Hello Everyone –  Happy Valentine’s Day!!

Thank you for all your kind words and concern.  I am feeling a bit better today.  Since Erik is at his Mom’s this weekend through Monday night, I won’t have to work this weekend.  YEAH!!  Monday is a holiday, but I am working anyways so that will make up for my not working on the weekend.  So I don’t actually have to go in and work this weekend  YEAH!  I really could use a break so this is very good!!

I worked all day today.   We didn’t have plans for Valentine’s Day.  I did get home in time to make a nice steak dinner.  Hubby bought me chocolates and a beautiful bouquet of roses.  Tomorrow night we are going out to the Silent Auction FundRaiser for Tommy’s School.  I am hoping it will be fun, I am not sure.  The tickets were very expensive, at least to us they were.  $50.00 a person.  Doesn’t leave us much money for at the auction.  Oh well….we are supporting as much as we are able.

We finally got a few people to interview to work with Erik after school and over the summer.   A couple of you asked what Eriks struggles are.  I am not sure I have publicly shared them, but he has a number of diagnoses.  He went for a 30 day evaluation and has a new diagnosis of PDD-NOS.   We have autism in the family so this isn’t too big of a surprise.  He also has a expressive/receptive language disorder, anxiety disorder, conduct disorder and borderline cognitive abilities.  So he has alot to struggle with.   We have a CADI waiver and are going to start having services to help with his supervision soon.   The waiver gives up a yearly amount to purchase services for Erik.  We are going to start social skills therapy and hopefully get him into a independent living summer program.  We also hire staff to work in our home to provide support to Erik while we are at work.   We will be interviewing a couple of staff next week and should be making our selection.  Once their background checks come back we will have staff everyday after school.  I can’t wait.  I can’t tell you what a huge elimination of stress that will be for me.  Right now I am coming home to meet the bus at least 3 times a week.   I need to be able to work more hours during the week.  I am hoping once I can work more hours during the week, I won’t be working on he weekends and I get rest a bit.   Which I think will help with how I have been feeling lately.   The teen years are just harder.  When you have a younger child like Erik you can use the after school programs and things and life is easy.  Once kids are in middle and high school, there aren’t after school programs to provide support so you have to find alternatives.  

Tommy is doing well.  He had his V-day party today at school.  Tomorrow is the 100th day of school so he will be celebrating again!   He will be going to a pj party at the church tomorrow night while we are at the silent auction.  He is looking forward to it!   He will be there from 5:20 until about 10:00.  

Josh, is busy.  He is hardly home except on the weekends.  He is at work tonight and won’t be home until after 10:00.   I made nice steak dinner tonight so he will have to warm that up and enjoy his Valentine’s meal alone.  Well I am off to bed with my Valentine.  Have a great night!!