So...Hello old friends!

Sorry I haven't posted in so long! We are settled in at the new place for the most part. A few boxes here and there but mostly done. Still no word on closing at the old house. Prayers about that whole situation would be greatly appreciated! Jason is back from school. He was gone from Sept. 13 till October 9th. That made for a very long first month here, not knowing anybody, unpacking, finding a new school, etc. However, Ethan has started at his new school and loves it. It's a charter school and they seem equipped to handle his behavior "issues". He's adjusting well, learning lots and making tons of friends. All the other students are really nice and helpful. Alex is doing better now that daddy is home all the time. While Jason was at school, he was turning into a little terror. I love my kids, but I was seriously on my last little bit of patience! He was having daily (hourly??) tantrums, throw-down screaming fits! Since Jason has been home, just a little over a week now, Alex has had only 2 tantrums, so I'm sure some of it was stress, adjusting, etc. Not that that excuses his behavior but definitely explains it. I know I can act like a spoiled brat when I am stressed and not getting my way, especially if I am sad, etc.

In other news, I am so sick of our dog! He has been so frustrating. The boys and I bought him 2 chew toys/bones and he refuses to chew them, only to find random toys to chew up! His list so far includes 1 train track, 1 wooden street sign, an unknown green plastic object that he threw up after eating(!) and last but most important, the boys' favorite game cartridge for the leapster - Pet Pals! Now obviously they should pick their toys up better and we've talked about this. However the game cartridge was an oversight. The leapster was put away, and the cartridge had fallen out on to the car rug they have, and blended with the purple on the rug. So when we did a quick pick-up/look over of the play room we didn't see it. Ten minutes after the boys went to bed I heard a strange rustling noise and went to investigate only to find the dog chewing the plastic cartridge to bits, with his peanut butter (FAVORITE FLAVOR!!!) filled bone sitting mere feet from him!! I could've (fill in the blank here) that dog! But I didn't. I just put him in the laundry room with food and water and closed the door for the night. Then I proceeded to inform both Ethan and Alex what had happened. They were both shaken up and Alex was crying so hard (about a silly game!) that I had to cuddle with him for a while until he calmed down. Needless to say they haven't left ANY toys out since.

Jason and I are adjusting to living together again, after only having weekends together for over a year. Let me tell ya what, it is nice to have him here all the time, even with all the silly little annoying things, like the toilet seat being left up, or him rearranging things. It has really sunk in how much I missed having him here for all the little things, and how every night when he gets home and we go to bed, I can cuddle up to him, instead of his pillow. It hasn't been perfect but we haven't really been fighting or anything either! More than I can say for the last year. I am calmer, happier, less stressed, and hopeful. We are working together in every aspect of our marriage, family and life and it's very liberating so to speak. We have talked more about finances in the last week than in the last year. We decided to close his IRA (not the work one, but a rollover one) to pay off some of our debt so we can use those monthly payments to pay towards our biggest credit card and hopefully soon our truck. I am hoping in about a year we will be debt-free except a house payment, God willing. We haven't completely decided if we are going to buy a house up here or what we want house/land-wise.

I am thinking about a couple of different things I would like to do. Just me. More to come on that but they are kind of a big deal, one has to do with writing, another my flute, another photography, another a community theater. Not sure which one I want to pursue/look into, if any at all. But I need to find myself a hobby. I need to really use my creative side. I am a mom, wife, daughter, sister, friend, but that is not all of who I am. Just as Ethan has a diagnosis of ASD, he is not his diagnosis, he is so much more than that. As is Alex so much more than a naughty 4yr old who throws tantrums. That may be WHAT he does sometimes, but not WHO he is!

Okay, so this post is long. We are going grocery shopping soon and then maybe to go see Jason's work for the first time. Then home to make some yummy dinner, Ham and Cheddar in a Loaf, basically a ham and cheddar calzone without pizza sauce. If anybody wants the recipe, let me know! It's easy, and yummy!!! We are eating that and baby carrots tonight. Menu plan for the week coming tomorrow! First one since we've moved that I actually sat down and really planned. Just been playing it day to day so far.