Sept. 14, 2009,  Nashville, TN., 6:25 a.m., D.S.T.~

Terri Hershey writing.  Sorry for not writing; have been busy trying to get the nursery ready for when the new little one comes (five months pregnant now; I am really showing now!), and trying to help my son understand that he is going to be a big brother.

I am having a little girl.  David Patrick is going to be the big brother to a sister.  I couldn't be more pleased!

Still trying to figure out a name:  right now, I have it narrowed down to three possible choices -- Miranda Joy, Danielle Grace, or Ashlyn Faith.  Haven't decided yet; all of them sound wonderful to me.

Lately, David has been an angel.  Now, why can't he be like that all the time??

I think the possibility of having a new sister in just a few short months has cooled his jets.  Somehow, deep in his little mind, he has figured out that he will soon no longer be the top man on the totem pole:  there is going to be a new person in his life, so he'd better get used to it, quick.  He has been behaving very well (for the most part; he still has his moments).

I am very proud of him.  He's been nicer to me, and to others around him; he doesn't seem to be acting so oddly, much to my relief.

I hate it when he goes "autistic" on me; it's bad enough I get stared at because we're an interracial family:  I'm white; husband is black; our son is mixed.  Not many of us around (although there are a lot more families like ours than there used to be).  People still talk about a white girl being with a black man behind our backs; I see their lips flappin' in the breeze, and it makes me very uncomfortable.

Now add a child who has special needs to the mix.  That is a potential explosive situation just waiting to happen.

David is doing well in school; I pray this continues.  He loves his new teacher, Ms. Kibler, and he loves his classmates, particularly a girl named Primrose Layne Connor (no joke; that is her real name!).  Ms. Kibler seems to be very patient with her young charges, particularly those who have special needs, like my son. 

David also loves church, though he still sits out in the lobby during the service; the large crowd of people still unnerves him.  Just as long as he can hear the worship music or the preaching going on, then he's as happy as a clam.  He will sit there, on my lap, toy dinosaur parked in his mouth, and listen intently until the preaching is over. 

The mere fact that David can sit still for over an hour is a miracle in itself; he wouldn't even dream of doing that two years ago!

Two years ago, he would do anything to disrupt the service.  Run up and down the aisles.  Hug strangers.  Scream or yell without provocation.  Try to get into the baptismal tank.  Play with the musical instruments or the mics on the stage/platform.  Play "hide-and-seek" or "peek-a-boo" behind the giant, lighted cross on the stage/platform.  Look up ladie's dresses.  Snatch "rugs" off of balding older men.  Or give Pastor Bilkey, our senior pastor, a great big razzberry while he was in the middle of an important sermon.

Yes, David would do all that --  and so much more.  Going to church back then was nothing but a trial.  Now, thankfully, it has gotten much easier.

I do believe my son is finally learning to behave appropriately in public, much to my relief.  (And his.)

The only issues David has now, in relation to his autism, is stimming his hands or rocking back and forth, humming loudly, during particularly stressful situations, or throwing one of his legendary outbursts if things are especially stressful or upsetting.  Thank God those are becoming fewer and farther between, but they still do happen on occasion, like last month, when he threw that giant fit after I put him in the Time-Out chair for misbehaving.

And I thank God for my support group.  I don't know where I would be if I didn't have friends whose shoulders I could bounce off of.  Or my church family. 

Oh, thank God for church as well as my church family!!  They know the stress I'm constantly under, so they continually lift me up in prayer, which has greatly helped me and my son.  They are excited about the new baby; they have been getting me gifts for my new daughter-to-be, and they are counting the days until she was born right along with me.

And of course, little David gets spoiled with more gifts, too, so that makes him very happy.  LOL

At church, David's best friend is Arjun Sandusky.  He's a year younger than my son, but they always sit together during Sunday school class before the service starts; then, when the main crowd starts filling up the sanctuary, then David and I head out to the lobby, where it is a lot more peaceful for him (and where he's less likely to act up).

Then, after the service, David finds Arjun, and they play for a few moments until it's ready for us to leave.

Well, I am going to get my son up; he has school at nine.  Want to make sure he's all ready by the time the big, blue bus comes (that's the special needs bus); don't want to disrupt his routine, or else you might as well kiss your butt goodbye.  LOL  I will write in here again soon; until then, this is Terri Hershey saying so long and God bless!

~Love, your friend, Terri.  :)