According to Nikita, he went over to the neighbor's house first yesterday morning.  He walked in the unlocked front door and went looking for their 5 yo son.  Nikita searched all the bedrooms until he found his friend sleeping with his daddy in the Master bedroom. 

He woke the little boy and asked him to come out and play tag.  The boy said "no" because it was still dark outside, so Nikita left the room and went exploring through the rest of the house, looking in the fridge and freezer (There was chocolate in there.), inspecting the two fish tanks, finding the TV room and even finding some candy to eat in their basement.

All this time the father and older boy were sound asleep in their rooms.

I guess Nikita finally got bored so he walked out of the house and went to play in our back yard.  There he found an envelope with some change that his friend had left near our swingset.  It was then that Nikita decided to walk to the ice cream store.

Nikita told me most of the story but I was able to corroborate nearly everything through a conversation with the neighbors.

At this point my mind is numb and I am searching everywhere for help for both (all) of us.

Nikita went on a journey this morning. 

I got a phone call from the neighbor before 7 am.  He informed me that my child was out in the neighborhood, walking down the street with somebody.  In my sleep-wake state, I thought that the dog had gotten out of the yard and was roaming the street.  My mind raced to visions of terrified old ladies fighting Bascha off with a stick.  It was the mention of pajamas that shocked me awake and made me realize that it wasn't Bascha, but Nikita.

Richard bolted out the door to discover Nikita walking away, about four houses down the street with some guy in a motorcycle getup, complete with bike at his side.  When a whistle turned them both around, Richard heard the whole story.

By the grace of God, the man who found Nikita walking toward one of the busiest roads in the city, was Michael's fourth grade teacher, Mr. Sperka.  Mr. Sperka had been on his way to the school when he found our little boy, dressed in his pajamas with no shoes and a fistful of change, walking about a quarter mile from our house.  Apparently Nikita informed him that he was on his way to the ice cream store.

Mr. Sperka convinced Nikita to turn around and managed to get him to lead him to our street.  But then Nikita pointed to our next door neighbor's house and said "That's my house."  Nikita ran up to the front door, opened it and walked in.  Mr. Sperka said he just kept walking toward the school until Nikita ran out the door, down the street and caught up with him.  (The neighbor heard Nikita come in the door as he was stepping in the shower.  Ran out and asked Nikita what he was doing and apparently frightened our child back out the door.)

Thus the phone call from the neighbor, which led to Richard finding Mr. Sperka and Nikita on their way to the school where the plan was to hopefully figure out whose child this was and where he belonged.

I'm finished laughing.  Crying isn't happening.  This is beyond anger.  I ask again, what do I do?

Ever since Nikita received a fishing pole and tackle box for his January birthday, he has been waiting for the trees to wake up and spread their leaves again.  That is his sign that fishing season is once again here.  The kids and dad have already been out several times to fish.  They have also all been quite successful already.  Even daddy caught a fish!  (But only one!)

So far Genna has caught the best of the bunch.  Nikita and Michael have caught their share, though.  Personally, I think I've been the luckiest, since every fishing trip means I get the whole house to myself.

Also on the Nikita front, I have been searching for resources for developmental delays to help him.  So far I've hit a few brick walls.  the best i have found looks very promising; there is a developmental pediatrics group at Children's Hospital in DC.  they even have a clinic in Fairfax so I wouldn't have to venture into the city.  BUT, they're currently scheduling for September.  What am I supposed to do all summer?

I am checking out a group in Michigan, suggested to me by Michelle.  They seem to have the sort of practical approach to treating delays by identifying the source of the problems instead of just treating symptoms like ADHD and Dyslexia.  We'll have to wait to see what comes of that.  Please continue to pray for us!

We have also been working a lot in our gardens.  Richard is in charge of the back this summer and i am working on the front.  the kids are glead to help whomever is getting the dirtiest at the time.  Richard has built two nice raised bed boxes for his veggies and is carefully tending to his blueberry bushes.  Genna has talked him into buying some strawberries this year.  Stay tuned to see if we get enough berries for shortcake!  After finally being satisfied that the spring flowers are all in the right places, i am in the process of planting some larger shrubs in the area we added dirt to last summer.  I bought some azaleas to put behind my two earlier additions.  I also have a little greeenhouse going with seeds in the house.  I hope to spend Mother's day weekend planting sunflowers, moonflowers, and morning glories. 

I keep putting off installing the sidewalk, waiting for enough inspiration to really feel committed to a way to do it.  Maybe the tax rebate check from Uncle Sam will inspire me to hire someone to do it for us.  Meanwhile, the kids have finally been trained not to walk through the mud on their way into the house.  Now I only have to train the rest of the neighborhood, and the dog.

