I Can Adjust to Change. Really, I Can.

1. This must be an amazingly strong cold virus, because while I haven't become worse since last weekend, I am only somewhat better. I am grateful to have strong, over-the-counter cold medicines to keep me up and functioning during the day and sleeping at night (although my dreams are a lot more vivid and weirder than my usual weird dreams) but I'm so ready to be done with this bug. Ah, well; this is why I buy expensive tissues, because I've already used up one whole box worth. I am also thankful that no one else in the house seems to be sharing my germs. But the virus has really put a dent in my abilities to keep up with the flow hereabouts, and certainly curtailed my ability to make adjustments to my regular schedule. Or what was regular last year.

2. Wednesday night was Back to School Night for Alex's school and since Marshall doesn't often have the opportunity to be on site with Larchmont School staff, I usually send him as our family representative. And, since none of the other parents showed up, Marshall had a wonderfully long and informative session with Alex's teacher and case manager. Alex's prognosis for the year is wonderfully positive. Over the summer, he seems to have made the next developmental leap and so his conversation skills are improving weekly. He has started mainstreaming in a regular 2nd grade class first thing in the morning and then transitioning back to his self-contained class later in the day. We couldn't be happier. Many of you, my readers, have been praying for this little boy for more than 5 years since his diagnosis and not a one of them in vain. God is good.

3. Miranda is continuing to do well back with our preferred teacher in a larger class with more requirements to sit still and pay attention. So far, so good. Although both she and I are struggling with this school in the afternoon instead of the morning thing. It means I've been dragging her along with me everywhere I usually go in the mornings. On my MOPS mornings (usually, two Tuesdays a month), it should be fine because she will be in a class with her peers doing age-appropriate activities. But Wednesday mornings I have my beloved Bible study and she is in the nursery with mostly younger kids. I am waiting to see how this is going to work and hoping for the best.

4. All my activities are kicking back into high gear. Bible Study started this week, MOPS starts next week, Youth Group had its 6th/9th grade Kickoff last Sunday and starts back with everyone this Sunday night. The great thing about the specific study chosen for this fall by my Wednesday morning group is that it's light on homework, which is good because I've taken on new responsibilities for both MOPS (I'm a DGL, which just means I will be leading a table) and YG (more data collection, my own access to the database and developing a new process for birthday and welcome cards). I usually love keeping busy with my groups but it's been an effort to keep up this week while simultaneously fighting a cold. I plan to spend a lot of time next week in the afternoons working on cards for YG so I can have the process down before the drop dead date of October 1st, when my supply from the old process runs out and I have to make good on my promises for "new and improved."

5. I feel almost untethered not to have a current cross stitch project. I wander around in the evenings, reading books and watching Phillies baseball games. I was honestly, seriously disappointed to sit down last night and realize the game being played across the river was not being broadcast on network television. Anyone who knows me knows this is a very strange thing. I blame the rabid Phillies fans at church for infecting me. Hopefully, this week, I will be able to dig out Celestial Dragon and get her all set up again for regular stitching.

6. I have exhausted my supply of Patricia Briggs novels written in the urban fantasy world, including all her short stories but one (I'm on the waiting list for it at the library). I now have to wait for her to write something new. Whine, whine. I am still working through Jim Butcher's Harry Dresden books, though, so it's not the end of the world, yet. And the new Richard Castle novel will be out soon, anyway. :)

7. Our prayers have been answered and my parents have been approved by my father's employer to relocate to Southern New Jersey, to be close to us. My father's job already requires a great deal of travel, which will be easier to do from Philadelphia, rather than Madison, WI. And after last winter, they really didn't want to spend another snowy season in Wisconsin. They hope to move out later this fall, but there are a lot of details that need to come together before we can actually start doing all our grocery shopping together. Or go to church together. Or go to school together. Ah, the fun times are coming!

And here's Jen.