Congratulations Amy!

Another milestone was reached in the Nauss household. Amy passed her drivers examination and now has her provisional license! Congratulations to our 18 year old daughter. Notice her new braces! Now pray that she will find a job so she can put gas in the car and save money for her own vehicle.

Samuel turns 5 on Tuesday. Alicia will be here with baby to celebrate it. We'll share pictures on our next blog. Yesterday he told Santa Claus that he wants a kids digital camera. (Consequently, Steven said the same thing!) We went to Sam's school yesterday for a class presentation. They dressed as Indians and sang songs. How cute!

Steven has just been approved by the school system to receive occupational therapy. So they wrote up an addendum for his IEP. Whoever wrote it doesn't know a thing about arthrogryposis and has made both lofty and unrealistic goals for Steven's progress. "By 6/4/2010,Steven will improve bilateral coordination and overal proximal stabilty by 50% in order to maximize performance during functional mobility and school related tasks." This progress is measured by observation. How are they going to measure 50% improvement through observation? "BY 6/4/2010, Steven will improve developmental hand skils by 50% in order ot maximize performance during finre motor and graphomotor tasks."Again, this is measured through observation. If they accomplish this feat, they will have reversed Steven's condition! "By 6/4/2010, Steven will improve graphomotor skills by 75% in order to perform within the classroom setting." Again, if this were to occur, Steven would be miraculously cured. Remember that his condition, although non-progressive, he has contractures in his upper and lower extremities. His joints have bone deformities and he lacks physical muscle tissue. There are reasons why he is unable to clap his hands or turn his palms upwards. He is unable to bend his legs. (There is absence of a patella.) However, we will allow the school to work with him because he can benefit from OT and we're thankful that the school really wants to help Steven develop and grow.

They boys have been riding the horses at the therapeudic riding center and are developing good balance and posture. We'll have to take some pictures. Hopefully in the spring, they will learn to trot and begin to rein. This free program for children with special needs is a real blessing, especially for children suffering from Autism. Please pray that Spirithorse will receive a grant to build an indoor riding ring which is so desperately needed.

Holly still has lettuce, swiss chard and spinach in her garden! It's amazing to have fresh produce so late in the season!

Roger has been working part time, very sporadically as a substitute teacher. It has been a very interesting experience. Some of the kids say that he's the best sub; (it could be they are buttering him up or he's too easy with the kids). One kid said, "I learned more from you in one class session than what the teacher taught in a week! More lard I think.

Enjoy our latest photos. Have a blessed Thanksgiving! "O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His mercy endures forever."