Linda Hodgdon's webinar, you will interested to note that I have followed up on the idea of Picture Talk. Today I tried it for the first time with my little friend who lives with Autism and is non-verbal. I call him my friend, although for now, I'm still trying to win his love. I literally have to make him come to my room for therapy, probably because I'm trying to get him to do what I want him to do. Today, I decided to allow my little friend a little control and put the result in a Picture Talk strip. This trick worked beautifully today! Once I got his little whimpering, resistant self in the room, I let him sort of take the lead and he really enjoyed the drawings. Of course we didn't try to do any of the challenging things that usually get him upset; I'm hoping to work up to that after he gets used to this new modality. The drawings are OH-SO-LAME, but he didn't care. This may not even work out next time, but it got me through today in a most pleasant manner. I am cautiously encouraged. I had the kid right where I want him... but then, it was time to cut out early... to take class pictures. Oh well, one more distraction in an ocean of chaos that is my day in the public school system.

If I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.

What a way to spend the morning! I have worked here for almost 5 years and today I finally attended my first Special Olympics event. I've been wanting to attend one of the these for a while, but they always fall on the weekdays I have lots and lots of therapy scheduled. Thanks to a rain postponement, this event got moved to Friday! Hooray! I was able to attend for about half the time before leaving for a meeting. Many hugs from some of my favorite students later, I am back at my desk thinking about how lovely it all was. These kids are really some of the best humans I know. They don't always rise to my challenges and their frustrations show; however, they always accept and love me and all their teachers unconditionally. I was thinking that if everyone knew this kind of unconditional love on earth, how wonderful our lives would be. You know, my husband and I don't always see eye to eye on a thing and sometimes there is a little tension in our lives. But I can't help but love the dude, pretty much unconditionally. Sometimes I feel like this here monkey, desperately in love with some aloof creature who doesn't seem to notice, yet I just can't help myself. Who wouldn't love a creature with wings that soar? That kind of love hurts but can also be fairly rewarding when the creature shares his worms with you. Of course I cannot take credit for the above monkey photo, some other monkey posted that and it ended up in an email. Anyway, these kids, in all their glory, competed today as if their lives depended on it and their smiles were as big as the football field. They are brave in the attempt, not only in their event, but in their relationships as well. These young men and women know about love, if they don't know anything else. If you ever have the pleasure to work with children like this, you can't help but relish your time with them and revel in their successes.

Part of the fun of Special Olympics is the support given by the host school. Lots of clubs and classes turn out to cheer on the athletes or volunteer in other capacities. There is lots of attention and praise given to the athletes by their peers from school, which is a great learning experience for all of us. I'm so glad I got to go today and cheer on my friends from all three of my schools. The photo below is one taken of me with the cousins who said, "Aw, come on, don't we take enough of these at Christmas?" Sorry boys, I love you too, thanks for coming to cheer on the athletes! What a great morning!

Emily Colson's "Dancing with Max"

http://www.usevisualstrategies.com/AutismNewsletters.aspx From time to time, Linda Hodgdon, an expert in visual strategies and autism, sends out a newsletter and I'm so blessed to be a recipient. Today's newsletter included a free webinar for a strategy called Picture Talk. The above link is your opportunity to view this webinar, which I viewed over lunch today. It is just one more perspective from a parent in the trenches. April is Autism Awareness Month and so to honor this month, and all the parents out there who struggle with autism, I offer this for today's blog entry.

Beauts in the yard (Part Deux)

It didn't take long for Maybe to start looking pretty again. I was dismayed that she showed no lovely blooms this year, making me wonder, is she really a 'maybe' after all? I need to compare her leaves with a full grown Maybe maybe. Do you follow me?

These irises are a kind of a symbol of hope for me. I just transplanted these from my mother's yard a couple of weeks ago and amazingly they are blooming. Even the azaleas I moved are budding, which is shocking considering they should be in major shock. I say they are a symbol of hope because my sweet mother was just diagnosed with diabetes, the dreaded malady which haunts my entire maternal side. I was devastated and so was she. This changes everything about her lifestyle and my future lifestyle. She's always known it would happen sooner or later, so denial was short lived. She is now armed with information, a One Touch meter, and a willingness to take care of herself. I can't help but wonder, when it is me, will I be as willing to change everything to accommodate the disease? Let's face it, it's going to be me one day and that's a stone cold slap IN my face. While I've been making some changes due to trying to control my migraine headaches, I'm not sure I'm ready for life to catch up to me quite so rapidly. At any rate, when I discovered these gorgeous blooms yesterday, I was reminded that hope is always in our midst. Hope that my mom is going to be okay because she is a fighter. Hope that I can be strong also. I love you, Mom. Now put down that biscuit!

This baby is not exactly in my yard but just across the farm road in the neighbor's pasture. She is only a couple days old and I love that she's already up and walking around. And she obviously loves her mother too! awwwww....

I can't help but wonder why God, The Almighty, gave us babies we have to tote around for a year yet the horse walks from day one. He probably knew that we selfish humans wouldn't take the time to bond with our babies unless we were forced to carry them around. I can't complain, I still love to pick up my youngest and twirl her around, finishing with a big hug and kiss. The oldest keeps trying to pick me up and twirl me around. Happy Wednesday dear, dear readers!

This isn't your ivory tower, babe.

The Clinical Director of Longwood University's Communication Disorders program inquired of me today about placing a graduate student with me for next year. After referring her to the powers that be, the deal was sealed. I get to supervise my first graduate student in the fall. I know this will be a new thing and a little extra work for me, but I admit that I am kind of excited about it. Here is a new chance to give back to my profession and in return, I get a fresh, green face with fresh, green ideas to work with my students. It's no secret that my enviornment is not exactly ideal for remediation of skills; however, I feel that I've been professional enough to make this thing work. My student, let's call her 'Lancer Lady', will see what it's really like out there in the wild world of public education. She'll get to explore the lovely Instructional-Pod-Complex, navigate through the twisted and sometimes wicked Child-Study/IEP process, collaborate with a variety of educators, possibly eat school lunch, and if she's really lucky, ride in a county car - WHAT AN ADVENTURE!

I just hope I don't make a total and complete goofball of myself. I mean I am a full-on goofball, and that's okay. I just want to have something to offer this young (or old) mind who is coming to work with me. She gets to look at all my anecdotal note-taking (read: total chickenscratch) and attempt to put in some system of documentation that we both can agree on and understand. And I, with my slightly controlling self, I get to relinquish a little bit of 'MINE'. This is a toughie for me. I like things done a certain way in my world, but as marriage has taught me, it's rarely my way whether I like it or not. I can face down this issue, as long as I continue to refuse to be an old fuddy-duddy. So look out, Lancer Lady, this should be a fun experience and I expect we shall each learn plenty.

Beauty in the yard.

I do love spring. This is the time we see the daylillies and liriope form fresh, lush greenery, prior to the summer sun scorching it away. Bradford pears, cherry trees and crabapple trees burst into bloom. The delicate daffodils say hello and the tulips give their colorful show. My yard doesn't have all those things, it is of course a work in youthful progress. But I can highlight a couple of things here. With the cold weather finally breaking, Rudy boy finally leaves his garage bed and enjoys the warm sun. That's the best part of this mild weather for an old dog.

This is a new addition to what will eventually be our serenity garden...otherwise known as Weem's resting place. The two arbovitas were transplanted from the EJ office as they just weren't thriving. They're just as lopsided here as they were there, but we're hoping the sun will eventually pull them upright. The bench, candytuft and daylillies are thanks to my mom who recently gave up her huge flower garden.

This is what we affectionately call the 'Maybe' tree. She was gift from one my best friends. She is supposed to be a dogwood and she is Maybe Chinese. I'm teaching her English as soon as she gets big enough to talk. Frankly, I'm amazed that she's coming back after the winter. I give her credit for being a fighter. The weeping crabapple is making a show of her little self. We can't wait till she grows big. She's got one season under her belt in our yard.

Oh, this is just gross. Thanks to Lillybelle for this particular little artifact. In the last couple of months, we've had legs, heads, tails, spines and some unrecognizable parts adorning our yard. Lilly smells like dead stuff most of the time. I'll be glad when she's done finding carcasses for the year. Surely the boys will stop shooting at some point... I mean deer season has been out for some time. Little Colorado is shaping up nicely for another spring. We are expecting a little more growth from our maples and river birches, although not much since the soil in our yard is pretty unsustaining. I feel lucky that anything grows. We had hoped to add a couple fruit trees this year. We shall see if that happens. I'd love to know how my readers' yards are faring so far this spring. I take great interest in people's landscaping projects. I personally am not very good at landscaping, but I try to find inspiration in some of the lawns I see. If anyone has suggestions or great ideas, I'd love to hear them!

Saying goodbye

You were a bright spot in my Tuesday afternoon routine. Always a smile and a hug for me amid the noise of this busy little place. How will I ever wait on the couch for my children's piano lessons to end again without thinking of you? And wondering what you were going to become? Someone said last night you had so much going for you, so much talent. You also had so much love to give to so many people and music that seemed nonstop! I am so blessed to have known you and I thank you for always letting me be myself around you. I will always remember the look on your face when I said on that last Tuesday, "I could just curl up next to you like an old cat." You moved everything out of the way, patted the spot next to you and grinned the widest grin I've seen in a while. It's too bad I wasn't an old cat after all, that spot would have been a pleasant one indeed! Thank you for being so kind to my children. Thank you for encouraging me to learn to play a violin at my old, crotchety age and not making faces when I sounded terrible. Thank you for being my friend and sharing your stories and dreams with me. I am honored to be counted among this group of people with whom you shared yourself. I shall think of you each time I'm at Carter's, each time I play Angry Birds, each time I watch The Big Lewbowski, each time I hear a song from Mumford & Sons, and probably anytime I find a sweet young man sitting around strumming an acoustic guitar. Farewell, sweet Roy. May you be rocking with the Angels above.