Recovering Noah

2012-01-22T21:09:00.000-05:00

I have to admit, I broke every single one of my New Year's Resolutions (most on the second day!) except for one... staying off the computer. I don't know how I've managed it, but I have and it's weird and exhilarating, and lonely all at the same time.

But that's for another post.

Right now, I want to let you know that some amazing things have happened on the adoption front.

FIRST... we received Naveen's NOC from Ind*a. It took four months to the day, but, by george, it came.

SECOND... since our judge is requiring two trips to Ind*a, we are *expecting* our first trip to be in about 6-8 weeks. Yay! And yikes! So much to take care of in the meantime..

THIRD... I attempted a fundraiser and it was a disaster. I won't go into it right now, but let's just say it involved trying to make glass tile necklaces only to have them accidentally get knocked off the table while they were drying and they ended up getting dog hair and dirt in the glue.

Please tell me you didn't just cringe at the thought of dog hair and dirt being on our kitchen floor. We can't be friends if your floors sparkle...

FOURTH AND FINALLY.... my friend Meredith has come to the rescue. Okay, if you don't know Meredith, you have to read her blog. She's hilarious and is my long lost soul sister. I've actually never met her in real life, but we connected because we're both adopting from India and she's been a constant rock through our long NOC wait.

And even though she's adopting, too, and having to raise funds herself, she has made 5 super cute hand knit ear warmer/head bands that she's selling to help us with Naveen's adoption fund. Funny, talented, and completely selfless. Love her!

Anyway, she's selling the ear warmer/head bands for $20 and that includes shipping. She made five, but one already sold. If you're interested, please leave a comment on her blog and she'll get back to you. You can click HERE to find out more.

Also, I want to give a big shout-out to Lily who is the gorgeous model in these photos. Thank you, Lily!

2011 Year End Review - Part 3

2012-01-03T10:47:00.003-05:00

One thing I've noticed in doing this Year End Review is that I severely lack in the "Mommy Who Takes Photos" Department.

Did you know that Sim turned 40 in August and I turned 38 and we don't have a single picture?

And all of my kids had birthdays in the Fall, but I barely have enough pictures of them to even prove that I actually have children.

Sim has a birthday and turns "Lordy, Lordy, Hot and Forty!" and do I have a picture? Nope.

Eli turned 8 in September. Any photos? Nada.

Nandi loses her first tooth. Oh. Am I supposed to take a picture of that?

Noah turns 10 and enters the double digits. *Crickets*

We celebrated a little holiday that I like to call Thanksgiving. I vaguely remember something involving a lot of turkey and the color orange.

Christmas came. We celebrated Jesus' birth, opened presents, left food for the reindeer, had a huge Southern breakfast and took lots and lots of .... oh wait, no we didn't.

One of my problems is that I rely on everyone else to take photos. Everyone I know has an iphone or a phone with a camera, while my phone is short, oval, and actually flips open (so what if it makes everyone sound like they're talking through cellophane?). So, I just let everyone else take pictures and ask them to send them to me. And because we all live busy lives, that rarely happens. And I'm left with huge chunks of our lives that go completely undocumented because I'm too lazy/forgetful/insert word of choice to carry a camera).

Although, to be fair, I can say with all honesty that when my parents pass on, I'm going to inherit a ton of floppy disks and memory sticks and will be able to relive such moments as "Oh my gosh, there's Noah's 1st birthday!" and "Oh look, it's Nandi's first day of kindergarten" and "Hey, it's a picture of Eli with his first toy dinosaur!" "Here's another one of Eli and a dinosaur." "And here's another one of Eli and a dinosaur." "Umm, exactly how many years did this dinosaur phase last??"

So another goal of 2012 is to take more pictures. My friend Sandwich suggested that I take one photo a week for the whole year. That's doable, right?

We shall see. We shall see.

In the meantime, here's the rest of our 2011 Year-End Review, which, unfortunately, is pretty slim pickins...

SEPTEMBER 2011

Um, it looks like nothing special happened in the month of September. Despite that fact that my middle-child turned 8 years old and has nothing to prove it.

Don't worry, Eli, honey. I promise Mommy does love you and I promise that we did celebrate your 8th birthday. Why don't you ask Nonna for proof? I think she was the one in charge of picture taking.

I also had my 20th high school reunion and didn't take my camera. I mean, who does that?? Fortunately, there's a thing I like to call Facebook and friends of mine tagged me in a lot of photos. And if we know anything at all about Facebook it's that whatever you put up on there will be captured forever and forever amen.

OCTOBER 2011

Noah turned 10 and Nandi turned 7, but, alas, they're really just my phantom children that I made up so I could be a mommy blogger... because, surely, a real mother would take pictures of her children on their birthday.

Nonna? Nonna? You took pictures didn't you??

Eli, despite being terrified of Halloween, set up a haunted house in his room. It included games such as "Bobbing for Angry Birds" and "Stick your hand in the robotic dinosaur and see if you can grab a candy before it closes its jaws on you and gobbles up your fingers" and the one I absolutely refused to play.. "Blindfold yourself, get on all fours, and reach under Eli's bed and grab an item and guess what it is."

Okay, so listen. If you read my "Quirks" blog post, you know that I have issues with "under the bed". There was no way that I was going to blindly reach my hand underneath Eli's bed, on Halloween!, and grab an object.

I know what lives underneath Eli's bed. Dust balls, dirty underwear, and the occasional spider. No way. No how.

The kids put up the Halloween wreath that they made... last year. But I forgot to take a picture... last year. So I took one... this year.

Isn't it cute?

We did the Auctions for a Cause for Sarah's Covenant Homes in India and raised over $1500!! I actually did take a lot of pictures this month, but they were mostly all for the auction. The little diddies above are the multicultural family dolls I made.

Shameless plug. Shameless plug.

NOVEMBER 2011

I posted on Facebook during my 30 days of gratitude that I was thankful for Michael Landon's smooth, muscly chest during the "Jasper the Raccoon" episode on Little House in the Prairie and my coffee/tea mugs that Sim brought back from England.

Shallow? Say what?

We went to the Dallas Zoo and the Dallas Arboretum and had a grand ol' time, but I actually posted these pictures already.

And Thanksgiving happened. Think turkey, pie, and lying on the couch moaning with the top button of our jeans undone.

DECEMBER 2011

Tons happened. The kids had their school parties. We made Christmas villages with our friends David, Keifer, and Charlie. We went to the zoo with cousin Brittany. We saw our family and celebrated three Christmases with them. Sim and I went on our yearly date and wasted our Christmas money on Sherlock Holmes. (The BBC version is sooooooo much better and streams on Netflix!)

But did I take pictures of any of that? Nope. Out everthing that happened in December, I found it most worthy to take pictures of me and Sim wearing the "William & Katherine" masks that my friend Kristen sent over from London.

Shallow? Say what?

I hope each of you had a wonderful 2011 like we did. Even if we don't have the pictures to prove it.

Here's to 2012. Make it memorable!

Part Deux - Year End Review in Pictures

2012-01-02T18:35:00.003-05:00

This blog post was interrupted by a) a sinus headache b) severely interrupted sleep resulting in severely irritable momma and c) the words of Confucius.

Confucius say... "When one makes a goal to eat 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day and one chooses to cram all those fruits and vegetables into one's body one hour before bedtime, one can except to spend one's time with gastrointestinal distress."

Word, Confucius. Word.

On the first day of my goal to better health and wealth in 2012, I realized something. You can't eat fruits and vegetables if you haven't been grocery shopping since the week before Christmas. One can only survive on leftover ham shank for so long.

So, at 6.30pm, I had consumed the following towards my goal of eating 5 servings of fruit and veg a day ...

1. A piece of watermelon chewing gum
2. A lemon with salt on it
3. A bowl of salsa

and... in order to get my orange veg in...

4. Half a bag of sweet potato chips

When Sim vetoed the above and also put the kibosh on key lime pie pudding as a serving of fruit, and the kids were so hungry that they were actually willing to eat vegetables, I knew that a trip to the store was in order.

Anyway, to make a short story long, I crammed in a banana, a bowl of frozen mango, a bowl of frozen cherries, and three servings of broccoli into my gullet by 9.00pm. And my body went into shock. Which is why I had to chase it down with treacle pudding.

But it was treacle pudding! I know gluten is on my banned list, but ya'll, Sim cooked treacle pudding. With lemon zest.

I'm married to a man who knows how to zest a lemon.

He cooks! He zests! He's a keeper!

Anyway, enough of that. I've only had one cup of coffee per day for the last 2 days (oh my aching stars) and I might actually cry if anyone chastises me. So, here's Part 2 of our Year in Review for 2011...

MAY 2011

May proved to be another busy month...

Nandi got her cast off and graduated to a leg brace. She decided that she wanted to be the Indian Laura Ingalls Wilder when she grows up and started wearing her hair in braids.

This phase lasted approximately 6 hours...

Eli found a couple of sweet potatoes that had started to sprout and asked if he could make potato people out of them.

This occupied him for approximately 6 minutes...

We learned about the rain forest and copied a model from a homeschooling blog.

Their interest in this lasted approximately 6 weeks. Score!

We discovered that Dollar Tree sells spinning tops, 2 for a dollar, and Noah became the happiest boy in the world.

We've spent approximately $6,000 replacing the cheap little buggers.

