It’s been an odd week.
Stumbling into Monday morning, I attempted to prop myself up with what turned out to be the highly volatile combination of yerba mate and Grooveshark. As a result, I spent much of the next two days ecstatic over the recent recordings of Glen Campbell.
Heath, who, for those of you playing along at home, has now been diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome (begging the question, does one family really need to be this special? Can we not spread it around a bit?), has been charming the pants off the various and sundry psychologists, counselors, and therapists who’ve been mentally poking and prodding him over the last several weeks. Which is saying something for a school-hating six-year-old famous for both the volume and frequency of his meltdowns, and who, when asked by his teacher to write down his homework, recently told her to “stir it with her nose.”
But with his diagnosis has come an unexpected outpouring of support, especially from his school. And as with Hallie’s birth, I am reminded that we are not alone, and that any walls between myself and the larger community are largely self-built.
And speaking of Hallie, she took her first steps! Two wobbly lunging steps from her therapist’s arms to mine, grinning from ear to ear the whole time. A year and a half after most children walk, and a good six months after those with Down syndrome, she is, as always, happily doing things in her own time, and redefining “normal” for us all. I believe she see’s this as her job.
As for Amy, we don’t see much of each other these days. Any time we have is filtered through the needs of these two raucous beings who have hijacked our lives. But she is good at Christmas, and preparations are afoot. Hopefully, sometime soon, we’ll find some time alone. That would be the best present of all.
So deck the hall’s, roast some chestnuts, jingle your bells, and hark those herald angels.
And if you get a chance, check out the most recent Glen Campbell album. It is awesome!
Playing in the City with Trains 
so… would giving you Creslyn Coupons be a good present? I wonder when the next gift giving occasion is…