And the latest on Brendan is...

This has been a busy, busy week. It has been Field Day two different days this week...Wednesday and Thursday. Jamison is in Ms. Waite's class so they were the "Waite's Warriors". We had to do a faux-hawk (all the girls with hair long enough wore theirs in two braids) so we used a ton of gel and got it up in the air!

Here we have the "Wagon-Pull" event. This was a relay...one kid got in the wagon - the other pulled. When they reached the end, they turned the whole shebang around and traded places and raced back to the starting line! Jamison's class came in first!
Then we had the "Pumpkin Sweep"...think a shuffle-board type game. Okay, I made that up. I have no clue how shuffle-board is played. In my world, this is similar to shuffle-board...just work with me here! The kids had a small pumpkin they had to sweep down their lane to the end, turn around and sweep it back to the starting point. This one was a relay as well. Jamison was the "end man" or the last to take a turn. By the time he started, another team was a bit ahead. But my man blew them out of the water and pulled his team ahead to finish first again!
Last year one of the other dads just loved on Jamison constantly! Even though his daughter is in another class this year, he came over to "enemy territory" to congratulate The Champ and give him a M&M reward! Thanks, man.
Jamison ran in the 50 yard dash. He did not come in first but he still did really well. His mamma would have come in dead last. Like several minutes behind the others...let's just say running is not my forte'! But since I'm a mom now, I can find other ways to keep myself busy and leave running to those younger and less inclined to pass out. Amen.
See the determination on that face? Oh if he would only be that focused on homework or cleaning his room...
This is Jamison's best friend, Noah. Noah is not in Jamison's class this year. But I still love him...and the adorable look on his face when he was cheering for his class.
Warrior Jamison.
Have I mentioned I really dread getting all that gel-ick out?
Missa with Ms. Jones. They were the "Jones Jaguars" - this sign originally said "Jags Are Jazzed Up". As you can see, somewhere along the way we lost a few letters. It's all good though - Ms. Jones is an Aggie and even though the Hays would typically need a Sooners sign, we can let it go for today. Really. We can play nice.
Missa was a contestant in the "Hop-a-Roo" relay. This looks like fun!
They both did really well. Melissa's class came in 3rd overall. There are six 2nd grade classes so the Jaguars did great! Jamison's class tied for 2nd. There are seven 5th grade classes. I was really proud of both of them. I am even more proud that Field Day is over for another year. Have I mentioned that I hate Field Day? Sitting outside in the hot sun with elementary children screaming several decibels above eardrum-rupture level is not my idea of a fun day! I almost always come home with a migraine...but this is Jamison's last year and Melissa will only have a few years left to do it - I will do my best to keep on until I cross the finish line on this thing! By the time she has her last one, I will have done it for 14 years! Now that is motherly love, folks!

Meanwhile Back at the Ranch...

Brendan is doing great! We miss him horribly. I still find myself crying for no reason. I'm glad Hallmark hasn't started their holiday commercials yet or I might not stop weeping! It feels like the sunshine has left our home. I know it hasn't, it just feels that way. Brendan however is doing well so far...

Meet Jack. Daddy and Brendan rescued Jack from the pound on Monday. Brendan is working on training him...or he is training Brendan - we aren't clear which!

He does well on the leash so far...now if he would just stop pulling so hard!
Sit Jack. Good dog.
Over the weekend, Mom's house was filled with Aunts, Uncles, Cousins and the Cousin Offspring (have no idea if they are "second-cousins" or "first cousin's once-removed"...not sure I care!) and Brendan had a ball. One of the guys took Brendan down to Dad's woodshop and they emerged some time later with this awesome bow.
On Saturday morning the men went fishin'. (You don't go fishing at Grammy and Papa's house...it's fishin'!) Brendan caught a few. I think they came home with 10 fish. Grammy fried 'em up to eat with the brisket Papa smoked. Let's just think about that smoked brisket for a moment...is your mouth watering? Mine is. Papa's smoked brisket is rockin' awesome! What I wouldn't give for some this very minute...I'm just gonna go...ummm...eat for a bit. See you in a minute or three...
And what's not to love about holding a fish you caught? I personally have no desire, but it apparently is a fun thing for him!

Mom and Dad met with the school counselors, principal and assistant principal yesterday. The school faculty asked if Brendan could be in on the meeting too. When he came into the room, he was pretty "shut down" and only answering in monosyllables. The counselor tried to engage him but had no luck. After trying a few time, she left the room and came back with a gizmo called an "Alphasmart". She typed a question on it and passed it to Brendan. He typed an answer back to her and passed it back. She asked another question. He answered. Pretty soon they had the AP in on the game. Brendan laughed. He snorted milk out his nose...okay, not really that last bit - but in my mind he was in that mind-boggling place where you are having such a ball that a little milk out your nose is a good thing! He did have a great time with them though. Dad really enjoyed watching him interact with them and then enjoyed telling me all about it. I enjoyed hearing it.

Today Brendan is eager to start school on Monday. This is new for me since he hasn't really enjoyed school in a very long while. Oh, don't get me wrong - there were parts that he enjoyed but for him to actually be eager to go to school? Um....no. Haven't seen that since about third grade! I am eager for him to go to school! I am so excited to see what he can do with the right tools! I called him tonight as we were driving home from the barn-to-feed-the-pig trip and he was laughing like a hyena at Papa and Grammy who were playing Uno with him. It was incredibly gratifying to me to hear him laugh that Brendan-laugh. If you have ever heard it, you know what I mean. If you haven't heard it, you should! Rainbows swish, unicorns dance and the sunshine breaks through the clouds when Brendan laughs...his laughter is one of the very best things in the world. Amen.

I got wonderful letters later in the afternoon from both the counselor and the principal. I cried when I read them. It was a good cry-sort of. Bittersweet, honestly. They were beautiful...both of them assured me that he was in good hands and they were very happy to meet him and really enjoyed his personality. I enjoy his personality too so I am happy they saw how much fun he is.

Tomorrow the school faculty, my parents, the doctors at the Lawlis-Peavey Center and I will all come together on a conference call at 8:30 am to hammer out a plan for his school. The school has indicated that they will do everything that the doctors recommend. We are so very happy that they are willing to cooperate. One of the counselors told my dad that they are eager to learn from the doctors as it may help them with other children as well!

It's not ideal. My son is still a 10-hour-drive away. But he is doing better than I thought he would and that makes me happy. I miss him terribly and really don't expect to get over that. I have informed my children that they will be living in the immediate vicinity of their mother until she is not longer on the earth! I think they heard me. Probably not though! In the meantime, the "Skype-three-times-a-week" thing? Well, yeah, that's more like three-times-a-day! But it keeps us going and for now that is enough. Thank you Mother and Daddy for your willingness to help and the great job you are doing!