Nandi competed in the relay race at her school.

She came in last, but she had approximately 60 people cheering for her. Go Nandi!

I thought it'd be a fun idea to go on an archaeological dig in a pile of dirt at my parent's house. I hid a bunch of everyday items and the kids got to figure out who used to live on the land way back in the stone ages of 2011.

I included my library card in the dig and it took approximately 6 months to find it.

See above.

Nandi went on her first trip to England and Wales to meet the family.

Sim said she peed approximately 16 times on the 8 hour flight.

JUNE 2011

Nandi continued her stay in England and Wales and visited the seaside for the first time with Granny Helen (Sim's mom).

She hung out with Grandad (Sim's dad) in Wales with Flat T-Rex (an Eli variation on Flat Stanley).

She spent a couple of days with cousin Ffion in Somerset.

She hung out with Aunt Isabel and cousin Hannah (and endured tangle after tangle because Sim didn't brush her hair for 2 weeks).

And then she came home and I realized it was going to take a chainshaw and a blowtorch to detangle her matted hair, so we cut it off and donated it to Locks of Love.*

*disclaimer - okay, so that's what I wanted everyone on Facebook to think - because isn't that what Facebook is for? Bragging about how awesome you are? But the truth, shhh, is that I forgot to mail it off and it's been sitting in our desk drawer since the middle of June.

January resolution #11 - mail off Nandi's ponytail...

All the grand kids (except for Noah because he was having a meltdown) gathered for a picture at my parents' house and celebrated Father's Day with my Pa Lester and MawMaw Ruby. It's the first time we've all been together in one place in ages, so it was great.

JULY 2011

Apparently, Fourth of July happened and a friend gave us a 2 1/2 foot blow-up pool that Noah declared love with immediately, but I have no pictures to prove it. But I do have a picture of me and my high school BFF Kirsten at the San Fransisco Bay! Another friend donated her air miles to us and I was able to fly to San Fran and spend some quality time with KK. There's a backstory to my visit that I can't explain on my blog, but it was much needed by both of us and we had a wonderful time.

AUGUST 2011

Nandi met her future hubby, Jonathan, and spent an entire week daydreaming about her future red-headed children. Jonathan is my high school friend, Janna's, little boy and we all met up in August for a mini-reunion with Christoph, who was our German exchange student back in the day. I hadn't seen him since I was 20 and he was in the States for a visit, so we headed to Chili's and gorged ourselves on fried food and gossip.

I do have a picture of the three of us together, but Christoph would probably make me remove it, but he looks a bit like Arnold Schwarzenegger, back before he became Smarmy Arnie, if you know what I mean.

I spent an exorbitant amount of money on Ebay to find an exact replica of Eli's beloved "Peluche" that we sent to him in Guatemala when he was only 3 months old. It's so loved and worn that The Velveteen Rabbit took one look at it and ran into the woods in shame.

The very next day I found another one for 80% of the price. 80%.

And where is that overpriced teddy bear who wiped out our savings now?

In the closet.

I'm just hoping that Peluche "The Original" graduates to a closet shelf before Eli starts dating, because momma boys and dudes who sleep with stuffed animals generally go on the "Not Even If You Gave Me A Hundred Bucks" list.

First Day of School! And Noah and Mom rejoiced! Cowboy and Ginger came out from hiding. The breakables were put back on the shelf. And my babies grew up overnight. A 1st grader, a 2nd grader, and a homeschool 4th grader. Cutest kids in the world!

Part Three of our Year End Review is up next!

Year End Review in Pictures - Part 1

2012-01-01T10:29:00.002-05:00

Happy 2012!!

I saw how other bloggers did a year-end review on their blog, and I thought about doing one yesterday, but that would've meant posting THREE times in one day. And since I've posted maybe a handful in the last year, I thought it might be overkill.

Plus, I was too embarrassed because then everyone would know that I did absolutely nothing yesterday except veg out and write goals about how I'm not going to do that anymore.

Which, um, I've already broken. It's 8.30am and I've nothing except fix breakfast, break up two arguments between Nandi and Eli and spent the last 30 minutes going through our pictures on Picasa bemoaning the fact that I am possibly the worst mother in the world for not taking pictures of my kids more often.

BUT... I will say with pride that I've only had one cup of coffee this morning, no gluten, and I haven't driven thru McDonald's. Yay me!

So, without further adieu, I present OUR LIFE IN 2011 (or just snippets of it because, apparently, I never take pictures of anything, which makes it look like we did nothing). Also known as, "I Seem to Take Lots of Pictures in the Spring, but Our Fall Falls Short".

JANUARY 2011

Apparently we did nothing in January that was worth noting except go on a date night for the first time in 3 years. Actually, it was a date afternoon. We went to Chili's and saw a movie that I can't remember. I'm thinking it was The King's Speech because I remember thinking, "A date, a restaurant, and Colin Firth? This is heaven!"

FEBRUARY 2011

It snowed. And I took a picture of the dog instead of the kids. How's that for Mother of the Year? I think it's because I hate any temperature that dips below 50 degrees and Sim went out with the kids in the snow. I, however, had to take the dog out to do his business and must've snapped a picture. I don't remember much about it snowing, except huddling under ten blankets with a hot water bottle and crying, "Make it stop!"

I love this photo! Don't they look sweet in this picture? So deceiving.....

But precious.

MARCH 2011

March must've been an impressive month because I actually had to wean out some pictures. Here are a few...

Eli's life-long dream of going to Dino World in Glen Rose came true during Spring Break.

Noah had a breakthrough and went from stacking zero blocks on top of each other to stacking a whole tower.

We accepted Naveen's referral and became paper pregnant! And we had to take pictures for our homestudy. I love this one of Noah!

We didn't include this one in our home study packet, but it cracks me up because it's "The Case of the Missing Legs".

APRIL 2011

April was huge, too.

Nandi had her surgery. She went from walking on the tips of her toes with her foot turned almost halfway around, to walking flat-footed!

P.S. Isn't she GORGEOUS?

We had our first home study visit with our social worker for Naveen's adoption. The FlyLady would be so proud of our kitchen!

Sim, in a moment of "What were you thinking??!!" passed these napkins out to our social worker when we served snacks.

The kids violated poor Flynn Ryder while playing Gulliver's Travels. And I had to wash the hands of those Polly Pocket dolls. (Notice the one on the upper left side. Saucy little thing.)

Sim shaved! And I put on make-up! And curled my hair! It got filed under "Things That Might Not Ever Happen Again", so I had to take a picture of it.

The Royal Wedding! The five of us had a Royal Wedding Tea Party and Nandi designed these hats all by herself! (I glued them, but she was the designer.)

And this concludes Part 1 because I don't want to bog anyone's computer down with too many photos. Next up, Part 2 - May - August.

Resolutions

2011-12-31T16:46:00.003-05:00

I'm writing twice in one day! It's unheard of, isn't it? Actually, the kids have been quietly playing all day long. No fighting or squabbling or yelling to be heard. It makes me think that perhaps the world might end tomorrow. Freaky.

Being that tomorrow rings in 2012, I thought I'd do what all other folk do this time of year and sit down and write some resolutions. Usually, my resolutions center around a common theme... quit eating chocolate, start exercising, and for the love of Pete, get Noah potty-trained.

I have miserably failed on every single one. Every single year. Which could explain my issues with self-worth and inability to trust myself.

But this year it's different. This year, potty-training is NOT going on the list. I'm just hoping it spontaneously happens and then I can go, "Wow! Will ya look at that? Noah's potty-trained and I didn't even make it a goal this year. How awesome are we??" And then I'll take my left hand and high five my right hand and reach around and pat myself on the back and give myself lots of accolades for something that should have been accomplished 7 years ago.

Yep. This year will be different.

This year, instead of overwhelming myself with a huge list that will probably be broken by January 4th, I plan to make monthly resolutions. I'm hoping to sit down at the end of each month and evaluate what needs to be done or accomplished for the next month. We'll see if that actually happens come January 31st, but right now, I can let you know what's on the agenda for this coming month.

JANUARY 2012 Monthly Goals

1. No fast food for an entire month.

Translated into... NO CARAMEL MOCHAS, LESLIE T. Your body deserves better and you can't afford to buy new jeans. So cut the sugary coffee.

2. No gluten for me or Noah.

We both do sooo much better off it and I know it will help us both immensely, but I tend to get lazy. I mean I have the ability to go hard-core, but one little bite, one little cheat and it unravels everything.

See, I have a majorly addictive personality, which means I could never even dream of drinking or smoking or gambling or joining my neighbors in their annual pot smoking/burning leaves parties. We had to cut DirecTV four years ago because I was addicted to Take Home Chef.

And the show wasn't that bad, either.

I can't even go on Ebay and I have to limit my time on Facebook and Amazon.

So. Absolutely NO gluten, NO pizza, NO cookies, and NO homemade bread with melted butter that is so incredibly fantastic that it makes me weep just thinking about it for one whole month!

3. Do Noah's program 5x's a week at 75% of the program. I would explain that in further detail, but it'd just make me sound like a bad mom and I'm already suffering guilt issues from it all.

4. Do 30 minutes of exercise 5x's a week, which can include taking Noah out on his bike. It can also include walking on the treadmill while watching White Collar on Netflix, because breaking up with Netflix is something I'm not emotionally ready to tackle in 2012.

