The Return

I got the call in July, which changed my life and turned everything upside down. It was an offer I could not refuse. You just don’t turn down the opportunity to teach seniors, even if it is economics. So I’m back at Akins, a place I love, teaching Economics, Government and Student Leadership to one of the best groups of students I have taught in a while, give or take a few knuckleheads.

Life has been utter chaos, getting used to the new routine of working full-time and continuing my dream in graduate school. Waking up at 5:00 am, getting both of the boys out the door and to work by 7:30 am has been a challenge, but not impossible. I especially love the quiet that awaits me when I get to work. I get so much done in the mornings. The boys and I usually get home by 6:00 pm each night and then it’s time to make dinner. Bedtime for the boys follows shortly thereafter and then I hit the books or write into the wee hours of the morning, if I have not passed out from sheer exhaustion at 8:30 on the couch. Each day is busy and full, which brings new meaning to my life. This demanding schedule makes every moment I spend with the boys, my family and friends, more precious. It makes me appreciate the little moments even more -- the snuggles, the hugs, the sweet tender moments.

Tyler and Luke are loving school. Luke is in full-time preschool and has really blossomed. He loves learning new things, especially Spanish. He can’t wait for me to pick him up each day so he can tell me all about what went down at school. I love the sweet sound of his little boy voice and the excitement and enthusiasm he has for life. Tyler is in kindergarten and he thinks school is “awesome.” Even though he had a rough start adjusting to all of the new changes in our life, he is doing extremely well. Change in routine is difficult for children with autism, but things are getting better each day for Tyler. We’ve had our share of meltdowns and craziness which is normally brought on by tiredness at the end of the day. The progress he continues to make at school and in his therapies astounds me. He’s a true rock star!

I never thought I would say this, but I love teaching economics! I have challenged myself to make it meaningful and fun for my students. Of all the social studies classes, it is the most practical for the students, like geometry is to math. A new focus this year with the curriculum is personal financial literacy, so my goal is to teach my students to live within a budget. I will also teach them how to use credit wisely and invest for their future. These are all real-world, teachable moments. I do really miss teaching geography, but it will have to wait. Government will be a blast in this election year! I won’t be teaching it until next semester, but I’m already stockpiling political signs for my classroom. It will be exciting!

Graduate school on top of work has been stressful, but I am learning so much. I will start my fifth class this week, so I am almost halfway there. I made an A+ in my latest class, my least favorite, Educational Research (snooze fest!). Though the readings bored me to tears, I learned how to conduct my research and wrote my first two chapters. My focus will be on building a positive learning community in a 9th grade inclusive classroom. I am learning new strategies to fine-tune my teaching and create an optimal learning environment for all learners, from those with special needs to gifted and English language learners.

With all of the budget cuts and layoffs this year, I feel lucky to have a job. I feel even more blessed to have an amazing support group of friends and family who encourage and support me each day; whether it's catching up over coffee to some much needed girl time. A special thanks to Brandi, you’re friendship means the world to me. Thank you so much for allowing Tyler to ride home with Jaden. The extra social time is really helping Tyler. It makes me feel good to know that he has somewhere to go after school where he is loved. Tracy and Amber, you have a gift of making me laugh when all I want to do is cry. Thank you for believing in me and telling me “you can do this!” When someone believes in you, it’s like magic. Anissa, thanks for your lasting friendship and the new margarita recipe. It has really helped me relax and unwind in the evenings, especially on the days when my freshmen would make the Pope yell MF. Grammy and Pa, the boys are having so much fun spending extra time with you. Thank you for helping with this new transition, taking Tyler to his therapies and picking up Luke when I have to work late. I am blessed.

Life is full of surprises and change. My life has changed tremendously this year. I am so busy now that I have to remind myself to pee, but it’s all worth it. I am back in the classroom, inspiring young minds and making a difference. And at the end of the day, I am the mother of two of the most amazing little boys. Life is good!

Padre Island 2011

The boys were stoked to go on our beach trip this year! As soon as we woke up on Friday, they were ready to go. We hit the road around 10:30 am so we could stop for lunch in San Antonio at one of our favorite places, The Alamo Café.

