Goals 2.0

Being an Arizonan for the past 6 1/2 years now, I have grown accustomed to the constant, mood lifting sunshine that only the desert can provide.  If you have read my profile you know 2 things about me (among others). 1- I struggle to be positive, and 2- I promise to be real.  So here in Arizona we are on rainy day #3 and I am going to be real and tell you that the lack of sunshine has me in a gloomy funk.  So, my goal for the day, is to get myself out of this fog, get myself into a better mood, and accomplish some things today.  But the world isn't making it easy for me...
Do you remember the scene in the movie "Men In Black" where Will Smith enters the secret Men in Black headquarters for the first time?  He discovers this cosmic-ultra-bouncy-ball that bounces all over the building reeking havoc and destroying everything in its path when Will Smith touches it.  Do you remember this?  I am convinced that this cosmic-ultra-bouncy-ball was lodged inside my son's body today, causing him to thrash about the house uncontrollably in a way the made me believe that this was Olympic event that I hadn't trained for.  And of course extra time to deal with this cosmic-ultra-bouncy-ball was in short supply because the lack of Arizona sun made it difficult for poor old mom to get out of bed (staying up to watch Conan, had nothing do with, nothing at all).  I will have better day.  Coffee will be involved.

So, as I promised I will fill you in on our meeting with Karis' government people.  The government provides all of Karis' services (for now, as of next month we have to pay for part of it, we just don't know how much that will be, darn AZ budget deficit.)  So, they want us to set goals, and every 6 months evaluate her progress, set new goals, and change the course of her therapies if need be.  Understandably so, I don't want to waste precious days, anymore than they want to waste precious money.  Here's the run down of the meeting...
Some of her previous goals were:
To walk by the age of 18 months -goal met
To improve eating with a spoon (being fed with a spoon)-so that we no longer have to push her tongue down, and the food stays in - goal met
To learn new words- goal ongoing, she only learned one new word in the last 6 months *sigh*
To use her signs "more" and "milk" consistantly- goal met

Here are some of her new goals.

To master feeding herself with a spoon, and introduce, and master using a fork.
To learn new words, and new signs, and use them consistently.
To understand and obey simple commands, like "go get your milk."
To nod her head yes, and shake her head no.
To run.
(The last 2 are actually just our goals, they didn't make it into the report.)

Of course there are many more things that Karis will accomplish in the next 6 months, but these are the goals that relate to her current services.  And, I say that these are some because, honestly, I can't remember everything we discussed at the meeting, and I don't have a written report yet.  These are the goals that are most important to me.

So, internet land, what goals do you have for your kids, special needs or not.  I know for Keaton, I would like for him to pray on his own more, (without just repeating after us).  We are also working on getting  him to color neatly, and to take his time and do his work well, at home and at school.

Do share internet land....I'm off to make a pot of coffee.

Karis, 21 months

4th and goal.

My wonderful husband asks very little of me, especially when it comes to who controls the TV.  So when Nascar season rolls around, I suffer through the round and round motion of the TV every Sunday afternoon (and sometimes Saturdays too) and wait patiently for the off season.  Well this year the oh so-beloved off season was filled with his newest television pastime, football.  BORING!  Now I know that many of you will disagree with "boring" as an adjective for football, but that's probably because you have a long-loved team to root for.  I have no such adored team.  So, I'm bored, and the games are almost as long as a Nascar race.

I am not without a basic knowledge of football.  I actually played some football every year in college when our dorm floor would challenge the floor below us to a face-off.  We won every time (YAY D-2 girls!)  Therefore, I understand the game, basically.  If you don't get the gist of football, let me enlighten you.  The offensive team (the team with the ball) has four chances (four plays, or "downs") to get the ball 10 yards closer to the end zone (the goal) to make a touchdown (points).  If the team makes it 10 yards closer, they get more chances.  If they don't, the other team gets the ball.  So, if the announcer says it's "first and 10," that means that this is the team's first chance, with 10 yards to go.  If they say something like "fourth and goal," that means that they are right there at the edge of the endzone, and the only thing standing between them, and making the touchdown, is a line of 300 pound determined men (Or in my case, 120 pound girls.  I have never been a 120 pound girl, which is why I was so good at this game, I had a clear advantage.  That's the only time my weight has ever been called "an advantage").  Where was I, oh yes 300 pound men.  So there the team is so close to the end zone that they can smell the painted grass bearing their team's logo.  They just have to find a way to get past these huge monsters who are doing everything in their power, in one last effort, to keep them from their goal.  Oh, and there's one more thing.  This is their LAST chance.   

Can you hear their hearts beating through the TV as they crowd roars for, or against them?  Can you feel the adrenaline?

Goals- groan, ugh, oi vey.  Why all the groaning?  Well, most of us have goals, and they aren't usually something involving more time in front of the TV, or extra helpings of pie.  No, goals take hard work and determination.  And, we rarely have the crowd of thousands cheering us on?  And our adrenaline?  Well, it wains, quickly.

I have goals on my mind today because I have a meeting this afternoon with some government people to discuss Karis' developmental goals.  We will set new goals for her to achieve over the next 6 months, and *sigh* go over the goals from the previous 6 months to see which ones were met, and which were not.  Stay tuned for updates on that. 

What about your goals?  Do you have some New Year's resolutions that you are striving to conquer?  What about some long term goals that span a number of years?  Maybe you have some goals of things you need to get done today.

Last year I read through the Bible in a year.  A warm feeling of accomplishment filled me when I met that goal, but another realization quickly dampened my joy.  The amount of daily reading it required, really cut into my prayer life.  So, this year, I aspire to read smaller amounts of scripture and let what I read really sink in.  I also am determined to have a longer, more meaningful prayer life that includes more than just the "please bless.... please provide...., please heal..... I love you, amen."  (Flog me not, I know I'm not the only one!)  You see, we never really know when our last chance is.  We can not guarantee that we will be on this earth another 5 minutes.   Therefore, seeking God needs be granted all the heart pounding adrenaline of "it's 4th and goal." 
My hope for this year is to advance at least 10 yards closer the heart of God.  And I hope for about 50- 60 more chances.

"I could write a blog, I have thoughts"

"Keaton, you asked for that taco, and you're going to eat that taco if you have to sit there all day."  I said this to my son just a few minutes ago.  He asked for a taco, I made the taco, he loves tacos, he's gonna eat that darn taco! Right?!  This scene has played out in your kitchen I am sure.  Well, my "taco" has been on my plate for quite a while now, and by taco, I mean blog.

"I could write a blog, I have thoughts."  A quote from the movie Julie and Julia.  I admit to you that I created this blog page about 3 months ago, but until now it has been blank.  But if Julie can do it, so can I. (I think...It's only a movie after all, I shouldn't derive life altering truths from it, but it WAS based on a true story.)    Dampening my new found courage, another movie quote floats into my mind.  "Look at me, I'm a flower with nothing.interesting.to.say."  That's the walking stick talking, from A Bug's Life (NOT a true story).  Who's right, the walking stick, or Julie?  Time will tell. 

So tell me, internet land, What have you been aspiring to do, that you are putting off?  Please share.

There, the first bite of my taco.....