5. Eat a minimum of 2 fruits and 2 green vegetables and 1 orange or red vegetable a day.

Okay, I have to confess. My original goal was to eat 1 fruit and 1 vegetable a day, but Sim chastised me and said the FDA or whomever recommends 5 servings a day, so I had to change it so ya'll wouldn't realize how bad my diet has become...

But that will change starting tomorrow. Right now, I have to finish off this pecan pie with cream because I simply can't let good food go to waste.

6. Clean kitchen sink 5x's a week before going to bed. Notice I did not say "clean the kitchen". I will do my best to actually clean the whole thing and not just empty my dirty sink onto the counter so that I can have a clean kitchen sink, and, therefore, meet my goal.

Ya'll, I have started and stopped FlyLady more times than I've showered this past year. I just can't do it.

But that will change starting tomorrow. (My current mantra.)

7. Do not watch anything on Netflix past 10.30pm.

Remember that addiction problem I mentioned? Well it includes having this inhuman desire to finish whole seasons of shows in a week - or something ridiculous like that. I am a one-track mind person. But I'm also a multi-tasker, so ifI can combine this with #4 while also eating a banana (#5), then I've just knocked three things out at once. Booyah!

8. Limit coffee or tea to ONE cup per day. Not two. Not six. But one. First thing in the morning. And then just figure out how to get over my mid-day slump.

9. Limit computer time. I'm not telling you what I'm limiting it to because you'd be horrified how much time I spent on here. And I'm not even blogging or doing anything productive. I'm vegging. And trying to ignore the tremendous amount of things I should be doing.

But, rest assured, I can guarantee that if I told you that my goal is to limit my computer time to XX amount of time XX amount a day , you would feel like the best mother in the world because you'd be saying, "Her poor kids!" And then you'd turn to your spouse and say, "Honey, you think I have it bad? There's this woman in TX who spends XX amount of time on Facebook a day!"

Okay, I might be exaggerating a little bit. But probably not that much.

10. Work on necklaces for adoption fundraiser.

I haven't even mentioned Naveen's adoption in a while because we have hit snag after snag after snag. But I will. In the meantime, though, a sweet sweet friend gave us boxes of supplies to start making glass tile necklaces as a fundraiser for our adoption. They are sooo cute! I really need to buckle down and finish them up.

Hey, maybe when I quit drinking coffee and start exercising and multi-tasking and knocking out 3 goals at once and going to bed before 10.30, I'll actually have the time and energy to work on them.

One month. I can do it for one month.

Will meet back here in 31 days to tell you how it went and to plan for February!

Vindicated

2011-12-31T12:44:00.000-05:00

I just have to pop on here quickly to say that I AM RIGHT! Our neighbors ARE pot-heads. I told ya. I TOLD YA!

Now, if you read my last blog post, you'll remember that I've long subscribed to the theory that our neighbors are pot heads. EVERY SINGLE TIME anyone burns leaves in our neighborhood, I smell pot.

And you might recall that Sim has long subscribed to the theory that I am a crazy woman who likes to stir up trouble and who hopes to get on the local news.

Well, Sim just raked and burned 20 loads of leaves. And does it smell like pot? No it does not. And why doesn't it? Because we don't smoke pot.

So here's the scenario that just played out in our front yard...

Me - Hmmm. Whatcha doin' there, Sim?

Sim - What does it look like I'm doing?

Me - Looks like you're burning some leaves there...

Sim - (Stops what he's doing and looks at me) Go ahead and say it.

Me - Say what? I just came outside because I saw you burning some leaves and thought I could use a little pick me up. Thought I could inhale some pot, if you know what I mean.

Sim - (rolls his eyes and again probably questions why he married me)

Me - And then I thought, wait a minute, I don't actually smell any pot. You're burning leaves, but I don't smell that pot smell. Why is that??

Sim - (rolls his eyes - again. He is either becoming an expert eye roller or is secretly a rebellious teenage girl).

You were right.

(Insert pigs flying and hail in the middle of August because Sim just admitted I was right).

Me- What? I didn't hear that?

Sim - You were right.

Me - What? I couldn't hear you over the roar of those burning pot leaves. Could you say that again? (And, yes, I'm aware that I am incredibly annoying, but it's just so much fun to be vindicated, isn't it?)

And then we came to the conclusion that we might actually just live in a pot-infested neighborhood full of law-abiding lawyers and teachers and city officials by day.. .and shady characters by night.

And now I get to go all Sherlock Holmes and try to figure out which neighbors like to party with the ganja.

Anna, I wish you were here so that we could be vindicated together. You tell your family that you are right. Moms DO know what they're talking about. We're not just cookie makers and laundry doers. A lifetime of changing diapers has given us Champion Sniffers. We're the bloodhounds of the family. Can't put anything past us. No siree, Bob.

And Bob? I've got my eye on you....

Just a couple of quirks

2011-12-14T12:32:00.005-05:00

A few days ago, one of my favorite bloggers did a blog post about some of her quirks. And then about 200 of her blog followers posted their quirks in the comment section. Now, I have quite a few quirks myself, but I wasn’t about to expose myself to a blogger who probably has about 20,000 people reading her blog each day.

So, I thought I’d just post them on here where all 8 of you can see it.

See. It pays to be unpopular now and then.

Therefore, I present to you my top 10 quirks. In no particular order…

1. I fake burp.

I can’t stand burping. I don’t why. I just think it’s gross. Even though I’ve been known to mimic a small earthquake after drinking an A&W real fast. But in general, I can’t stand it.

Growing up, my dad burped a lot. All. The. Time. (And I’m super sure he’s going to be pleased that I put this on here). And one day, after hearing him burp for the 1,000th time that day, I fake burped after him. It wasn’t so much of a burp as it was an “eeggghghk!”.

Kinda like a cat coughing up a hairball.

And you know what? It felt good. Like I had cancelled out his bad nasty burp with my fake burp. And then I couldn’t stop. I did it for years. Endured stares and raised eyebrows, but I couldn’t help it. I was on a mission to save the ozone and the memory of burps ringing in my ears by fake burping every time I heard someone else do a real one. If I was a superhero, I’d be wearing a green cape with a big “F B” on the back of it.

As I got older, you know, around 34 or something, I started to feel a bit self conscious about it and so I started fake burping in my head. But, every once in awhile, if you burp around me, you might hear a small sound coming from me and you may think I’m just clearing my thoart…. But I assure you, I’m not.

I’ve just fake burped your burp.

2. I drink straight out of the water jug. Every time.

Listen, and I’m telling you the truth, if you ever come over to my house, you do not want to drink the water out of the fridge. Drink straight from the tap. It doesn’t matter if it hasn’t been reverse osmosised or whatever. Unless you want my backwash in your glass of water, you’ll want to do as I say.

I can’t help it. Maybe it’s laziness. I have a cabinet full of perfectly good mugs to use. And I would never ever think of letting the kids drink straight from the jug. Because that’s just plain gross.

But we can all be sitting at the table and I’ll actually get up and walk to the fridge to get a drink.
I don’t know. Maybe it just tastes better.And it’s always cold out of the fridge. It hasn’t been sitting around in a glass getting all room temperature and everything.

So, if you’re reading this and have actually been to my house and I poured you water from our water jug, man, I’m sorry. You might just want to bring your own next time.

3. I’m convinced all our neighbors are pot heads.

I am utterly convinced that every time our neighbors burn leaves that they are actually crouching behind their houses smoking a spliff. I think they use the burning leaves things as a cover up.
Sim assures me that I am dead wrong on this one and that I’m actually just smelling leaves burning, but isn’t that what pot is? Dried leaves that you smoke?

Uh huh. That’s what I thought.

Now, I’m not much of a conspiracist, (okay, you might want to read that sentence with a grain of salt), but how come every time they decide to rake all their leaves together and burn them, they have a big ol’ burning party?

Uh huh. That’s what I thought.

Now, I have no idea how I ever came to this conclusion, and Sim assures me that I’m wrong, but I am absolutely convinced that our neighbors are doing something that is against every school campaign Nancy Reagan ever did.

And that goes for everyone. Including the sweet 80 year old couple who lives next to us and the retired school teacher who lives across from us. And I have no doubts about the cowboy on the other side of us. I am 100% convinced they are all potheads.

And because of this, every time I step foot outside during the months of November – February (prime leaf burning season in our neighborhood), I run back inside and whisper in hushed conspiratorial tones,

“Sim, someone’s smoking pot outside!”

To which he replies, “Do we have to do this every year? They’re burning leaves. Not pot.”

But I usually ignore him and run to the bathroom to put on a bra because, heaven forbid, a cop in uniform comes to question me about my neighbor’s illegal activities and I don’t have a bra on.

Or mascara.

And then I pull up a chair and wait by the window for the sirens to come blaring down our streets and wonder if I need to act serious when they interview me on TV, but they never show up.

Which Sim reminds me is because no one is actually smoking pot outside.

And, then in dejection, I go outside and start taking huge gulps of air all over the yard. And say things like,

“I don’t understand the big deal of it. I don’t feel anything at all.”

To which he replies,

"That’s because you’re inhaling the scent of burning dead leaves.”

Then he just slowly shakes his head and goes back inside. And I’m sure he’s wondering why he didn’t just go for that slut in college who had the hots for him, but whose advances he dismissed because he was charmed by my Southern naivety.

Uh huh. That’s what I thought.

4. I love the smell of cigarette smoke.

Okay, let me rephrase that. I actually hate the smell of cigarette smoke. It makes me gag and want to jump in the shower and scrub all my skin off with a pumice stone. It makes my throat close up and my head itch and I always think of those commercials of that old man with the blue skin warning us of our fate if we ever take a drag.

But I absolutely love the smell on Sim.

Now, Sim’s not a smoker. But he used to be. When I first met him in college, he was a pack a day guy. I have very vivid memories of him dressed all in black with his scuffed Doc Martens leaning over his desk in his dorm room rolling a cigarette while Slow Dive was playing on the tape deck. And I don’t know if it’s because I associate it all with those first few months of young love or maybe because subconsciously it reminds me of a time when we had no troubles in the world, but some women love roses and some women love diamonds, but this woman loves her some cigarette smelling Simeon.

Whew….. is it getting hot in here?

Unfortunately, or rather fortunately for his lungs, he kicked the habit cold turkey when we got married 15 ½ years ago and just one cigarette now will send him into an asthma attack, but I still can’t help but ask him every once in a while if he’ll just smoke one tiny little cigarette or go into the Coupon Lady’s house and pick up the weekly ads for me... because it only takes 10 seconds in her house for you to smell like you’ve been in a smoky bar all night long. And then I just bury my head in his hair and his shirt and breathe deeply and it takes me back to being 20 and living in Sheffield all over again.

And then he breaks the spell by muttering something about me just wanting him to smoke so that I can get his life insurance… and suddenly I’m 38 years old again living in a small town in East Texas. But for those 5 seconds of cigarette smelling euphoria, it was pure bliss.

5. I can’t pray with my eyes shut.

I can’t. I can’t do it. I think it has something to do with losing control. If I close my eyes and listen to someone pray, I’m totally afraid I’m going to relax so much that I'll fall asleep. Or worse yet… fart.

Oh gosh, what if I closed my eyes while some preacher was praying and lost all awareness of where I was and then… farted.

Nooooooo! That would be so embarrassing. But now you know…

I don’t close my eyes when I pray because I’m afraid I’ll fart.

And since God created me with all these quirks, I take it that he’s okay with my open eyed prayer.

And since I keep my eyes open when praying, I can take a peek around and see who else keeps their eyes open. And every once in awhile, I’ll make eye contact with a fellow fear farter and we’ll give each other that knowing look and then I imagine them busting loose with a silent but deadly one and then I get the giggles. So, not only do I keep my eyes open during prayers, I usually start giggling, too.

It’s tough being me.

Oh, and let me also tell you that this goes for when I pray by myself, too. I mean, what if my eyes are closed and I can’t hear someone come up behind me and then I do it? Do you know how embarrassing that would be?

Probably equivalent to admitting this whole little quirk on my blog…

6. I’m convinced a deranged person/demon/clown lives under my bed at night.

Hi. I’m Leslie and, yes, I saw the movie Poltergeist when I was a child. I should have listened to my mom and refused to watch when I went to that slumber party, but I did. And it has scarred me for life.

Every time I go to the bathroom at night, I have to make a running leap from the bathroom to the bed in case a clown reaches out with one of his huge clown hands and grabs my ankle.

And since I’m probably being punished for watching all kinds of movies at slumber parties when I was little, I have to go to the bathroom approximately 3 times a night, which means there’s a lot of running and jumping going on in our bedroom.

And if you’ve read my blog long enough, you’ll remember the one time I thought Sim was going to leave me because I made a running leap and landed on his family jewels while he was in a deep, relaxing slumber.

Oh, let me tell you, he was so mad that I was ready to climb under the bed and beg the clown to take me back to whatever rain gutter it’d crawled out from. (Yes, I saw the movie It at a slumber party, too…). And for awhile, I actually stopped running and leaping and just made quick strides to the bed each night. But then, one day while browsing Netflix, I came across a Renee Zellwegger movie, and, you know, it’s Renee Zellwegger. She’s Bridget Jones. She can’t be scary. And don’t you know…. Don’t you know… it was a scary movie and they included a scene where the demon child goes under the… you guessed it.. bed. And that did it. I’ve been running and leaping ever since.

So, now, I’m no longer allowed to watch rated R movies, and Sim has learned not to sleep on his back.

7. If my husband is one minute late home from work I’m convinced something happened to him.

Sim gets off work at 4.45 each day. In theory. 99% of the time he works late, but because it takes him an hour and a half to get home and I need to know when to start supper, I always call him at 4.45 on the dot.. And if he doesn’t answer, I start to panic.

Is he okay? Did he have an accident? Did he work in a bad area today? Should I call the hospital?

And then I start to worry.

What if he’s dead? What am I going to do? How will I tell the kids? Will I have to live with my parents? Where will I work? Will I have to put Noah in school?

And then I start to cry.

Oh my gosh, I can’t be a single parent. I’m not even a good married parent. What will this do to Eli? Will he turn to drugs as a teenager? Will Nandi be a pregnant 13 year old?

Who would date me? No one would date me. I don’t even know how to date. I don’t want to date anyone from here! Will I have to go to Dallas to date? Who will watch the kids? I can’t pay a sitter. I’m a single mom.

Redbook said that men prefer Brazilian waxes. I don’t want to do a Brazilian wax! I nearly died trying to wax my upper lip. Oh my gosh, what am I doing? I’m thinking of dating again and Sim hasn’t even been gone 5 minutes yet.

What kind of wife am I? I’m a horrible wife. He deserves better. If he’s not dead, he needs someone better than me. I’m going to tell him that. He deserves better.

(SOB!) He’s going to leave me! He’s going to leave me for some 25 year old who gets a Brazilian wax! I need to work out. Oh gosh, I need a cookie. Where’s a cookie. Did I eat that last cookie? I bet if I didn’t eat that last cookie, he wouldn’t leave me! Maybe I should put a bra on. I bet he marries someone whose boobs are big enough that she needs to wear a bra! My boobs are too small!

(SOB!)

And, then, because Sim lives in a world called “Reality”, he always calls me back within 10 minutes and tells me he’s either on his way or running late. And at this point, I’m usually sniffling and a huge mess, but trying to act perfectly normal because I don’t want him to know that I’ve already planned his death, his funeral, and my next husband.

But, more importantly, I don’t want him to know how crazy I am.

8. I am absolutely convinced that the objects below are going to bring me great fortune one day.

No really. I am. I’ve been holding onto these babies for YEARS. Right now, they’re going for approximately 5 bucks on Ebay, but I just know that if I hold on to them long enough, they’ll bring me riches…

Yes, that would be a Spice Girls Doll Collection.

Don’t judge. You know you have some quirks, too.

And the sad thing is that I just know I had the Ginger Spice doll in her UK dress and I can’t find it! And I secretly thought, what if someone STOLE IT!! I actually stayed up last thinking about how that could have happened, but then I remembered that I sold it for $25 dollars a couple of years ago when we were raising money for Nandi’s adoption.

And, yes, I will fully admit that part of me is hoping some covert Spice Girl lover somehow stumbles upon my blog and says,

“So, how much do you need for Naveen’s adoption?? I will fully pay the amount you owe in exchange for these amazing dolls that will complete my life.”

Anyone? Any takers? Email me. No really. Contact me. Please.....

And speaking of riches, I’m also going to admit to owning a pack of British Flamegrilled Steak Flavor McCoy’s crisps from 1997 featuring a special limited edition “Full Monty” movie cover.

And I have never ever opened them b/c I was certain that if I held onto them long enough that I would be able to sell them one day on Ebay and make a fortune.

But I forgot that they’re an instant win bag with a chance of winning a thousand pounds. And even though the date to claim the prize would have expired 14 years ago, I now have this gnawing desire to rip open the bag to see if I won.

But I’m literally telling myself to hold on because one of these days they might release the movie as a 25th anniversary special edition and I can sell this bag of crisps for 5000 thousand dollars or something.

Hey, when I dream, I dream BIG.

9. I can't stand people to whisper in my ear.

Please. Don’t ever do it. It makes me want to curl up in fetal, suck my thumb, and whimper for my mom. It’s the equivalent of nails on a chalkboard or lying on the floor rubbing your head against carpet or feeling that horrible feeling of eating the last bite of a popsicle and feeling your teeth scrape against the wooden stick.

I could never be in the FBI or work for the CIA because it would be so easy for me to cave. Sure, you can tie me to a chair and dunk my head in water or shove bamboo sticks under my fingernails or make me watch Yo Gabba Gabba, but I will never tell you what you want to know.

But, by golly, if you start whispering in my ear then I’ll immediately give you the secret location of the red button and the whole combination to a vault full of money just so you’ll stop.

And the thing is, my kids are at the age where they LOVE secrets. They’re the best. And they can’t understand why Mommy shoos them away every time they want to tell her a secret or why she starts saying crazy things like,

‘Mommy can’t keep secrets! You tell Mommy a secret and she’ll put it on Facebook. I promise she will! Go tell Daddy. Daddy loves secrets! Go! Go! Go!”

Maybe Sim's next wife will like sweet nothings whispered in her ear. But not me. No way. No how.

