Another Jonesville Trip

My alarm went off this morning and I hit the snooze button as many times as I was allowed to before my fiancé woke me up with a big hazelnut coffee from Quality Dairy. I headed out to work early this morning so I could at least an hour and a half in before heading to Jonesville.

I realized I had a small chunk of time after I had left work and introduced my grandmother to the wonderful world of Biggby Coffee – in particular the Butter Bear. I indulged with a Chuckle Bear to accompany me on my hour long trip to Jonesville.

When I arrived to the Manor, I discovered that Dylan had only been in school for a few minutes before I arrived. He had spent half the night playing video games in his room and consequently had a “rough start” this morning. He seemed to be somewhat pale and not as hyper as he was yesterday.

We met with his family and individual therapists along with his teacher so we could complete his Individualized Educational Planning (IEP) Team Meeting. Dylan had been tested for his cognitive abilities and I was told that he is one of the best readers in the class. That’s an amazing accomplishment due to the fact that two short years ago, I held him back in first grade due to the fact that he was not able to read. While the school simply wanted to move him along, I stuck to my principles and said no. I’m ecstatic that he’s caught up and surpassed his peers. Another key note on this is the fact that he is only in third grade and is the youngest child within the Manor – so again a very huge compliment.

Plans are in the works for Dylan to receive an Occupational Evaluation in Battle Creek in the near future. The doctors are trying to be cautious and don’t want to attach the “Autism” or “Asperger’s” label to him. However, everyone is in agreement that there are definitive signs of a “sensory disorder.” Dylan had one done through the school a couple of years ago and I’m now going to need to have that sent to the Manor – another “to do” item to add to my ever growing list of things I must do.

I didn’t get back in time to return to work, but barely made it for Dale’s DBT play therapy session. His therapist, Diana Osborne, is absolutely amazing and has been able to make significant progress with him. Today, however, he was pretty uncooperative. We finally got him to open up and come to find out, he wasn’t too keen on sharing mommy time with his big brother. Strange thing is that yesterday the two of them were really brotherly and wanted to hang out with each other and got along fabulously. Not sure why the sudden change in him today.

Following Dale’s session, I met with my stress management group where we discussed the last Core Mindfulness Skill of “Effectiveness.” It was very stimulating and Reed Stewart did an excellent job of explaining that being effective simply means evaluating what results you are seeking and then pursuing them without making judgment calls, fighting against who is right/wrong and simply playing by the rules. Some of the skills that are presented seem to be so easy and common sense to use, however in the moment they can seem challenging – especially when dealing with a lot of stress. I feel more reassured with the fact that even Reed said he has trouble at times trying to be effective; if a professional is still struggling with this and he’s been doing it for years, it gives me a sense of validation that this might take some time to get accustomed to.

I finally arrived home around 7:00PM and hung out with my fiancé until he had to leave early to run an errand in Charlotte prior to going to work. I cracked open a can of Ravioli and ate it straight up from the can. For dessert, I ate a Little Debbie’s Chocolate Hearts snack pack. I had to catch up on my soap opera, The Young & The Restless before delving into my Access 2007 homework.

After I got stuck on a part of it, I checked Facebook to discover that my little brother William has a new song out. His stage name is Lokust239 and I’ve posted his latest music to my blog as well as his website for your enjoyment. Just a head’s up, it’s pretty graphic language.

I’m off to bed so I can start another fun filled day tomorrow morning.
Good Night,
Tiffenator

All Day On The Road

Today I was granted my first off-campus visit with my oldest son Dylan. I left my house around 9:15AM and headed out to pick up my grandmother. Prior to leaving my house, I didn’t realize the roads were icy, a fact that I quickly learned after pulling out on to Lansing Road. I took it easy and when I got into Potterville, I stopped at the Golden Arches for a Caramel Mocha for me and a Hot Chocolate for Dale. I got to my grandmother’s house and we headed towards Jonesville to pick up Dylan.

We arrived at 11:00AM and when I entered The Manor, Dylan saw me from behind a door through a window. He immediately starting jumping up and down and reminded me of a little puppy that was anxious to go home with his new owner. When he was allowed through the door he ran into my arms and was so excited. After signing him out and getting his medications for lunch and dinner, we were off towards Applebee’s in Coldwater.

We had a little bit of time to go shopping after we were done eating, so we headed over to the Wal-Mart. After I picked up a coat, since my silly self thought the jacket and down vest would suffice, we headed back out. My grandma, fiancé and I all kept the kids in the dark to our surprise we had in store. We were heading to Olivet to watch Victoria perform in her band concert with the other seventh graders.

The boys finally figured out what was going on as we pulled into the Olivet Middle/High School complex. Dylan was extremely excited to see his big sister play and seems really interested in learning how to play the trombone or percussion. Since I have a meeting tomorrow for an IEP on him, I think I will inquire on the possibility of incorporating some sort of music therapy into his treatment/school plan.

Following the concert, Victoria came over and was so excited to see both boys waiting for her along with her dad, my grandmother and me. She was really surprised since last she knew, Dylan wasn’t allowed off campus. She left with her mom, Mike headed home to get some sleep and my grandmother, the boys and I headed back south.

We stopped into Denny’s near the I-94 and I-69 interchanges for dinner. On our way back to the Manor, we realized we had a little bit of time left so we decided to go explore the neighboring town of Hillsdale. I was surprised to see such beautiful architecture there and I’m hoping to be able to return when the weather is warmer so I can spend some quality time admiring the historical buildings.

We dropped Dylan off nearly right at 6:30PM, which is the time I had guessed on for our return time. On our way home, we stopped in Quincy for some Dairy Queen and then to go shopping at the Dollar General. We ended up heading out and I dropped my grandmother and Dale off. He has school tomorrow and she keeps him pretty much during the school week so I can get my classes, work, appointments, etc. done throughout the week.

I’ve been home for a little over an hour now and finished up some homework for my online Access class and also sent an email out to my Professional Writing professor. Now, I’m unwinding and updating my blog and retiring for the night.

I will be getting up around 6:00AM to start yet another crazy day filled with a lot of travel… I’m sure I’ll post updates tomorrow as well.

Goodnight,
Tiffenator