Move #4 in 2 years, the mountains, becoming a man, and his first crush....
It has been 10 months since I have blogged about our journey, and in this case, no news is indeed good news. Abraham and I have made the decision to relocate our family to the beautiful mountains of Utah. This was our 4th move in 2 years, and I'm very grateful that the person in our home handling it the worst is actually...me.
Moving to Utah was purely a spiritual decision. 76% of the population here is LDS, and that was the only factor pulling us away from our home--and in my case--39 years of memories in WI. Even though we lost Aiden's amazing tutor Joy, and I knew we would have to start all over with disability and financial support for Aiden, it just felt right to leave.
Seeing Aiden and my other boys thrive here has brought me some joy. For the first time in church, Aiden sat up straight and listened intently without drawing during the sacrament. I could tell by his body language that Aiden was acutely aware that the girl sitting in front of him was important. It turns out that this young lady not only goes to church with us, but is in the same class and lives in the same complex we do. Aiden admits that he has a "crush" on Evie. The shocking part for me was when she pulled out her artwork. One of Aiden's greatest strengths is art! The 2 have taken to each other, and it is fun to watch. Aiden is growing up and becoming a man. I encouraged my husband to give "the man talk" to Aiden, as soon enough, his voice will change, and he will need more than deodorant.
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6th-grade work looks more like 3rd-grade work for Aiden, but that is ok. It seems from our IEP meeting that our new school is going to meet Aiden where he is at. Thank goodness. Although I would prefer not to homeschool again, I certainly would if I felt it would help Aiden.
I needed something to get me out of the house, so I took a job working at a local school as a personal aide for a child with autism. Honestly, I felt really prepared for this job until I realized that the 5-year old I work with has severe behavior concerns. This was not something I really endured or had to manage with Aiden. Yes, he ran away--which this kid does also--but Aiden never kicked, punched, spit at me, or hurt me intentionally. I'm learning patience and unconditional love. Although I understand the frustration this child must be going through as a new student with a unique perspective and poor social skills, no one wants to get punched or have spit in their face. I have empathy for the family, gratitude for our own journey, and more appreciation for Aiden.
We are supported here, and hopeful that it will be a great new chapter in our lives as a family!
