October in July?

We've been quite busy here at the Schusted household. After the fourth of July, it was time to prepare for our annual Cooney Family Vacation up north. We rent a huge cabin at a lake near Grand Rapids. It takes a lot to plan meals for 13 people, do the shopping, wash clothes, pack for our family and prepare to be gone for a week. 

Connor and I left with everyone on Saturday the 11th. Pat stayed behind with Cole and they came up on Tuesday with my brother Sean. A week is just too long for Cole to be at the cabin. The first 2-1/2 days brought beautiful weather. We spent a lot of time outside; boating, swimming, playing yard games, etc. When Pat arrived on Tuesday afternoon, the weather had taken a bad turn. It rained that whole day and the high temp was in the low fifties. 

Cole was so excited to be at the cabin. Despite the cold weather, he was content being inside and checking things out. We had a shrimp boil that night and the kids thought it was cool to eat the food off newspaper on the table, using our hands. He went to bed quite well and loved being on the top bunk. 

On Wednesday morning, Cole woke up at 5am. He was so excited and had lots on his cabin agenda. The huge bummer was the weather. It wasn't raining, but it was still 50 degrees with 25+ MPH winds and clouds...YUCK. Cole doesn't understand that you can't swim when it's 50 outside. So after breakfast, Pat and I walked down to the beach with him, inflatable boat in tow. There were people literally walking around the grounds in parkas and here we are at the beach! We tried to redirect Cole and give him other things to do, but like I said, when he goes to the cabin there are certain things he must do. Crummy weather isn't going to stop him. 

This weather went on all week. It was so hard on Cole (and Pat & I). Cole didn't get to go on boat rides. He didn't get to tube or play outside much. It was so hard to keep him entertained and calm. Cole was mad, frustrated, bored and full of anxiety about what we were going to do. Last year the weather was a little more cooperative and I recall it being so easy to watch Cole. We all sat outside and watched the kids play. We went to the beach and on boat rides. This year it just wasn't possible. Instead, Pat and I had to constantly take turns being within 5 feet of Cole because he became so mad and aggressive. He slammed doors and even threw his scooter while at the play area with other kids. Thank God it didn't hit anyone. 

I felt really bad for Pat. I at least got two nice weather days; days filled with relaxation. He did not. Even the chartered fishing trip we got for all the guys as a gift was not a success. The weather that day was 51 degrees, rain and mist, with strong winds. They couldn't fish Lake Winnebigosh. The guys froze and only caught a handful of fish. It wasn't what we were expecting. 

We got creative doing things with Cole. We took him into town to see Craftsman tractors at the Sears store. Cole was so excited. He walked in and said, "Ta da... Merry Christmas!". We also went to the local YMCA and attended open swim (for the 1 hour it was open!). On our last night there, we found a fun pizza place that had lots of fun games for everyone to play. We really did make the best of it, but it was a huge challenge for Pat and I. We vowed that if the weather forecast is like this next year, we won't bring Cole up. It was too hard. 

We left the cabin a day early. We worked our way home on Friday afternoon and followed my parents and brothers. We stopped in Aitkin at the DQ. It became apparent that my dad was very sick. He was unusually winded the past few days of our vacation and more notably so while packing up to leave. By the time we got to Aitkin, he could barely walk from the truck into the DQ. We were all very concerned. It was decided to take him right to the Mercy hospital when we got into town. 

The doctors determined that my Dad had pneumonia. He was admitted to the hospital, given antibiotics and fluids. They talked to him about a nutrition plan and urged him to stop smoking. The doctors were very thorough, giving him a CAT scan, ultrasounds and many other tests. Luckily everything came back good except the pneumonia. Slowly Dad started to feel better. He also made the decision to stop smoking. We have all been hoping for this for years. My Dad has smoked since he was 15 years old, going on 50 years! It is obviously the years of smoking have taken their toll and it's time to stop. We are so thankful Dad came to this decision and we fully support his decision. Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers as he takes on this highly difficult task.

This week, we are so glad to be back in routine. Cole needs it. He functions so much better when curve balls aren't thrown at him. He needs MAC, swim lessons, time with his PCAs and time at home. 

