Scholarship program

We got a phone call today to let us know that Riley has been selected for the Summer Learning Scholarship to attend UH's Summer Laboratory School. He had to write a short paper on why he wanted to attend and then his teachers had to rank the students on their GLO's (General Learner Outcomes) I told him not to get his hopes up as they were only selecting 2 students from the whole school and only one for the Laboratory School. We were very surprised to learn that he was chosen. He will be in either the marine biology or robotics class, we are not sure what one he is going to be placed in but he is really excited. Now all I have to do is worry about getting him up there every day during the 4 weeks that it runs, but we will figure it out!

Musical Prodigy

Do you think we have another trumpet player in the family?

Here we go again

Lorenzo had his second appointment with his new doctor today and we were happy at first to report that we have seen a difference in him this last week and that he has made improvements from the last month or so. The doctor has taken him off all but one medication and he upped that to a “more therapeutic level;” and it has seemed to help. So while we were talking he was watching Lorenzo play. Liam was with us and they were over in the toy corner playing how they normally do. He then looked at me and asked if Lorenzo had any odd behaviors. I said yes and then he wanted to know what. I told him about Lorenzo’s weird food crazes. He will only eat about 10 things and he becomes fixed on that food and he eats it every day i.e. he has had a yogurt for breakfast and a tuna sandwich and grapes for lunch everyday for over 10 months. His strange bathroom “stuff” how he talkes or sings in a really strange voice a lot of the time and some other things his teacher has noticed, mainly that he seems to be in his own world a lot of the time. This was how he was playing in his office and this is how he usually plays, mostly by himself and not with other kids. He stands on the sidelines a lot and does not like to actively engage with other people or kids. We have attributed a lot of this to his anxiety but the doctor looked right at me and said I think he has autism. I then told him we have had a lot of people say that but they always end up with the same conclusion that it is anxiety that is causing a lot of his behaviors and not autism and we have just went with that.

I have spent the remainder of my day looking at different autism web sites and I am not so sure now. He has about 60-75% of the symptoms they have listed. He has made some improvement as he has got older but a lot of things are still there. Te doctor thinks that he has both bipolar and autism, and that if he is indeed autistic that he is on the more mild side of the spectrum. I have called and left a message with the pediatrics developmental delay department to insist they have him tested. I guess we are going to be in for another rollercoaster ride.

Why run?

I have decided to do another 10K to keep me motivated. I have been trying to get Jeremy to run it with me but he says he would rather be on the side lines. Jeremy has been running with us in addition to his swimming and has dropped about 25 lbs as of Jan.

I took last week off due to my back acting up again and I really missed it. Not only do I feel better when I run but I am less stress out during my week and better able to cope with “the bad days”. I should say that Lorenzo has had 2 good days in a row and that always helps my outlook too.

Whoo, we made it

I am happy to report that we made it through 20 kids, 4 adults, 1 jump house, cake with red frosting from you guessed where and a dog that kept running away. The kids seemed to have had a good time and the adults were officially warn out by the end of it all but we made it through without any major complications. The pictures pretty well sum it up. The girls stuck together, Riley's friends that were boys (I was going to say boy friends but Jeremy would not like the sound of that) all stuck together and Lorenzo and his little friend kept to themselves away from the rest of the party but they were happy. Lorenzo only had 2 friends show up and I was worried that he was going to be upset but he did ok with it and did not really want to hang around all the kids anyway so it worked out well.

We invited about 12 kids but somehow had about 22 kids over including a 3 year old that came out of no where with no parents out looking for her. My Neighbor who we invited over with her husband and 2 little girls ended up having to help me a ton as Jeremy was not a lot of help, I do not know what I would have done without her, I am so fortunate to have her as a friend! Her husband knew the mystery 3 year old and apparently her parents just let her wander, I have never met them and only seen them out of the house a couple of times in a year and a half, but have seen the little girl all over the neighborhood, scary!

Lorenzo did well and we only had a few major melt downs so I would say that it was a success. I am sorry my last entry was so negative. I had just come from the doctors where we had been for 3 hrs as we had 2 appointment with 2 different doctors one of them who informed us that she was leaving next month for good so we were going to have to find a new therapist. Lorenzo had had a horrible day and the other kids we tired and hungry so I guess I was letting my day rub off on my post. It was not until later that I was able to really let the news that Jeremy was not leaving set in. I can now say that it was nothing short of a miracle for that to happen. We had been praying that he would not have to go and when they informed us that he was going we were still praying for something to happen so they would not send him. Granted, I would rather have Lorenzo doing well and not have that the reason that he was able to stay but I just don't have all the answers as to why things happen they way they do.

