Thanksgiving 2014

Thanksgiving brunch was enjoyed by all at my dad's house, and dinner was enjoyed at my brother's house a few hours later (just enough time to let our breakfast settle before round 2!).  I really don't know how I managed to get through the day with only taking a few pictures, but I realized by the end of the day that I didn't get one of Jonathan...or of us as a family.  Oh, well.

Prayers for Jonathan

I have had concerns about Jonathan's sensory issues since he was about two years old.  He is especially sensitive to loud noises, bright lights, strong smells, and various textures.  However, he has shown improvement over the years.  His fine motor skills became more of a concern over time, particularly with handwriting and cutting with scissors.  Last year I consulted the occupational therapist at my school (definite perk of my job), and she suggested various strategies and activities to work on at home.  She told me to wait until he was a bit older and to give him more time to develop.  This school year, Jonathan's teacher and I both had the same concerns with his fine motor skills.  I showed Jonathan's portfolio of work to the OT at my school, and she suggested that I have him evaluated for occupational therapy at this time. 


So, last week, Jonathan and I went to see an occupational therapist for an evaluation.  Jonathan gets extremely uncomfortable in unfamiliar situations with people he does not know.  So, he was pretty wild during the evaluation.  However, he did attempt to complete everything that was asked of him.  Then the parent advocate came in to talk to me and it took everything in me not to break down in front of her (I saved that for the moment I got home).  You see, as an Intervention Specialist, I'm used to being on the other side, and I've never gotten to experience the parent side.  It was a very humbling experience. 


The evaluation results came today, and while I can't say that I'm surprised, I can say that I'm sad.  At the same time, I'm praising God for my precious boy because he is in good health and is a fantastic kid.  I'm honored that God called me to be his mama.


Jonathan's overall diagnosis is Disturbance of Skin Sensation, Dyspraxia, and Muscle Weakness.  The OT recommended that we have a physical therapy evaluation as well, so that is one of the next steps.  Jonathan will begin therapy in the next week or so, and the estimated duration is once per week for six months to one year, maybe more, depending on the results of the physical therapy evaluation. 


Jonathan's going to have to work extra hard to compensate for his weaker muscles.  I know the struggle that other kiddos like him face because I see it firsthand at school.  I know that Jonathan's been teased by kids and some adults, too, because he's not very strong and because he's very sensitive.  I hope that this gives those who know him a small glimpse into his world so that they may be more understanding of his unique needs. 


Please pray for Jonathan.

GoFundMe Project

I have a huge family, and many members of my family are nearby.  Others are all the way in sunny California, so I don't get to see them as often as I would like, but they are close at heart.  My Uncle Karl just completed a fundraising project for our adoption, and now my Aunt Kathie is beginning her own through GoFundMe.


About three weeks ago, Aunt Kathie sent me a letter explaining her idea.  And it literally brought me to tears.  Along with the letter, she sent a pink suncatcher for our precious daughter.  This is her first gift, and we will treasure it forever.


Her idea is to make and sell gorgeous suncatchers to help offset some of the cost of bringing our daughter home from Uganda.  It's humbling, really, to think about the time that some of our loved ones are investing in us and in our daughter's future.  We are not a perfect family, but we have a lot of love to give, and are extremely blessed to have so much support.


If you are so inclined, please check out the gofundme page she created.