Life Is A Funny Bowl Of Improvisational Cherries

As of two months ago, Kiley is no longer our home school assistant...As of one month ago, I no longer work for the Salt Lake Film Society... --sigh-- ...funny life, which actually works out alright, because I have now hired myself as Alexis' home school teacher. So, to those of you who financially funded this position, "Thank you for my job!"

Alexis has increased her walking abilities to a couple of laps in the room with only one cane, and at the Leonardo she has replaced her walker with both canes. She can read about 30 words, plus, with guidance, can sound out others. She is spitting out sentences with both her hands and her voice. She asks things like, "How may I help?" and "May I have _____?".  She answers questions quicker and far more accurately, in addition she is asking other people questions and creating conversations, while I am translating more and more. The following letters are recognizably drawn by her hand: I, T, L, E, O, D, and sometimes A. She can color within lines, and she has found a greater interest in art. In fact, many times over the last few weeks I have found Alexis sitting at her table with paper, glue, paint, embellishments, scissors, etc., all of which she gets out, starts independently, and focuses on for a good amount of time, sometimes a couple of hours.

She's gaining a lot from working at the Leonardo. The staff are incredibly helpful in helping Alexis succeed. She loves going there both for work and free-time. The environment and staff are a major contributing factor to her current successes, and with the way things are going it is likely Alexis will be able to go to and complete her job with 80% independence by the end of the school year.

A new activity I have worked into Alexis' routine is her attendance in a signing class at the University of Utah. Beginning this upcoming week, she will be attending the last part of a Level 2 course, while I attend as her 1:1 assistant. I cannot express how thrilled I am for this opportunity. Our signing should improve greatly, while I will be able to help teach Alexis how to participate in a typical classroom setting. She is so excited to be attending a university class. She's already been up there, saw the room, and is emphatic she wants to park her wheelchair and sit in the desk/chair-combo they have for all the other students...wish us luck! :)

Well, that's about it for this update.
Stay tuned for some videos.
Until next time,
Cheers & Namaste
--angie