Sometimes.....

 .....you just have to get it out.....

....just to move on!

So bear with me:)

 Math today.

Lots of colors using a pen with 4 colors in it.

No it is not just cute and fun---it is a child that is HIGHLY distracted.

And he took 2 hours to do his "cute" math page.

 Here is part of our language book.

Actually almost every lesson has the name written in.

Preparing ahead of time?

No--anything but what we should focus on.

 Yesterday's math.

Love all the cute pictures?

This was hours in the making.

Oh my.

 An example of two days of lessons.

One day fine attention...

...the next--not so much.

Wondering if food may be more related.

I think a food journal will be happening.

 Oh my Caled.

About 50% of the time.

 You may just laugh at this one.

But there is a total inability to slow down enough to even try to tear these on the line.

If he does, he is so proud he brings them to me:)

 A two week old toothbrush.

A great example of oral sensory issues.

A blanket on one of the couches.

This was chewed apart.

During a movie--there was a need for sensory input.

Actually seeing this one more and more right now.

 Our computer sits just off our kitchen in a former laundry closet.

We chose to leave the faucets in, in case we wanted to put them back in some day.

Well Mr. Curious wondered if they worked.

You guessed it....

Right over my computer.

Thankfully he also has fast reflexes and got it off quick, but did not get it cleaned up too well.

 This is the result when you wonder if the scissors will actually cut through jeans?

Answer:  Yes

 An example of Caleb's pencils.

All the tabs pulled off in the first 24 hours.

Erasers gone in three days.

Chewed up.

He mostly uses mechanical pencils because he presses so hard he is constantly breaking lead.

These pencils require him to press lighter and I can also read it.

 Not such a great picture.

But you can get the idea of all erasers..

and parts and pieces of erasers.

 Another example of his name.

He wrote his name 8 times and 6 are CaleD and 2 are CaleB.

 Again this is kind of hard to see.

His helicopter from Christmas.

Totally broken to pieces, but he has tried to tape it back together.

Probably half a roll of tape here.

He buys his own tape now.

 An example of a book.

Any book.

Missing, riped, bent---normal.

 His favorite drawing book at the moment.

Was in perfect shape till after finishing a math lesson.

Why?

He has no answer.

 Headphones worn during his school.

See the tape again.

He usually tries to 'fix' his mistakes or hide them.

 Here you see what it looks like under the tape.

You can also see the other side is already fixed by me.

He needs the headphones to help keep focused on his video lessons.

 The great idea to go move dirty logs for in the back yard after the rain...

in a white sweatshirts and our good shoes!

I thought this was perfect for the last picture!

There is actually drawing all over the shelf below my 'Pray'!  

Good reminder---to keep praying and keep it in focus.

I am going through "The Connected Child" again with our adoptive group.

Karyn Purvis says on page 36 that a child that "is restless and constantly fidgety"  may be trying to express "I must stay alert and prepared to defend myself at all times because in the past there was no adult to protect me."

Do I feel this is possibly true?

You bet.

When the stresses are higher, the behavior is higher.

What set this last set of issues off?

Well we are working on that.

It takes years to unlearn behaviour that is learned as a trauma response.

Right now it is gentle constant reminding of love and safety.

God is good.

He is the ultimate healer.

We trust with Him all is possible.

We know He amazing plans for our treasure.

So we pray.

We love.

And we give thanks daily for the blessings that come in so many shapes and sizes:)