Sullivan Family Small Screen Debut

About a month ago, I got an email from the media relations people at the grant company that paid for Kaycie's aids. They asked if I would be willing to do an interview with Fox 5 News in Atlanta about Kaycie and the grant. I got the email late on a Sunday night, and they were out filming Tuesday morning. I always said I would never voluntarily be on the news, but I am all about helping someone else if I can. Sooo...I agreed, and the kids thought it was so cool.

I told the reporter about my hesitancy in being on the news...he responded with, "Well, it wasn't your fault and you have all your teeth!" He promised they would edit it well, and they did. They cut out my involuntary rant about the inadequacies of private health insurance that we have run into over and over again.

http://www.fox5atlanta.com/health/fox-medical-team/139518266-story

Life Goes On

So, I have been absent from my little corner of the Internet for almost a year now, even though I have wanted to blog on numerous occasions. Life has just been busy, and when I do have free moments, I am most likely folding laundry! So tonight, I write. More for me than for anyone, but if anyone really wants to read what is sure to be a novel, here it is. Over the past few weeks, I have really felt like we are beginning to enter a new phase in our family. Baby days are ending, homeschooling is starting, and some days I even feel like I can catch my breath and really reflect on where we started, where we have been, and all the amazing adventures ahead. We are ready to take on all of the changes coming our way!

To start, LJ finished his second and final year of preschool a few weeks ago. It finally hit me that he is now solely in my hands. We have our curriculum for pre-k and we will be officially starting "Mommy school" as he calls it in the fall. I won't lie, as excited as I am, I am nervous. I spent many years in a classroom, but none of those years involved teaching a child to read! I will say though, that we have already been working on it, and he is doing awesome. He even sent my mom an email today without me even knowing (!). While most words were misspelled and he has no concept of the spacebar, I could actually read most of it!

LJ continues to be an amazing little blessing to our lives. He has his moments, but he is still just about the most loving thoughtful little 4.5 year old you could even meet. He is constantly nurturing his brother and sister, and he tells them just about every 8 minutes that he loves them and they are his best friend. He even told me he wants to marry Kaycie...we have time to sort all that out!

He LOVES to learn. He loves space and the human body, and maps. He keeps asking if we can do school lessons. He wants math. His current favorite thing is Google Earth. He could spend hours looking at the earth, at the countries, and asking about everything. It makes me so excited to really dig in to some things with him.

Eli is a lot like LJ was at his age...he is a cuddler and freely gives out hugs and kisses. He is genuinely hurt when you tell him no. He has learned the best way to a puppy's heart is to share his dinner. He even set a placemat for Bosco the other day. Oh, yes he did. It is hard to believe he is 1.5 already. Really. He has always wanted nothing more than to be able to do what the other 2 do, and I think he is finally big enough that he thinks he can keep up. He has been affectionately nicknamed "baby giant" by the kids because he seems to have a knack for destroyong their towers and toys as he wobbles along, like Godzilla. There are times where I am sad that our last baby is growing out of the "baby." Every time he grows out of clothes, and I take the next size up out of the attic, I have a walk down memory lane. It feels like LJ was JUST wearing the same clothes! That said, I am so incredibly excited about the kids being old enough where we can leave the house on a whim without having to worry as much about all the "things" a baby requires. We have some awesome adventures awaiting us!

Kaycie...Kaycie, Kaycie. She is just about the most complex little human I know, but I think after almost 3 years, we are finally on the right track to figuring out all things Kaycie. She has this quick wit. She makes us laugh, probably even when we shouldn't. She is very smart. She is developing a very affectionate side that took awhile to really start coming through. She has a temper and she is stubborn. I look at both as a positive for her if we can steer it in the right direction.

Kaycie has a lot of changes coming up in August that we are still waiting on, praying about, and trusting that God will direct our path. When she turns 3, her Early Intervention services will end. Our deaf mentor, who has become someone that I really count on(She comes to our house, so she sees us in the good times and bad. She has seen my tears through the hard times, she has shared in our many joys. She was the first besides my parents to hold Eli when he was born, LJ asks to see her) will also be ending services so that she can move on to help the next family. Kaycie has had an evaluation to see if she qualifies for the special ed preschool through the county. In order to qualify for preschool, she has to meet the requirements in 2 areas. Right now she does qualify with behavior and speech articulation. We will meet for her eligibility meeting in August, and plan her first IEP pending any drastic changes before that time.

We have also just put Kaycie back into therapy. Occupational therapy this time. We have had a rough patch. Kaycie's behavior can get a little overwhelming. There have been alot of little random things that we have experienced that, as I have always said, made me think we are missing a piece to this puzzle still. I had tried all the "tricks" in the parenting guide books to no avail. Meltdowns were at an all time high. Her pediatrician wanted her evaluated for early onset ADHD, but I wasn't sure. Her neurologist was concerned about absence seizures because of some weird "blank" sessions. I had some discussions with my trusty team and it was brought up that we needed an OT evaluation to see if they could pinpoint something, anything.

