What a day

I knew my Wednesday was going to be busier than normal but I had know idea how exciting & emotionally drained I'd be by the end of the day. My morning started earlier than normal as I needed to get kid related stuff done so my dad could get the kids on the bus as I headed for a meeting with the district superintendent at 8:30. Months ago, we Autism class moms started discussing iPads and how great they would in the classroom and decided we needed to make that happen. It started with a phone call to the wonderful Pat Ryan , special ed coordinator, then a letter to the superintendent. We came up with a way to personally raise enough funds for 5 iPads to donate to the school mainly because we assumed financial issues would keep this dream if ours from coming true. From that letter came a meeting and our expectations were exceeded. Not only does Superintendent Morrow support our idea, he has formed a committee to work out all the details and wants my friend Nicole and I to be a part of it. Yay. He also does not want our money for the iPads but might need our help in the near future on fundraising for covers, apps etc. double yay. After working all of that out, Nicole and I are overjoyed when the timeline is given to us. Committee/focus group is formed now, present to school board in May, plan to purchase iPads and train over summer, iPads ready for use in CSI (Comprehensive Skill Integration) classroom in Fall. Yay yay yay. This is the best New Years gift we could have gotten for our kids.


 After leaving the administration building, I head home to grab Grace and shoot to my MOPS leaders meeting I am already late for. I walk in just in time to eat some yummy food and catch some insight on hospitality.   Next, it's my turn to talk about my role in Craft leadership. All went very well last semester and look! we have been gifted money by a mentor mom who passed recently. My craft budget has just soared. God Bless Ina. Even in death she is supporting moms who need an outlet, who need MOPS. The timer buzzes that my time is up just as I announce I am not returning to MOPS in the fall. Thought I could hold it in but the waterworks turned on. You see, I started attending MOPS in Sep 2004. Since then I have made more friends than I can count.  They have seen me through 3 pregnancies, a miscarriage,  Mitchell's regression & diagnosis.  I have served on leaderships roles in hospitality, discussion group and craft and I have formed a family with woman I never would have met otherwise. All because my friend Becky saw that I could use some encouragement and God's presence in my journey as a new mom. Thank you Becky! I am going to volunteer as a sub for childcare but cannot commit right now to full time.  I need that 6 hrs a month back for myself.  Silly it seems when I say it aloud, 6 hrs a month, really?  There was a time I needed MOPS and now my house needs me. Mainly to clean organize but non the less, it needs me.  

We wrapped up our meeting a little after noon and Grace & I headed to the Dr office. I had a call on Monday that Dr Irizarry had indeed signed my application for Mitchell's permanent handicap placard. That's right folks. We Ivey's will be living it up with Rock Star parking from here on out. Autism has a few perks and handicap parking is one. Now if my Dr would have written a diagnosis where she should have I wouldn't have to go back on Friday but with the day I'm having, I'll let it slide.

Now back to Lockport to pick up Mitchell at 1:30 for 2:00 therapy. I stop at home to fill up Grace's juice and see Mitchell's teacher has called. Hmm, never a good feeling when I see the school on the caller ID. Turns out Mitchell decided to start using a fork Tuesday at school. He hasn't used silverware in over 3 yrs.  It took 45 min, alot less than anticipated, but he carried his plastic fork to lunch too. Thus day just gets better & better. Dropping him off at therapy I call my mom and leave a message asking if they want to eat over or take their dinner to go. I started paying my dad in food for watching my kids Wednesday afternoons. He is retired and all now, so we need to fill his days. Ha ha. I rush home to start making stuffed peppers when my mom calls back to say they made other plans. Drat. I could have stayed in Burr Ridge until 4, guess I'll attempt to clean the family room before I leave again at 3:30.

Finally back home again at 4:30 with Mitchell and ready to start dinner. Love it when I make something more than 2 people will eat. Steve rushes in at 6:15, we scarf down dinner and now it's time to head to Island Hop'n for a little Special Needs Inflatable fun night. Whoo hoo! Everyone had a blast. It was especially nice of the woman who had been sitting with her boob out the whole time nursing her child to tell me I might want to "keep a closer eye on him, he was trying to push my daughter down the slide". Um, yah. You know what I said on the inside. I also got to introduce Steve to Angela whom I my met a my new Autism Family Support Group at Easter Seals I started attending this past Monday and how I found out about jumping fun night. Back home my 8:20 and got everyone asleep by 9:30.

So that's it guys, my not so average day. A little more emotionally taxing than most but just the right amount of chaos.