We had a really rough weekend with him after we got home from the cabin. It was another three days of no plans and no PCAs. Even though we tried to do lots of fun things with him, we eventually our bag of tricks was empty. Cole reacted and it was one of those weekends when he broke the inside door of our truck, he resumed to being VERY physically aggressive with us and it was a "just get through this hour" type of weekend. We couldn't go to our nephews championship baseball game and we couldn't visit my dad when he got out of the hospital (we tried but Cole wouldn't stay). These weekends are incredibly hard, especially when you look around the neighborhood and see families walking their dogs, kids making up dance routines in the front yard and having play dates. There are so many things we can't do. On weekends like the one we just had, seeing those reminders really hits home.

Cherish the little things in life. Even if it's riding down the road with your kids staying in their car seats or pushing your child on a swing. Appreciate the flexibility you have, the fact that you can reason, discipline and explain things to your children. Listen to their voice as the tell you about the bird nest they saw under the deck. Watch them as they form friendships. Take pride in seeing them learn from their mistakes. Appreciate going with the flow and not having to worry about the ramifications. Take it all in and cherish it with all your might.

4th of July, Cole's favorite holiday

Cole waits all year long for the 4th of July. He LOVES fireworks. This past weekend was no exception. 

We had a great time on the 4th. We hosted a get together for our families. Everyone brought food and drinks to share and we enjoyed a gorgeous afternoon and evening together. Cole did really well having 15 people at his house. He played with the kids on the new water slide (more about that later) and spent time mowing the grass and using our blower to clean off the paths around our yard. Cole loved it when Pat did his mini-fireworks show in the back yard. And Cole was giddy with excitement at the caravan of cars who followed us to the fireworks. 

Cole sat on the blanket and snuggled us for 40 minutes while we waited for the show to start. He did amazing. Never once did he get upset or even ask when they were going to start. He sat on the blanket and took turns snuggling with various family members. He ate his Doritos and drank his grape juice box- happy as could be. When the show started he was thrilled. He loved the John Deere green fireworks and sat and watched in delight. It was so fun to see him so happy and just loving the show. He waits all year for this day.

The day didn't start out as well. As I've said in previous posts, days off from Cole's regular routine are always a challenge. Cole needs a consistent routine. He needs to know what to expect. If you deviate from that, there are always ramifications. 

Cole had the day off from MAC on Friday. We had a great morning together. I took him to Home Depot to see tractors and to CostCo to buy things for our get together. He was so well behaved and loved spending time with me. I even surprised him by taking him to Sears so he could sit on the Craftsman tractors. He was elated. I don't think he knew how to tell me just how excited he was, so he said, "ta da.... Merry Christmas!!". It was so cute. He checked out every single tractor they had, engine and all. I love seeing him smile like that. After our shopping excursion, he spend a few hours with Auntie Katie, who had just returned home from six months abroad.

At 8pm that night, Cole really wanted to go to the park. He wanted Connor to come and to bring their scooters. We tried hard to persuade him otherwise, but it didn't work. The anxiety level was way too high. We hurried and got things in the truck and I took the boys to Lions Park. It was fun, with the exception of me having to run through the trails chasing the boys in my flip flops and skirt. Clearly I was not prepared for this! Luckily Connor was with me. He is such a life saver for me. He did an awesome job keeping up with Cole and getting him to slow down or stop so I could catch up. Somehow we made it through safely and ended up having an ice cream treat before heading home.

The next morning was the 4th. Cole woke up and wanted to use his water slide. The boys have one of those inflatable water slides that you attach the hose to. They climb it and slide down. It has given them hours of entertainment over the past four summers. Pat got it down from the rafters and set it up. It usually inflates in about 30 seconds. Not today. Pat found several holes from critters. He patched them but there were still countless tiny holes from the vinyl getting stretched over the years. It soon became evident the water slide was done. Cole was irate. I mean really irate. 

We calmed him down and told him we would try to find another slide. Great... nothing like buying an inflatable slide after writing a huge check to fix the Tahoe this week! Isn't that how it always goes!?!? After trips to several stores and a lot of anxiety on Cole's part, we finally found a new water slide. Cole was beyond excited! We set it up and the boys had a wonderful time playing with it. We kept it inflated all day and the cousins were able to enjoy it, too. It is so nice to have an activity that Cole enjoys with other kids.

The get together we hosted went really well. Cole was happy to see everyone and he did a great job at finding things to entertain himself when he needed time alone. Typically when Cole is at a family gathering, he'll play with everyone for a while but then take time to himself. On this day, he mowed the grass and used the blower all over the yard! Later on in the evening, everyone sat in the back yard while Pat set off fireworks in the back yard. Cole loved it. 

