February 7, 2025 

Some times I wonder where all the time goes. These past few years and so much has changed in those years. My son is a senior in high school now and the change in him is so wonderful I have no clue at times how he accomplished the improvements he has done. At first we thought he would never be able to go back into a regular education classroom. When he entered 7th grade we decided to see if he could handle one regular subject classroom and the work that went with it. I was told that he was doing well in Social Studies and then he had one elective that went half of the year so he was in Art (which was the best choice they could have made because he loves to draw and paint) and Gym. We finished the year at home though because of COVID restrictions. 

That year we also lost a key person in both of our lives. My father past away on March 31, 2020 from pneumonia. I wanted to make sure that my son could at least see my dad before he died even though he was unable to talk to him or give him a hug very easily. My dad was put on a ventilator and was in an induced coma at the time we were able to go down to see him before we were no longer able to go anywhere near the hospital he was in or be on the highway to get down to see him again. We were able to talk to him over the phone after they took him off the ventilator and had one last conversation with him.

The next few years were hard trying to get use to him not being here any longer. Philip has always view my dad as his dad because of the situation between him and his biological father, so him dying was very difficult for him to process into feels and being able to express those feelings. I put him into grief counseling for a year to see if that helped him. He seemed to have an easier time of working out his feelings talking to kids his own age that were going through the same feelings as he was. He tells me now occasionally that he misses him and that he wishes that he was here to see how he is doing now. 

During Christmas in 2024 Philip again wished he was here and most of us wished he was to so he could see how well Philip was doing now. We also meet an old friend who moved away from were I grew up when I was in my early 20s. He was a friend of my grand parents and when my mom reintroduced me and introduced Philip to him he was thrilled that I named Phil after one of his good friends. It made me feel proud that someone said the same words back to me that he said so many years ago before he died when I told him that I was naming my little boy after him. In some way it made me feel that even though my grandfather never got to meet Philip, he will learn more about him again when Bernie passes away.

Phil will be graduating in 4 months time and it seems like I have so much to do in a little time even though it really isn't that much to do. I have to finish editing his photos, pick the ones I like the most and then do the announcements that tell everyone that he has graduated from Fenton High School. Then we have to find out when Phil will start MCTI. I am hoping it will be this year, but I have no clue because they have a wait list because of the COVID restrictions that are still in place even 4 years after all the rest of us have gone back to school without social distancing and wearing mask.

I am sure Phil will like it there and I know it is the best fit for him even though he will not be able to go into the field he wants to do right away. He wants to build and program computers. He does a pretty good job at programing now, it just the building part he needs help with. Phil is a hands on learner and he learns best when it is on one to one basis. I have tried to encourage him to look into all the fields of area that MCTI offers training in and he is to the most part has his heart set on doing something with computers. I am going to continue to encourage him to do the best he can do and if he really wants to do the building and programing, I will have one of our family friends help him learn how to do that and he can work from home and get word out that he does this type of service to friends and by word of mouth maybe he would be able to build a business that way.

Phil has other options even at his current work place which is Walgreens. He has already asked to be transferred to the photo department once he turns 18. He loves taking pictures and is interested in how to get them developed so why not be trained by people who knows how to do it. He likes working for Walgreens and his manager helps him a lot and so do the other employees that are there. I have been in the store while Phil is working and everyone who knows us tells me he is doing a good job and they love working with him. He still has his same quarks there as he does at home and they have all learned to help him get through the rough times with his Autism and how at times he has no clue who to express himself and some times not being able to know how he is feel himself. 

I hope to update you more often now that he is starting to get to the point that he is not taking up most of my time and that I am able to work and do things I consider fun.

Cheryl.