Okay, so that’s only 9 quirks, but I’ve just given myself the heebies by thinking of someone whispering in my ear and I honestly need to go lay down. It paralyzes me. Oh gosh, I find it so revolting. Who wants hot breath in your ear? I'm giving myself dry heaves.

So now I told you my quirks, what are yours??

Do Everything

2011-11-23T18:27:00.002-05:00

Today, I asked Noah what he wanted to be when he grows up and he spelled out D-O-C-T-O-R. I asked him what kind and he spelled out A-U-T-I-S-M. Then he spelled out C-H-I-L-D-R-E-N.

I said, "You want to be a doctor who works with children who have autism?" and he spelled out Y-E-S.

Then he spelled out I G-O T-O C-O-L-L-E-G-E and looked at me as if it were a question. And though my heart was breaking, I said, "Of course you'll go to college! But you'll have to work really hard."

And the truth is... I don't know what will happen 8 years from now. Or 18. Or 28. Maybe he WILL go to college one day. Maybe there will be a cure. Maybe we'll find a way to continue to tap into his potential and he'll be the first nonverbal/autistic college graduate in the world. Maybe he'll talk! I have no doubt that he'll make a mark on this world. But as his mom, I want ALL his dreams to come true. Not just the little ones, but the big ones, too.

And while it seems daunting... And the works seems so hard...And so tiring, something else he told me gives me the motivation to keep going on...

When I asked him to give one piece of advice to parents who have a child with autism, he spelled out D-O E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G.

And so we will continue to do everything we can to help his dreams come true. Even the big ones.

Especially the big ones.

And since it's been AGES since I've posted any pictures, here are a few we took yesterday at the Dallas Zoo and Dallas Arboretum. Of course, the boys both got haircuts today, which just means I'll need to take new pictures, too!

Naveen Update

2011-11-21T11:02:00.001-05:00

Well, the cat's out of the bag. If you read Lori's post about the Coffee Fundraiser, then you know that we're adopting a little boy from Ind*a. And we're naming him Naveen.

I still can't give a lot of identifying information... and, boy, do I wish I could post his picture. You'll just want to reach through the computer and squeeze him up. He's adorable! But I have to wait until we pass court to do any of that. And right now we don't know when that'll be.

Because of the fundraiser, I had to break my vow of silence and announce Naveen's upcoming adoption on my Facebook page. I was hoping to keep it a secret until right before travel, but things happened which made us need to fundraise... and well, that's why we had to be a bit more open about things.

Anyway, I've had a lot of people email me or call me with questions. So I thought I'd answer some of them right here.

1. Why are you adopting from Ind*a again?

Well, we actually hadn't set out to adopt again so soon. Sim wasn't even on board to adopt again, but I was secretly hoping that one day we'd be able to adopt from China. I've always been drawn to China. But then, by chance, a friend led us to Naveen's photo on a waiting child site and it was instant love. Even Sim felt it and he gave the go ahead to get more information. It all happened so quickly, but we both knew he was our son.

2. Does he have special needs?

Yes and no. We can't discuss his needs right now, but I'm not one of those people that gets real secretive about it. I just can't discuss them now because I feel we need to wait until we pass court. One reason, though, that I don't mind talking about his needs (eventually) is because I think it lets other parents, who are thinking of adopting, realize that many of these needs are so manageable and should never keep a child from having a family. Plus, I can't even begin to tell you of the supportive system I've found and the amazing friends I've found simply because our children share the same needs.However, as you've noticed with Nandi, I don't really discuss those needs once they hit school. I think, at that point, I need to be a bit more selective with what I blog about.

I will say that Naveen's needs are minor. He was born with a condition and had surgery. The surgery failed and he had to go back and have it done again. And now he's doing great. He's caught up in all areas and is doing fine. We'll need to monitor his condition, probably once a year, but it should not affect him in any way.

3. Why another boy? Don't you want another girl?

Honestly, although we'd love another little girl, I'm not sure it's in Nandini's best interest right now. She's doing so good and we think she needs to be the only "princess" in our family for the time being. We think there'd be too much competition and maybe even some jealously. It's hard to explain why we think she'll be okay with Naveen, but we just do. And, like I said, she is doing amazing right now and she can't wait to be a big sister.

4. How much longer until you travel?

Ah, the 10 million dollar question. Well, we are following the exact same timeline that we did with Nandi. But in Nandi's case, we were already home this time 4 years ago. Ind*a went through an adoption reform over the summer and the agency that handles initial clearance has a backlog of 550 cases. They're not taking any new dossiers until after December 31. Fortunately, though, we are in that backlog and we hope to hear something by the end of next month. (I never thought I'd be thankful to be part of a 550 backlog!!).

After that, we'll go to court. However, it's a new court process and our judge is requiring us to fly to Ind*a TWICE. That was a real kicker. We understand why, but we were not prepared for this. We have to fly for a 10 minute meeting.

No joke.

4 days RT travel. $$$ airplane tickets. For a 10 minute meeting.

But, honestly, I would travel a thousand times if that's what it took to get Naveen home.

Anyway, after the court date, Naveen should be ready to come home within 3-4 weeks. But, once you leave Ind*a on a tourist visa, you can't return for 60 days. And there's no way we can stay for 4 weeks.

Plus, there are new post-placement requirements to the tun of an extra $2650.

Yep.

So that's why Lori's holding the coffee fundraiser for us. (THANK YOU, LORI!)

But regarding us travelling and when... we don't know. We're hoping we'll get the first court date by the beginning of February, which means we can fly back at the beginning of April... because our paperwork expires mid-April and I get heart palpitations just thinking about it.

5. Do you plan on adopting again?

Right now? Nope! The adoption womb is closed for business. I think four is a good number, and, truthfully, I think this will stretch us as far as we can go. But we do joke that I'll probably get knocked up with quads when I'm about 45. Can't you just see that happening? Oh my gosh. And, you never know. We weren't planning on adopting number four... and look where we are now.

But, I'm pretty confident this is it. I don't think my heart can take the suspense and waiting of another adoption. Plus, I'm driving my whole family crazy with my email stalking. I swear I check my email about every 5 minutes to see if there's an update.

If anyone has any other questions, let me know!

Did someone say Coffee?

2011-11-14T21:57:00.001-05:00

Ok so it's Lori here--not Leslie. I have hijacked her blog to tell you about an awesome fundraiser to help their exceptional family add another wonderful little boy to the mix. Leslie is the type of person who goes above and beyond for everyone else... I mean have you seen her passion for Central America that turned her into an overnight doll maker to raise funds for beds for a poor family in Guatemala? Did you recently participate in the auction for Sarah's Covenant Homes? That was the brain child of Leslie. Those are only two examples of how Leslie goes out of her way for everyone else. I mean all you have to do is read thru her blog and see the fantastic way she and her husband are working their tails off for their children at home and their little cutie in India. Now it's our turn to love on her family.
India is currently going through some changes in their adoption policies. Along with changes means more money is needed to complete some of the steps. In order to raise some money ---we are doing a coffee fundraiser. What an awesome gift to give someone and to buy some for yourself. It's all fair trade and all sounds so yummy. I can't wait to order some Tanzanian Peaberry and the new Holiday Falalalala blend. Let's show Leslie and her family how awesome they are and support their adoption. Here is the link https://justlovecoffee.com/about/beneficiary/recoveringnoah/ .

Buy some and feel free to advertise it on your blog or facebook.

Blessings !!!

Lori P.
http://americameetsindia.blogspot.com/

Popsicles & Bandaids Make Everything Better

2011-11-07T14:54:00.001-04:00

I posted this on Facebook - sorry for the repeat if you've already seen it.....

***********************************************************************

Photo courtesy of Whole Foods Market

Eli is sick today and Nandi doesn't feel well, so I thought I'd better see how Noah was feeling, too...

"How are you feeling Noah?"

S-I-C-K

"You feel sick?"

Y-E-S

"Where does it hurt?"

N-O-S-E

"Does anything else hurt?"

S-T-O-M-A-C-H

"I'm so sorry. Would a pospsicle make it better?"

Y-E-S

"What flavor?"

N-O-T G-R-A-P-E

"Okay, orange or cherry?"

O-R-A-N-G-E

5 minutes later...

"Do you feel better now?"

N-O

"What would make you feel better?"

B-A-N-D-A-D-E

"A bandaid would make you feel better?"

Y-E-S

"But you're not bleeding."

N-O

"But it'll make you feel better?"

Y-E-S

"What kind of Bandaid?"

S-N-O-O-P-Y

"And where do you want me to put it?"

S-T-O-M-A-C-H

"So, let me get this straight. A Snoopy Bandaid on your non-bleeding stomach will make you feel better?"

Y-E-S

So I proceed to put a Snoopy Bandaid on his stomach... and he tears it off and tries to eat it.

"Noah, why did you tell me you wanted a Bandaid if you were going to turn around and eat it?"

C-A-N-T H-E-L-P I-T.

(Lightbulb moment).

"How did it make you feel to get a bandaid?"

N-O-R-M-A-L

Noah challenges my belief system everyday. I wish every parent of a nonverbal child - especially with autism - would realize that our kids are in there. They're normal, typical children on the inside... wanting popsicles and bandaids, just like every other kid in the world.