Soon enough it was time to go to the fireworks. Cole could not contain his excitement. Everyone got in their cars and we headed to the fireworks. Cole loved the line of cars that followed us. He was waving out the window to his relatives, it was so cute! Everything about the show was great. Cole was incredibly well behaved. He was patient as we waited for 40 minutes. He just wanted to snuggle with Pat, Katie and I. He loved the fireworks and simply sat and enjoyed himself. What a night! 

July also brings the anniversary of Cole's Autism diagnosis. July 1st was the 5 year mark. It's hard to believe five years have passed since we learned of Cole's disability. It brings with it many mixed emotions. As difficult as it is to think back to that sad day and what it means for our family, I reflect on how much progress Cole has made and it gives me so much hope for his future. I plan to dedicate a blog entry to this subject later in the month. I've been looking over old video of Cole and it's been pretty amazing. 

We are getting family pictures taken tonight. Pray that things go well. We have only one family photo from the past eight years. We hope the session goes well. I just want one decent picture of the four of us together. Cole doesn't have to be looking at the camera, as long as you can see his handsome self with the rest of us I'll be a very happy mom.

I hope you enjoy the video below. It was taken this past week by Cole's PCA, Haley. Haley takes Cole to the Mall of America where he meets one of his friends from Fraser Academy. They have so much fun together. I'm so proud of Cole and the play date he went on!!!

Lost and found- twice in one week!

When people hear me say that Cole is child you can not take your eyes off of, I'm not sure if they understand just how true that statement is. It is far from an exaggeration.

I found out the hard way last week. Pat was at a work dinner and the boys and I were playing outside after supper. We were having a fun time in the yard when I heard the phone ring. I ran into the house to see who was calling. I saw on the caller ID that it was a call I didn't have to take, so I let the answering machine kick in. I looked out the window to make sure Cole was on the swing set where I left him. He was not there. I went outside and did a walk around the house, calling his name (not that he would answer!). I asked Connor if he had seen Cole and he told me Cole went around to the front. I walked into the garage and saw that Cole's green bike was gone. 

I immediately ran back to get Connor and told him to run and get on his bike with me. We pedaled as fast as we could toward the park near our house. It's just up the street about 1/4 mile. Almost every night, Cole hops on his bike and races toward the park. He likes to go ahead of us and make us chase him. As I was biking, I didn't see Cole's bike parked by the park like it usually is. Panic set in. 

As I approached the park, I could see the swing moving but Cole was not in sight. That told me Cole was there just before me. Connor and I kept biking to the cul-du-sac just past the park. Cole likes to ride in there and race back to the park. As we got there, Cole was no where to be found. Now the adrenaline rush kicked in. I was running out of options. 

We raced back home to see if somehow we missed Cole. I did not see his bike or his shoes inside the house. I ran around the house again and there was still no sign of Cole. I told Connor to stay at home and keep Cole here if he were to come back. I called our neighbor and told them I couldn't find Cole. One got in her car and the other started biking toward the fountain in our neighborhood- about 1/2 mile down into our development. I went the other direction and rode back to the park. I was shaking, mad, scared and desperate. It just takes once and I know how these scenarios sometimes turn out. 

Fortunately as the park came into view, I saw Cole swinging happily and giggling as I approached him. I honestly have no idea how I missed him. There is one more cul-du-sac near the park and I'm thinking he may have gone into that one while we were searching other places. We'll never know. Thank God it turned out well. I was nearly sick to my stomach. Cole was out of my sight for maybe 20 seconds and I ended up losing him for 4-6 minutes. 

Something similar happened to Pat over the weekend. He took Cole biking at Centerville park. It has a nice paved path with some fun dirt trails that veer off into the woods. The last time we were there, Pat and Cole ventured onto one of the dirt paths. It was a small hill that lead into the woods. They took turns riding up the hill and racing back down. They didn't bother to go far into the woods. Last weekend, Pat and Cole were riding and they came to the same dirt trail. They again took turns going up and down the hill. Pat went first and sat waiting for Cole. After about 15-20 seconds, Cole was not coming. Pat hurried up the trail and Cole was no where in sight. Again, panic set in. Pat raced into the woods on the trail, which had several options to turn off of. Pat stuck to the main trail and after a few minutes, he heard Cole. He was out of Pat's sight, biking in the woods for 2-3 minutes. Thank God Pat was able to find him and that Cole did not go off the main dirt path. The alternative is much to scary to think about. 

