Clean hands for the class clown

Jackson's been doing well. His blood pressure is staying fairly steady within a range that's normal for him although high for others. He doesn't like the blood pressure checks in his leg, but thankfully, the difference between the pressure in his leg and arm is staying about 10 points. I pray that it doesn't go higher and that Jackson's 2012 doesn't include a hospital stay.

He still tells us all the time that he's happy. Oh, how that blesses my heart. And his obsession with travel-size hand sanitizers is still going strong. Even though he was thrilled to get over 50 bottles for Christmas, he continues to beg for them weekly. He says "five" repeatedly (they're five for $5) until someone gives in and takes him to Bath & Body Works.

Jackson looks online first to check out the featured scents and decide what he wants. Angy or Darrell usually buy him five every Saturday, and he asks me for five on Sunday. Last week, it was Mango Mai Tai and this week, it was Island Margarita (he's currently into the cocktail-themed scents). But instead of asking for the usual five, Jackson smiled so sweetly and said, "Five . . . six, seven, eight!" He has hundreds upon hundreds of little hand sanitizers. But considering how they're handy to have around (although Angy has to sneak what she wants; Jackson doesn't ever give 'em up) and considering how he never asks for anything else, I guess it's not a bad obsession to have.

Jackson carries a handful everywhere he goes, smelling them, rubbing them on his hands and arms, and lining up the little bottles to look at them. Scented hand sanitizers apparently mean a lot to him, so a lot he shall have!

Jackson requesting 5 Island Margarita hand sanitizers

Last Friday, Angy and Jackson's teachers had their annual ARD meeting (Admission, Review, and Dismissal process for Special Education students). Since he's a big 13-year-old now, Jackson attended the meeting for the first time. In earlier years, the teachers talked about Jackson living independently someday. Now, they're recommending that Angy and Darrell go through the legal process to get guardianship rights that will extend beyond Jackson's 18th birthday, because they expect he will always have to live at home. They also said that because of Jackson's disabilities, he can stay in school until he's 21!

Here are some of the teachers' statements from the document on Jackson's "Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance":

• Jackson is a huge helper. He is great at holding the door for everyone. He can wipe down tables, boards, and vacuum when prompted. He can fold laundry with guidance and loves to do the laundry! (Good luck getting Jackson to vacuum at home, Angy.)
• He is great at the computer. (No surprise there.) Jackson works very hard and gets excited when he completes his work. He is also great on the calculator. Jackson can add and subtract simple numbers 4 out of 5 times correctly. He can tell time to the minute almost perfectly every time.
• Jackson uses gesturing, pointing, and vocalizing to indicate his wants and needs. He becomes easily frustrated and will hit the table with his hand or yell. (I can't imagine how frustrating it would be to be unable to clearly communicate your wants and needs.)
• He is able to brush his teeth by himself. (Who knew! I think Jackson's been playing us.)
• He is on a 5th grade reading level and can read sight words 9 out of 10 times correctly. Jackson can write out his name, address, and phone number correctly on the computer.
• We are currently working on his comprehension of short stories or paragraphs and typing in complete sentences and with correct punctuation. (As an editor, this thrills me like you wouldn't believe.) He understands very well the questions we ask him and has mastered his use of prepositions. (Yay, Jackson!)
• He can catch, throw, bounce, roll, kick, and strike a ball. Jackson requires prompting to throw a ball toward a partner or target; he often chooses to drop the ball instead. (I don't know why, but this makes me laugh.) He loves bouncing on an exercise ball and going up and down stairs.
• Jackson seems to enjoy school and likes participating in class activities. He always comes into class with the biggest smile on his face. He loves to be praised and talked to about what a good day it is going to be.
• Jackson is great with his peers. Although he does not interact with them much, he always smiles at them and says, "Hi." He is pretty quiet most of the day, but is always full of joy. (That's our boy.)

The teachers told Angy about Jackson making silly noises that he knows will get a classmate (who's nonverbal and in a wheelchair) to make silly noises too, and then the whole class starts laughing, which is his purpose for doing it. Our precious boy who brings so much joy to us is the class clown!

"A joyful heart is a good medicine." Proverbs 17:22