Update Tuesday morning 3/13

We woke up to a pleasant and unexpected sight today.......snow!  Sometime during the night, it had snowed, and a light dusting covered the ground.  There was even a gentle snow still falling.  Everything looks so pretty in the snow, doesn't it?  However, the light snow was not enough to cause a late start for school, so I had to get the kids up at the usual time.  Then, while we were getting ready for school, it began to snow harder with bigger flakes.  I kept calling the school hotline to see if there were any changes to the school schedule, but, alas, there were none.  We left a few minutes early to drive carefully to school; the roads were not bad, but the driveway up the hill to school was a bit tricky.  I told the kids to expect school to be half empty because some people do not like driving in the snow.  Plus, some families live farther away and would have trouble getting to school, and some driveways (steep ones) do not allow cars to get out in inclement weather.  (Does anyone have any idea what "inclement" means?  We hear it all the time when there is snow outside, but I honestly have no idea of its true meaning!  I've always assumed it just meant "bad" weather---but that could be applied to hurricanes and tornadoes, too.  I need to consult my dictionary for this one.)  Thank the Lord, the parking lot at school wasn't too slick for Dale (or the rest of us) to walk into the building.  And, once inside, we have no need to leave again until lunchtime.  So we're content.......for now.

Dale has no therapy today, so he will attend school for his usual half-day, then go home for lunch.  As I mentioned before, beginning Monday, March 26th, Dale will attend school for the full day.  I was able to speak to his teachers, informing them of the new schedule, letting them know which classes Dale will attend and which hours he will be studying in my classroom, and asking for Dale's tests and quizzes so that I may administer them as needed.  Each teacher was willing and helpful, obviously glad for Dale' sake that he will be able to catch up on the subject matter he has missed.  No one exhibited even the slightest disagreement with this plan;  I didn't expect them to, considering the God-honoring Christians I know them to be, but it relieves my heart to know that they are as sincerely interested in seeing Dale succeed whoever does the educating as I am.  I am already putting into practice with Dale the idea of certain hours being dedicated to certain subjects, similar to what he would be experiencing in a regular school day.  I've been talking with God frequently about my desires for Dale's education, both now and in the future, and remembering to ask for His will to be done as opposed to what I want.  I do not want to jump ahead of God's timetable, nor do I want to push for more than what God desires us to have, but I truly feel that Dale will do well catching up in his 7th grade work and, in most subjects, be ready for 8th grade in the fall.  I can't wait to see!

My mother-in-law gave us a CD recently from a group that came to their church (I think).  Many of the songs' messages are beautiful and sincere, but there is one that has helped me put God's plans in better perspective.  Its chorus states why God allows certain things to happen to certain people:  "For the glory of the Lord, the honor of the King, the Maker of the universe, Creator of everything.  He said this will pass; it's not here to stay.  He'll handle it in His time, His way.......for the glory of the Lord."  I so want God to "fix" Dale right now; I want Dale to wake up tomorrow morning and be back to normal, his old self.  I think it's fairly obvious that that's not what God has in mind.  He sees the whole picture and knows what we need right now.  If He gave us everything now and life was perfect, what could we look forward to in Heaven?  "He'll handle it in His time, His way.......for the glory of the Lord."  Thank You, my Father, for telling us You can handle anything---and for having patience with us as we struggle to wait on You for all things.  You are our mighty God.

I did call the neurologist's office yesterday and updated the nurse on Dale's latest seizure, asking her to ask the doctor if he wanted Dale's meds increased.  She called later that afternoon and said that yes, indeed, Dale should start taking 3 1/2 pills twice a day, and that, after he had been on that dosage level for one week, he should go to a lab to have his blood drawn so that the doctor can see if his body is handling the medication properly or if the dosage needs to be increased further.  The neurologist doesn't think Dale should still be having seizures with the medication; since Dale had one Sunday, the doctor wants to up the dosage to see if that works better to prevent further seizures.  We'll see, won't we?  :-)

Next week, we meet with the neuro-psych doctor to discuss the results of the testing Dale did last month.  I'm assuming at that time we will get a better idea of Dale's limitations (if any), expected improvements, and suggested courses of action to help Dale continue to develop and mature toward independence some day.  Sometimes I have a hard time thinking beyond tomorrow, and this doctor is talking about being able to hold a job and live on his own!!!  It just goes to show---nothing is impossible with God!

II Corinthians 4: 15 - 18  "For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.  For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.  For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;  While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen:  for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal."