Happy Easter!!

I am sure that I am not the only one to say "I ate too much!" for the weekend. We always make food like half the population of a small country is coming and then complain about the leftovers!
Sunday we tried to get Matt to come to church with us but he feels so uncomfortable in big crowds and our church holds over one thousand. So Grandma had to stay with Matt while the rest off us got to celebrate the resurrection at church. The kids love to go to Sunday school and learn about the Lord.
Mom picked up Matt on Thursday night because the therapists had Good Friday off and so did mom, so one extra day at home. Jacki, Gary and the kids came and Amy was back to her usual self, eating whatever she could get her hands on and even things she couldn't! (she is a great climber and doesn't take no for an answer!) The weather was gorgeous, between +16-+18 degrees all weekend. The snow is almost gone and Matt can go all over the yard. The new deck is great, as we did Easter crafts on Saturday and Matt could watch the kids and wait for hotdogs from the barbecue.
Mom can pretty much transfer Matt by herself using the transfer board and we haven't used the lift in months. His abs were hurting this weekend from the major workout his therapists give him during the week. Mom made him put on his long sleeve shirt by himself and this weekend he has to make the girls Kraft dinner by himself, to see how he does. The more he does for himself, the more independent he will become.
We are trying to make him use his left hand as much as possible. Before he gets up in the morning/afternoon!, Matt must lift his left arm with his right arm by "holding hands' with his fingers interlocked. Then he must try to put himself into a sitting position by pushing up with his right arm and hand, still needs lots more muscle strength for this one. When Matt brushes his teeth, mom got him to hold the toothbrush with his left hand, making his hand into a fist. Matt has trouble with this as he doesn't have the strength to hold the brush as it is too small, but it is making his brain remember the movements. After that he can squeeze the toothpaste on the toothbrush.
Hope to see a few family members and friends on May long weekend. We are taking Esmeralda to Weekes with Grandma, myself, the two nannies, and Jonmarie and Shaunie. I am forgetting someone... oh wait, Matthew too! And a partridge in a pear tree!
We actually could fit an extra person in but we want leg room! We are planning to go on Friday and return on Tuesday. We are unsure whether rehab will keep Matt one more month but we are planning the trip like he will be discharged.