Off to the Beach!!!

Well, the car is packed, the kids are ready, and they are all in bed. Tomorrow morning we will leave for the beach on our annual "Lee Family Beach Trip." We will be gone for a week and when we return it will be time for school to start back. I can't believe how fast the summer has flown by!! We met Alyssa's teachers today and she got to meet her PT, also. I am very pleased with everything at the new school. I am eager to see her progress once she begins attending 3 days/week. Well, I am off to bed!! Thanks to everyone who stops by to read my lowly blog...
Susan

WOW!!!

What an exhausting week I have had. We went to the beach for my aunt's wedding. I took the three kids by myself and stayed in a hotel. They loved the beach and were well-behaved for the most part. They really enjoyed riding the ferris wheel at the Wharf...this was a first for all of them. Alyssa had quite a bit of time to use her wheelchair and has gotten better pushing it.

Now that we are back, we only have a few days before we go to the beach with Walt's family. It has been non-stop!! I have been to the school twice...still a mess, but I won't be able to get back until school starts! Alyssa's MRI went well and nothing was found by that. She had more blood work done and it should be back in 2 weeks. Alyssa's foot braces have come in and they are really cute with pink all over! Tonight I have Alyssa's Parent Night at her new school and tomorrow she gets to go meet her teacher and see the classroom.

Somewhere in all this craziness I have to pack for the beach, shop for school supplies, return library books, and anything else that comes up!!!

Well, I will try to post again before the beach trip, but everyone enjoy the rest of their summer!
Susan

We Got It!!

We got the loaner wheelchair. It looks great and works well for Alyssa. She has already figured out how to make it move and she likes the independence it gives her. Walt and I had to figure out how to make some handle bars on it so we could help her steer and move. That was the only thing that the chair was missing. We went to Home Depot several times and met a man who has a son in a chair. He was an excellent help and after several hours there, we had everything we needed... WE THOUGHT!!! We got home and didn't have a metal filer. Walt went to Wal-Mart at 10:15 and got the file. Then we started filing the metal pipe. We filed, and filed, and filed, and filed... FINALLY we got the pipes filed down enough and got it painted. I put it together this morning and it looks very good and the handles work well. Mom made a cover for the back. It had the name "Annie" on it from it's previous owner, so I am taking it today to have her name monogrammed on it. I think this chair will work well until we get her custom chair when she turns 2. This chair will also allow us to see what things are working for her and what we might need to change. Thanks to everyone who helped out with this endeavor!!

Special Children- a poem

I was sitting in the waiting room of a therapy office, waiting for Alyssa and I to be called back for her appointment when I saw a new hanging on the wall. It had not been there before and as I read it, tears filled my eyes. It was so touching, I couldn't take my eyes off of it. It was as if God had put it there for me to see, just at that moment, just on that day. The day I was feeling so tired, so disappointed, so helpless, so hopeless. After reading it MANY times, I realized I wanted to share it with other moms who has special children. I frantically took out a pen and scrap paper from my purse (pen was hard to find, but there is ALWAYS scrap paper in my purse) :-). I started writing as quickly as possible, hoping they would not call me until I got it finished. I hope it touches you, inspires you, and brings hope as it did for me.
Special Children
God gave this special child to you,
To guide, to love, to walk through life beside.
A little child so full of charms, to fill a pair of loving arms.
God picked you out because He knew,
How safe HIS child would be with you!
Author Unknown

Another Tiring Day

Today I took Alyssa to be measured for her wheelchair. They are looking for a temporary chair right now. Then, I went to her new school and met with all of her therapists. They all seemed very knowledgable and truly interested in Alyssa. Grandma kept the kids while I was gone. Austin is really acting up. I think he is trying to compete for attention. I am obviously overwhelmed with all of Alyssa's needs, as well as the general needs of a normal 18 month old. I think he is trying to get attention any way he can. I am going to have to work harder to make sure he gets some extra attention. Hopefully the behaviors will disapate. Tomorrow morning, Alyssa's PT from CRS is coming out to bring some more equipment. My living room is looking like a therapy gym. Then her SI from Early Intervention is coming out in the afternoon. Somewhere in between I have to return library books, fold laundry, and strighten up the house. Oh well...not tonight!!

AFO Day

Well, I took Alyssa to be fitted for her AFO (foot braces today). She did well. I picked out a cute strap with pastel hearts for her straps and light pink velcro and padding. Afterall, she has to be cute!! I heard from Brian at National Seating today and he wants me to bring Alyssa in to be fitted tomorrow. He thinks he might have a wheelchair that may fit her and he is willing to loan it to us until she gets her own. That would be GREAT!! I meet with him at 10:00 and then meet her therapy team at her new school at 11:00. Poor Grandma...she gets stuck with the kids while I am gone tomorrow. SORRY GRANDMA!! Well, after all of the storms last night I am VERY tired. I didn't get much sleep. Hopefully tonight will be quiet and I can get some rest. So, I will leave you now in search of sleep!!!

First Try...

I read in a Parenting Magazine that "blogging" was a good stress reliever... well, I'll let you know if there is any truth to that! :-) I am not exactly sure how to "blog". I am just following the directions on the pages. My luck...I'll post this beginning message and it will disappear into "WWW" land, never to be seen again (at least by me....probably only a couple BILLION other people will read it). Well, there's no time like the present to try it out, so this is my initial post... kids are in bed, I have answered all my e-mails, checked my schedule for the week, and REALLY want to get in bed. But, I know if I don't start this now, I never will. This week will be very busy...although, aren't they all??? Alyssa has an appointmnet for AFO (foot braces) at 10:00 am Monday, I have a meeting at her new school Tuesday, therapy for her Wednesday, and she has a doctor's appt. Thursday. Friday's open if anyone has some way to fill it up for me! I don't want to get too bored! :-) Somewhere in there I have to find time to entertain the boys (probably with a pool trip or two) and take Alyssa to be fitted for a loaner wheelchair. I have 4 good leads and hopefully at least one will pan out. We really need it in time for her to start school. I hope to have some good news by Friday. Well, I am going to save this and hope I can get back to it. By for now...