My heart is so full

Today culminated "Red Ribbon Week," or the kids' drug awareness campaign.  Each day, the kids had different themes:

CRAZY DAY ( drugs make you crazy and mixed up)

 PAJAMA DAY!

 TOO BRIGHT FOR DRUGS day

And....Artist of the Day????? 

SUPER HERO DAY!

 

found this shirt for $3.99- and how perfect that my superhero is busting the Autism logo of puzzle pieces??

Thursday was also Peyton's class party- I was in charge of the craft.  This looks like a lot less prep time than it really was...cutting out all those pieces and organizing into bags took awhile!

 We had a playdate after school and did some photo booth pictures while Hunter did therapy...

doing independent work- even at the end of the session!

Found this sweet gem in his folder- even though it only has two words, he did it on his own.  Melt my heart.

prepped school treats for the teachers and administrators...we are just so thankful

Finally, Friday...SPIRIT SHIRT DAY.  And someone special was chosen as Student of the Month (third year in a row!!)

waiting to be announced

getting her ribbon

proud little brother

all three of these girls are on the same basketball team- a real group of winners!

Friday was also Scarecrow Day for Hunter.  We talked extensively about the parade, a costume...he refused to wear jeans or a hat, but I stuck straw in the pocket of this plaid shirt (Yes, it has a collar. Yes, it has buttons.  Yes, he is actually wearing it.).  I told him I just wanted him to try- and initially he ripped the shirt off, but brought it back in to me and asked me to put it on him.  

waiting for big brother

So we went to the cafeteria to wait for the kindergarteners.  We saw the classes lined up in the hallway, and I started getting nervous just for him.  The crowd was very quiet, but all of the kids, the costumes, straw sticking out everywhere...I didn't know if he would do it.  The first class walked in, and then his class...and we saw him standing by the doorway with his special ed teacher.  He looked in the window, and then started walking away- but stopped.  He didn't elope. He stood for a minute, said a couple of "how dare yous," and calmly asked to go back to the room.  

And she granted his request because of the manner in which he did it- he stayed composed.  

As hard as it was to see all of those sweet scarecrows walking around, their mommies and daddies snapping pictures, grandparents waving at their smiling grandchild, and us just sitting there with painted smiles on our faces...

but as we walked out of the cafeteria, I left the anger and sadness behind.  How in the world could I ask for more from this kid, this one who did exactly what I told him to do?  

I just wanted him to try.  

Y'all, you can't even understand how many celebrations we had this week.  He was picked star student in PE one day.  Yes, the same PE class he ran from for the first few weeks of school.

He was chosen as Artist of the Day- and was so excited to tell me about it ("Mommy, you won't even believe who was Artist of the Day??  ME!!!!!!!!!!!"- and had eloped from Art multiple times last month when the noise level and directions became too intense.

He dressed up everyday to participate in Red Ribbon Week.  

He had a playdate with a peer, and didn't exhibit one sign of Autism. 

His special ed teacher had emailed me, stating "I cannot express my happiness enough on his week!  Along with specials and he is also accepting not having the computer every day, self-correcting, recovering quickly from things that are not going his way, and having comical conversations with peers.  It is a blessing just to hear his conversations and jokes with his table mates.  The best part is his own sense of pride for doing his best!"

His classroom teacher emailed me today: I didn’t want to say anything in order to not jinx us but I seriously can’t tell you enough how WONDERFUL this week was with Hunter. I’m so proud of him that the word “proud” doesn’t even describe my feeling. I’m sure it helped that is was a somewhat “normal” week and that we are finally settling into a daily set schedule but this week I saw him playing, engaging and interacting with friends in our room that he has never bothered with before. He consistently attempted all his Daily 5’s (moving to different tables, writing all on his own and cleaning up when time was up) and the best part of all was during Listen to reading they have to switch days doing computer and cd player days and when it wasn’t his computer days he would get upset (crying) but able to recover QUICKLY (maybe 20 seconds) and then get started on the books on cd!!! I was anticipating this to be hard for him but boy did he prove me wrong!!!

His principal called me last night, just to share her excitement about his celebrations throughout the week.  The specials teachers had emailed her specifically about Hunter to tell her about his success.

How could I really ask for more?  

This week, I felt like I did so many of the things I dreamed I would do as a mommy- made special treats for the teachers, helped organize the preschool party, had three playdates with planned activities... and I can credit Hunter's compliance and recovery to not only my desire to want to be so involved, but to have the time and energy to actually do it.

My heart is very full.  

Thank you, thank you, thank you for all of you praying Warriors- I credit his success to you, too.

***update: My Mother-in-law doesn't need dialysis anymore!! Her kidney function has been restored.  Thank you all who have added her to your prayer list!!!  Keep those prayers coming- they obviously work!  Yay Sue!

"If there's anything I learned, from this journey I'm on, 

simple truths will keep you going, simple love will keep you strong.

there are questions without answers, flames that never die, 

heartaches we go through are often blessings in disguise,

thank you Lord, how could I ask for more?"

How Could I ask for More- Cindy Morgan

(you tube link)