Hangin in There

Thanks for hanging in there with me, since I haven't been able to post much lately.  Life kind of threw us a curve ball, but we're doing well, given the situation.  I've been living at my in-laws' house caring for my father-in-law, who has advanced Alzheimer's, while my mother-in-law has been in a hospital about three hours away from home.  For the past month, I was first at their house from breakfast to bedtime, trying to help them out, and then this past week I've been living here full time.  So our life is a little bit chaotic right now.  But "it is what it is" (that's my mantra lately). That, and "playing it by ear."  I've caught myself saying those two phrases almost on a daily basis.  

Every time someone asks me how I'm doing, I'm surprised by the question.  I can honestly say I've been at peace with the whole arrangement.  We're not getting everything done that we should be doing at home, and I really miss being with my little guys full time, but it will all work out in the end :)  Thankfully my daughter (21) and my husband have been able to help out with the home-front and take care of the boys.  And they do still get to spend several hours a day with us.  It just doesn't work out very well to have them here overnight.  We did try that, and it was a disaster.  No sleep for anyone - ha.

So, here's what I have managed to take pictures of (which isn't much - ha).  This was my view of the sky the day of the solar eclipse.  I was really looking forward to using the eclipse as a great homeschool teaching opportunity, but the clouds did not cooperate.

Last week we had a few snow flurries.  Nothing on the ground, but it was a reminder of what's to come.

See - not much accumulation.

We're still making great progress on the adaptive swimming program.  He's still very nervous in the water, but he's trying new things each time, and allowing her to take him deeper and deeper all the time.  (She's crouched down here, but he's okay with it, and even kicking!

Kids with autism are all about routine, and his routine is pretty much nonexistent right now, due to the family chaos.  But he's handled it well.  One routine that he has now is to go to the gas station after his swimming sessions, and get a chocolate milk.  He likes to drink it in the yard - under the tree where the squirrel usually is.  He tried to convince the squirrel to come down and be his pet, but the squirrel didn't care for that idea :)

I'm sure life will settle down eventually, but it might take awhile for that to happen.  For now, we're working on getting through one day at a time. :)