After two days of searching the ins and outs of blogger, I have decided to jump ship. I cannot see any way of fixing the comment problem and I am simply not willing to revert back to the old style. So I give up. Maybe blogging just isn’t for me. It is time for me to say my goodbyes.

Okay, so that is only half true. It is time for me to say goodbye, to blogger that is. I have moved to a new blogging system and we seem to be getting along just fine. Please come on over and check it out. I think you will learn to like it.

http://www.daventate.com/

And for my final goodbye…

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As with most beginning projects, we seem to be having a few technical difficulties. Either nobody likes the new layout/design or comments are simply not being allowed. I choose to believe it is the latter. While not exactly sure what is wrong, we are looking into it.

This leaves me with three options.

1) To revert back to the old design.
2) To leave an email address for all of those of you who wish to send me an email with your comments.
3) And finally, to simply ignore what everyone thinks all together and continue to write.

While option number three is enticing (just think of what I could say without hearing any back talk!), I don’t think that is the best best way to go. I am not so thrilled with the first option considering the beauty of this new design, the old design is simply blah to me now. So that leaves me with option two. So for now, if you have anything to say about the new design (one way or the other) please send your comments to #############

Darn that faulty template! Just when I was getting so excited about the new flashy page. What a let down!

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TA-DA! This may not be exactly what you had in mind for the big surprise. Sorry to disappoint you. Back in early January I decided that for the new year, I would like a new blog design. So with the help of my brilliantly talented friend Sarah, here it is! I am exceedingly pleased with how it turned out and was so anxious to show it off. Sorry for those of you that were hoping the surprise was much more extravagant. HA! Jokes on you.

So here’s to a new year and a new start. I hope you will continue reading Daven Tate’s blog and travel along this journey with me. It has been an amazing two years and I hope this year will be full of growth, development, and hope for my precious son.

Thanks for all your help Sarah. Your talent is remarkable!

Along the Journey…

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Daven is a major bath time lover! We have to keep the bathroom door closed because our little explorer will wonder on into the bathroom and try and get in the bath tub. A while back when we went to see a WS specialist they mentioned that learning for a WS child comes best in three ways, music (obviously), water, and language. We obviously work with Daven and music. Singing to him all the time, dancing to the music, and so much more. It has only recently hit me that I should be teaching Daven in the water during bath time.

GranZ for Christmas gave Daven some bath cut out toys. The ones that cling to the tile on the shower wall. He has now mastered them and knows exactly what to do with them. He will put them in the water to get them nice and wet…then reach up high to stick them to the wall. He will do that over and over during his bath. He has also learned to “pour” water from a cup. To me when I demonstrated this to him, he was always so blank faced and never seemed to care. Just this week he would start scooping the water into the cup then pouring it out. It is so fun watching him in the bath. He could play in his bath for hours.

In other news, Logan officially starts his new job today. We have been waiting for this day for almost four months now. We are both excited about his new endeavor and look forward to the set schedule. He is the Project Coordinator for a company in town called Clovis Metal Buildings. It is a company that is on the rise and has major growth possibilities for Logan. Thanks for everyone and their prayers. We are finally going to be settled and get back to a routine of work and home life. The idea of Logan having the exact same schedule as me is incredibly exciting.

No, that is not the surprise. But it will be coming soon. I promise. And no Lisa…I am not pregnant! HA! Happy Monday!!!

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Excuse me while I vent. I present to you three words that should be abolished from the English language. Retard, Retarded, Retardation. And/or any form of the word. Hearing these words in ANY context is simply unbearable to me. While out to lunch with a friend today, I overheard a conversation from the table adjacent to ours laughing and joking about one of them being “such a retard.” As I tried to contain my anger and continue on with the conversation at my table, I couldn’t help but feel the anger building inside. I feel that this word is not a word that should EVER be used in a jokingly way. It isn’t a joke and should never be used as a joke. Bottom line, IT ISN’T FUNNY!

When I hear these words, I picture MY CHILD coming home from school one day crying because somebody has called him a Retard. When I hear these words, I picture a doctor looking me in the eye to tell me MY CHILD will be mentally retarded. When I hear these words, I can’t help myself from cringing and wanting to bust into tears immediately because I know it is reality for MY CHILD.

I have to be honest with myself and imagine that I must have at some point in my life laughed at somebody and said such horrible things like “you’re acting like a retard” or “such a retard.” I guess I could use the excuse that I didn’t know any better. Now that I do, I will never utter those words again.

[Side note: The big surprise is not complete yet. It needs a bit of tweaking before it is reveled. HA!]

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Now that I am officially free from Jury Duty…I have nothing to say. Oddly enough, sitting quietly for five straight days has left me speechless. I am thinking it is more related to the fact that I am simply so overwhelmed that I don’t know what to do, say or where to even begin. My desk is piled high with work that has been waiting for my return, my house is overflowing with laundry that I haven’t seem take care of all week long, and my brain is working so fast and running a million miles an hour that I can’t seem to stay focused on anything.

Once I get a bit more settled and relaxed I will update with new pictures and possibly even a big new surprise! So, maybe that will tease you just enough to keep on comin back. I HAVE MISSED YOU!

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Being out of touch for so long now, has left me with a serious case of writers block. The snow is finally starting to melt away, however still pilled up in front of my house. I was excused from work for two full days which meant a nice long four day weekend! As soon as I returned to work, I was summoned for Jury Duty again. And I have been there ever since. I cannot tell you anything about the trial yet, I can only say that I feel so out of sorts! The trial is expected to last another three days. Then I vow to stay on top of Daven’s blog and get back to posting regularly.

I did want to tell you that I miss you all and I am trying my hardest to read all that I can in the little time that I have. You and this blog are my sense of reality and comfort. Just as Nancy mentioned, the feeling of isolation has been haunting me for over a week now. My connection to you and your children turn that loneliness into companionship.

A few updates on Daven. He is now giving “High 5’s,” putting things “in” all the time, slowly eating a little more (applesauce, papaya, mixed berries and such), and is pulling up to stand all the time. Once we get the standing position down, I hope that walking will be close behind! Though, however, still a ways away.

I will be in touch soon. I love and miss you all.

LOVE LOVE LOVE