Things are still pretty rocky here, although M is better than he was a few weeks ago. I haven't been blogging because I just haven't had the energy. This was a very long, very hard rough spell and I'm tired... maybe not so much physically, as much as mentally. It's hard to pull my thoughts together into a coherent post, so I just haven't posted.
I've been working outside a lot though... I've got the gardens fertilized (with the compost from last winter), and the compost turned into the soil. It's too early to plant so my tomato and pepper plants will probably be living in the sunroom for a couple more weeks... although I have been thinking about buying those "wall'o-water" things so I could plant them outside now. I also planted a couple of fruit trees for the little "mini-orchard" I'm planning. I'd like to eventually have 5 or 6 fruit trees on the hill just east of the house, so far I've planted two apple trees and I'd like one more apple, one cherry and one peach tree.
We started "family therapy" with the Intercept program a few weeks ago and it's been a huge disappointment. Intercept is the program I found that works with kids who have both developmental disabilities and mental illness. Their head clinician, a psychologist, is doing the therapy and so far I can see absolutely no practical help coming out of it. Each session is about the same, we spend a few minutes "checking in" ("tell me two good things that happened this week") then a few minutes working on "mindfulness" exercises (basically stress reduction, meditation type exercises) then we play a game for 30 minutes or so. On the way to this last session Michael was feeling so close to opening the car door (on the highway!) that we had to lock the doors. I mentioned to the psychologist that we'd had some "safety issues" in the car on the way into Denver... expecting her to ask M about it. She never did though, and the issue was never addressed. I'm not sure how long we'll keep going... at this point it seems like a waste of time (and gas!).
It's been hard to get back into our school routine lately. I'm hoping this next week we are able to get back into our regular routine. We won't keep it up all summer... we do school during the summer, but usually just 2-3 days a week. I would like to wait another month though before moving into that lighter schedule.
We had some good news last week... The agency that provides developmental disability services through the state (the one with the 5 year long wait list) took another look at our situation and decided to bump us up to the top of the list. M is so severely disabled that the coordinator of the family program decided to pull some strings and get us moved up. So.... beginning next month, we should start receiving some family support. We'll get a small monthly stipend to use for respite, therapy, or other family support types of services. The downside is I still have to find people to provide that support... but at least it will be easier to pay for when I find it!
We had a family get-together here this weekend... It was the first time all of my kids have been home since Christmas! It was so good to have us all together again, and the weather was absolutely perfect for spending time outside. B, my dd#2 wanted to ride Grant... but she doesn't know how to ride... so R led Grant around the pasture for her. I guess you're never too big to enjoy a pony ride!
Here's a rare picture of all of my kids and grandkids together (plus Grandma and Grandpa and some other family and friends). My oldest dd, E, is on the end in the brown shirt holding her new baby. Her son is on the grass next to her and her daughter is on the other end being held by my dh. Dd#2, B, is in the green shirt standing just to the right of E. M and R are in the front, by Grandma and Grandpa, and K, dd#3, is just to the right of them in the pink and white striped shirt.
Well, I should go... I need to get the barn chores done before M wakes up.
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