status quo

 I haven't blogged in a while because we just haven't had anything super exciting going on.  We  (being me, and the kids) are really ready to be done with the school year.  I know we are not unique in this thinking.  I know that I'll be excited to start a new school year; but right now I am in vacation planning, pool dreaming, hike wishing, warm weather liking mode.  The sun has been out a lot (even with predictions of rain), which just makes EVERYTHING better! 

We are looking forward to a few field trips.  We are planning on going to the horse stables near Belvoir next week, and there are jellies at the aquarium, so we'll have to go see them.  The "Newseum" is free for home-schoolers right now, as well, so I'd like to see it (for free).  We'll have to see about that one, though, since I think we are running out of time for participating in the free part of that deal.  We love museums, man.  And horses, apparently.

Not much to report on our autism front.  Things are status quo, which is always a blessing.  I think the sun helps him, too.  When it is cloudy, Tommy seems much more "stimmy" than on sunny days.  I'm sure there is some science behind that, but I don't know what it is.  He is into Bruce Lee movies, which cracks me up.  Isn't that such a boy thing to be into?  The sound effects are constant right now in my house.

Katie is having an MRI next week to make sure all is well structurally, and that there is nothing unusual going on with her optic nerves.  We didn't know until she was almost five years old that she had a terrible astigmatism, and her vision isn't improving, so we visited the good neurologist (after a visit to the good psychiatrist who refered us to the good neurologist) and he (and she) have determined that she has a nystagmis (vibration) in both eyes and it is affecting her vision tracking.  Whew! No wonder reading is hard, huh? She can't see!  And she's hyper - not a lot of patience for that right now... flipping and cartwheeling are much more interesting... plus running, and tapping, and bouncing....

Danielle is becoming an amazing dancer.  We keep noticing that she's good at, like, everything.  She is so happy about it, too!  The piano playing is coming along as well.  So, how much do real pianos cost? Anyone?  We'll be researching that, soon.  (Katie wants to play the piano, also.)  We just have a keyboard that she practices on, and teaches her sister - which is really sweet.  Danielle is a natural teacher.  It's really, very cool.

Mark and I are still in our Love Dare Bible study.  It's amazing.  It makes sense.  I find the dares becoming more challenging.  I guess that means we must work more for the more in depth meaningful stuff.  Tomorrow is our 15 year wedding anniversary!  My goodness, where has the time gone?  Love is an amazing thing.  I don't mean the "Happily ever after" love (although, that's cool, too), I mean love: the- lead -your -heart -and -make -a- daily -choice- to -love- your- spouse -and -pray- for -the -blessings -of -God- and -grace- of -Jesus- to- be -able- to- love type of love.... It  really is amazing.  It's crazy... but it's real.  Prayer makes all things possible.