Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Composure

Still holding my composure here even with the really tough post that J did today. It seems she's just hitting her stride. I don't know where she'll end up with this journey but today it's not necessary to know the outcome and just enjoy the scenery.

Yesterday she had a day without a single RAD behavior! She told the AT today that it wasn't even hard for her. Hmmm.... Jo made a really insightful comment yesterday and I still don't know the answer but I think it's a sum of all the parts. Things are just clicking into place for her.
She's planning a tough post tomorrow about SW's. I dread it but she is adamant that she has things she needs to say. Kristina, I'm sorry in advance. Although when she was telling me what she was planning to say she said, "but mama there's a really nice SW reading my blog. It's not about her." So Kristina she remembered you so you're safe. Whew!

Faerie Mama and Reiki Chris have both told me that she is going to move mountains and while I believed them, I really didn't think she was going to start at 8. I was thinking more like 18.

The AT & I were talking about the tapping videos and she said that this book is a really good place to start if you want to learn more. When I looked that book up I found this book on tapping for kids that looks really cool.

The AT was really impressed with J's progress too. I removed the Abilify last night. I'm going to give it a try anyway for a few days and see how she maintains. She may have to go back on it to reduce stress but we'll give it a shot.

The karate chop technique is another thing that we use and completely forgot to include it in our arsenal list. This is used like the rubbing technique to switch up energy so use it when you spot dysregulation coming on. Take both your hands and flip them over palms up then karate chop your hands together (pinky fingers and side of hands in short karate chop strokes) 15 times, then tap under the chin 15 times, then karate chop hands together again 15 times. No words necessary. Just chop 15, tap 15, chop 15. Simple and easy.

J is enamored with typing now even though she has to hunt and peck. Today she tried convincing me to let her do her journal on the computer. I think she still needs handwriting practice but we made a deal. If she does one night of neat writing in her handwritten journal she can do the next night on the computer. We'll see what happens. She is in love with bold and italicized words on the computer now. I wouldn't let her change her fonts today but told her that she could tomorrow. Geeesh. I can't keep up.

It is magic for her when she hits Publish Post. She hurriedly clicks over to her blog to see it all pretty in pink with her music playing. Then she has to dance around the room. She is blossoming right in front of my eyes. I just thought I had composure. *tear*

We arrived home late so no video tonight. Hopefully we'll do one tomorrow.

P.S. I am now actively looking to adopt again. Not in Georgia of course....

17 comments:

Kristina P. said...

There ARE bad social workers out there who give us all a bad name. So I know she's not talking about me. It just makes me angry knowing there are people in this field who could care less.

Tracey said...

So how do you just casually put that P.S. in there?? Congratulations! I can't believe you're really going to do it! Of course you totally need to since you're meant for this but still. This is so exciting!

Sheri said...

Does J have a webkinz? If not, I would LOVE to send her one with your permission of course. It haf a couple really good games that help with typing skills and maybe it would be good for her to nurture and take care of something. Email me if you're interested

Kelly said...

Are you serious? I am so excited. You are truly amazing and have an amazing daughter. I don't even know her and I am so proud of her. I can't even imagine how proud you must be! :)

There are great typing lessons on line that teach you how to type. She would probably love that as part of her schooling! My kids have done them and learned alot.

Torina said...

I am VERY much looking forward to J's social worker post! My daughter HATES social workers, too. Fortunately, her disability worker is awesome so she is learning that they are not all bad.
Also, check out: http://www10.co.hennepin.mn.us/csp/Adoptions/refinesearch.csp. Hennepin County is the largest metro county in MN and places well over half of the waiting children. They have a unit dedicated to permanency...but are still difficult to deal with. I know social workers who work in MN in child welfare and won't adopt from our state. One worker I know says Texas was great to work with when she adopted her boys. Another person liked working with New Jersey.

Ashley said...

I absolutely agree with Tracey- How did you just SLIP that in there, Ms Lisa?!

J- J is incredible. I feel her energy in every post- She brings my heart to its knees.

Ashley

The Accidental Mommy said...

wow- again- amazing! So great!!!! I used to work for CPS in phoenix. Good social workers get buried and the job requirements at the time were not just impossible, it simply could NOT be done right. What it does to the kids- horrible and inexcusable. IMO.

Jillene said...

J is such an amazing girl! I LOVE that you are ready to adopt again!! I wish you the best of luck!!

Jo said...

I am just wide eyed and open hearted watching the journey of J and yourself. Amazing. Breathless. Wow.

jenniebee said...

It's so good to see J proclaiming her recovery. After reading the SW post, I would not ever want to be a bad SW who crossed J's path - she's a lioness!

I hope she keeps blogging, and blogging into her adult years. After going back through your archives and reading her blog, I'm just so impressed with you both, I'm looking forward to twenty years of following J, Champion of Kids Who Want to be Normal Little Kids!

Sugar-n-Spice said...

what a last sentence! oh, it never ceases to excite me. what a beautiful way to grow your family!

by the way, i am really interested in the tapping, i know i didn't email you, but the emails i had sent to you before were in response to your comments, i never put your address in my book, so i can't! ;)

Anne said...

Wow, just read J's latest post (on social workers). You've got quite a kid there. Are you sure she's only 8??! It brings tears to my eyes. You guys are awesome. And congrats on deciding to adopt again! How exciting! Can't wait to follow along.
Ok, you asked about how to cross out words on your blog. This will sound complicated, but it's really not. When you go to write your post, put it on Edit HTML, then write as usual. When you get to a word/s you want to cross out, before writing that word, do a bracket (that looks like a less than sign<)write strike then a bracket> then write the words you want to cross out. After the word/s, write a less then sign < write strike, do a slash / and a bracket >. When you post (or preview)the entry, it will come out with the word/s crossed out. Hope I explained it ok, let me know if you get stuck!

SUPPORT said...

You are awesome!

Mom of these kids said...

I just found your blog through Sugar and Spice. I am a new foster parent, and am just now learning about the journey with RAD. I tell ya, I have sad many times that foster parents need to be trained about what this is like so that we can help these kids! Your daughter is amazing, I am so proud to read her blog to see her insight.

You could adopt in Arkansas. I help with our county's Heart Gallery to help photograph the waiting children. Here, you can check out our website, and we hope to be updating it soon.

http://www.pcaconline.com

Annette Anthony said...

I really do think a lot of it is that she can talk to people she doesn't have to look at or face. I know I share a lot of personal stuff on my blog...remember my best mess contest. My really close friends had never seen those messes.
PS..Did you change your background?? I had a hard time finding where to click to make a comment because it was black. maybe blogger is being funky!

Jenna said...

I don't know how you feel about computer games... but there is a program called "typing tutor" that teaches kids how to type. It has a couple of different typing games, as well as regular typing drills. We loved to play it when we were kids! And now my students are stunned that I can type without looking at the keyboard or my fingers!

Anita said...

ADOPTING again!!