He's Not a Dinosaur

2011-11-06T17:37:00.001-04:00

Me - Noah, what do you want to talk about today?

Noah - I-N-O-T-T-A-L-K

Me - I know you can't "talk", but you know what I mean. What do you want to talk about?

Noah - I-N-O-T-T-A-L-K

Me - O-kay. What do you want to spell then?

Noah - I-N-O-T-T-A-L-K

Me - Hmmm.... so you can't talk, huh?

Noah - N-O

Me- Okay, so tell me one thing that I need to know about you. Just one thing. And I'll leave you alone. Deal?

Noah - Y-E-S

Me- So what's the one thing I get to know about you today?

Noah- I-N-O-T-A-D-I-N-O-S-A-U-R

Me - Really. You're not a dinosaur?

Noah - N-O.

Me - Good to know.

Noah - Y-E-S

Me- Are you having a laugh?

Noah- Y-E-S

Me - Do you think you're funny?

Noah - Y-E-S

Me- Yeah, you're pretty funny. =)

Noah's "Spooky" Halloween Story

2011-10-31T19:57:00.001-04:00

Once upon a time there was a monster. He was so nice. On Halloween he didn't scare no one. Instead, he gave all the kids candy. The End.

Noah Has Such an Attitude!

2011-10-30T14:37:00.001-04:00

Noah's really making me laugh today. His spelling is still sporadic, but when he's "on" he is on!

We were sitting at the table and Nandi & Eli were spouting off math facts and getting them all wrong.

"7 + 3 IS nine!!'

"No it's not, it's 8!!!"

This went on for about 5 minutes and Noah got increasingly upset. Finally, he started rocking back and forth and shrieking while banging his head.

I asked him, "Noah, are you mad that they're messing up all the math facts?" (If you'll recall, Noah's favorite thing for me to do is to sing the multiplication tables.)

And he spelled out Y-E-S.

"Why"

"B-E-C-A-U-S-E I N-O E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G!"

I didn't point out that he obviously doesn't know how to spell "know". We'll work on that one later. =)

We also started on Noah's diet again today. The past month was just awful. My hat is off to any parent who works full-time. I don't know how you do it!! I spent the last month working on the auction and our diet went by the wayside. I just can't seem to focus on more than one thing at a time. Anyway, today it's back to sweet potatoes and kale!

Well, Noah doesn't seem to be too happy about that. Sim made him a really tasty lunch with beef and sweet potatoes and zucchini, but Noah refused to do touch it.

I said "Noah, do you like what Daddy made you?"

N-O

"What do you think of it?"

I-T-S N-O-T M-Y T-O-P C-H-O-I-C-E.

That cracked me up. It sounded so much like Simeon. It'll be really interesting to see if Noah picks up on some of Sim's phrasing and the British slang he uses.

Finally, Noah was tugging on me a lot while I was at the stove. I was trying to multi-task and cook, talk to my mom on the phone, and figure out what video Noah wanted to watch all at the same time. But Noah kept coming up to me and tugging on me. I ended up burning the pumpkin "pancakes" (they're just pumpkin and egg and VERY difficult to make, I think. They don't hold well). Well, I got aggravated at Noah and he stormed off. When I asked him what was on his mind, he spelled out...

"S-O-R-R-Y F-O-R N-E-E-D-I-N-G Y-O-U-R T-I-M-E M-O-M!"

What a stinker! It was like a knife to the heart... which he knew. But he spelled it with such attitude. He reminds me of me at that age. Scary thought! Have a I ever blogged about my third grade teacher who told my parents that I would end up in juvy hall by the time I was a teenager? I was a pistol in elementary school. But I turned out okay.

I think.

And I'm pretty sure Noah's going to turn out just fine, as well.

Noah's First Poem

2011-10-26T08:28:00.001-04:00

Things have been so busy around here that I haven't had a chance to actually sit down and write much. Right now, I'm just writing down Noah's conversations so that I won't forget them.

Here's his first poem. He wrote it (well, pointed it!) last Friday when were in Austin to work with Soma. She had him pick two words that rhyme and then she told him to make sentence using those words. I think it adds an extra dimension to his cleverness. =)

1. The ride was long
I heard a song

That was written after we finally arrived at HALO. It took 4 hours to get there because I was stuck behind a mobile home going 40 mph for a good 70 minutes. I sure hope Noah didn't pick up any the words I was saying along the way....

2. I heard a noise
I had no choice
It came from running boys
Not from toys

This was written after our lunch break. We were headed back and some college kids thought it'd be fun to dart in and out of traffic - on foot.

Again, I'm just waiting for Noah to spell out his first cuss word... uh, I plead the fifth.

Last night we were at my parents' house and we asked Noah what his favorite thing about Papa is and he spelled out

S-T-O-R-Y

Then we said, "What else?" and he spelled out H-I-S R-O-Y

That's when we realized that Noah was meaning the songs that Papa makes up. My dad is forever making up rhymes and songs and several of them call Noah "Roy" in them, after Roy Rogers. These songs were made up when Noah was a baby and they're all about Noah being Papa's future cowboy.. hence, the name Roy. When he was little, my dad called him Noah Roy a lot.

Who would've known that Noah would catch on to that??!!

Again, it goes to show that our kids are constantly listening to everything we say and are constantly aware of everything that's going on.

Then we said, "What else do you like about Papa?" and he spelled out M-Y O-T-H-E-R S-O-N-G-S.

Since Noah was the first grandchild, he has about 5 or 6 songs that are exclusively about him.

Anyway, I said, "Okay, Noah. Pick something else." and he spelled out S-O-N-G-S.

"Noah, what do you like about Papa besides songs?" and he spelled out S-O-N-G-S.

Guess who has a stubborn streak?? lol

So I said, "Noah, pick something else and don't start it with an "S"! ", so he spelled out H-I-S S-O-N-G-S.

Isn't that hysterical? He's so funny. I mean, he's totally straight-faced while doing it, but you know that he's cracking up inside.

Oh, one more thing! He brought me a can of Sprite from my mom's fridge and wanted it. Normally, I wouldn't give it to him (we are trying soooo hard with this new diet), but it'd been kind of a bad day and I was all emotional and gave in. Kids sure do know when you're most likely to say yes, don't they??

But I made him spell it! That counts for something, right?

So he spelled out S-T... then he stopped. Then, I kid you not, he looked at the Sprite can and then spelled it correctly. S-P-R-I-T-E. He's never done that. It was so awesome. Then I said "What do you say?" and he spelled out T-H-A-N-K Y-O-U. Awww.

I will say that this definitely didn't happen overnight. We first took Noah to Soma's 4 1/2 years ago and he still has a long way to go. With Soma, he does most of the spelling independently, but with me I have to hold his hand. I don't move his hand at all, although it looks like it. We're really working on this because no one will ever believe that he's actually guiding his hand, not me, and he'll do it independently with Soma. So that's what we're working on now. Plus, he won't do it with anyone other than me or Soma. There's definitely a lot of work left to be done.

Gotta stop right now or the kids will be late for school. Then it's home, therapy, and mailing out items from the SCH auction that ended on Monday. We raised over $1500 for Sarah's Covenant Homes! Niiiiiice.

Conversations with Noah

2011-10-12T22:49:00.003-04:00

I know that if I don't sit down right now and put pen to paper (or finger to keyboard) then I'll forget. And I know that I owe a big explanation on what we're doing with Noah and all that, and I will try to write something soon. In the meantime, Noah is amazing us lately with his spelling on the letter board.

Noah, if you could have any superpower in the world, what would it be? T-A-L-K

What's the hardest thing about being 9 (almost 10)? N-O-T T-O-I-L-E-T T-R-A-I-N-E-D

What's your favorite song at the moment? S-O-M-E-O-N-E L-I-K-E Y-O-U

Noah! I change that song every time I hear it. (I'm a bit tired of it). Do you want me to stop changing it?
Y-E-S

If you could live anywhere, where would you live? T-E-X-A-S W-I-T-H M-O-M

If you could invent anything, what would it be? T-O-Y-S T-H-A-T D-O-N-T C-O-S-T

When were you the happiest in your life? M-E-E-T-I-N-G A-N-O-O-P (when he met Anoop Desai backstage at the American Idols tour)

What's the one thing you would change in the world? T-O-I-L-E-T T-R-A-I-N E-Z

What's the one thing in the world you couldn't live without? M-O-M-S L-O-V-E

And, finally, I went to check on Noah last night and he was still up. He grabbed my hand and put it to his mouth. I knew he had a loose tooth, so I felt inside and saw that he'd lost it. There was also a tiny bit of the blood on the floor. I immediately said, 'Oh Noah! Did you lose your tooth? You poor thing!?" He got agitated and led me to the door and pushed me out.

This morning I asked why and he spelled T-R-E-A-T-E-D L-I-K-E A T-O-Y. I said, "I treated you like a toy?" Y-E-S. "How should I have treated you?" L-I-K-E A S-U-N (son).

And it was so profound! Had it been Eli, I would have been like "Cool dude! Hi-5! Tooth fairy's comin' to see you tonight."

But with Noah, I treated him like a baby. And he didn't like it. Not one bit.

I am so grateful for all the new things I'm learning about Noah... and the lessons he's teaching me.

I promise that when things slow down, I'll try to explain what we're doing and why I think it's (finally!) working. In the meantime, we've come up with these "Conversation Starters" by googling Conversation Starters for kids. We try to ask about 4 or 5 to the kids each night at supper. We're having a blast with them!

Q & A with Noah

2011-10-07T07:51:00.000-04:00

Q&A with Noah (on the letterboard)

What’s your favorite color? G-R-E-E-N

What’s your favorite food? R-I-C-E

What's your favorite dinosaur? S-T-E-G-A-S-O-R-U-S

What’s your favorite movie? E-L-M-O I-S G-O-O-D

Which Elmo movie? H-A-N-D-S (Elmo has Two Hands, Feet, and Ears)

Who's your favorite singer right now? A-D-E-L (he meant "Adele")

What's your favorite holiday? C-H-R-I-S-T-M-A-S

What do you want for your birthday? D-R P-E-P-P-E-R

No, Noah. What toy do you want for your birthday? T-R-A-I-N

What famous person would you like to meet? M-I-L-E-Y C-Y-R-U-S (lol... really??)

What’s your favorite book? M-R G-U-M (fantastically brilliant, offbeat, slightly offensive British children's series that has a wicked sense of humor and keeps us both in stitches)

I'm loving learning more about my sweet Noah!

Baby Emma

2011-10-01T10:17:00.000-04:00

I'm sorry I haven't responded to my emails or blogged this past week. I fried our computer. Long story. In fact, it'll probably be a blog post later in the week. (And if you've been reading this for a while, then you may remember that I fried our last computer, too!). Maybe this is a sign that I need to stay away from computers??

Anyway, in my last post about the upcoming auction for Sarah's Covenant Homes, I showed a picture of baby Emma. I'm proud to say that Baby Emma is home! She's now at Sarah's in Ongole and weighs 5.5 lbs. She needs to gain 1 more pound in order to have shunt surgery. Will you pray for her health?

You can also read all about Emma on Sarah's new post HERE.

And if you would like to participate in the auction, please let us know!

Thanks!

Auctions for a Cause

2011-09-23T16:03:00.000-04:00

Many of you know that in January 2010, I went on a trip to India to volunteer at Sarah's Covenant Homes. It completely changed my life. I fell deeply in love with Sarah's mission to help abandoned children with special needs and I think I left a piece of my heart with every single child there.

Last week, Sarah brought home 21 new children from the government orphanage. This means 21 new beds, 21 new sets of clothes, diapers for 21 new kids, medicines and therapies and surgeries for 21 more children... it adds up fast.

We have decided to hold an Arts & Crafts auction to help raise money for SCH and their new children. We've started a blog called Auctions for a Cause and you can find it HERE . You do NOT have to be crafty or artistic to donate. One lady sells Pampered Chef and is donating a Pampered Chef item. We've had people ask if they can donate gift cards. A friend of mine is donating the cowboy decorations from her son's room. I have some aprons that I bought off Etsy a few years ago that I plan on putting in the auction.

The point is... if you want to help, you can. And all funds raised go directly to SCH. You'll be able to help children like Emma...

And Jackie....

And Zinnia....

And Jamila

If you've ever wanted to make a difference, but didn't know how, this is your chance. You don't have to spend a dime. And, actually, if you have a business or an etsy store or are trying to raise money for an adoption or a cause, then this is the PERFECT opportunity for you. Check out our section on "How To Make A Donation" to find out why.

I know I haven't been blogging regularly and it's probably cheeky to come on here and ask for help, but if you'd like to participate we'd be so grateful. And if you can't participate, will you help spread the word?

Donate a Gift. Save a Life.

It feels kinda good, right?

www.auctionsforacause.blogspot.com

A New Therapy, A Brief Update, and A Whole Lotta Stress

2011-09-07T07:44:00.002-04:00

This may very well go down in history as the most boring blog post ever. It's just occurred to me, though, that I haven't updated in weeks, so I thought I'd sit down really quickly and type out a brief update.

And I know I'm not known for my brevity, but I'll try to keep it brief. I chose to write this during the very hectic 30 minutes before school starts, so I have no choice.

And who chooses to blog during the morning rush?? Clearly, I need to work on tightening a few loose screws.

Okay...

1. I have received some really lovely comments in the past couple of weeks and I am sorry I haven't written back. I'm not trying to be rude. I've just been completely overwhelmed these past few weeks. I really appreciate comments, even though I'm a complete cow when it comes to writing back. I'll try to do better. And Jenna, hi! Nice to meet you. I PROMISE I'll write back. Pinky swear.

2. Noah is doing a new therapy AND diet, which is why we're all so completely tired and overwhelmed. It's a good one, but we are in a long learning curve at the moment. We're riding it out, though.

I'll blog about it all in a later post, but I can tell you it's Neurodevelopmental Therapy through ICAN which stands for the International Christian Association of NeuroDevelopmentalists. There is a practice in North Texas, Little Giant Steps, but we're working with Linda Kane who's out of Utah. She comes to Texas every 4 months for reevals.

We're really excited about it. It's definitely a time commitment and a stressor... it takes about 1 1/2 - 2 hours every day to do all the recommended therapies and exercises.... and it's a lot of pressure because you know the success is riding on your ability to actually do everything that's needed each day... but it's exactly what Noah's needing right now.

The diet is through the No Harm Foundation and it's called The Sensory Based Protocol Diet. You can go to the site, enter your email and download the entire protocol for free. There's also a great yahoogroup for people on the diet and it lists lots of recipes (which has been a lifesaver!).

We are not 100% yet and it'll be ages before we are, but Noah hasn't add any sort of fry or potato chip or soft drink in 10 days and he's now having solid BM's and actually coming to us when he needs to be changed. We're also seeing more eye contact and awareness and vocalizations.

It's based on the premise that many children with autism or ADHD have high levels of manganese in their brains and low levels of iron. No, it hasn't been scientifically proven, but many parents are saying they're seeing lots of progress. And since we only have to be 100% for a month (although many go longer because they start seeing progress), it's worth a try. And from what we've seen so far, it looks promising. And healthy!

We're hoping to slowly phase rice and cereal out of Noah's diet over the next several weeks and go 100% and see what happens. I've been doing it and I lost 5 lbs in the first week. I think it's because I can no longer drive thru McDonald's and order those Caramel Frappes that I've been living off of....

But when I close my eyes, I dream of big greasy cheesburgers.

3. Yes, we are still adopting little N. I know I've been quiet about it. It's been a long process with many more months to come. It's been 6 months since we accepted Little N's referral and we've finally received our US Immigration approval. We completed our paperwork 4 months ago, but things just got approved and our papers have now been sent to Little N's country. It could be anywhere from 5 months (unlikely) to 10 (more likely) to even longer if there are delays (don't wanna think about it).

I know I've been very vague about the whole thing, but there are many anti-adoption people out there in blog land and probably many people who think we're nuts or have our hands full or we're horrible and have no business adopting again.... and well, quite frankly, I don't want any of them to try and sabotage our adoption. I know it sounds completely paranoid, but anyone who's ever adopted has heard of these horror stories. So I have to be a bit cryptic until our papers get processed and approved.

And with that, I have to go. It's a lovely chilly morning in East Texas (yay!), the kids are up and smiling (say what?? whose kids are they??) and a new day of therapy and eating sweet potatoes and kale begins.

Wish us luck!

Celebrate the Small Stuff

2011-08-19T12:07:00.003-04:00

When we first realized that Noah had autism, I went to a seminar and met a mom who was telling me that I should never give up on Noah. She said it takes a long time for our kids to learn a new skill, but that they can learn. And then she proudly proceeded to tell me a story about teaching her son how to ride a bike. When I asked her how long it took him to learn, she replied, "Four years."

Four years??

FOUR YEARS??

I have to admit, I was so arrogant back then. I thought I knew everything about autism and I remember silently telling myself, "Well, that won't be Noah. He's going to be recovered by then."

He was 22 months old at the time. He had 5 months of therapy already under his belt. I knew he'd be recovered by the time he was 3.

Fast forward to August 2011. Noah will be 10 in October. He's had 8 and 1/2 years of nonstop therapy under his belt. We're beginning a new one next week. He still hasn't recovered.

But he did just learn learn how to catch a ball. How long did it take? Seven years.

Seven years.

Yes. Seven years.

And I proclaim it proudly.

Mama's proud of you, Noah Bear! You give me the gift of seeing miracles every day.

And to the woman who I scoffed at all those years ago? I'm so sorry. Thank you for teaching me to never give up.

Repurposing Food Jars (A Kid's Craft on the Cheap!)

2011-08-07T19:45:00.003-04:00

I can't believe it's been nearly two months since I last blogged! So much has been going on, but I've developed quite the lazy streak and found it's much easier to just pop onto Facebook and post a quick status update. I'm sure things will calm down a bit (maybe!) when school starts back up in two weeks.

Anyway, in the meantime, I thought I'd show ya'll what the kids have been up to lately.

We have tons and tons and tons of empty glass food jars laying around. They're stored everywhere - in drawers, in cabinets, on shelves, on top of the fridge. I can't bear to throw them away and we don't have any sort of glass recycling in our town. So, I nurture my pack rat tendencies and keep them for "just in case".