When people say "it can happen like that", it really can. Especially with kids with Autism. They seldom respond to their name and they are curious. They don't understand what danger is or why you tell them to stay by you. Furthermore, they don't have the communication skills or presence of mind to tell their guardian what they want to do or where they want to go. They just do it. 

Cole is eight years old and we can not take our eyes off him. We try our VERY best but we are human. Phone calls happen, we make assumptions on what Cole will do based on his past behavior, we listen sometimes instead of look. This week was a scary reminder of just how quickly Cole can escape. It just takes a second. We have a GPS child locator on order and it can't get here soon enough. Another "set of eyes" will be so helpful. 

I uploaded a few pictures from this week. In one, you can see how well Cole does watching the baseball when he's hitting. He was two for two this week! The other is of Connor at a birthday party he went to. It was so fun. The RAD Zoo was there with all kinds of animals. In this picture, the kids are holding a python snake!! The family was so gracious to invite Cole. Cole opted to go bike riding with Pat instead. I'm happy they thought to include Cole, as that doesn't always happen.

We are looking forward to this coming weekend. Cole will be at the respite house while Pat, Connor and I head up the Arrowhead to camp, fish, canoe and stay at a resort for a few days. We are really looking forward to it! It's a slightly belated 12th anniversary present to ourselves. Considering 90% of parents with Autistic children get divorced, I think 12 years warrants some serious celebration. My husband is amazing and I wouldn't give him up for anything. 

Parade season

We survived the first parade of the season. This past week was Tower Days in Spring Lake Park. My parents are still residents and the parade route nearly goes right by their house. The weather was absolutely perfect, so I took the boys to the parade. We all met at my parents before and Grandpa Denny did the usual. He hooked up the trailer to his John Deere and loaded it up with grandkids, lawn chairs and blankets. The kids love this part, I think it's the best part of the parade. What better way to show up to a parade than to be escorted by your Grandpa driving a cool John Deere tractor. 

We lucked out and found a great spot real close to the road. Cole did quite well. He was a little impatient at first, but then he saw the long line of fire engines start up the street. They blared their sirens and sounded their horns. This caught Cole's attention. It was loud for all of us. I wasn't sure how Cole would react. He did great. He covered his ears and took a close look at all the shiny trucks. The parade continued on. It didn't take long for Cole to tell me, "Mom, go home in 10 minutes." (That's his new thing... to tell us how long he's going to do something... 20 more minutes mom, if we're at the park and 3 minutes mom, if we're eating supper). I told Cole we would go home after the parade and tried to ignore his anxiousness. 

Cole found ways to cope. If he wasn't in the mood to sit by the crowds or look at the floats, he would simply go check out the fire hydrant or play on Grandpa's tractor. It worked great. We would constantly check on him and call his name when we knew there was something of interest to him. I was so proud at his ability to self regulate himself, without direction. Cole knew when it was getting to be too much for him and he knew what to do about it. He didn't get mad or throw a fit. Instead, he played on the tractor or came to snuggle up with me on the chair. I was so proud of him. 

I was also proud when he took it upon himself to join the kids and get some candy for himself. He even sat down on the pavement to catch a glimpse of the band. When we looked at our watches, it was 8:10 and we had been there for over an hour. We decided to pack up and leave and beat the rush. Cole and Grandpa drove the tractor back. Soon after, the boys and I left for home. It went just great. Connor had an awesome time and got a lot of attention for the cool green mohawk he was sporting that night. He was especially excited to see his Jam Hops gymnastics friends in the parade... that was super cool! 

I thought it was super cool that we were able to see the parade and enjoy ourselves. In the past, Cole has not allowed that to happen. It's not his fault, it's simply that some things are just too hard for him. Think of how much sound and stimulation there is at a parade. Not the best and most appropriate place for a child with Autism. 

Once again, Cole impresses us with his ability. He is improving with every single day. I could not ask for anything more. Life is good. In fact, life is great. My two boys are amazing and they fill my heart with so much joy and love. I'm just plain lucky. 

On a side note, I have to share something Cole said to me this week. He has been cutting the grass quite a bit for us. Well there is an open area of long, tall grass about a mile from our house. We drive by it nearly every day. Cole was in the truck with me on Thursday and said, "Mom I want to cut that grass." I said, "Cole, that grass isn't ours. You can cut our grass." Cole replied, "I would really LOVE to cut that tall grass Mom."  