We arrived in Corpus Christi around 3 and on the island about 3:30. As soon as we checked in, we ran up to our room and changed into our swim suits. While I was helping Luke get his suit on, Tyler decided it was too cold in the hotel room and tampered with the AC unit. He turned the heat all the way up! I did not notice until I smelled something burning which caused the fire alarm to go off. I was certain we would get kicked out of the hotel because they have a strict policy against smoking and burning the hotel down. Thankfully, Geoff was able to turn the alarm off. As soon as that fiasco was over with, we headed to the beach. It was calling us. Another funny story from our beach trip was when the boys were having a snack on the beach and the seagulls swarmed us, trying to get a taste of it. Tyler freaked out and it became a scene out of Hitchcock's The Birds. I couldn't help but laugh, it was so ridiculous.

Once we got to the beach, Tyler ran for the surf and Luke for the sand. It’s funny how they are such polar opposites. Tyler loved having the waves crash on him and was Mr. Adventure. Luke befriended a little boy, but refused to share his sand toys with him. He found some seaweed and enjoyed running around with it in his hands, yucky little boy he is. After 2 hours at the beach, the boys were ready for the pool; then Dairy Queen blizzards and bedtime. Our next day at the beach was just as fun; we got there around 7:45 am and enjoyed the coolness that early morning had to offer. The boys were so wiped out on our way home that they slept nearly the entire way.

There’s something so calming and powerful about the ocean -- the waves crashing on the shore, the sea breeze on your face and sand caressing your feet – it’s incredibly therapeutic. I’m hoping next year our destination will be to the beautiful white sand beaches of Florida. It was just the break I needed from my studies. To watch the boys embrace it brought a huge smile to my face. This is just another one of life’s moments that I live for.

My Stinky Little Boys

This summer has been so busy, but incredibly fun. The boys and I have embraced big changes to our life as I continue to get used to being a full-time graduate student and mom, but things are working out well for all of us. We have our summer routine down and I love it! Play dates, pool fun, tutors, therapy sessions, splash parks, Cabela's and outdoor adventures are what fill up our days.

Mondays and Wednesdays are learning days. Luke is in school while I work on school and Tyler has tutors that come and help prepare him for kindergarten. While Tyler works with Kara or Jessica, I am busy writing, researching and working on projects. I feel so alive right now and my mind is bursting with new knowledge. Tyler also has occupational therapy on Mondays, so it is a busy day for us. Thursday is another therapy day for speech. I am amazed with the progress Tyler has made in a little over a month. Luke is having a blast at his new "big boy school" and we are looking into keeping him enrolled there in the fall. He is also making big progress in potty training! I am optimistic and hopeful that he may be in big boy underwear by the end of the summer. Tuesdays and Fridays I leave open for play-dates; we meet up with our buddies at Little Stacy pool, Ricky Guerrero Park, Locomotion and Cabela's. There’s lots of fun in store this summer!

Recently, the boys have become even more obsessed with potty humor and my house has become pretty stinky and not with little boy essence. Just the other day, I needed to get gas before we headed to see Tammy, Tyler's speech therapist. I told the boys we needed to leave early, so I could get gas. Luke told me, "Mommy, you don't need gas! Tyler already has gas and is very stinky." I've decided Luke is a little comedian; he always has me laughing about something and I live to laugh!

In the evenings, I continue to read, write and research. Occasionally I take a break here and there to hang out, talk or Skype with those near and dear to my heart, my girlfriends who keep me sane and make me laugh uproariously. Amber, Anissa, Brandi, Tracy, Maria, Chandelle and Vanessa, you are all so special to me and I could not imagine me without you. Here's to more laughter, gray hair, laugh lines and fun!

Splashin’ Good Times

Our summer kicked off with a bang this week as we enjoyed some relief from the wicked 103 degree heat at the Ricky Guerrero splash park with our friends Corey, Jaden, Shaylee and Jack. It was packed by the time we got there, but it didn’t matter to the boys. They ran like the wind through the sprinklers and were successful in getting soaked. I even ran through the sprinklers, it was that hot! It was exhilarating; it made me feel wild and free! The boys rotated between the splash pad and the park, swinging, sliding and monkeying around. We finished up our playdate with a stop at Sandy’s for a refreshing treat, some yummy frozen custard. If only every day this summer could be this carefree and awesome. I’m looking forward to many more days, surrounded by our friends with the sun shining down, glistening on our faces, and our hair and bodies soaked with water; some splashin’ good times.