We had pretty much resigned to the fact that Jeremy was leaving and figured the Lord must have a reason for sending him and were just trying to get ready and prepared. Because of this, however, we did get Lorenzo on the EFP (exceptional family member) program that we had been procrastinating. I am a little embarrassed to say but when were approved for it I did not even know much about it and just set the packet in the huge Lorenzo file and did not worry much about it. it was not until after they told Jeremy that he was not going when they asked what category Lorenzo was and Jeremy said "I don't know" that we read through it all. Lorenzo is a category 3 which states no oversea duty. It is hard to think that just last week we were waiting to hear back from the detailer about orders to Japan so that Jeremy could get the ball rolling before he left and now we don't have to worry about orders to Japan or Jeremy leaving. All I know is that the Lord truly does take care of his children. We did not know if Japan was right or not so we had been praying that the Lord would direct us, that if Japan was not the right place for us that something would happen that prevented it from going through. I know we got our answer.

I am so thankful that today was fast Sunday as it gave me a chance to really reflect and think about all that has happened over the last few days. I can truly say that I can see the Lords hand in our lives and I am so humbled and thankful.

Good news and bad news, what do you want first?

Ok, Lets start with the good. Jeremy has been taken off the tour next month and will not be leaving for 4 months any more. I feel like a huge weight has been lifted from my shoulders and the kids are so happy. Riley says it is the best birthday present and I feel the same way. Now for the bad... this came as a result of Lorenzo. He has been spiraling down hill for the last month or so and the doctor is talking about hospitalization again. We will not agree to it and are going to see another Doctor next week and hope for a new perspective on the whole situation. I could fill this page with horror stories about some of the things he has been doing lately but I am just too tired to go into it. Let me just say that he has been much worse the last few weeks then he has ever been. We are going to do another med change and are starting to taper him off one of the mood stabilizers he is currently taking. I have either been at the doctor or on the phone with him all week trying to figure out what to do. We all are exhausted and at the end of our ropes.

Jeremy went to his chain of command today to let them know the situation here at home and they decided it best to not send him. I think that the sr. chief was a little hard on Jeremy because they now have a bit of a scramble ahead of them to get everything squared away but his boss was very kind and understanding. It is too bad that they did not take our situation more seriously when Jeremy first brought it to their attention 6 months ago. It really makes me angry sometimes that people look at mental illness so differently then other medical problems. There is another guy out here who's son has a medical condition and they did not send him on this tour because of it, feeling that if something went wrong that he should be home. Jeremy did not get the same considerations when he first talked to them about Lorenzo. I do not think that people understand that this can be just as debilitating as other "real" medical or health problems and they choose to place judgment instead of offer support. I am at the doctors twice a week with Lorenzo plus the school meetings, he takes so much energy to manage that it leaves you feeling like you have nothing left to give. I ended up letting a couple of my piano students go because it was more then I could handle when Lorenzo was acting up and I was trying to teach them. I have these 2 other wonderful Children and I am trying to give them as much attention as I can but lately they have been put on the back burner, literally. Today as I was on the phone dealing with yet another Lorenzo problem Liam fell on the counter while helping me make pancakes and put his hand on the stove burner. I just feel like I am stretched to thin and poor Liam, his little hand is so sore.

It is such a blessing that Jeremy is not going to be going. We have been offering thanks to our Heavenly Father all day. Jeremy was a little concerned that he may have just ended any chance to further his career but his boss was great and besides, we always have said that our family will always be first and that the navy comes second even if that means we are not climbing the ladder as quickly as some. We'll keep you posted on Lorenzo. He and Riley are having their birthday party tomorrow and I want so much for him to be able to just have fun. It breaks my heart sometimes.

He wins the Bronze!

Riley had his second archery tournament today and did really well. He came in fourth place with a total of 119 points. I was only able to stay for the first part as Lorenzo had a doctors appointment that we could not miss but Jeremy was able to be there and said he did really well. I come early to pick him up from practice so I can watch a little and he has been making a lot of improvement. His only request when we move from here is that it is some place that has archery.



He looks like this becasue I told him not to smile because he had gum in his mouth

Riley enjoying his goody bag with Liam and his friends after it was all over

My new favorite snack!!!!

If you have not already tried these you need to go and get yourself a bag! They are made from brown rice and have no preservatives and no gluten. They are so good and they have more flavores out there, hey even my kids love them!!!

a day at the races!

Yesterday was a fun filled day spent at the races. Our day started at 5:30 am to make it to Ford Island 10K Bridge Run on time. The gun sounded at 7:00 am and it was so fun to know that my family was there cheering me on. While it was not my personal best it was still a good run and I met my goal to finish before the 1hr mark and place before my bib number of 492. I came in 489 out of 1578 and my chip time was 56:39 I place 23rd in my age group you can view all the results here. Sorry we forgot the camera but that should not be to big a disappointment unless you really want to know what I look like all sweaty and gross. We taped conference, so after the run we went home and watched it before the afternoon session started.
Later that evening Riley had his first pinewood derby and did very well. He tied for first place and had a lot of fun. We had an extra car so Lorenzo made one too and was able to race with the other boys. He loved it and is now bugging Jeremy to make him his own track to race on at home. All in all it was a good day!