Blessed Beyond Belief: Toto, I don't think we're in Kansas anymore.....

Yesterday was a bit strange. As excited as I am about this new adventure, when it came down to it - I felt a bit 'out of sorts' when all the kids were going to school and I still don't know exactly what to do with Will.

His online class material is still getting the 'kinks' worked out of it. So it wasn't all available yesterday. He has his own email address that the teacher uses to communicate and he was able to respond to her first email yesterday morning. The kids also have a discussion forum that they are supposed to use.

He is still supposed to get developmental therapy through the agency that we've been with all summer. But I hadn't scheduled it yet because I wasn't sure what hours to use or when his school work would be done. It's all been a 'wait and see' type of deal while I figure out how this works. So yesterday I called the agency to figure out a new schedule for therapy. His tech that he's had all summer is only available in the morning - 9 till 2. Ideally I'd like afternoon hours, but in the interest of getting things rolling right away I took the morning hours.

One other big issue has been the transport service we've used all summer. To say they've been unreliable has been putting it nicely. So to get Will out to his therapy about 20 miles away we needed a new transport service. Luckily the agency recommended a new one and I had a chance to talk with them yesterday. What a difference! I wish we could have started with them to begin with, but I didn't have a clue about any of the transport services to begin with. Live and learn, right? They were nice enough to get him set up right away and this morning a nice, friendly looking driver showed up in a newer car and was very friendly with Will. Pretty much the opposite of what we were experiencing with the previous company. Ok, so transport service seems to be settled.

Last week I approached his old school about allowing him to come back there for 'specials'. This includes half hours classes - one each day of either PE, music, or library. They would have to set up a 'duel enrollment' for him. The principal was open to it, but wasn't sure if it would pass thru the higher ups. Still waiting to hear back. It would be ideal because the teachers and students are already familiar with him, he knows the classes and it would give him access to all these things in a short, do able amount of time. He can handle 30 minutes in the morning of large group instruction - especially since he already knows their routines. The specials are in the mornings which is also a good time for him.

**UPDATE** I just heard back from the school and they it was fine! Now I have to figure out what to do about therapy that is supposed to be at that same time.

After thinking about everything yesterday I came up with what seems like an ideal schedule:

get up in the morning, eat breakfast and get dressed

walk over to the school at 9:20 for a half hour specials class

come home and do some online school work

have a snack and get ready to go to therapy

get picked up in the early afternoon to go work with a therapist

they would do some community activities, group work, outside time, ACVCS computer lab time, ect.

he would come home late afternoon

So obviously this is not what is happening now. The tech we are with only has morning hours and the school hasn't gotten back to me yet on the specials class. Still trying not to stress and just going with the flow. I know it will all be worked out.

The hardest thing yesterday was the couple of times Will asked me when he would be going to school. Over the past few weeks I've tried to explain to him the new situation the best I could with limited info myself. I think he gets it, but it still seems like he thinks he'll be going to an actual school. While at the ACVCS meeting last week he was asking them if they had a cafeteria. It's just a computer lab. I almost felt like he was feeling left out of not going to school. When I explained things to him, he seemed ok with it. I think it's just about adjusting to this new plan. It's all so very different for him as well. I believe it will be the best thing for him in the long run.

So, for today - he's left this morning with his backpack stuffed with his laptop and lunch. He'll work with his tech and be back around 2:30. I'll contact the school again about the specials classes and maybe make a phone call to the ACVCS special ed teacher and talk with them more about ideas for his days. I'm also going to call the agency to talk with them about what his tech will be doing with him. The summer program is over and now I'm wondering exactly what the tech's time with Will is supposed to look like.

This afternoon is also Autumn's first volleyball game, so Tim, Will and I will be going to that after Will gets home. Then it's home for dinner.

Here he is this morning. All packed up and ready to go. We got him this new laptop backpack that has a special place to hold the computer. This thing is heavy with his laptop, lunch, water bottle, ipod, gameboy, and misc other items he feels he needs!

Driving away with the new transport service. Normally they would have a bigger van with tv's and all, but today it was this smaller car. The driver was really nice and I felt ok about them driving away. Which is a stark contrast to the first time he was picked up by the other service - I came inside, had a panic attack and cried. Oy.