The Big Day!

Tyler’s last day came quickly this year! It seems like he just started Pre-K the other day, but now he’s in Kindergarten. We will have a busy summer, full of therapy sessions, tutoring and water fun, but I know it will go by just as fast. Tyler came home with a huge bag, filled to the rim with projects he had worked on throughout the year. His book, “T if for Tyler” was awesome and brought tears to my eyes. At the beginning of the year, Tyler could not draw. If you asked him to draw an object or animal, he would just make a messy, circular scribble. Thinking abstractly is very difficult for him. Also, his name was so illegible. The first page showed a comparison, from August 2010 to May 2011. It blew me away and was symbolic of the incredible progress Tyler has made. I am so proud of how far he has come and how much he will continue to grow, to become the boy and man he was meant to be.

Luke also had a big day yesterday, his first day of school for the summer. His school year program ended last week at Hays Hills. Because I am in Graduate school and constantly writing, reading and working on research, I enrolled Luke in a program so I can have 2 full days a week to work, without his one-man wrecking crew distractions. While Luke is at school, I have tutors coming to our house to work one-on-one with Tyler on his reading and writing. Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays will be busy, full of learning and therapy sessions, but it will all be worth it. Luke settled in immediately to his new program and enjoyed playing soccer and painting. He’s so gregarious and full of energy! If I had all of the energy that Luke has, I think I would have to take a sedative just to chill out. He will have a wonderful time making new friends and staying busy.

As I successfully finish my first graduate class, I can’t help but reflect on my time in the classroom and all of the lives I have encountered and touched. I used to have around 130-150 students a year, around 650-750 students in my career thus far. One of my former students just recently told me how much I meant to her, which made me feel even more motivated to get back into the classroom. Then I thought about a student who was an enigma to me and his peers, a social pariah and outcast. I had felt sorry for him; he had no friends and struggled to communicate and when he did, it was awkward. And then I started to put two and two together – poor eye contact, horrible social skills, poor fine motor skills, boundary issues, incredible shyness, odd hand movements and off-the-wall behaviors – this student had autism and had not been labeled. He had an “LD” label (learning disability) and not the “AU” label (autism). He also did not like to be touched by his peers. Looking back, it is so clear that he had autism and for some reason had fallen through the cracks, unnoticed because he was invisible. His parents did not know how to help him and he was 14 when I had him in my class! It made me feel incredibly sad for him; he did not have all of the early interventions that Tyler has had to help him. Had I known what I do now, I could have helped this student even more. But there are future students, waiting in the midst that will reap the benefits of my new knowledge. Wherever he is, I hope he is doing well.

The Future

When you have a child with special needs, sometimes the future can be scary -- the unknowns. Will Tyler be bullied because he is different? Will he be able to live independently and be accepted in society or will he live with me until I die? Will he be able to go to college, have a career and have good, solid relationships with people? These are the things I worry about and some of my greatest fears. Today, I attended Tyler’s annual ARD, the planning meeting for next year. I left the meeting full of hope and positivity, thinking of all of the new things that will come next school year.

I am so pleased with Tyler’s placement. He will be in a full inclusion Kindergarten class with pull-out for speech therapy. His new teacher knows him, loves him and wants him in her class; I could not be happier. But I was also filled with another emotion, tremendous sadness, to leave the area that I have grown so familiar with – the Early Learning team of PPCD and Pre-K. Tyler has had the most amazing teachers the past three years and all of his new ones will have BIG shoes to fill. I will miss them tremendously, their hard work and perseverance with Tyler has helped him achieve some major milestones this year, especially potty training; for that, I will be eternally grateful.

Emailing Tammy (Tyler’s private speech therapist) today brought me to an incredible realization. Three years ago this was not something we thought would be possible, an inclusion class for Kindergarten. His speech was so delayed as were so many other areas, such as fine motor skills. Tyler has come such a long way! I am so proud of all of his progress and achievements. This is a true success story on the impact early intervention has on children with special needs. Academically, he is on target. He still struggles socially, but continues to amaze me with his progress and ability to have reciprocal conversations with people. This is an amazing feat in itself! I could go on and on, but I think I would rather take the time to thank those who have helped Tyler get where he is today.

Ms. Armstrong, I cannot even begin to thank you for EVERYTHING you have done for Tyler. You have such a peaceful disposition and a positive outlook for each of your students. You created Tyler's first structured learning environment, observed and enhanced his skills and helped him to move beyond his weaknesses. You also taught me so much, especially about picture schedules, which has helped tremendously. We were so lucky that you were able to work with him again this year, continuing to push him to do his best, both academically and behaviorally. You have the gift of knowing how to challenge him, even though sometimes you would butt heads with him over writing letters other than “T” due to his sheer stubbornness at trying new things. You never gave up and continued to challenge him. Three years later, he is such a changed little boy. You are a true autism whisperer!

Mrs. Geen, your compassion, patience and love for ALL of the children you teach inspires me. You are the ultimate caregiver and positive role model that all parents want their children to have in their lives. Tyler has learned so much the past two years from you and grown intellectually and emotionally as a result. You’ve really honed in on his love of animals and sparked his curiosity in science. His penmanship has improved dramatically this year, thanks to all of your hard work. I was so excited this year when you sent a note home telling me to have Tyler read me “The Snowman”. He read it word for word and I was such a proud mama! You really have a gift at bringing out the best in your students.

Ms. Melissa, you are truly the “mama bear” of the Early Learning Team. I am amazed at your patience and how well you know all of the children, especially how you can get them to behave! You have done so much to help us with Tyler, especially with potty training. Perhaps I should lobby for a pay raise for you due to your awesomeness. Maybe I’ll just get you a lifetime supply of Diet Dr. Pepper. You are an invaluable asset to the team. I wish I could steal you away and take you with us to Kindergarten, but Mrs. Geen and Ms. Armstrong would never forgive me. I love your sense of humor and the grace you draw upon to deal with the children in difficult times. Just thinking about you brings a big smile to my face.

Change is good, but especially hard when you have to leave behind those you care about and get out of your comfort zone. Someone once said, “Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some stay for awhile and leave footprints on our hearts. And we are never, ever the same.” Our lives have definitely changed and for the better due to all of the hard work of Tyler’s teachers. I will always look back on this time and remember the fun, the hard times, the positive growth, the encouragement and support. I will remember how lucky I was to have these people in my life. I will always feel these “footprints” on my heart.

The New Obsession

Today, I decided to make a change, one that will help me take on the unbearable, crazy hot summer that has already begun, months early – a much shorter hairstyle. When you’re a busy mom, easy makes everything better. Friends and family not living in Texas, we began to hit 90 degree heat back in March, much too soon for my taste. When Tyler got home, he immediately noticed my haircut, “Wow Mommy! You got a haircut! It looks cool!” I lost count how many times he said this, so I’ll say around 50. This made my day, but was also the beginning of his new obsession – my awesome, new purple blow dryer.

Tyler has always loved anything which makes noise, especially of the musical variety – musical toys and music in general. Because of his sensory issues and noise sensitivities (he has Superman’s hearing), he was afraid of loud noises, including the blow dryer, vacuum and weed eater. Just getting one of these modern, convenient devices out would send him into hysterics and wild meltdowns would ensue. Now, it’s the opposite; he can’t get enough and becomes totally OCD about all of them. I made the mistake of showing him my new, kick-ass, purple ionic blow dryer. Purple pride, baby! Now, that’s all he wants to do, blow dry his buzz cut hair, who would’ve thought?


Tyler: Mommy, can I go and blow dry my hair?

Me: No, your hair is dry. You don’t need to blow dry it!

Tyler: Please mommy, I really want to dry my hair.

Me: It’s not wet! But if you must, use the cool function so it won’t be so hot!

Tyler: I love your blow dryer Mommy. It’s purple!

Me: I’m glad that you love it, purple is an awesome color.


Just writing this conversation down has me doing cartwheels! It has taken me years to have a conversation like this with Tyler. Many parents take this for granted, because their children began talking when they were supposed to and did not have to wait years for this awesomeness. Tyler was a late talker as a result of his autism and did not begin to use sentences until he was three. He is 5 ½, but his language is more like that of a four year old. Many frustrating times followed and still occur, when he can’t find the words to express himself. The above conversation is miraculous to me! Thanks Tammy, we have come such a long way. Sometimes, I am so overwhelmed with emotion -- happy tears fall fiercely down my face. Here’s to many more happy tears and joyous celebrations of good things.