GOOD news for a change!!!!

**this is copied/pasted from an email i sent out a few days ago. I'm so sorry it took a while to update my blog with this awesome news!!**

Things are going well!

Abbi has been doing WONDERFUL in her occupational therapy sessions. Today (Tuesday) was her second session with thistherapists office. She did everything they asked her to do and then some today. They were so surprised and proud of her. I was too, andI can't wait to see what next week's session will bring! She wentdown a 4 foot slide today, which is a big deal for her with her sensory problems. She has been learning to pull up her pants and help dress herself that way, and also learning to wash her hands, both important life skills! She also stacked 5 blocks in OT today, and even did a large animal puzzle with a little help (but mostly on her own!!). I'm so proud of her! This means she is developing, and at a good rate! Whatever caused this change (i tend to believe its a direct answer to prayer!!), I am just thrilled to see it, and can't wait to see what she'll do next!

She loves the swing they have set up inside the therapists office, and we're going to try to do something like that for her birthday, and get her room all set up (we need to "simplify" her visual space so we're going to get her a BUNCH of organizational white cardboard drawers (10sets of 3 drawers), and divide up her toys and activities into each drawer for each day of the month. We're going to put in a swing in her room, and repaint some of the items in her room to make them bolder solid colors that she can see more easily).

Unfortunately last week we were told that she was losing too much weight (she's lost almost 10 lbs total, 5 of which has been in the past month), because she's had such a loss in her appetite over the past couple months. So the pediatrician is putting her on pediasure to help her gain some weight back. We need to get her liver and pancreas checked out too, to make sure that itisn't as a result of damage to her organs from her medicines. The good news is that in the past 3 days she seems to have gotten some appetite back and has been eating wonderfully!! What another wonderful answer to prayer!! :)

We also have some other REALLY good news to share! Kevin found outthat the exceptional family member program decided that Abbi and I can't travel to Alaska because they dont have all the resources there for Abbi that they would need. What's the good news you ask? That means Kevin doesn't have to go to Alaska (which means he wont be going to Iraq with that unit, OR to jump school!). This is such an unexpected happy turnaround!!! I know we are ALL excited about this,and again, its just another direct answer to prayer. WE didn't expect this at all!! :)

I am doing fine also, and the baby is kicking a lot! In just over 3months we'll have another beautiful little child in this family. Ican't wait! :)

Everything else is going well so far, except for a little flu bug that caught me and abbi last week. We're doing much better now, thank goodness. I can't tell you all enough how good it is to send some of this happy news. I know its been a long time coming!