Summertime in the 'hood

Hi All,

Sorry I haven't written more...mom & dad have kept Caleb and I busy these past two weeks since coming home to Aberdeen! We've been travelling around to lots of parks, playgrounds, coffee shops, regular shops, and pubs. It's been a good time getting to know Aberdeen again, and we've really enjoyed having Dad around. Sadly, he has to go back to work tomorrow, but now that Brother and I know the way to his office, we can go surprise him and take HIM out when it's nice.

We now have a new washing machine, and mom has been doing load upon load all day. Which is good as it keeps raining and brother and I love to play in the rain! We have these cool Wellie boots to wear and splash in the puddles with, only when the puddle gets too deep then the water still goes inside the boot. You should have seen the amount that came out of brother's boot the other day--gallons!!

The other really cool thing is that we're getting to know our neighbours again, better than before. Not only Peter and his mum Grace below us, but the kids who play on the playground and who go to the community church behind our flat. They are really nice, and they are patient with me on the playground, they don't get mad even when I push!! Mom is happy to have friends to talk to, and Dad is happy about the church investing in the local area. I also like the biscuits they have--is that too cheeky to say?

Well, that's all for now. I'm bushed--busy day of playing behind me, another one ahead of me. More soon, love Adam xx

Christmas break has begun

Hi all,

Well, we are off to a COLD start, with temperatures in the 20's this morning, warming up to a balmy 35 degrees by 2pm. I know, you are surprised that a young man like myself knows the word "balmy". Let's just say I have some wordy parents!

Mom dragged brother and I around Durham today in the buggy, wrapped up but still cold!! We had some errands to run and then had a root beer float at the soda shop on 9th street. It was fun, but not enough chairs and brother was ancy.

Tonight we went to a Christmas party at St John's church here in Durham. It was for all the people who had received presents from other people at other churches. Let me be more clear: it was mostly for people who had no money to buy presents, so were being given things so that their kids might have something to open in 3 days. It was really nice--and really good to do. Brother gave a gift to another young girl who was really happy. We felt good being there, because it made us think about how good it is to be a community together with other people who live near you. Sort of like me being in a classroom with other kids with disabilities--they are the ones who hug me the most, you know? Dad introduced me to a man with Down Syndrome who was there. His name is Luck, and he is 28. He's a bit bigger than me, but I know we are friends.

Oh, and I played piano for the whole group. Lots. Even when I wasn't supposed to--but you know something? They didn't mind.

Blessings to you all--more before Christmas.
Love, Adam.

Another weekend

Well, for a family that has just moved we sure do keep moving!! This weekend we had lots of fun, I'll tell you the highlights since I have to go to bed and get my beauty rest for tomorrow (starting kindergarten, yea!!)

Saturday morning we hung out with our neighbours across the street for a bit, Michael and Anne and their kids Lars and Siri (5 and 3). They are very nice--Lars and Siri like to ride cars/bikes/scooters/tricycles like Caleb and I do, and they have a great backyard. Michael stays home and Anne works, but we all had a "street pow-wow" for a little while. Then mom took us to a country orchard to pick blueberries. I'll try to put a picture up so you can see all four pounds of our berries. Mom and Dad picked them, Caleb helped to eat them, and I just spent the time throwing a tin container into one of the trees! It made a great sound, much better than doing any actual work! When we got home my teacher called to make final arrangements for Monday. That made mom feel better...I think I'm really going to like this new school, but I'll tell you more after I go there a few days!

That afternoon we went to a BBQ party at the house of a mom who my mom met at the park. Her husband just passed his viva, so he was pretty happy, and there were lots of people and kids there. This couple has twin boys about the same age as my brother, so I can tell you there was a lot of action (including fists flying!), not to mention me trying to knock the iced tea jugs off the table every five minutes. I think Dad was not too sad to leave that party!

This morning we went to Trinity United Methodist Church where Amy Laura Hall and her family go. I really liked the nursery--a woman named Kathy Russell runs it, and she knows just how to handle kids like me because she is a special needs teacher. I realised pretty quick I couldn't get one over on her, so we got along fine. A woman named Olive preached, I think mom and dad liked her a lot.

This afternoon we went to the new Divinity students' BBQ and met some more people, this time people Dad will be working with. It was great fun, since brother and I got to play on a fantastic playground the whole time and it didn't rain. Mom and Dad said the BBQ was pretty good, though I don't remember much except the pudding at the end. Mom thinks she might have found a babysitter too--good thing we went, I say!

Well, goodnight (to my Aberdeen friends, good morning!!) More soon,

Love, Adam

The fourth weekend since our move...

Hi everyone! I haven't written in a few days, so I thought I'd catch you up on all the weekend's activities. Let's see what I remember...

