Fitness Friday: A Little Calm for Your New Year

So just in case none of us die tonight in a horrible, fiery end of the world inferno, I invite you all to commit to a new year of yoga with me in 2013! While I'm committing to another 108 days of the Ultimate Yogi come Jan 1, there are plenty of other awesome yoga teachers to check out if UY just ain't your style. There are so many styles and schools of yoga, that it can be hard to figure out what type of yoga is the best fit for you, which is why the American Yoga Association is such an awesome resource. They have information on where to start, how to find the right teacher, as well as other bennies like vegetarian recipes! There are so many amazing benefits to making yoga a part of your life, and what better time to start than after we've all dodged the end of the world!?

In other fitness news, some like-minded co-workers and I are putting together an Embassy wellness program proposal to help make health and wellness a priority for all of our staff. We're working with HR and MED to put together a comprehensive program that addresses physical fitness, stress management, nutrition, and other aspects of holistic wellness. Even better, there's an element of measurability so we can track progress and hopefully provide tangible evidence that a comprehensive work wellness program can have an impact on the overall health an well being of an Embassy. Now that would be a pretty cool cable to write! :)

Call Us, Maybe?

It may not be the most polished of videos, but our team is pretty freaking awesome! Wish I hadn't been on ACS Outreach when they were filming :(

Sometimes the Cuteness Just Kills You

My Out of Sync Child

So it's been a while since I last posted about our journey with A. He continues to receive speech therapy through the school (which is totally awesome, I am super impressed with the services we received at the International School here - way better than anything we got in the States!). They even offered up a return to OT when it was written out of his last IEP. Unheard of in the US public school system where it takes an act of God to adjust a child's IEP. He also receives additional out-of-school therapy thanks to the Special Needs Education Allowance (SNEA) we receive through the FS. This allows us to supplement what he gets in school without having to hassle with insurance that might not cover therapy received at an overseas location.

We are really lucky in so very many ways. A has a diagnosis, he gets plenty of therapy from appropriate sources, he has a loving family that stays engaged with his therapy team, and he goes to a top notch school. And, yet, there are still so many things that can't really be addressed through his current therapies. His proprioceptive behaviors, his inability to relate to other children his age, his complete obliviousness to the world around him.

I came across this the other night, and it made me cry. It really sums up a lot of my feelings about our situation. Except that in our case, A is the youngest child so I am constantly, painfully aware of how different things are. Normally it is not really an issue, A is a happy and loving little boy, and I feel so much joy to be a part of his little world. But sometimes those differences just up and smack you in the face, and I am often not prepared for how hard they hit. I joked about A's behavior at his school concert the other day, but in reality I was heart-broken to see how completely oblivious he was to what was going on around him. As we followed his class out of the auditorium to say our goodbyes and take pictures, I watched as he tried to engage with another little boy in his class who looked at him with such disdain in his eyes. A was completely, blissfully unaware. It made my heart ache. Sometimes the hardest part of parenting is accepting that you have so little control. I just didn't think I would have to face that so soon.

Letter to Santa

Dear Santa,

I like you because you give us presents and bring us a lot of gifts that we want. I hope that you give me a special pillow pet that could have doggies inside of it. And I like pokemons. I was good all day. You are crazy. Just kidding. You're nice. Bring everything I want...please.

I like you because you are nice to us. I hope you send a letter to us but don't tell me to be nice to my brother because I don't want to. When I was in school I just noticed that I had a loose tooth, and now it is really wiggly. I always wiggle it when I wake up. We have been very good. We eat at the right time, and I help people in my classroom. When you come here we will give you milk and cookies...if you bring us presents.

...oh, and please bring something for the kids...or they'll steal my shit. Thanks.

Love,
Pu (and helpers)

Happy Hanukkah, Bitches!

I know it's a little early for Hanukkah cheer, but since I know I won't remember on the 8th, here ya go: