Stuff from today

I do not know how to respond when asked, "What's your favorite book?" I used to read all the time. But, since having kids, my reading has been mostly my stepmom's hand-me-down magazines. She takes every cool subscription known to man, and passes them my way.

Today I actually escaped ALONE to the library. Came home with a book called the Story of My Life: An Afghan Girl on the Other Side of the Sky.
It was written by Farah Ahmedi, a 19-year-old woman who escaped the Taliban in 2002. She had lost a leg after stepping on a land mine as a young child. All of Farah's family was gone, so she was the one to lead her ill mother to safety in a place where women alone were in danger.

Once in the U. S. she and her mother had to learn how to do all of the things that are so familiar to Americans. They both needed extensive medical care; Farah for a new prosthetic leg, and her mother for severe asthma. Grocery shopping was overwhelming, because they could not read the packages. Young Farah soon found herself in a position of being in charge of her sick mother and feeling very alone. Eventually they met a kind volunteer from World Relief, who made their lives much more comfortable. She taught Farah and her mother how to take care of themselves here.

This book wasn't full of outstanding writing. But the story itself, of what these people went through, captured me.

First week of June

It's been ok. The boy's friend spent the night last weekend, and it went well. I put an air mattress on the floor and blankets for Friend, who then decided to just share Boy's twin bed for the night. The next morning we took them all for doughnuts. The Boy very politely told the counter lady, "One chocolate doughut please."

Girl's new thing is to say "thanks" and thank-you now without being prompted.

I have decided to reduce the boy's occupational therapy to twice monthly. Most of what they work on is stuff I can do at home.... coloring, cutting, writing letters, fastening buttons. For the first 1.5 years they did a lot of sensory-type activities, such as bouncing on giant rubber balls, playing in shaving cream, and brushing him. So, I have made a picture schedule for him of what we are to do every day. He gets rewards for doing his work. The OT was ok with us reducing his therapy as long as I keep up with it at home, and as long as he gets some gross motor activities in. We plan to keep him in Tae Kwon Do, which she is very keen on. Doing some financial playing around, such as taking advantage of the bank's "skip your loan payment this month" program. We've never done that before, but got a form in the mail and decided now was the time to take advantage. Also, we are due $200 cash back on our credit card... and Ed should get a couple of days of overtime next week. Anything to help stockpile some cash for when we have to pay TKD by July 10.

Last night Boy was playing around. He was "Master," a black-belt Tae Kwon Do teacher. I was the student. He demonstrated lots of moves, and made me do them too. I also had to do push-ups when I gave him attitude. So I guess he is still enjoying TKD.

Lately it seems I have spent more time cleaning the kids' pool instead of enjoying it. They swam in it twice, then we had some high chlorine problems. Then we had rains for a week solid. The water has been chilly, about 74-76 degrees. But today they were both begging to get in, so I let them. They had fun for about an hour, till the girl's lips turned blue, and I decided they'd had enough. Should be hot this week and hopefully it will heat up enough for me to get in.