Friday afternoon we went to meet dad at the pool and go swimming. Sadly, we had just gotten changed and were heading in when the first thunder rolled--that's a 30 minute ban from the pool, and I was very disappointed! My mom and dad thought we should just go rather than wait, so we went to the mall to play around in the fountains instead. We ended up going inside and "killing time" (as they say) and then getting some food and going home. It was nice.

Saturday morning we went to the pool straightaway and had the swim we missed on Friday. It's the faculty pool, so we get in free with dad's ID card. I enjoyed the swim, even though I pooped through three sets of swim pants so mom had to go to the store and get more halfway through. Oops! No thunder this time, just blue sky and 80 degrees (sorry Aberdeen friends!)

In the afternoon we went to the park nearby and had fun playing. Caleb and mom kicked the ball around, while dad and I stayed mostly on the swings (surprise, surprise!) We were pretty sweaty when we got home, I was glad for bathtime! I forgot to say that the bathtub here is full size, so brother and I can take baths together and have enough room to breathe (anyone who has seen our bathtub in Aberdeen will fully appreciate this fact!)

Today we went to the same church as last week, and it went very well if I do say so myself. No problems, except that I tried to knock the garbage can over a few times (he he!) I like to keep them on their toes, and they didn't seem to mind. The pastor made a joke about being one of only three evangelical Presbyterian ministers in the state at the last conference, which I don't get but everyone else thought it was real funny.

This afternoon we drove to another park and played again. Not much more to say--you get the picture already! I'll write more soon--I think mom and I are going back to my school again this week, so I'll tell you how that goes.

Love, Adam.

Having fun with friends at last

Hi all,

Today was a nice day, warm but not hot like it has been, and a little cloudy. I like these days--mom doesn't make us wear sun cream like when the sun is out!

We went to the Oval park in the morning and had a nice time. Mom has met a woman named Sarah there who has twin boys the same age as Caleb. That's enough two year olds for me, so I stay well away, mostly on the swings which I LOVE! I did try the slide and kind of kicked at a little girl there. Mom got cross and I didn't understand why...I was just saying hi! But she made up with me later and pushed me on the swings again, so I think it's OK.

In the afternoon we went to the Eno River state park, where we went with Dad last weekend. It was great, and pretty quiet. I did push my brother down some steps, so I got in trouble again, but overall we had a nice time. This time I did understand, but I still don't like to get in trouble!

Mom took a picture of my brother and I fighting over the juice cup. I think actually he was fighting and I was having a grand time of it!! I'll try to include the picture in this blog.

When we got home, mom got a call from a very nice man who wants to be my doctor. He was recommended to us by some people at the church we went to last weekend (Blacknall Presbyterian), and likes to work with kids like me who have Autism. He said we will have to drive 20 minutes to see him, but mom said his reputation is enough to drive for. So I will meet him next week I guess to do my kindergarten health assessment. Maybe he'll have lollipops for Caleb (or, as he calls them: rollipops)

This evening we went to dinner with some people who are involved in something called New Monasticism. Their names are Jonathan and Leah Wilson-Hartgrove, and they were very nice. There was some good food, and lots of really nice people there. I had lots of fun playing with a girl named Sarah who threw the basketball to me. We are starting to meet people here, and I can tell that makes mom happy. She took lots of pictures again, I'll try to include the best one here too.

Love, Adam.

Sunday was a bright day yesterday...

We had a nice day yesterday, though it started out with a bang! We were all eating breakfast when a big thunderstorm moved in and it rained lots. We sat out on the porch and watched it for a while, then we ate breakfast and got ready for church. By the time we left it had stopped.

We visited our first church in Durham, called Blacknall Presbyterian. It was pretty nice, at least the children's area was since I didn't see much of the rest of it! I liked the people who took care of my brother and I, and the other kids who were there. They sang to me and helped me when brother hit me on the head with a plane. OK, it was an accident, but I did feel better when they sent mom in!

Mom and Dad said the service was nice, and they met quite a few new people. They think we'll probably go there again, and I guess that means me and Caleb too. In the afternoon we met more new people, a man and woman named Alan and Michelle, who were pretty cool. It was their son Mikael who I really liked--he let me tap his face and didn't get mad at me!! We went to their pool club to swim, and it had a big slide too. It would have been great except mom forgot the swim nappies (pants) and I had to wear my diaper. Mom said it held out for two or three gallons then busted all the insides out by the side of the pool, and that was that.

Afterwards we went to their house and had pizza which I really enjoyed. I know mom and dad had a good time because they talked lots to the other grownups and not much to us!!

Today was a park in the morning and another in the afternoon. It's a rough life, I can tell ya! The weather was a bit cooler, only upper 80's mom said, which was nice for a change. I do need to remember that the ground gets really hot in the afternoon, though, and when I go barefoot I can get myself in all sorts of trouble!

That's all for now...more soon.
Love, Adam