In medical news today....

Dr. Taimanglo did her testing with Elijah last week. I just brought the evaluation from his teacher to him and scheduled our next appointment for March 11th. So we'll find out then if there needs to be more testing or if she's ready for a diagnosis.

Drum Roll Please

Well, the LDO results are finally out and.......................................................................................................................................................................Dave was selected. I honestly didn't know what to expect, he was sure he wouldn't get selected his first time, but he was very wrong. Yeah!!!! Well, I'm glad we already had plans for the family to go out for dinner, now we have something to celebrate. I know the next big question, how does that effect our orders to NY, honestly I don't know yet, and probably won't for a couple weeks at least. If I read the message right he will be commissioned November of this year, so we'll see what they want to do with him this last 9 months or so. Chances are we'll probably end up staying here :( I was getting so excited to come home and see everyone, but this is really great too!

Elijah's got a girl friend

Elijah received a specil valentine from Kayla. She gave him a cuddly Koala Webkinz. I kind of gave him a hint last night that soemone had a special valentine for him and reminded him to thank her. So he says, "What if I forget mom?" I told him I'd help him remember, so he felt better about it. I forgot to mention the part that she wanted to be his girlfriend, that kind of caught him by surprise this morning.

God's Loan

"I'll lend to you for a little time,
A child of mine," He said,
"For you to love the while she lives
And mourn for when she's dead.

"It may be six or seven years
Or twenty-two or three,
But will you till I call her back,
Take care of her for me?

"She'll bring her charms to gladden you
And should her stay be brief,
You'll have these precious memories
As solace for your grief.

"I cannot promise she will stay
Since all from earth return.
But there are lessons taught down there
I want this child to learn.

"I've looked this world over,
In my search for teachers true.
In the crowds that throng life's land,
I have selected you.

"Now will you give her all your love
Not think the labour vain,
Nor hate me when I come to call
To take her back again?"

It seems to me I heard them say,
"Dear Lord, thy will be done.
For all the joys a child shall bring,
The risk of grief we'll run.

"We'll shelter her with tenderness,
We'll love her while we may,
And for the happiness we've known
Forever grateful stay.

"And should the angels call for him
Much sooner than we've planned,
We'll brave the bitter grief that comes
And try to understand."


"Let the little children come to me and do not forbid them;
for such is the Kingdom of God." Mark 10:14

Right direction?

I forgot to update after Dr. day. Elijah's primary care provider has been a fantastic help to us this year on our journey. She agreed wholeheartedly with us that Navy Medical just wasn't meeting his needs and gave us a referal to a Dr. out in town. What a relief! Our first choice was Dr. Bellis he came very highly reccommended, unfortunately because he's so good he's also so busy he's not accepting new patients. His office reccommended Dr. Taimanglo. We saw her for the first time yesterday morning and I'm fully convinced she's God's answer to our prayers. She started he career as a teacher for 13 years, then went back to school and is now a psychologist, even better she's a liscensed school psycologist. So she knows both sides of the issue. Not only can she work with Elijah, she also knows what the school is required to do to help us, what paperwork they have to make available to us etc.

I went in yesterday with the decision that I wasn't going to tell here what I thought was going on, kind of here's what I think prove me right or wrong. I wanted to hear what her conclusion was just based on what we told her. Dave and I gave her a lot of background, things that have went on in the last few years, the lack of formal testing etc. And she looks at me and says, well have you looked into Autism? I said I had, but that not everything described him. Then she asked what about Aspergers? Which of course is the conclusion I had come to with all my research. It was so nice to finally have someone really really listen to us and not make us out as parents who just want something to be wrong with their child. And to hear her validate what I've bben thinking this whole time was very refresshing. She was incredulous that all through this whole thing, there has been nothing more than a little time watching him in class two years ago, never any formal testing. To make a long story short, she'll be testing him in a couple of weeks. Sometimes it amazes me that this whole fight can drag out for so long then suddenly the wheels are in motion and things are happening rapidly. Then the Dr. thought I was upset that there might be something wrong with him. I kind of laughted, because I was very emotional, like I always am, but never have I been upset or not wanting to admit that Elijah has issues. I've fought for this child his own life to make him healthy etc, my anger is that it has taken this long to find him the help he needs. I was angry that so many people will gloss over the probelma nd not try to help. I was also angry about parents who deny diagnosis or help for their kids because they can't admit that their child isn't "perfect". What these parents don't realize is that God makes every single one of us, and all of us are perfect, just because someone's brain works a little different than theirs doesn't make them any less perfect. God has huge plans for Elijah, I just know it, we just want to help him prepare himself for those plans.