We ended up with 2 OT evaluations from different companies, we are working with a behavior therapist in our home, and all came to the conclusion that she has a sensory processing disorder, which can greatly affect behavior. It wasn't even on my radar. I have learned alot about SPD recently, and it makes SO MUCH SENSE! Her vestibules not forming correctly are what caused her hearing loss. The vestibules also control certain aspects of sensory input and emotion regulation. There is a reason! And all of the punishment/rewards/praise/etc. in the world won't do any good if we aren't starting at the source! Now that I have a better understanding of what is happening, we have already made so much progress even in the past few weeks!

Her body literally NEEDS heavy joint compression...heavy lifting, movement, etc. in order to function. She is a sensory seeker, hence all of the dislocated elbows (6 so far), and stitches already. Sort of an always seeking and never finding thing...no fear of diving off the couch head first, no fear of jumping off an entirely too high playground platform. She does not get dizzy because of the vestibular issue so she seeks it out (if you want some crazy reading, it still boggles my mind as to how it is all related).  It has also come to light that she still has the hypotonia (low muscle tone) issues that she was in therapy for as a baby. Soo...our house is now complete with a trampoline for joint compression (it calms her...terrifies me because of that "lack of fear" thing), a wiggle seat for mealtimes, a weighted blanket for bedtimes, a chewing necklace, silly putty...she thrives off of carrying in the heavy grocery bags from the car. It is working. In just a few weeks, I have noticed major changes in her behavior, in her coping skills, in her general demeanor. She is 2...she still has tantrums, of course, but my gosh I am feeling like we are on the right track again. One of the things that used to break me to the core was Kaycie having a meltdown and at the same time crying, "Mommy, I'm so sorry!" It was her realizing her behavior and just not being able to control it. Honestly, I was just about sick of people giving me a smile and saying, "Welcome to those terrible 2s...just you wait until 3." No, no...this is not my first rodeo. I have always known there is something else...I just couldn't pinpoint it. So...please...don't ever tell me that.

And for more of the adventures that I mentioned in my first paragraph...we are going to the beach in a few weeks with my parents and my sister's family. We are all so ready for vacation. We went to the store today and probably bought way too many beach toys. So is life! Last year the trip was fun, but Eli was still 6 months old, so I was nursing all day, having to make sure supplies were packed, worrying about naps...this year is going to be a little more free. That is the immediate adventure.

The life altering adventure that I have been trying not to think to hard on, but that we could especially use a few prayers for, is a move. A big move. A year ago we decided that instead of investing massive amounts of money more (this house has been a money pit...but we have  done a whole lot, assuming this would be our forever home and we have been taking the time to turn it into out little palace) into our current humble abode, we were going to redirect our money into saving for a new, bigger house for our family. We have been planning on staying local, but right now Kaycie and LJ share a room, and it is not going well. They need their own rooms. We have a 1400 sq. ft. house, and honestly space for trampolines, quiet spaces, and space to play safely outside are not to be had here. We have been focused. We were casually looking at houses. Our plan was that we would have enough money saved by after this beach trip we have been planning for so long. We have been diligent. We have been excited. We have prayed for the right time, moment, house. If you know us, patience isn't our best virtue, so we were feeling strong.

And then...God is directing us to Texas. The program Matt has been working on at Lockheed is ending next year. He was asked if we would be willing to move to Fort Worth. We have discussed this happening over the last few years, but it was always hypothetical. There are many logical reasons and God reasons, that we have to go at this point.

Sooo....my heart hurts. I will be 35 next week, and I have never lived more than 30 minutes from my parents. I cannot fathom not seeing them every weekend. My sister is less than 2 hours away, and while we don't get to see them every weekend, we see them a lot more than we will in Texas. Hence, the reason, I am just trying to not think about it. There are so many positives to this...followed by the negatives. This is home. I remember when I was 13, and I was so resentful about moving here....

It is funny how God has prepares us. We made a decision a year ago and have been faithfully preparing. We just didn't know at the time what He was preparing us for.

Matt was told anytime within the next 12 months a few months ago, so right now, we are just maintaining our course and taking it as it comes.

We are a work in progress, and I pray every day that we can continue to do the best we can every day to provide our children with everything they need in order to help them find success. Some days, many days, I am exhausted. I am scared. I get tired. I get frustrated. I have faith. I find courage when I feel helpless. I know that my God has a plan. My God will continue to comfort, to heal, to guide, to strengthen. Our trials are minute compared to some of those I love. We have already faced so any trials. Painful moments. Heartache. Joy. Laughter. If the Sullivan clan knows anything, we know how to face trials and rely on the grace of God.