Fresh Starts

The move is over -
Wisteria Lane is a thing of the past.

A new chapter has begun and things are looking fresh and promising.  D1 will be attending an AMAZING middle school next year.  She is looking forward to playing cello and taking on the world.  I worry a little about the change in schools.  I've already seen with D2 switching schools that there are things that maybe were not covered?  Things D2 was reviewing for the end of year wrap up - are things D1 didn't have until 5th grade.  The work load will be much different.  I know she can handle it - the trick is assuring her that SHE can handle all that comes her way.  D2 finished up with a BANG!  After 3 weeks her new school asked us about reevaluating her eligibility for an IEP.  They felt the 504 she had was a joke.  The last week of school we signed an IEP and will plan to revisit after the first marking term to adjust for more specific areas such as writing.  It was a bitter sweet meeting.  Glad that they are so proactive and ready to help.  Surreal that after 2 years of banging heads with the old school and practically telling them what they needed to do - have this school say the exact thing I have been saying.  They hardly know D2 and know just what she needs.  I am excited as she starts next year with a plan in place.  I think it will be a tough adjustment, but well worth it in the end.  

We are practically done getting settled in to our new home.  We did quite a bit of downsizing.  Moving for the 8th time in 15 years has caused us to accumulate a lot of stuuuuuff.  When you are only at a place for a few years, you unpack what you need, and then store the rest.  The packers come along and throw it all together and you move again.  Not fully unpacking or taking inventory of all you have.  When you move yourself - after being settled for 3 years. wow.  The trash truck was well utilized and never was I so thankful for trash pick up 2x a week!  The things that are left now, junk.  Stuff you pick up in your hand, look around, and put it back in  the box b/c you have NO idea what you are supposed to do.  You know you need to keep it - maybe - but where?  There are about 7 boxes collectively throughout the house, that have not required our immediate attention.  My plan TODAY is to relocate those boxes to the storage room, and we'll take it from there, but at least the rest of the house will be settled and we can resume 'normal'.    

Fresh starts usually start 1 January.  For us - fresh starts start now.  We will spend the summer being a family.  Lounging by the pool.  Visiting family.  A few camps.  Relaxing and looking forward to all things new that are ahead of us.

We still will have the day to day things that disrupt our lil utopia, but hopefully we will be able to cross those bridges one step at a time.  Autism is ever present and I am learning how to cope, how to dismiss judgement, how to stop apologizing, and how to love in a different light.  At times I am unsure which is worse, Autism or tweenager horror-mones.  My amazing Husband has bought me some cool gadgets that will allow me to better have availability to write more.  There is my therapy.  ;-)