Taking the Scenic Route

This week it finally started really clicking with his ST student.  I am quite happy about that. 

I am going to try and get another session of ST instead of OT at Heartsprings.  Evidently, they made an offer to somebody, but last I heard there is no definite replacement for Elise yet, and I would really rather follow Elise since she and Zane have such a good relationship.  Plus, when we changed STs, he lost one session a week, so he only has one half hour a week there.  I really want more for him.  She is very good and I think they would go a lot further with another session.

I was asked if I would come in to be interviewed about the Autism Walk.  We will film the interview on Tuesday and it will air the following Monday, in conjunction with Autism Awareness month and the Autism Walk.

We went on a playdate with the gal from the MB church this week.  She has 4 kids (and is expecting again in Oct), and the twins (#2 & #3) have autism.  The oldest is Zane’s age, the twins a year younger, and the youngest is about 6months younger than Zora.  I saw them at church this morning too.

I really, really, REALLY like the Autism coordinator person at the church.  She drives all the way from Mac right now to help set the program up.  She is such a valuable resource and I was really impressed with her.  She was able to pick up a lot of who Zane is even without me saying it.  The program requires a lot of parental involvement at first as they get to know him, but I like the approach a lot because they are obviously wanting to work with the kids and not the label.  This week she did a lesson with him, to start getting to know him.  Next week I prepare and teach a lesson to him so she (and maybe one or more of the potential “buddies” can observe how I work with him to learn how to interact/focus him) and the following week I will prepare a lesson and teach the first half of it, and they will teach the second half.    It was also really a shift for me to hear an autism expert talk freely about the spiritual aspects of autism & special needs kids.   You can see in her eyes that she doesn’t come from a place of pity, she genuinely loves these kids and values them from deep inside.  It isn’t just lip service.  Everything from the language she uses to her nonverbal communication confirms that she is in this for all the right reasons, and I really feel blessed to have found this opportunity.

On a funny note, when our friend went with us to pick Zora (and her youngest) from the nursery, another couple came up behind us.  She went to introduce us, and as I turned around and saw his face, I was a little shocked.  As she said “This is…” I filled in the blank.  It was one of my high school classmates.  Now keep in mind there are only about 30 of us in my class (small school) and you understand my surprise.  He said that another guy from our school (one of my brother’s best friends way back when…that was a class of 20-25..so even more of an interesting coincidence) was a member too, and had actually just walked by.  (I missed it, obviously).  The pastor in the church used to be in the MB church about 6 miles from my home, in the neighboring town, and knew my mom’s parents.  I am quite sure there are quite a few people there I am going to know somehow, even though it is an MB church.  lol. 

A few quick photos

Zora in her new outfit from Gramma Z.  I LOVE it, and the shoes will also be great with her Easter dress she will be wearing this summer.  (we had her in the winter dress today because it was drizzly and cool, and they looked great with that too)

My Zanester

And the family’s view of dh this week as he spends every waking hour on his thesis.