In The Last Month . . .

* We adopted a puppy.  His name is Archer.

Baby boxers have funny shaped heads.  His is already starting to look more normal.  I've forgotten what having a puppy means.  It's like having another child, only this time we can keep him in a kennel when we need a break.

* The girls went to their first slumber party.  I love how my friend planned it out.  They were tired the next day, but not excessively so.  They watched "Soul Surfer" and really liked it.

* Read the book "1001 Ideas for Teaching and Raising Your Child with Autism".  One thing that stood out to me was about respect.  Even though Bubba doesn't talk much, he does understand us.  It's important for me to remember that and not always talk about him like he's not there.  (Harder than you might think.)

* Had a harvest party with some friends.  Highlight of the night, in my opinion, was the dance contest.  All the kids and several adults participated.  We had two judges.  There really was no contest.  The winner was a four-year-old boy that could get down!  He was hilarious to watch.

* Started thinking about the next semester in co-op.  I will be teaching a dance class for grades 2-5.  Really looking forward to it!

* Preparing for the hubby to go to Dallas next week.  So thankful that my parents are going to take the girls part of the time so it will just be Bubba and I.  We have one morning that his aide will be here and I am going to CLEAN.  (I feel the word must be in all caps to show how serious I am.)  I may even skip meals or eat as I go to make the most of the time.  I'm more excited to get some deep-cleaning done than I would be if I won a trip to Europe.  (Well, maybe.)

* Calico has gotten into reading, big-time.  She'll be seven in a couple weeks and has been devouring chapter books.  It's kind of like a dream come true for me, because I adore reading and know that it has helped me to learn so much.  She's reminding me of myself when I was a little girl. 

If You Give A Mom A Muffin

If you give a mom a muffin, she'll want a cup of coffee to go with it.  She'll pour herself some.  Her three-year-old will spill the coffee.  She'll wipe it up.  Wiping the floor, she will find dirty socks.  She'll remember she has to do laundry.  When she puts the laundry in the washer, she'll trip over boots and bump into the freezer.  Bumping into the freezer will remind her that she has to plan supper.  She will get out a pound of hamburger.  She'll look for her cookbook.  (101 Things to Do With a Pound of Hamburger).  The cookbook is sitting under a pile of mail.  She will see the phone bill, which is due tomorrow.  She will look for her checkbook.  The checkbook is in her purse that is being dumped out by her two-year-old.  She'll smell something funny.  She'll change the two-year-old.  While she is changing the two-year-old the phone will ring.  Her five-year-old will answer and hang up.  She'll remember that she wants to phone a friend to come for coffee.  Thinking of coffee will remind her that she was going to have a cup.  She will pour herself some and chances are, if she has a cup of coffee, her kids will have eaten the muffin that went with it.

- Kathy Fictorie