Tonight when I got home from by bible study Younger Boy was already asleep.

Granted...his lights were on, his window open, his shoes on, and his glasses were on.  He was under the covers so we are one step closer to feeling safe during sleep.

All of those things make for a "quick escape" if needed during the middle of the night.

It is becoming VERY EVIDENT that there is some sort of trauma associated with sleep, but he hasn't been able to tell us about it yet.

My next goal is the window being closed during the night.  At the very least it needs to be only a little bit open.  Not open as wide as possible.  By the end of this week it could be nearly down to freezing temperatures here.  I don't want him to get frostbite in his room and I also don't want to have to heat the neighborhood.

It is kind of a tough balance.  I have closed the window after he falls asleep before only to wake him in the morning with it wide open again.

Prayers for understanding what is going on and being able to heal and work through it.

Middle Boy has a new behavior which is making me crazy. 

He won't sit down at the table to eat.  He wanders around the kitchen pacing and coming and getting a bit and then paces around the room.  He does laps around the table.  He goes to the refrigerator multiple times.

This is new.  I don't know the cause.  He literally can only sit there for a minute if that.

I just have to figure out the right questions to ask.  Forcing him to sit during meals will cause a BIG FEELING and it isn't worth it to me.  Sometimes that is the only way I can get to the real reason. 

Prayers for wisdom on how to handle the pacing.

Babysitter J came over after she dropped of Middle Boy from school.  She was staying with the boys this evening and she asked if she could just stay and work on her homework.  That way she wouldn't get distracted by other things at home.

Sure.  No problem.  She sat and worked on Environmental Psychology homework.  (What on earth is that?)  Middle Boy read Animal Farm for his English class and Younger Boy read a little and napped a little.

I have homework right now, too.  I have to pass two levels of a software by November 21st.  I find out tomorrow what that actually entails.  I also had to read a book for work which is DONE now.
I am also in the process of studying for a professional exam to become a Certified Energy Manager.  On top of that I am leading a women's bible study and my small group.  Lots of homework for me on a regular basis.

It was nice to be able to just do the homework for a while tonight.  That doesn't happen for me very often.

Praises for quiet for work.

Younger Boy slept ALL DAY today.

He didn't get up at all until about 4PM.  He still wasn't feeling well, because he only wanted to eat crackers...and then only a couple.

He kind of spend the remainder of the day just lounging and reading.

To my knowledge he never actually got sick at home, but he wouldn't tell me if he did.  Survivor brain won't let him.

Prayers for feeling better soon.

I feel really bad for Sophie....really bad.

I am kind of irritated, but more than that I KNOW she was scared.

When we left for the day she was in her kennel.  She often times is able to release herself.  Today was one of those days.

She obviously went up to my room once she got out of the kennel and then the wind blew my door shut.

I think she freaked out, because she clawed up the carpet under the door...down to the subfloor.

Luckily Younger Boy was ill or who knows what kind of damage she might have done while she panicked.

When we got home I could see she wasn't in the kennel and I could hear her whining.  Literally crying.

I'm irritated about the carpet, but I know she was scared.

Prayers we can find a good carpet repair person AND that we can calm Sophie's fears and find a way to better contain her!

I just got a call from Younger Boy's school that he vomited at school so I need to come and get him.

So...for the rest of the day I am working from home.

I am really blessed to have the opportunity to be able to do this and that my employer is very understanding.

Prayers for Younger Boy to feel better and praises for an amazing employer.

For the next three weeks I have a class every Saturday.

This coming weekend I am taking a six hour class on the eight behavior exhibited by kids with traumas.

The following two weeks it is the end of my attachment parenting class which I didn't finish over the summer.

I am looking forward to these classes and more learning on the topic of attachment and trauma.

Praises for the opportunity to attend so many classes on a topic that until two years ago I didn't even know existed.