And to think I was wondering if he would ever be able to say "want juice". 

PROGRESS... my favorite word in the English language

Over the past five years, Pat and I have always said that life with Cole is going one of two ways... we are either on a good wave or a rough wave. For the past four to six weeks, we've been on a good wave. Things have actually been quite good for longer than that, but spring has really made life a little easier in our often chaotic household.

The best thing for me has been the countless people who are commenting on Cole's progress. AKA, may favorite word of all time. You know how life is, you see certain people nearly every day and sometimes it's hard to see the change in people. Before you know it, you are getting wrinkles, your hair has more gray and your kids are outgrowing their shoes in three months time. After the hybernation of winter is over, I'm always amazed to see the kids in the neighborhood out playing. They grew a few inches, have a whole new set of tricks to show off and have gained a ton of knowledge. I've always said, "There is nothing more consistent than change."

With Cole it's different. Pat and I are constantly noticing the progress he makes. We talk about it several times a day. With our families, Cole is often the topic of conversation. It seems everyone wants to share the positive interaction or experience they've experienced with Cole. I think our entire family feels a lot of gratitude when they witness Cole's progress and his new capabilities. We all take pride in it and want to share the wonderful news. 

It's especially fun when people who don't see Cole as often comment on how well he is doing. We had neighbors over this past weekend. They were so impressed with Cole's improved speech and his new social skills. We also have a PCA who works with Cole once a month. Cole saw her on Saturday and she herself commented on how well he is doing and the progress he's made in the past month. Another PCA felt compelled to call me to tell me what a wonderful job Cole did at the Mall of America recently. The two of them met a former Fraser Academy friend of Cole's and his PCA at the mall. Our PCA was so proud of Cole for playing so well and for acting and talking so appropriately with his friend. Even the transportation drivers comment on how well Cole is doing. 

It is incredibly rewarding to see the progress ourselves and for others to notice it as well. As Cole's mom, I know how incredibly hard he works. I know first hand how much more difficult things are for Cole, things that most kids pick up automatically. Pat and I have no set goals or expectations for Cole. Our goal is to love him like crazy, turn over every stone while we're on this journey and treat him like he can achieve anything. We want to look back and know we did all we could for our guy. I think this attitude helps us really appreciate the progress Cole makes. Instead of being let down, we are constantly impressed and amazed by him. The future is unknown, but I do know it is BRIGHT. 

I wanted to share some pictures of Cole and his cousins. We took the four boys to a park and let them ride their scooters down a grassy hill. They had SO much fun!! They took turns riding down the hill and scooting all around the paths. They even peed in the woods together, just like boys should! I love the picture of the boys on the bench. Cole loves his cousins and you can tell from the smile on his face that he was one happy boy that afternoon. 

There is also a picture of Cole helping me make breakfast. He made the scrambled eggs almost completely by himself! He got all the ingredients and cracked the eggs (perfectly) by himself. He stirred them and added the salt, pepper and cheese. Who would have thought!?!?!?

I also posted a short video of Cole driving our lawn tractor in the backyard. This is proof of his progress right here. Cole has so many skills and so much to offer. Just look at my boy.

One a side note, please say prayers for my close friend and former job-share partner, Karla Rapp and her father, Kent Gerzema. They found out some sad and frightening news on Saturday. Kent was diagnosed with brain cancer and a tumor on his lung. They are an amazing family who could really use our support and prayers right now. 

Brag about my boy

Spring has made Cole one happy young man. I can't stress just how much Cole loves to be outside. He has been tilling with Grandpa Denny's mini-tiller. Cole has found just the spot in our yard where the grass never grows. He took it upon himself to start digging and tilling the dirt. It's made quite the mess, but that is ok with us! Cole has also been driving his battery-operated John Deere tractor around the yard. He thinks he's mowing it just like Dad does. He'll back up when Pat does and speed up and slow down to synch up with him. It's so cute to watch. We also go on tons of bike and scooter rides. The one challenge we are having is that Cole thinks it's ok for him to take off on his bike and ride the 1/8 mile up to the park in our neighborhood. He moves very fast and there have been a few times when he's "escaped". Luckily we are on top of the situation and we know where to find him. 

