So sad

I was watching the news last night when a story caught my attention and I immediately burst into tears. Apparently a 6 year old boy from Tuscaloosa county who has autism wandered away from his home and drowned in the Black Warrior River. His beautiful face is all I saw as I closed my eyes to go to sleep last night. Sean went through a wandering stage a while back so I completely understand how this can happen.

When he was 2, I awoke one stormy morning to the front screen door slamming open and shut. I at first thought it was the wind blowing the door, then I heard Sean giggle and knew that he was outside in the storm. I jumped out of the bed and threw on my robe and pulled him in the door. I just sat there on the floor holding him and trembling. We installed locks on the top of the doors that day. A few days later he got out again and my neighbor brought him back. He had apparently very quietly stacked storage containers on top of one another and opened the lock at the top of the door. We had to get really creative really fast because we live just off of US highway 431 and it is very busy and the traffic is very fast. We turned his door knob to his room around so we could lock him in his room and installed alarms on the doors. I didn't want to do this but I'd rather have him safe in his room than to get out and get killed on the highway. He is sensitive to high pitched, loud sounds and will avoid them at all costs. It only took him opening the door one time with the alarm activated to realize that he will not be sneaking out anymore. He stood there hysterically crying and slammed the door shut holding his ears and ran to me for help. I explained to him that we had to have the alarms on the doors to keep him inside unless we could go with him to watch him. He seemed to understand and never got out again.

I am praying for this family. I read that they also have an 8 year old son with autism as well and I know that will be doubly hard on them trying to explain to him what happened to his brother. I can't imagine the pain and struggle they are going to face as the whole family progresses through the grieving process. I know they are part of a church family and will be turning to them for support. Please view this story at http://www.nbc13.com/gulfcoastwest/vtm/search.apx.-content-articles-VTM-2007-04-16-0017.html

Katy has been well for 2 weeks!!!

Katy has been so sick since December. She was literally sick or on antibiotics for 3 1/2 months. We went to the dr. last time and he was completely at a loss as to why, but he gave us some samples of Allegra to try. Allegra is an allergy medication that was just recently approved to treat hives and other allergic reactions in addition to nasal allergies. Katy has many, many allergies so we decided to give it a try. I personally feel that Katy's problem is that her sinus cavities are malformed given the cleft palate and all and that along with her allergies is creating a chronic sinus issue. Many kids need to have their tonsils removed to stop chronic sinus infections, but that is not an option with Katy. Katy has so little tissue in that area of her body that removing the tonsils would risk causing an inability to make speech sounds. I really pray that this is all that she needs to remain healthy. She has been through so much already and I hate to see her sick.

This blog thing is so cool

I am learning how to do all kinds of cool stuff to my blog. I just wish there was a messenger on it. Oh Well, It's still pretty cool.

Having a bad day

Sean got a new pair of shoes yesterday because his old ones were falling apart. New things are not Sean's idea of fun. His autism creates a very strong need for sameness and any threat to that causes him great trauma. I started trying to get him to put on his shoes at 9:00. The bus comes at 11:00 and we usually play outside after breakfast until it comes. Well that didn't happen this morning. He would NOT put his new shoes on. He just kept crying and signing "shoe". I told him that the old ones were no good and he would have to wear the new ones. We went round and round about it, but no way was he going to put on those shoes. I told him that I was not going to get the old ones and he was going to wear the new ones no matter what he did. He then got very angry with me and began to hit and kick me. He NEVER does this, I was shocked. I eventually had to hold him down and put them on and then keep him from taking them off until the bus got there. I am totally exhausted and at a loss as to what to do about the new shoes issue. The only thing I can do is make him wear them until he gets used to them.

The Easter Drama

Our church(Coldwater Baptist Church) had our Easter drama yesterday. I must say that it was very good. Every person in our family had a part. I sang a solo on the last song, Christ the Lord is Risen Today. William played Jesus for the crucifiction and resurrection. And there was a scene where I sat in a rocking chair reading to all of my kids from the Bible while the choir sang Tell Me the Story of Jesus. I hope that is the story of my life, that it will tell the story of Jesus from every facet.

I was sooooo nervous for my solo because it is rather high and I had just watched the crucifiction scene so I was a little choked up and I just had a hard time in practice with the song. My hands were sweaty and my legs were shaking.

William did an excellent job with the portrayal as well as Willy and Rick Walls who played the Roman soldiers. I could hear everyone in the place gasp as they took him from the cross and he fell to the floor and the sound echoed through the whole place. I hope that next year will be even better and it will touch someone to the heart.

The children had a musical celebration last night and it was really great. Sean took part for the first time and he did very well. I hope to at least teach him to sign while the others sing, but we'll just have to see how that goes.