Roper's Round Up

Noah, our baby boy, is doing well. He is starting preschool on Thursday and we are so excited. Praying that the transition into school will go smoothly. He even gets to ride a bus!!

He is making great progress with his speech. A lot of the issues we are having are behavioral issues. He can go from being fine one minute to tantrum mode in another. And that can be very emotional and frustrating.

We are thankful that we have Connor and Dawsyn. They are Noah's PT's (Play Theapists). They have taught him how to play. Using toys appropriately, his imagination, and keeping him from drifting off into his own "world." I'm grateful that God has blessed Noah with brothers that can help him in those ways. They are 3 peas in a pod.

We are 1 week into the gluten/casein free diet. I can't say for sure its helping, but we have a 2 great days so far this week. Praise God!! We were due for a bit of a break.

I was able to attend a great Autism Conference last Friday with a couple friends in Wenachee. I learned a lot and I'm so glad I took the time to go. I also went to a support group and was only 1 of 3 people that showed up. We chalked it up to the Presidental debate.

We are learning so much. Some things are discouraging and frustrating from a finanical stand point and other things are very exciting. We are chosing to take it one day at a time and doing what we can in the now for Noah. Right now we can get him in preschool, work on his diet, and are waiting for his OT appointment on the 27th. As long as this makes progress, thats all we care about.

Chase has been an amazing daddy and husband. And I believe these last few months with him home has been therapy for Noah as well. He has that daddy touch Noah needed I believe. I'm thankful that he has chosen to take an active roll in helping Noah through this instead of "checking" out or going into denial like so many dad's I have read about do.

Connor started 4th grade. He has the same teacher and class as last year, which I think took away a lot of the beginning of the year jitters. He was very excited to see his best friend Justin as well. (It was really hard to get them together over the summer.) He is very much into reading right now, and I love seeing his face in books.

Over the summer we got some of his WASL results from last year and he passed all the parts they took. We were so proud of him.


He joined Cub Scouts and we can't wait for meetings to start up after popcorn sales are over. If you want to help Connor with his selling email us for more detail on how you can buy some popcorn!!

I thought it would be fun to ask Connor some questions, here is what he had to say:

What is one thing you have already learned this year? Learning about the history Washington State.
Favorite thing to wear to school? blue sweatpants and his hurley black shirt, NOT together.
Favorite thing to do in your free time? Wii (at home) read (at school)
Favorite subject? PE and Math
One special thing about you? I'm good at drawing
Who is your hero? Mimi, lots of reasons, but one is she spends time with me. and Mom and Dad because take care of me when I'm sick. Too much to think of
Favorite Food? Chili
Favorite candy? Willy Wonka candy and candy corn
Thing you look forward to most this year? walking home from school alone
Favorite book: Goosebumps
Favorite TV show? Mythbusters
Whats your favorite thing to do as a family? Movie night
Favorite Movie? Spaceballs
What do you want to be when you grow up? basketball player
How are you going to change the world? be better at recycling
What do you hope your brothers and sister learn from you? how to read and help people in need

I'm back!! I decided if I was going to start blogging again and keeping up with our family blog, it needed a makeover...what do you think??? I think it's pretty cute!!

So many updates..I'll slowly catch up on everyone over the next couple of days. Hope your still out there reading!!

Loves and Blessings!

Today is the birthday of the most important/beautiful/supportive/awesome woman I know to exist in all eternity. . . my wife! At the moment, she's sleeping soundly because she worked a graveyard last night. She also works at 10pm tonight. This means that she not only works on her birthday - but she works TWICE on her birthday. If you know where she works, go see her and say Happy Birthday! Also give her good b-day tips ;)

I remember a time in my life when I thought I had perfectly guarded my heart from letting anyone inside. Almost ten years later I am always amazed at how she managed to get through. But how couldn't she? She's just too amazing of a creation and I'm far too lucky for God to have deemed me worthy for her. I learn new reasons for that daily. SO. . .

Happy Birthday Honey

I love you!

Enjoy some of our summer pictures!

Well, what can I say? I've neglected this awesome family blog when I promised to keep it up while Sabrena is at work. Sorry everybody!!! I hope you are ready for a whirlwind of catching up. There will be a new post going up each day this week starting today with Con's birthday at the Great Wolf Lodge!

For Connor's birthday this year, we told him that a present was going to arrive in the mail for him. This was not true. We had in fact, orchestrated a plan for Sabrena, Dawsyn, and myself to pick him from school with his bags all packed and in the trunk and to head for The Great Wolf Lodge in Grand Mound, WA. I'd never heard of Grand Mound, WA and when we got there, it looked a lot like Rochester to me. As you'll be able to see from the pictures, the place is AMAZING and heaps of fun. Here is a little video slideshow I made. The soundtrack is by Connor's favorite band (and mine - it was mine first), They Might Be Giants. It seemed to fit the occasion, what with my post  being so late his actual birthday.