Fiona's yearly meeting

Tuesday I attended Fiona's annual ISP meeting at her group home.  It has been harder for she and i to visit the past few months. She works on Saturdays now and Sundays we are typically at church till noon and then KC is back there for youth group about 5ish.  So we have been talking a lot on the phone and keeping in touch that way.  But nothing beats face to face so I got her a coffee and got there early enough that we had time to just chat.  Her cousin had said she was going to attend the meeting as well but did not come after all.  I worried that this disappointment would impact Fiona's ability to participate in her meeting but she carried on with aplomb.

And the meeting went so well.  Fiona struggles often to stay regulated and to express herself in ways that do not involve physical outbursts.  But over the past year she has made steady and consistant progress in this regard. She has also been able to save for several big ticket items--the first saving up over $700 to go and do a wardrobe re-do. The second paying for a new bedroom set on layaway which involved 6 months of steady saving--and also forgoing the more immediate and transient pleasures that she would otherwise use her money for.

She has a job, two shifts a week at a local college doing food service work in the cafeteria.  Best of all, she is more open about sharing what her dreams and goals are, what she does or does not want to do, and does not show a lot of the body signs that  previously signalled severe anxiety.

I know there are likely to be inevitable setbacks but overall, my girl is rocking it!!  I am so very very proud of her.

Vacation Plans

We are trying to plan a two week vacation in Florida this year.  We will share a house with friends so there will be 8 kids between us.  It is an exciting possibility.  Vacationing with friends allows my wife time to go have quiet reflective time without me feeling lonely or at 6s and 7s.  I am an extrovert who loves to spend time with people.  She is a friendly introvert and her idea of fun is a day of utter silence.  That has always felt like torture to me!

So this gives those of us who want to socialize the opportunity to and those who do not wish to a chance to hang out by a pool on the lanai.  It is less expensive to rent a house together and the houses for rent are ginormous! 

The kids are excited because they are all good friends--we have camped together for years now--and they just flow in a nice easy group.  If we pull this off it also means that my company should be quiet proud of me as I will use more vacation time than I have in the last three or four years.  It was brought to my attention that I lose rather a lot of vacation time each year.  I knew that, but have a hard time figuring out how to logistically take time off.  And I get enough time off to recharge so I have never worried about it.

Being there two weeks means we will have time for Disney but also time to have fun at the house and to see other sights.  There is the possibility the new Star Wars will not be open.  I was afraid that KC would then not want to go but he thought about it and decided that there was still so much that would be fun that he could totally still be excited about going.  It may also be the last vacation that Rob is around to come on with us.  He hopes to move to California in about a year .  Whether he actually gets across the country or not I know that the times that he will want to come on a family vacation are fleeting.  KC can see that as well and wants to make sure Rob is with us if possible.

So here is to planning and possibilities, dreaming of warm places on these still chilly nights!