Derek's 4th Birthday

"And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom." -unknown

Derek turned 4 this week.  I'm having a hard time with it, for some reason.  Derek seems frozen in time at 20 months for me.  The older he gets, the more obvious his delays are.  When you are a toddler it is ok to not talk; to babble.  When you are 4?  Not ok anymore.  I want to protect him for as long as possible from all of the cruel people in this world.  But he is getting bigger by the day.  I won't be able to protect him forever. 

I finally have my first show lined up.  It will be this summer at the University of Tulsa.  I have a lot of work to do before then.  I'm supposed to have 20 pieces done.  At the moment I have 7...this is my latest.  It's about the bond between mother and child.

"Kyle: Love (The Bond Between Mother and Child)

Derek and I are also going to be in a documentary about autism.  A professor from Creighton University contacted me--he wants to film what life is like for a family dealing with autism.  He's going to come to the house and video tape us doing our "thing."  :)  I'm not sure when it's going to take place or what it will entail.  I'll keep you posted.