Back from a long absence. I know, I know.... live with it. I just don't blog as much as I would like. It's not that I don't like you, but life takes up so much time!
I'll try and give a quick overview of what's been happening these past 4 weeks.
Ethan and Dylan turned 7 on December 10. They each had parties at school, Dylan's in the morning and Ethan's after lunch. Then on Saturday, we hooked up the web cam and got Grandma and Grandpa Nikoley, Aunt Gerrie, Uncle Tim and Aunt Maggie on speaker phone. We had a cyber party and it made me feel so much closer to home. Espcially when we all sang happy birthday together. The next day we took the boys mini putting for the very first time. They liked it once we let go and let them do it their way with just a little guidance from us
After the birthdays, I went in to a depression boardering on despondency. I really wanted to come home for Christmas and it wasn't going to happen. Plus I'm having that darned hysterectomy in Jan and we still hadn't found anyone to watch the boys.
Took extra meds and forced myself to get ready for Christmas parties at school. Between Ethan and Dylan, we gave over 30 teacher, aide, therapist, bus driver gifts. Tod and I stayed up till midnight every nite this week to get those done. The parties were today. I missed Dylan's party completely. Tod got to go to both. I will be glad if they ever end up at the same school.
While I was at Ethan's school, the aide mentioned that if we ever need a sitter, she and her 17 year old daughter would be happy to watch Ethan and Dylan. I told her about the surgery and she said she and her daughter could help out! So she and I are going to get together over the break and set up a schedule for the week after Jeni leaves.
Yes!!! Jeni, our sitter from Rockford, has agreed to fly out here the week of my surgery and help with the boys that whole week. She was supposed to start student teaching at Fairview on the 17th but she asked her boss if she could start a week later so she could come out here. The nice thing for her is that the state will pay her $11 per hour for all the time she spends with the boys. Jeni has always rescued us. When Tod was in the hospital all those times with his heart condition and when we were trying to find a place to live out here. Jeni would stay several days with the boys or come in her PJ's if it was early in the morning. Thank you Jeni for coming to our rescue again!
Grandma & Grandpa Nikoley, Uncle Dan and Aunt Mickey and Aunt Jean and Uncle Vern all sent us money to get the boys a swing set. You know we took the indoor swing down permanently after Dylan's head injury. We are donating it to a local agency that works with kids with autism. Tod has the swing set bought and half built in the garage. So on Christmas Eve, he will be out back with a spot light finishing the job. He wants to wrap it, too, so I bought 500 square ft. of Christmas wrap. I hope that's enough. I also hope it doesn't rain. It was coming down buckets today.
That pretty much brings us up to date. I'm sure I forgot something.
Have a Happy Holiday!
til later....
