Julia...

......has made so much progress lately, that I can't keep up. Virtually everything is falling in to place with her...and all at once.

Last night, I got her to eat ribs! I said to my mother (we were there for dinner), "Aside from hotdogs (which was another recent addition to the menu of foods she eats), I think this is the first piece of meat she has eaten in over a year."

At OT today, she ate a cereal bar and a piece of bread. These were both new things for her (although she does eat bread toasted). Amy (the OT) thinks that by the end of August, Julia will be ready for "dishcharge." Her PT at Health South is thinking the same thing...they are both insanely impresssed with Julia's progress.

It really is amazing to see how far she has come. It's like she is a completely different person from a year ago...almost as if she just all of a sudden, "understood" what she was supposed to be doing all along.

Speaking of, a year ago when all of this started I joined a group called the "Massachusetts Families Organizing For Change." Well, I just got invited to apply to attend The Family Leadership Series, which is a series that focuses on supporting individuals and families with disabilities. The series is organized in to four two day wprkshops, each one with a different theme. The first session is in October, then another in January, March and April.

The theme for the first series is initiative and leadership. The theme for series 2 is focused on Goals and Objectives. Series 3 will focus on creating a vision for the future of our children and family members. Finally the fourth series will focus on policymaking at the local, state and federal level.

There is of course a more detailed description within the paperwork I received. All in all, it certainly sounds like it would be interseting.

It's being held at a hotel in Mansfield, the stay and food of which is paid for by sponsoring agencies, organizations and businesses is Southeastern MA.

I think I am going to apply and see if I get accepted to go.

The more I get involved with all of these things, the more I think this "psychology/special education teacher/advocate" thing is what I want to be when I "grow up." It all just sounds so interesting to me...and I actually have a desrie to learn more about it.