I had a parent-teacher conference this week with Nikita's teachers.  they are concerned that he may have some developmental delays that would prevent him from advancing to the Pre-K class next year.  Basically they say he is acting like somewhat of a two to three year old but still has the intelligence of a much older child. 

I am gearing up to try to find somewhere that can fully evaluate Nikita.  He had an eye exam this week and they said that his eyes are healthy but there are some developmental delays there. The great news is that developmental delays can usually be corrected by therapy.  The frustrating part is that I don't know how to determine the full spectrum of his developmental delays.  My doctor hasn't been much help.  I am looking for another pediatrician in the area but the ones who accept our pitiful insurance are not accepting any new patients.

So, pray that we are able to sort all this out in a relatively quick period of time.  i don't want my little boy to be held too far back from school, especially becasue he is so bright.

To go to Mass at the Washington Nationals Stadium.  My friend, Fr. Matthew will be concelebrating the liturgy there today.  Oh, and the pope will be there too.

Did I ever tell you how I managed to get tickets to this event?  When I read the announcement in the church bulletin about submitting my name for the lottery for 60 tickets, I called the church office many times.  That's not so big a deal.  i call the church office almost every week for one thing or another.  But for the three or four weeks before the lottery, whenever I called to put my name into the drawing, the phone was always busy.  Always.

The last time I tried to get my name on the list was the day AFTER the drawing had been conducted.  I was pretty disappointed.  I had truly wanted to be a part of this historic event.  The last opportunity I had to go to a papal Mass had been when I was in high school.  back then I did not get the significance of an opportunity like that.

A few days later, after I had resolved myself to sitting on the sidelines and watching on TV, a friend called and told me she had an extra ticket.  What?  How on earth does one come by an "extra ticket" to something like a papal Mass?  She told me she had asked for two but her husband, who is not Catholic, was not interested in going.  Personally, I think God wanted my friend and I to go together from the start.  What a sense of suspense He has!

So I am going to hear the message of hope that the holy father has for us.  I am looking forward to joining the crowds of faithful.  I expect the feelings of hope, faith and fellowship to make this a most unique experience. 

And I will be praying for you, my family and friends.  If today brings a special hopeful smile to your face, you'll know why.

Peace.

Here is some enlightening viewing to prepare for the event.  It really made me go "Hmmmm."

I would love to credit whomever passed this link on to me but I honestly forget who it was.  If it was you, I owe you a big thank you!

It's finally Spring.  I noticed this year that spring really does arrive just a little bit later here in Virginia than it does back in North Carolina.  Back there the flowers started blooming at the end of February.  It has taken until this past week for us to see daffodils, forsythia, and all the blossoming trees here in Winchester.

Along with the flowers, everything else is blossoming too: the yard work, the "ta-do" list, the social calendar.....

It surprises me how, as soon as the days start getting longer, we have a habit of filling them just a bit fuller.  What amazes me more is that, as busy as life is getting, I don't seem to mind it.  Somehow the warmth and the sunlight have given even me a bit of extra energy and enthusiasm pop my head a little farther out too.

Yesterday, I joined Nikita outside in the backyard and we planted the roses that my mother gave me for Christmas.  this summer we will be enjoying Baby Blanket, Pope John Paul II and Our Lady of Guadalupe as they decorate our yard and send sweet scents in the windows.

 Nikita also helped me plant some daylilies in the garden.  They were freebies with my rose order so I have no idea what they will look like.  They will be a nice surprise for us both!  Today I have to get a few more plants into the ground in the front yard.  I ordered a 'Weeping Pussy Willow' and a 'Harry Lauder Walking Stick' to start a planting area in front of the house.  Of course it will take a year or twelve before my plants look anything like the ones below!

i also got a couple of freebies from this order.  I have a Wiegelia to plant in the front yard somewhere.  I also got a free Siberian Elm.  Since I am not sure if I want this in my yard, I think I will look for another owner via Freecycle.

We also have the Homeschooler's annual St. Joseph's Dinner, somewhat rescheduled because of the early Easter holiday.  Genna will be doing a short puppet show as part of the evening's entertainment.  We have to finish one more puppet, a papier mache' horse, before five o'clock tonight.

All i can say is that it's a good thing I don't have any more late night basketball games to watch.

Because Michigan State plays at 12:30 this afternoon.

 * Post game postscript;  Yes, I'm weak, I'm shallow.  I need redemption.

     And yes, they won.

Vatican Releases New List of Sins (Time/CNN)

Fortunately we have the likes of Sister Mary Martha to set things straight.  She explained that the "New Sins" are so new after all.  Please go read her take on things.  It makes much more sense than what the media has been squawking about.

The California courts decided that it is illegal to homeschool ones children without a teacher certification.  Once again, the courts have overstepped their bounds and made a general declaration of law based on a single case.

Please check out the whole story at the HSLDA website and then sign the petition to have this opinion depublished.