Cole also loves to take me for walks in the woods. We are fortunate to have a big yard filled with tons of trees. Cole thinks it's a big woods and we walk all through the trees and brush, looking for deer, bunnies, squirrels and other fun things. It has been so nice to be able to let the boys play outside and enjoy the fun that comes with springtime. 

What has been even better is Cole's ability to tell us what he wants to do. He asks to interact with us, to do what he's doing and what he's been up to. We marvel at how much his speech continues to progress. It is nothing short of miraculous. The other night I told Cole it was time for bed. He complied so well and when I kissed him goodnight, he looked at me and asked. "Are you going to go to bed, too?". I said, "Maybe in a little while.". Cole replied, "Maybe you'll go to bed at three?!"  Cole has been having a lot of good conversations with our neighbor, Jared. He's asked Jared about his tractor, about when he plans to mow next and other "interesting" things. He greets Jared appropriately and other than the fact the conversation may not be socially appropriate, it is a good conversation from an expressive language standpoint. I could go on and on with examples... and there was a time when I couldn't imagine Cole saying, "I want juice."

Last weekend I had a great day with Cole. It was the 4th Annual MN Autism Center walk around Lake Calhoun. For those of you who recall last Saturday, the winds and temperature were both around 40. We bundled up in winter gear and headed to the lake. Pat left in the morning for a 4-day fishing trip up north, so the boys and I met up with other family members. It was so nice of them to come out on such a cold and blustery day to support Cole and MAC. Cole did AWESOME. We walked all the way around the lake, 3 miles to be exact! The first two miles were very hard. The wind was coming across the lake and slamming into us with water particles mixed in. Not one person complained, although I think the wind was too busy taking their breath away! We took turns pushing Ethan's stroller; I think that was Cole's favorite part. MAC had several stops set up around the lake and Cole would take it upon himself to greet the workers. Of coarse he knew them all by name. Soon enough, we made our way to the west side of the lake and it was like an entirely different day! The sun was shining and the winds were no longer pushing against us. We could not believe how well Cole did. For the first time, I didn't have to be stressed about him staying on the path and out of the water. He followed the group and really enjoyed himself. He even found a way to snuggle me while we were walking. I was so proud of him. 

After the walk, we all went to Noodles & Co for lunch. Pat and I very seldom take Cole out to restaurants. It is simply too hard. I think we've done it maybe 1-2 times in the past year. Given the day Cole was having, I wanted to give it a try. We got our food and Cole sat with everyone at the table. Cole was incredibly well behaved. He sat nicely and patiently, eating his spaghetti. I had to spend more time keeping Connor in his seat than I did keeping Cole on task. That was a first!!! It was such a pleasant way to finish the walk. 

Finally it was time to meet Haley the PCA. We met at the movie theater and Cole hopped in her car without hesitation. He did so, knowing she was going to drop him off at the respite house later in the afternoon. Cole had looked over his picture schedule a few times that week and he was well-prepared for the few days that were ahead. Thank God for BoardMaker!!!!

That night, Grandma Schusted watched Connor. I had some high school girl friends over for drinks and appetizers. It was so fun. We had a nice time catching up and enjoying ourselves. I picked up Connor early the next morning and took him to church; something we can't always do when Cole is home. 

On Monday the weather was beautiful. Connor and I decided to go to Cole's Miracle League baseball game. I wasn't sure how Cole would react to seeing me there. I took the chance. He wasn't scheduled to come home from the respite house until Wednesday. I missed him and wanted to see him. Cole and Charolette from the house got to the game a little late, so I was in the stands when he arrived. Cole noticed me right away. He looked my way and gave me a wave. I went over and gave him a few hugs and kisses. He looked at me right away and said, "I'll see you on Wednesday. I'll come home Wednesday." WOW!!! 

Sure enough, after the game we all walked out to our cars together. Cole gave us more hugs and kisses. He left with Charolette and didn't say one word about not being able to come home. I couldn't believe it. It tells me how much he must like the respite house and just how much those picture schedules help him. 

Cole got home on Wednesday night and we've been having so much fun ever since. He has been so happy and cuddly. Cole and Connor even had a pretend sword fight today! He loves us all so much, it's so obvious. I wish I could put into words just how proud I am of my little boy. With the tools he has to work with, he has accomplished amazing things. Sure, we have a lot of challenges, but to see each little victory and improvement is more rewarding than anything I've ever done in my life. I'm so lucky to have that. Cole is my guy and I love him more than words could possibly convey.

