A Day in the life....
Tuesday, September 20, 2011 at 5:58AM 
Yesterday was The Old Goat's birthday. We had a party. When not playing with my grandchildren, I love to photograph them. Baby Alice adores K2. It's mutual. Last night they had a 'girl time' during Alice's belly time.
I almost sprained a knee getting over there to capture this...
I think they're kindred spirits!
AG out!
Monday, September 12, 2011 at 6:22AM 
If you know K3 at all, you probably have some idea of what her ultimate best-possible-end-to-our-mother-daughter-adventure could be!
It started with little K3 dozing with her head on my shoulder. We were sitting on the upper deck with the sun beaming on us and smell of the ocean all around us. The boat was churning away toward the US and I was thinking of all the fun we'd had in Canada. And then...
The boat slowed down dramatically. There was a murmur on deck. People were looking at each other uneasily...Then... the boat engines stopped.
I knew instantly! I pushed K3 off my shoulder and reached for my camera as passengers began to yell "Whale"!
Our first glimpse was mostly the spout of water!
However, as we saw more of the whale, K3 announced with great authority "That's not an Orca! That's a humpback!"
We were stunned. No one expected to see a humpback in that area of Puget Sound, especially that close to land!
Unconcerned with his whereabouts, the whale continued to frolic next to the ferry!
At one point he even waved at us!
The splashes were amazing! The whale stayed next to the ferry for a good 10 minutes doing his thing! The captain of the vessel sacrificed his schedule to give all the passengers an opportunity to observe the whale. I swear, we were all tranfixed by his playfulness and his seeming willness to interact with us.
Finally, he was done. The last thing we saw was his tail as he left to go take care of whale business.
It was all K3 could talk about as the ferry resumed it's journey to shore. It totally made her weekend!
It was the best adventure ever!
AG out!
daughters, its a wonderful life, whales in Daughters, It's a Wonderful Life, whales Thursday, September 8, 2011 at 9:38PM 
The weather was beautiful the second day as well! After a morning swim and breakfast at the tea room behind the hotel, K3 and I strolled down to the harbor. We signed up for a harbor cruise and then waited while the harbor ferries performed their morning water ballet to the Blue Danube! Very entertaining!
The harbor cruise was wonderful! We met some of the locals who were also out sightseeing...
We even ran into a pirate ship full of scurvy sea dogs! Beware those cannons matey, they spray the unsuspecting wayfarer with water!
Unfortunately, it looks like they lost one of their crew members ashore. We spotted this wayward sailor on a street corner trying to sing for his supper!
K3 loved the shrubbery in front of the hotel!
Other sights we enjoyed included this seafood tower at the pub....
This gentleman who appeared to be somewhat lost on the street corner...
As we started our ferry trip back home, Mount Adams floated in the distance...
And the sky was crazy beautiful...
And then.... it happened....
Tuesday, September 6, 2011 at 3:00AM 
Saturday morning, K3 and I got up at the butt crack of dawn and made a mad dash over Puget Sound and Hood Canal to catch our ferry to Canada. We were cutting it close and called from the outskirts of town to let them know our arrival was imminent... I think they held the ferry for us! It was an absolutely beautiful morning and as we left the dock, the Olympic mountains were stunning!
The sky and the water were dazzling and K3 humored me by letting me take her picture up on deck!
Ninety minutes later, as we arrived in the inner harbor, we couldn't believe all the boats and activity. One of our fellow passengers told us it was the classic boat festival! It was beautiful!
We had a beautiful morning in town and lunched at one of our favorite pubs. When we came back to get our hotel room, we found we'd been given one of the nicest suites! The view off our balcony of the Olympic mountains was utterly stunning.
The weather was perfect and along with the abundant flowers, we enjoyed the entertainers down on the harbor, shopped for sunglasses and other fripperies and lazed in the grass listening to the blues festival on one of the piers!
Yup, that's how we roll!
More mother/daughter fun to come...
AG out!
Canada, daughters, hot weather in Daughters, It's a Wonderful Life, vacation Monday, March 7, 2011 at 6:21AM 
As much as I love my blog, I must admit that right now, in horse racing lingo, it's just showing!
Who's first? K3!
If I've learned one thing over the last three months it's that the paperwork involved in getting K3 evaluated and set up with services is mind numbing. Every time you think you've got it whipped, there's another step you must take before you can hit the finish line. It is not what I'd call a particularly rewarding process (other than the fact that her 'store bought teeth' will be ready in a couple weeks)!
And placing in this whole process is the preparation... for the trip to the UK in June (which means I must be whipped into shape) and for Blog Fest West in August (which means the house must be whipped into shape).
Throw in the taxes and yes, I'm feeling a little breathless.
So, my prediction for now is that post are going to be sporadic but heartfelt! Ye haw!
AG out!
Hearts Content, daughters in Modern life Tuesday, February 22, 2011 at 6:27AM 
K3 is very interested in anime. Fiercely so.
When we did K2's photo shoot for graduating nursing school last year, K3 was all about the 'hero pose'. As a non-anime afficianado, this looks pretty unflattering... just a lot of unsmiling, over the shoulder and, if uncropped, butt shots. But it made her happy.
However, in real life, K3 is very much a hero. Going from someone who hated the very thought of seeing a doctor, taking a pill or discussing the possibility of maybe, possibly, potentially seeing blood, following her accident last year, she has risen above her fears, disability and all. She may not like those things, but she's able to negotiate (is this a shot or a surgery and how much will it hurt?), reason (at least it's not another bone graft!) and rationalize (so it's only an hour in the dental chair but then I get to go home?).
