Family

This is not a joke.  I wanted to introduce Horn Martin, our family pet.  He travels every where with us and even has his own travel bag.  It is so cute and a bit sad how Darius interacts with him as if he is real.  We really need to invest in a real dog but Horn will do for now!  

I haven't put up pics of my mom this is what she enjoys doing in her spare time....

She is on the trails at least 2-3 times a week in Ohio....

maybe I will join her in the future.

The Day finally came

We weathered the storm!  The water in our pool got so high I was scared it may flood our house. The pool wasn't the only thing filled with water.  After all the talk about being excited to take the boys to school.  I cried so much as I drove Darius to school this morning.  We arrived there and I saw big kids and I started crying again!  I can't actually explain to you as a mother what it feels like to drop your baby off to "real" school.  

The winds were high and it rained all day long on Monday and Tuesday.

Darius is so excited he is finally in his uniform.

I think this picture is funny. Darius is smiling as hard as he can and Devyn looks identical to David.  It's scary!

Here. I really think Devyn believes he is going to the same place as Darius because when we got to Darius' school he cried and didn't want to get back in car!

This is Darius and a classmate.  He didn't want me to take pictures you can tell!  But mommy couldn't resist!  Sorry

Here comes Fay

I saved my next blog entry for first day pictures.  I knew the uniform that Darius has to wear would be great pics to post. Not to mention, him wearing his so fly, Gap, army fatigue, backpack, with the lunch bag to match...so cute!  So Sunday came, and I packed the boys school supplies up, clothes were ironed, and they were tucked in bed.  While watching the Olympics with one eye open and the other one closed.  I saw "Broward county schools cancelled Monday" floating across the screen.  Well great!  If it wasn't for the Olympics I would of missed that announcement! I really didn't know if I saw it correct anyway because I was so tired.  So I had to sit up and focus and I kept reading and it contiued to give emergency numbers for the schools. Then it said due to a tropical storm Fay.  Ok so what am I going to tell Darius when he wakes up???  Sometimes it can be hard cause he still has a language delay so you have to be creative.  Darius woke up asking could he go to school and all I could say was, "it is raining too hard son you have to stay at home. "  He said "ok" with a long face. I know he doesn't like it when it rains hard so that was easier than I thought!  He went to orientation and everything! I felt bad for him because he really likes to go to school and learn.  He is a really smart boy.   

So for now we are doing the wait and see if things get bad.  The Dolphins let David come home for a night but he has to be back on the block around 6 so I guess that helps.   

Count down yall

5 days and counting...

No pics to post this time.  I am busy preparing the boys for their first day of school!  I have 4 different orientations to attend this week 2 for each child! Why the heck do they have these?  I absolutely hate meetings!  That's another blog (I just had a vision of being in a track meeting in college) horrifying! Anyway Darius will be going to Kindergarten and Devyn will begin attending a wonderful program that Nova Southeastern University oversees on Monday.  I'm really excited probably more than they would be if they realized where they were going!  On the to do list, I have to buy school supplies.  Thats fun to me only that the list is becoming longer and longer. I have two long lists of things that they have to take with them on the first day. It is so funny how the list has changed over the years.  Some of the items they ask for now like ziploc bags, headphones, wipes with the refills, oh and photo copy paper???  I'm thinking paper is a given in a school.  I realize that times have changed dramatically but how much?  I'm not mad at them as long as they take them off my hands! I will buy a chair or a desk for a little freedom.  Sounds bad I guess but every mommy needs a break sometimes. 

Idol Time

While Dave lives in the hotel with his teammates.  He stops in periodically and this was a night in particular that he came home.  Darius decided to start taking pictures of us.  He actually did a great job!  Eventually I grew tired you will see!

While Dave is away it can become very lonely around the house. This weekend in particular I really tried to keep busy.  We usually hit the children museums or something indoors because the heat is brutal right now.

Darius loves doing crafts he is really serious about painting...

Darius being rubbed with sunscreen by our nanny 

Dev man catching waves

I got the opportunity to attend a concert and had a blast...

I wasn't suppose to take a picture, but couldn't resist, I guess that's why it didn't come out!  Anyway it was a group named Maze featuring Frankie Beverly.  I grew up with their music...my parents love them!

We ended the weekend with crafts again!

Autism

So I haven't addressed this issue quite yet on the blog.  I have the autism puzzle in the shape of a heart because it has affected the hearts of our family....

Well I'm not going to make this long, because child I could write a book! Darius, our oldest son was diagnosed with the condition in April of 2006.  So immediately we started a marathon of therapies: Tomatis therapy (listening therapy), Speech, Physical, ABA therapy, special diet, Chelation, supplements, and Hyperbaric Oxygen therapy.  Some of them are controversial but I feel like we tried things that were not detrimental to Darius' life and they all have helped.  His language was greatly affected and he is really talking a lot better which is very encouraging.  So now you know what takes up my time the off season;  I train and I take Darius to therapy. Currently we are doing hyperbaric treatments everyday for an hour.  Here is a picture of us getting in the hyperbaric tank, he calls it a spaceship and thinks it is fun.  

Note: I have this pillow case over my head because I have hair that I bought that can not be taken out!  The chamber is 100% oxygen so I might spark something!  LOL.