Happy Memorial Day to all! Thanks to our dedicated troops.

Things have been good!

I hope all of you Mothers out there had a wonderful Mother's Day. I had a great Mother's Day weekend. I'm so thankful for the three amazing boys in my life.

As usual, Mother's Day weekend was also the same time as the fishing opener. Pat had plans to go fishing all day on Saturday. I had a PCA scheduled to work for a few hours on Saturday. I knew this would help break up the day for both Cole and myself. Unfortunately, the PCA had been sick since Tuesday and she could not work on Saturday. When I told Cole this on Friday night, he immediately asked to go see Grandma Schusted and go with her to the mall. In fact, he wanted to go that night. We called Eileen right away and she said she would watch Cole for a while on Saturday. Thank God for helpful and understanding grandparents!

The boys and I did several things on Saturday. We started out going to Menard's. Cole loves that store. He wanted me to take him to the store in Coon Rapids because it has an elevator. He behaved really well and had a great time looking at air compressors, lawn mowers and other fun things. Cole picked out a chocolate candy bar as a treat and he waited patiently while we checked out. Then it was off to Coon Creek Park. We had a fun time there. It is a beautiful park with so many things to do. The boys played so nicely together at the playground. They laughed while swinging and playing on the equipment. The park has a bridge over a creek and a nice long walking path. We threw rocks in the creek, ran on the bridge and took a long walk together. The boys held hands and pointed out birds in the sky. It was wonderful. Cole and Connor cooperated so well when it was time to leave. The day was off to a great start!

After dropping off Connor at gymnastics, Cole and I stopped at home and played. Then it was time to take him to Grandma Schusted's house. Cole was so excited to go to the mall with her. When we got there, he looked at me and said, "Cole stay here. You go." Cole had a great time with Grandma and Grandpa. They took him to Rosedale mall. Cole took them on his usual route- elevators, bookstore, DQ, more elevators, etc. Cole could easily have a job as tour guide of Rosedale, Southdale and the Mall of America!

Soon enough, Cole was back at home and the three of us had a fun time playing. The weather was nice and the boys were being so well behaved. Cole got to use Grandpa Denny's tiller and Cole raked his "garden". We rode our bikes to the park a few times and mowed the grass. It was such a nice day, an early Mother's Day present for me. Sometimes these days can be hard; when you are by yourself with both boys. Times like this probably don't phase most families, but in our family, things can get rough when you're out numbered, especially for a long period of time. I was so thankful the day went so well. I was glad Pat got to enjoy a day on the water with his brother, my dad and brother. 

On Sunday, I woke up to a host of cards and gifts. It was so nice. I'm so thankful to have such a wonderful husband and two of the best little boys on the planet. Pat took the boys outside so I could shower and get ready in peace. I then took Connor with me to the Mother's Day brunch at Majestic Oaks. We met my family there and had a fun time. I laughed at Connor, who despite a HUGE room full of food, chose bacon and cinnamon rolls! Pat tried to get Cole to go to his parent's house, but today Cole wasn't having it. Instead, he insisted on going to Grandpa Denny's. In fact, Pat and Cole were waiting in the driveway when Grandpa and Grandma got home from brunch! 

We spent some time at the Cooney's and Pat was able to visit his mom for a while. We met at home later on and enjoyed a nice evening together. The weekend truly was great. I was so very thankful, as some of my past Mother's Days have not gone nearly as well. 

On Monday, Cole played in his second Miracle League game of the season and he hit the ball all by himself (without the tee) for the first time. Check out the video!!!

We are excited for this Saturday. Our families are doing the MN Autism Center walk around Lake Calhoun on Saturday. It should be a fun time and a great opportunity to raise money for the Autism Center. It will be interesting to see how far Cole and Connor will walk, the lake is 3 miles around! After that, Cole will meet up with his PCA, Haley, who will drop him off at the respite house for his fifth stay there. 

Last night I officially became a hockey mom. Connor wanted to try Intro Mites after taking ice skating lessons this spring. He did a great job and had so much fun showing his skills. I feel like I grew up in a hockey arena, so this is familiar territory for me!

We are hoping the weather holds out so Pat can enjoy some time away fishing, while Cole is at the respite house. I plan to host a gathering for close friends on Saturday and enjoy quality time with Connor on the other days. 

Have a great weekend everyone and Happy Mother's Day to all of you mothers out there. There is no more important job in this world.