Last Friday, we went to the dentist for her final impressions to build what we're calling her store-bought teeth. She still won't go back to the dentist chair without me, but she sat through all the rigamarole. And I think her reconstructive dentist finally "got" her in all her glory.
How do I know? As we were walking out, he called her name and asked "I wonder if you're too old?" Then, apparently deciding, he guided her to the Surprise Basket! As she dug through Sponge Bob Squarepants stickers and other fabulous items, the office manager held out a small stuffed dog, in a Chihuahua sweater! K2 pretended to consider it but her eyes were gleaming and she decided to take it home.
As she held it on the drive home, she declared that it will be her Dental Dog. And apparently it will be returning with her when she comes back to get her store-bought teeth bolted into her jaws.
I am still required to escort her though. A hero can only do so much without her side kick!
AG out!
daughters, disability, doctors in Daughters, Disability, Love of a Lifetime Tuesday, November 9, 2010 at 6:55AM 
There's a lovely overhead glass display on the walk way to the Chihuly glass museum in Tacoma. This summer when we did K2's graduation photo shoot, we stopped to look at it. I tried to photograph it several different ways, but I came to the conclusion that with the afternoon light, the only good shot would be looking directly into it.
As I convinced myself to lay flat on the sidewalk, I tried not to dwell on what my hair would be laying in while I took the shot (shudder) ... and the girls leaned in to egg me on! And thus... Girls under Glass!
I love when photography takes on a silly, frivolous note, don't you?
Have a fabulous day!
daughters, photography in Daughters, photography Friday, September 10, 2010 at 6:35AM 
(K3 and TOG somewhere in Idaho!)
That old saw about how you go on vacation and then when you come back you still have all the work you missed sitting on your desk?
True!
And at home, the box of peaches TOG and I bought in Yakima that must be processed.
End result?
No photo editing. No sorting. No writing.
So I'll do some of that this weekend. Promise!
In the meantime...
(K1 and I on Mother's Day, lamenting our dental issues)
Please wish my beloved K1 a happy birthday. September 11th used to be a normal birthday for her. Sadly, 2001 turned it into a not so great day to have a birthday.
I realize that K1 doesn't get a lot of face time on the blog, a side effect of not living with us and thus out of range of my sick humor camera lens! Aside from being Ben's terrific Mommy, K1 is hysterically funny, opinionated, caring and stubborn. The poor girl is exactly like her father and I!
Happy Birthday K1! Mom loves you! (Dad does too, but it's not his blog!)
AG out!
Thursday, August 19, 2010 at 7:07AM 
Our original path of diagnosis for K3 led us from the very helpful Dr. M who referred us to the university and a lovely neurologist who, having insufficient documentation to make a diagnosis, referred us for testing at an autism center which is an off shoot of the university's autism testing and treatment center.
I spoke with the doctoral student who will be evaluating K3 and several items came to light...
I've talked to The Old Goat about all of this and yes, he is (as always) the voice of reason. We have to do it, we'll worry about the money later.
I talked to K2 about it and her eyes glazed over.
I finally talked to K3 about it and she got that panicked look in her eyes. Other than the initial 1.5 hour intake where it is her and I, the rest of the testing is solo. I get why I cannot sit next to her during the testing, but that is her coping mechanism when someone asks her something and she doesn't understand. She turns to me or looks at me... she knows I'll help her. To do the testing alone makes her feel very anxious.
While I'm fairly certain autism is the correct diagnisis for my little K3, I'm a little worried about the IQ. While she's had 3 tests so far during her life, she was much younger then. None of them showed her to be in the "average" range of intelligence. I feel angry and defensive just writing that.
It is a swirling vortex of feelings... I've spent her entire life prepared to thrash anyone that called her stupid... and now, I'm hoping that she'll test "below average" again... so that at least she will have state services after The Old Goat and I pass on to our rewards.
Life sure has a funny way of helping you see things from all sides...
daughters, disability, doctors in Daughters, What's it all about?, anxiety Friday, July 30, 2010 at 7:08AM 
Today I am digging deep, using up all my inner resources...
Today K3 and I are off to our second visit with the neurologist, who appears to really know his stuff, to get the official diagnosis on her disability. Gah.
For those not in the know, TOG and I got pretty defensive in her K-12 years after multiple contentious discussions with her school district. The labeling game sucks but you must allow a label in order to get special education services. However, it must be the right label, which gets her services but doesn't allow the school to move her out of acedemics and into "living skills." In jr. high, we finally took her to a childrens neurologist and asked for a diagnosis that the school could not dispute that we could use until graduation. I can't remember what it was, but it served us well. No more icky meetings about her destiny, just mostly appropriate services every year by well meaning special ed teachers (bless their hearts).
Now, after The Accident, in order to be granted guardianship, we must show that K3 has a significant impairment, defined by an adult diagnosis. Further, that impairment may entitle her to some level of state services over the next year or two at least.... something I never thought she would be eligble for given our state's budgetary constraints. But our state has made additional dollars available to students graduating in 2009/2010 and a good diagnosis will make her eligible. This would be a huge move, taking her out of school services for the first time in her life, but services through independent vendors who must show progress are of higher quality than the school district who is not required to do anything but keep her busy until she ages out at 21.
Sorry to be so long winded... I'm just stressy. I'm taking the time off today to go to the neurologist. Time that is pretty scarce as I have a grant due at 5:00pm today (mostly written) and another due on Monday (half written). Did I mention that I hate writing logic models for grants. It is my least favorite part of grant writing!
So... thanks for letting me dump. If you can take a moment to send some good vibes our way... so appreciated.
Yours in stress, tension and anxiety...
AG
daughters, disability, doctors in Daughters, What's it all about?, anxiety 
