Happy

Well it seems I’ve gone from one end of the spectrum to the other.  Lately, I’ve just been happy.  I’m apparently the definition of am emotional rollercoaster this month.  The source of my new found happiness is my beautiful boy.

It seems to me that Jackson is making some noticeable progress.  The kid is just different lately.  One area he is progressing is in his standing.  The Guild School loaned us a stander while we wait for our insurance company to decide whether or not they will buy one for us.  It’s Molina so I’m not holding my breath.  Every night after dinner I have been putting Jackson in the stander.  When we first started he lasted maybe a ½ hour.  This past weekend he was in it over an hour one night and never once fussed.  His legs are getting stronger and he is standing for longer.  Yeah! 

Balance is something we are working on in occupational therapy along with giving Jackson the vestibular movement he craves.  Movement is what we are working on in physical therapy.  Jackson’s PT has him standing independently so that he can start to make the connection that he has a body separate from others and that he can move on his own.  When he is standing on his own the PT puts toys in front of him that are just a little bit out of reach.  This forces Jackson to move forward to reach them which will teach him that he is capable of making forward movements.  The PT is also tying Jackson’s feet to his and walking with him.  For some reason, all of these things are working with Jackson right now.  He is making connections and it’s so amazing to see.

To top it off, I got news last week that a riding slot finally opened up for Jackson at a local therapeutic horseback riding organization.  Next week Jackson will start riding horses!  Hippotherapy, as it is known, is very good for building balance skills and walking skills.  I don’t think I’ve ever been so excited about a therapy for Jackson.

One unhappy bit of news has entered my life.  Our little foster daughter Vivionna will be leaving us March 1^st.  Despite the fact that in the last couple of weeks she has been a “terrible two” (oh my lord!), I am going to miss her very much.  I’ve learned a lot from her about being a parent and especially about being a foster parent.  One disheartening thing I’ve learned is that our foster care system is severely broken.  The priority is not to do what is best for a child, but to do what looks best on paper and that which allows those who are making ridiculous/uneducated decisions to look good.  We still plan to be foster parents in the future, after a short break to focus on Jackson.  From now on though, I will enter into it cautiously.  I hope Vivionna will be a resilient child and rise above, only time will tell.

For now “…the true secret of happiness lies in the taking a genuine interest in all the details of daily life…” (William Morris).