Thursday

I'm taking a break from peeling apples. I thought I'd surprise Paul and make his favorite dessert. Now I remember why I don't make this very often - very time consuming! I know they make apple pie filling in cans, but I'm quite sure it would not go over very well with him!


My friend Gina is coming over tomorrow for most of the day so I'm trying to get some things ready for that - not a whole lot, but mainly some cooking. So - no school today. There hasn't been a whole lot of school happening this week, actually!


Yesterday was Ben's psychiatric appt. It just seems weird to even say that. It makes me think of strait jackets and rubber rooms. It went well, though. He sees the head guy of this group on March 30. I'm assuming his autism will be formally dx at that time. We talked about medication and we're considering it. We got a referral to an agency that provides social skill training for kids like Ben. I emailed them and got a call back this morning. So that's moving along. There's just a lot to consider from all different directions. Apparently the way this group works is that you see an associate doctor for your first visit and then if he decides you/your child is bad enough off, he makes a referral to the guy whose name is in brass letters on the outside of the building. Well, when we got there, Ben immediately curled up on the floor, wrapping himself around the floor heater. Kind of obvious right there he has some social issues!


I have an appt. next Wed. to take Ben to an allergy institute here in Des Moines. We need to get these constant allergies of his taken care of. I'm guessing it's going to mean allergy shots weekly. Not too crazy about committing to that!


I got two phone calls yesterday - two dear friends are expecting babies this fall! It's very exciting. I love babies! I'm still not over my own desire for more. Well, ok, most days I am, but I'd still go for one more if I could. But I do value my sanity, such as it is. Still - 4 kids seems like such a small family!


My "happy mom" tee arrived this week. It fits - barely. I had better never accidentally dryer dry it, though.


Let's see - anything else to report on? Oh, I have trim in my bedroom now. It only took 4 years to get it up! I was going to paint it to match the walls, but decided I like the look of the white outline against the tan and hunter walls in there. So I'll leave it. Less work, anyway! Yesterday Paul took down rest of the ceiling tiles in the kitchen. He accidentally broke one of my fiesta ware salad plates. I could have cried. I have had that set for 5 1/2 years now and never broken a single piece - through 4 boys and a move across the state! He said he was sorry and I'm going to try to glue it because it broke in big chunks. But it will never be the same...sigh...


I had a bunch of phone calls to make this morning, but I got them done in one shot. I paid Discover, ordered Angel food, talked to the billing office at Blank who keeps billing me for Ben's therapy last October when insurance is supposed to completely cover it. I found out why I haven't received my rolling cart I ordered in January from Lakeside and ended up re-ordering it. And I scheduled an appt. to get our taxes done next Tues. night. I was planning to do them myself this year, but chickened out because of how our stimulus refund check got screwed up last year. We're supposed to be able to claim that on our taxes and I want someone a little more experienced to do that for us.


Sam has been funny this week. He's insisting on wearing shoes at all times, which is fine. The floors are probably kind of cold. He's just so cute. He'll bring me his tennis shoe, hold it out, and say "shoe!" It's the same word he uses for sock, too - sounds like "sha" He's taken a great interest in his tricycle of late. But he gets frustrated because he can't figure out pedaling yet - his legs are still a little short for that! He's had diarrhea since Sunday but it hasn't slowed him down. So I have left him home all week. Will has had to change a couple of those nasty diapers and has let me know repeatedly just how put upon he has been to do so!


My brother Matt and Kirsti got a house this week! After praying for a year, they finally have a renter for their Arizona house. They immediately put in an offer on a house they wanted from another couple in their church and got it. So they'll be moving into their new house in about 6 weeks, almost a year to the day from when they first moved to Iowa. They're pretty happy and I'm thrilled for them, too! We may be moving too, this year, or so Paul says. We'll see! He drew up his plans for our new bathroom and laundry room and I'd kind of like to get those first! Actually, it's just the thought of moving that fills me with dread...I've done that way too many times!


Oh, and it looks like we are going to Lake Okaboji this Sept. We've taken our last two vacations, using freebies we got from resort companies. We attend their time share presentations and in return they have given us discounted hotel rooms and/or water park passes. This will just be a 3 day weekend thing but it's at a resort there and it sounds all inclusive. And it will be totally free for us, which is definitely affordable!


All right - this is all I know. I need to get back to that pie before my apples turn brown. Look for another update from the Heywood House in another week or so!