Update and new programs.

I am so proud of all the kids! They are all doing so well!

MJ received Student of the Month for November (the 2nd time since last year) and is getting mostly "happy" faces at school with an occasional "straight" face, meaning the days are going really well or just ok and she has NOT gotten any "frowny" faces meaning a bad day at all! A far cry from last year where she was in the assistant principals office every day for 2 weeks before Christmas break. Since that time last year, MJ's whole school staff received autism training twice, her teachers received one on one training from autism specialists and MJ herself, worked really hard! The teacher and I are a team and she knows it too! I am such a proud mama! MJ is receiving occupational therapy both in school and private, speech therapy, music therapy and just now started receiving ABA therapy for 27 hours/week. She also is taking gymnastics. She LOVES therapy and I'm so thankful for the resources in South Carolina to help all the kids grow and become all they can be! This past January MJ also had horse therapy which she enjoyed for that time!

Lydia, since last year has gotten happy faces every single day! And she also received the bus rider award twice too, one last year and one this year! She is getting more independent and is almost completely potty trained, which we are working on. However, along with independence she has gotten more bold about running off from me or others she is with. She ran away, while I was getting Nathan out of the van and into our house on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving and was missing for almost 2 hours.I called 911 for help and friends and neighbors helped to look for her. Our friends who live down the street from us found her streets away. She had lost her shoes and was cold and wet. Other than a few scratches, she was ok. I still don't know the full story on our friends found her. Since then, she's been wearing her harness backpack constantly and sometimes I put it on backwards so she won't get out of it. One of the policemen told me about a tracking anklet we can get and I asked for 2 of them, one for Lydia and one for MJ too. I am just thankful that God protected her and found her for us! Lydia is receiving occupational therapy both in school and private, speech therapy, music therapy and just now started receiving ABA therapy for 30 hours/week. She also is taking gymnastics. Lydia loves all the therapy too but especially loves GYMNASTICS!

Nathan gets a sticker every day from preschool and when he gets off the bus the sticker is usually on his forehead, silly boy! He's doing really well and progressing too! He was diagnosed with mild cerebral palsy and muscle weakness earlier this month by our neurologist. Nathan is getting more and more independent also and is working really hard! He is receiving occupational therapy, speech therapy (both in school and private), physical therapy (private), early intervention services and music therapy. Nathan LOVES everything he is involved in and can't wait until he turns 5 so he can take gymnastics with his sisters.

I have also discovered some AWESOME programs that I am praying the children will be able to be involved in when the time is right. Prayers for this also is greatly appreciated!

The first one is a grant program for private schools with special needs programs. Here's a link to the webpage, if you'd like to check it out. http://www.independented.org/ I've been checking out Hope Christian Academy for years now and hoping that MJ can go starting in 6th grade for middle school and also for Lydia and Nathan to attend also when the time is right.

And the next program is for all the children to attend college at Clemson University in Clemson, SC. The program is called ClemsonLIFE and is specifically for students with special needs. Yes, this is years to come but it's never too early to be thinking about college! Here's the link, if you'd like to check this out too. http://www.clemson.edu/hehd/departments/culife/

Scotty's family are HUGE Clemson fans and many family members have graduated from Clemson. Would love to continue the legacy!

Thank you for all your support and prayers!

P.S. would someone pass this along to Scotty? Thanks!