May 7

Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip. Why is the island in our kitchen wet? Why are there drips coming from the ceiling? Puzzlement, light-fixture-removing, ceiling-busting moments later Carl and our neighbor discovered the problem was a hole in a pipe. They also discovered some electrical situations that need to be remedied so actually the leaking pipe was a blessing in disguise. Fortunately we have a plumber we love. It turned out that two pipes needed to have sections replaced which involved going through the wall at the back of the laundry room closet (our laundry room is on the second floor). The next step is to figure out what lighting situation we want in the kitchen and then to find someone to fix the ceiling and paint it. I will never paint anything again unless it is very small and not over my head because painting kicks my headaches farther into gear. Carl taped a bag over the hole in the ceiling so at least now I can cook without fear of extra seasoning.

Sarah’s school had their Inclusive Games on Wednesday. Her school is kind of a school within a school. It is a program for kids who need extra help and then these special classrooms are located within Catholic schools all around Pittsburgh. For the Inclusive Games all of the kids from her program met at one location and each had a neurotypical buddy with them from their school. They did all sorts of games, as you would find at a Field Day. Carl attended and showed me some pictures and videos. I was surprised by how teary I got watching Sarah run while many people were cheering “go Sarah!” I get teary just writing about it! Sometimes I’m just bowled over by how much love there is around us and flowing to Sarah. 

Swim lessons continue. Amy is making notable progress each week. Sarah is making tiny incremental progress. I don’t know how it will go when Amy is ready to move to the next level and Sarah isn’t. I’m hoping that maybe the school and teacher can be flexible since the class doesn’t currently have any other kids in it so maybe we could keep the teacher and the time even if the girls would technically be at different levels. 

I was near the SR room for some of G’s time on Friday so I got to overhear the wonderfulness. He read one of Sarah’s current favorite books (Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs by Mo Willems) but substituted a wrong word in almost every sentence with as much confidence and rhythm as if it was the right word.  It was hilarious. I could hear Amy giggling and responding (she had a half day of school so got to join the session) and G said that Sarah was hooked too. What is doubly wonderful is that Sarah let him read the book out loud because that isn’t something she has let me do recently. 

Gymnastics class has felt difficult the past few times I have accompanied Sarah. She spends all morning impatient to go to gymnastics and then halfway through class she says she is done. Yesterday we got into one of our usual energy battles and I carried her out to the hall and we sat while she screamed and I grumped. Eventually she was ready to go back and try more. I just don’t understand why things are going this way when she used to do the whole class easily. I think I may need to find someone else to take her because I think it is my being there that sometimes results in her saying she wants to be done and leave (not that I am doing anything different from what I have always done). Sometimes I am just the right person to help Sarah with things (so far for swimming it is still helpful and effective to have me there) but increasingly in many areas I feel like I am specifically the wrong person and that things go better with anyone other than me. I feel rather heartbroken and frustrated about that. Maybe Sarah saves her grumpy protesting best for me the way sometimes I keep everything together until Carl is around and then unload my feelings and grumps and whining.

Amy has been at least temporarily interested in having us read Little House in the Big Woods. If she maintains her interest my life may be complete. 

I have started auditing a neuromuscular (aka trigger point) class at the massage school where I teach. It is two mornings a week and it goes through September. I have been super excited to take it and I’m super excited to be in it now. The teachers are excellent, which I already knew. I have already learned helpful things just in the first two days. I am hoping to not only be a better MT at the end of this but to be more helpful as an Alexander teacher when I visit these classes in the future and to maybe be a substitute teacher (or full teacher) when/if needed. 

May you all hear cheers from the sidelines as you move through your lives. YAY!! You can do it!! I believe in you!!