Well, friends, I am determined to finish a blog article today. I have started about 10 different articles over the past few months but never finished any of them! Lest you think I am merely lacking in perseverance, let me explain what’s happened over the past few months.

On February 22nd, we got the official diagnosis that Matthew has Aspergers. That afternoon/evening, I got a phone call. My aunt Susie was killed in a freak accident on our family farm. (This is about as far as I have gotten in previous entries. I just can’t talk about it yet.) Suffice it to say, my world was turned upside down that day. I can’t put into words how important Susie was to me and my family. She was like a second mother to me. But there was also the diagnosis.

After the funeral on Saturday, we came back and had the ARD at school that week – maybe Monday? – where we established what services the school will provide Matthew and what they will not. So there was a little give and take in that meeting – I think it lasted 2 hours – and in the end, Matthew has been making great improvements in school. Again, a lot to talk about there, but I’m trying not to get bogged down. But he really is doing much better.

But on to what I really want to write about. Today is Saturday and I’m writing this entry from the Gaylord Palms in Kissimmee, Florida! I’m here because Brad won 2 awards from his company for all the work he did last year on the MEADS program (remember the six months he spent working in Orlando?) and tonight is the Lockheed Martin Evening of Excellence!!! So we got an all expense paid trip to Florida! My parents were gracious enough to come in town to keep the kids, so this is truly a VACATION!!! I’m really excited about tonight. I found the perfect dress, the perfect shoes and I just can’t wait to get all dressed up and spend the evening at my husband’s side. He’s so handsome in a tux, plus he’s a lot of fun to be with.

But enough about that. I have been keeping track of some funny things the kids have said during my time off the blog, and I thought it would be fun to put some of those here at the end of this post. Plus, of course I have pictures. And hopefully this foray back into the blog world will help me begin to post again. I hope so, because I’m getting tired of writing everything in my journal. I miss interacting with you guys (be it virtually). Okay, here’s the good part.
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Context: part of the way the boys now earn dimes (each of which allows them to have 10 minutes of screen time) is to complement each other & say thank you. So here is one of the conversations I recorded:

Samuel: “I like your ears, Matthew!”
Matthew: “I like yours too, Samuel. They’re big like an elf!”
Samuel: “Oh, thank you, Matthew!”
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I recently took Peter to the mall and had to run into Dillards to return a few things. As we walked through the store, he said “All these statues of people creep me out! All these headless people & legs with no bodies! Let’s get out of here!!!” Clearly he has not spent a lot of time in department stores.
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Leaving the drop off area at school, Samuel said “Mommy you know why they have safety patrol? [The kids in vests that help open doors and greet kids]. So if somebody drives their car up on the curb they can put their hand out and say [uses his deep voice] ‘NOT SAFE!’.”
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S: [of some city workers on the side of the road] “Mommy, have those men been there working all night?”
Me: “I don’t know! I was asleep last night.”
S: “If they were, they would be very sleepy.”
Me: “Yeah!”
S:”They might be sleeping on the grass today. [makes snoring noises]”
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Coming downstairs, groggy and sleepy-eyed, Samuel said “Mommy, my head is full of tired.”
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Here are some pics of our hotel, plus some of the kids (Samuel in his “skinny jeans”, Matthew at Martial Arts – on the right in yellow belt, Peter eating ice cream on our “date”: