I am pleased to report that we are settling into our new routines and I have found a little time to write. Jenny has shown a few improvements. She has increased her range of movement in her right leg and can muster a little movement in her left leg. We tried dringking from a straw again. For the first time, Jenny is able to put her mouth around it and can draw the water up a little in the straw. It is so close to the real thing! Its implications make the possibility of speech so much more real.

I think Jenny wrote that she has tried playing the piano again. She does very well and I have to relenquish my position as best pianist in the family (her one hand playing is now better than mine).

The kids have enjoyed playing with their mom lately. Zach was excite to have his mom play red light/green light because he realized that it was a great game for her to play. Appearantly, he had planned for a while and made actual stop/go signs for the event. Zach also likes being the only kid who knows what mom is spelling to him. He kind of likes the power of knowing and not having to tell his sisters. This ability also makes him a huge help for me. At times, he is able to find out what Jenny needs when I am busy with something else. Many times, he can help Jenny himself.

The kids have also learned how to hitch a free ride off the back of Jenny’s chair. The gears have been turning and they plan some sort of permanent way to surf behind their mom. In the mean time, the two girls like to ride on Jenny’s lap and Zach rides the back of the chair like he is on a dog sled. No matter how hard I try to jockey for position, I always have to walk.

Zach had his 8th birthday today. Jenny began the day by signing “Happy Birthday” to him. She told me that last year she could only blink “happy birthday”. This year she signed it. Next year, she tells me she will tell him with her voice. I believe she will. Our therapies are going poorly. Getting into a routine is difficult. I do more with taking care of the kids, so I have less time. Jenny was hoping to do aqua therapy in her parents pool, but I do not see it being completed anytime soon. I think she has been holding out for this pool, so she refuses to use others. Rather than seeing increases in certain areas, I see weakening. A couple other areas are still becoming stronger- mostly her right arm.

On a different note, Jessie has adopted “y’all” as part of her vocabulary. It naturally comes out of her mouth now. She also prefers her boots over sandles or shoes.

Things have been really busy with our scheduled move-out for tomorrow. We have had great help from both of our mothers and things look ready to go. Jenny has been sad because she feels like she is losing independence by not having her computer or power chair for a few days. I like that she feels that way because it means that SHE feels she has some independence to lose, which has been a struggle to get her to feel that way. I am also please to state that Jenny has suddenly begun some noticable voluntary movement in her left leg that has been around for just this past week. This is one of the only movements on her left side. I am always pleased with continual progress, no matter how small. Things will be crazy for a while, but I assume that the next time I write, we will be in Texas.