Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Copy Cat

Kids imitate. They watch and they follow to help them know what to do and how to act. Beth has this down to a science.

If we're in the car on a warm summer day and I happen to roll my window down? She will also roll her window down. Then she'll study my window and roll hers up about 1/2 inch. Then she'll look at mine again and roll hers down 1/4 of an inch... it has to be exactly the same.

The other day we were sitting at the table having breakfast and I picked up my cup to take a sip of tea and she picked up her cup. I held mine in my hand as I looked out the window and she just kept sort of glancing over at me. I took another sip and so did she.

I have to be so careful about the things I say or do!

Friday, February 21, 2014

It Made Me Realize Just How Far She's Come

We had Beth's annual assessment this week. The Support Intensity Scale assessment.

Beth's case worker comes to the house and they ask all kinds of questions about all kinds of things. Some of them seem a little strange, but they need to find out exactly how much support she needs for everyday life. That way they can decide how much financial aid to give her.

There are questions about health and safety: 'if Beth was home alone and there was a fire, would she know what to do?' (She told him she'd run out of the house and call 911.) He seemed impressed.

Protection and advocacy: 'if someone came to the door and told you they'd give you money if you gave them your debit card, what would you do?' (She said she wouldn't open the door. She'd just stay in her room.)

Community living: 'if she was summoned for jury duty, would she be able to serve or would she need help?' (I told him she had been summoned and we both went to the courthouse and they dismissed her from serving.) (Beth wouldn't have been able to serve. She just doesn't have the mental capacity.) He sounded surprised that she had actually been summoned. He's was young and has probably asked that question of a lot of clients and didn't expect to hear that answer. :)

They need to know if she needs help taking a shower or getting dressed; getting on and off the bus; making friends. Does she ask for help at work, is she able to read a menu... he was here for an hour asking question after question.

He has the notes from previous years assessments and I was really surprised at how much Beth has changed the last couple of years. She's no longer depressed. She is doing phenomenally at work. She is becoming more outgoing at church.

(Chuck and I are in a home group and one of the ladies told us that Beth came up to her and gave her a hug one Sunday! We don't even know J very well, but Beth has adopted her! Then J told us that Beth went up to her another time and announced, "I'm back!" and proceeded to tell her that she had been sick and had missed church... my mouth fell to the floor!) Our Beth!

It was a very good assessment this year. She's come such a long way and we hadn't even noticed!After it was over, Beth and I went out to lunch and then did a little shopping at an antique store not far from our house. Not a bad way to spend a Wednesday.

Friday, February 14, 2014

"It's Just Not Me."

Okay, I took your advice and decided to email the pictures to myself. I looked at my phone and realized I didn't know HOW to email. :)

Diana helped me... no that's not true. Diana did it all, then showed me what I needed to do. Gotta be honest here! She emailed the picture, then showed me how to do it and I did it! I emailed a picture to myself, woohoo!

Now my pictures are saved in my Pictures Library on my computer. I am now going to attempt to retrieve them from the library and post them here.

Here goes!

Well... it brought up Sky Drive, which is where I've gone at times to view my pictures but when I clicked on the Pictures link, it said there was nothing there. Sigh.


I think I figured it out! Although I hit a few links so hopefully I'll remember what I did next time! Dontcha love old people! :)

Here is the long awaited picture of Beth with her pink hair. In this one she's looking at my sister and smiling. In the other photos she's looking at me, and so she's not smiling and they look like mug shots. I'm not posting them because they are still on my phone and it will take me weeks to get them uploaded here. :)


 
When I asked Beth how she liked having pink hair, she didn't say anything. I told her that she could wear it that way when she goes bowling and she said, "No thanks. It's just not me."
 
 

 
Beth had an eye appointment earlier this week. She has severe astigmatism in her right eye which is why it floats toward her nose. It shows up a lot in pictures. Her prescription has changed slightly so she'll be getting new glasses. She picked out some plastic frames that are very different from the metal frames she's been wearing. They look really good on her though. I thought they looked very natural on her. I'll try to get a picture of her when they come in. By the time I get it uploaded, you should see it in about 6 months!! :)

Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Technologically Challenged

I've been putting off writing on here because there is a photo I want to upload of Beth. (My sister brought up a box of temporary hair coloring and we tried a few strands on Beth's hair.) But we have a new computer and I've been trying to learn Windows 8 and just the thought of uploading a photo in this new format makes me nervous! :)

We also got smart phones. For the first time ever, I'm able to go on-line with my phone, take pictures, upload them to facebook and even send an e-mail!! With! My! Phone! I know, I'm really dating myself.

But I decided to Just! Do! It! Upload the picture and write a blog post!

I got out my camera but couldn't find the chord. I looked and looked but it wasn't where it was supposed to be: in the little cloth pouch by the computer. I finally found it under the computer desk, in the bin that holds all of our chords and chargers and... I got everything hooked up but couldn't for the life of me find the photo! I looked in a few folders but it just wasn't there.

Then I remembered.

I took the picture with my phone.

Ummm, how do I get pictures from my phone to my computer? Does my phone have a chord that I plug into the computer? I think I can upload the photo directly from my phone to my blog, but I have no idea how to do that yet!

Sorry guys. You're gonna have to wait a while longer to see that picture!