2009 Redux

The third big event of 2009 occurred in the area of health. This was the year that I discovered that I have spinal osteoporosis. I felt devastated for quite a while after the diagnosis, like roll me into that nursing home. But, unlike my grandmother who up and quit when she broke her hip, I wanted to do what I could to get better.

I hit the gym. Weight bearing exercises are good for the bones, so I went three to four times a week. Then, once spring arrived, I walked in the morning and worked out after Andrew went to bed. I started to feel great and the weight fell off. From January to August, I dropped 30 pounds. That might be my proudest accomplishment.

I can't quite maintain that schedule now that I am back to work. I get to the gym twice a week and I try to exercise a little at home. I still have to worry about my back, especially now that winter is here; I can't risk falling on the ice. It's still a drag to have this old ladies' condition. Now, if I can just hold off the need for bifocals, I can maintain the illusion of youth.

2009's greatest hits con't

Aside from my leave, the single biggest event in my life was Andrew's diagnosis of autism. From time to time, I still feel overwhelmed at the whole prospect of have a special needs child - even one who is categorized as mildly autistic.

When we started on this journey, Andrew was really struggling in school. He played almost exclusively with the parapro aligned to him. He still played exclusively in parallel with his peers as opposed to with them. He had never spontaneously told me that he loved me.

So much has changed since June. He actively plays with the other boys at daycare. He shares and verbally interacts, albeit in a limited manner. School is still a bit of a struggle, at least socially. He is, however, in a large class - 34 little bodies. He often zones out and can't focus when there is too much activity happening around him.

He still struggles with eye contact. I'm quite certain that making eye contact will be a long term project for Andrew. He also continues to be obsessed with pinching my thighs and arms and .... That is a behavior that has to cease before he gets too big and someone clocks him one.

Verbally he has just soared. He will sometimes tell me he loves me, especially when he wants to to stay and "sleep" with him. We provide him with a concrete script for social situations and he seems to really appreciate it. If he has enough practice with these scripts, they become part of his routine and he is often able to use them without prompting from momma.

Naturally, I still worry about my baby. Many situations will simply be more complicated for him to maneuver on his own. It seems as though we will always have to practice before entering new situations and practice often. That's okay, though. We just keep plugging away and he gets a little better and little more independent everyday.

2009 - a year so fine?

Lately, the papers and other media are replete with stories reviewing 2009. Seeing as I desperately desire to break into the writing business, I thought that I should add my two cents on the subject. The biggest event for me in 2009 was my sabbatical.

Andrew started school in the fall of 2008 and took the whole 2008-2009 school year off. By the time January rolled around, I had realized that I was not meant to be a stay-at-home mom. I was deeply depressed and bored. Due to the loss of my salary, we had no money and I was constantly worried about the debt we had incurred over the previous three years. I did not express these concerns aloud and instead internalized it all.

Despite those negatives, I would have to say that taking a year off from my job was the best career decision I have ever made. I am not sure that I would be able to continue as a teacher if I had worked last year. I work in a high stress, high needs, low resource school district and I felt ready to snap by the time June 2008 rolled around. The place still makes me crazy, but, I feel that I have gained a better perspective on the insanity. It doesn't quite roll of my back like water from a duck, but at least the acid reflex has not returned.

As a mom, the year proved to me that I am a good mother. Previously, I had my doubts. Andrew was happy and healthy. He and I bonded in a manner that had not existed before I took this sojourn. There were, naturally, obstacles that emerged. I now feel far more confident to tackle the hard times than I had before.

Would I ever take another year off? Our contract allows one more leave. Depending on my circumstances, I might consider it. I would have a plan to beat back the depression and Andrew will of course be older. But, I sense that there are many changes on my horizon that will make this decision for me.

For C.D.W.

I was quite recently chided by a self-proclaimed "faithful reader" that I needed to provide some content here on the old blog. It's another Saturday night spent at home contemplating school work and drinking Bailey's, so I'm game.

Perhaps an up-date on the novel would be apropos this evening. I am into chapter six and I find that I need to do a fair bit of research to complete the chapter. I need to research cabins and wooded areas in the northern Lower Peninsula. I saw the season's first snow flakes, so I guess I will wait until spring for that bit of research.

I have been in contact with an editor who is willing to look over what I have written thus far and make suggestions. The editor also runs a self-publishing company, which is how I think I will publish the book once it is done. Two published writers have looked over some early chapters and have given me useful feedback. One thing that everyone seems to like is my use of dialogue and how it seems to jump off the page.

I will probably try to plunk out a few words tonight. Vacation will be a wonderful thing because I plan on writing everyday.

I will leave my readers with a serious question, not driven by any alcohol consumption. If two characters in the book are sexually involved, how explicit should the description be? Currently, I have included two scenes in the book that explicitly imply that sex is imminent, but I leave out the salacious details. Your thoughts would be most welcome.