Finally, that "just in case" arrived. I'm not sure what rock I've been living under, but it finally occurred to me that you can spray paint glass jars. So we went to my mom's house with a box full of old glass jars, a box of ribbon that I've had laying around for a couple of years from back in my "I-fancy-myself-being-the-second-coming-of-Martha-Stewart" days (which, incidentally, only lasted approximately 4 hours because a) I'm not crafty and b) I don't know how to sew and c) did I mention I'm not crafty??) and we used my mom's spray paint to create these....

This was a pickle jar in its former life. It's my favorite!

Ignore the half-dead flowers and, uh, grayish water. It looked soooo pretty a week ago. But you get the gist. This was a Pace Picante Sauce bottle.

And old olive jar (again... half-dead flowers and stained butcher's block ... but isn't the jar pretty?)
This has nothing to do with repurposing glass jars, but Nandi wanted to show you how crafty she is by giving her one-eyed dog a new eye. You see, instead of throwing it out because he lost an eye, you just....
Hot glue in a marble!

Girl's got skillz.

This was a salsa jar from mine and Noah's FAVORITE salsa in the whole wide world.. Texas-Texas Restaurant Style. That's the actual name. And we go through about 2-3 jars a week. Just the two of us. Which means we have plenty of jars to create dish scrubbing holders and....

Toothbrush holders! Although, to be fair, one is an old jelly jar.

And I can't remember what kind of jar this is, but doesn't it make a cute pencil holder?

We have a ton more jars, but ran out of paint and ribbon, so I'm waiting to find some on sale. Sim's under the impression that we won't be able to find any more uses for old jars and that maybe I should just trash them. But I'm sure we can come up with some ideas. If you have any suggestions, let me know!

Next time, I'll have to show you what we did to Eli's bedroom furniture. It's the summer of decorating on the cheap!

Noah-isms!

2011-06-13T09:32:00.004-04:00

Yes, Noah-isms! I know... it's usually Eli, right? But Noah's use of his letterboard has exploded this past month and for the first time, he's really starting to communicate with us.

Okay, so it's probably just a 5 on a scale of 100 and we have a long, long, long way to go.... and there are days he just absolutely refuses to cooperate, but for the first time, Noah is really starting to respond to open-ended questions, which means we're able to get a glimpse into his sweet, funny little personality.

I could go on and on about about all the things Noah's going through right now (9 is a HARD age for little boys with nonverbal autism), and I could explain the struggles we're having in getting Noah to consistently do the letterboard, but I'll save all that for later. Because, right now, I want to celebrate what Noah IS doing. It may not mean much to anyone else, but I kind of want a record of all the neat things Noah's coming out with because I don't trust my brain to remember them all.

And, to us, these little snippets of communication mean the world.

So, here it is.......

1. Noah was getting frustrated with the lessons I was having him do... I guess Ancient Civilization isn't on the top of "exciting school lessons" for 9 year olds. *snicker* So I asked him, "Well, what do you want Mommy to teach you? What do you want to learn from Mommy?

And Noah spelled out N-O-T-H-I-N-G.

And then doubled over laughing (little stinker!)

So, then I threw my hands up in the air and said, "Well what do you want to do all day then?" and he spelled out S-W-I-M.

2. Noah didn't want to eat the lunch I fixed him, so I asked him, "What do you want to eat then?" and he spelled out M-C-D-O-N-A-L-D-S.

"Really? And what do you want from McDonald's?" and he spelled out C-O-K-E.

3. We were learning beginning grammar - starting with nouns. And I said, "Are you a boy or a girl?" And Noah spells out I -A-M-A-B-O-Y. So I said, 'And what is Eli?" And he spelled out E-L-I-I-S-A-G-I-R-L and started laughing.

4. At one point (and this breaks my heart), Noah had a complete meltdown.... sobbing, screaming, biting, hitting his head.... and by using a choice board, he was able to tell us that he didn't think we loved him because he had autism and couldn't talk. Oh my word, did we all cry!

Like I said, I've heard time and again that 9 is a turning point for nonverbal kids.... all these hormones and emotions. Later, he was able to calm down and tell us that he knows we love him. But it has definitely made us more aware of his feelings and what he actually may be thinking when he has a meltdown.

5. At our RPM session in Austin last week, Noah was on a roll! He spelled out, "M-O-M I-N I-N-D-I-A" and Soma, who is from India, said, "Yes, your mom was in India. I'll be going to India soon."

And Noah asked, "H-O-W I-S I-T?" so she told him about India. Then she pointed to an observer in the room and said, "Katie is from California" to which Noah replied,

"I-N T-H-E W-E-S-T".

Then, Katie leaned over and whispered, "Is Noah your oldest?" Well, apparently, Noah has supersonic bat hearing because he then spelled,

"I A-M B-I-G".

Soma, who has worked with thousands of children with autism recognizes that sometimes their choice of words is a bit different than what we may expect and she said, "Yes, yes, you are the oldest aren't you? You are the biggest!" and Noah smiled.

Then he spelled,

"M-Y L-I-T-T-L-E B-R-O-T-H-E-R I-S F-R-O-M S-O-U-T-H A-M-E-R-I-C-A"

Actually, he's from Central America, but Noah hasn't learned about that yet. I thought that was pretty smart! And, boy, was Eli shocked when I told him. "Little brother?? Little brother! I'm not a little brother!" which pretty much reinforced why Noah felt it was so important to let everyone know that he (Noah) is, in fact, the oldest and don't you forget it!

6. Later, Noah started to get agitated and I had to warn Soma that he's been biting lately and Noah spelled out,

"N-I-C-E T-E-E-T-H"

and Soma said, 'Yes, your teeth are being nice to me. I don't have to worry about you biting me."

7. The other day, I had folded all of our clothes onto our bed and Noah threw them all onto the floor and I scolded him. First of all, he looked so sad. Then he grabbed my hand and put them on his bottom.... as if he wanted a spanking. What??!! That boy doesn't get spanked. I couldn't understand what he was wanting, so I grabbed the letterboard and said, "Tell me what you're thinking" and he spelled out,

"S-O-R-R-Y M-O-M".

Oh my gosh! He not only called me "Mom" but he also considered my feelings and was able to appropriately express his sorrow. This is HUGE!

8. Yesterday, after a lesson on Sumerians (yeah, I can't let the ancient civ stuff go.. lol), I gave him some words and he had to spell the first thing that popped into his mind. He wasn't really cooperative, but I got two things out of him...

a. I say ice cream and you think..... "S-N-O-W" (We made snow ice cream this past winter)

b. I say Nonna (his grandma) and you think.... "T-W-I-X". That one surprised us because Noah doesn't eat candy or chocolate, but my mom always has a huge candy bowl filled with Snickers and Twix and Butterfingers.

9. And this last one... this is my favorite. After Noah spelling out "nothing" when I asked him what he wanted me to teach him, and after him repeatedly spelling out "N-O" whenever I asked him a question... .as in... "No, I'm not going to answer you".... I asked him what book he wanted me to read to him.

And I said, "Don't you dare spell 'nothing' or 'none'!" So Noah grabbed the letterboard and touched the letter "O" and I said, 'Okay, so the book you want me to read starts with the letter "O".

What's the next letter? And he touched "O". I said, "Noah, OO doesn't make sense. Try again." And he kept touching "O" over and over again. Then it dawned on me....

"Noah, are you touching the letter "O" to mean ZERO?? As in NOTHING or NONE??!!" and that little toot laughed and laughed and laughed.

Isn't that clever??!!

And that's all for now. It's just really exciting to see a glimpse of our sweet Noah's personality. Hope you enjoyed it, and I hope it gives you hope and inspiration if you're the parent of a nonverbal child, too. =)

Part 2 - Top 10 Makes My Life Easier With Autism List, #'s 6-10

2011-05-30T16:21:00.006-04:00

In re-reading numbers 1-5 in my Top 10 Ways that Modern Conveniences Have Made Life With Autism Easier, I realized that I probably come across a complete lazy cow.

A tad bit of that is true.

But, really, these conveniences – and a lot of them involve never having to leave my house or car – have made life easier. You see, when you have a child with autism, everything has to be planned out in advance. For example, it’s better to not buy a whole grocery cart full of stuff at Walmart because that way I can nip through the Express Lane… which is good for three reasons…

1. 1, I can normally check-out in under 10 minutes (depending on the queue)

2. 2, The Express Lane doesn’t have cold drinks stocked on their aisle, which means Noah’s not sitting in a basket waiting for me to check-out while grabbing for Dr. Peppers

3. 3. I don’t have to worry about how I’m going to stuff all the grocery sacks around Noah while he sits in the back of the cart.

Speaking of which... another thing I have to plan ahead is grocery carts. Hobby Lobby and Sprouts have tiny carts. Noah can’t sit in them. And since Noah won’t walk in a store (except for Dollar Tree… long story), I have to make sure I don’t need a lot of items because I’ll have to push Noah in his stroller (a Maclaren Major). He will walk in Dollar Tree, but I have to make sure I’m not buying a lot (take the get in and get out approach) and we have to head straight to the toy aisle so he can buy a package of spinning tops and be out within 5 minutes.

So, you can see that everything has to be planned ahead. Which is why I’m all for these modern conveniences that take a tad of the pressure off. Let’s take a look at #’s 6-10…

6. DVD’s. Honestly, I used to be against modern technology. I mean, I still hold grudges. I don’t even know how to text. And there was a time when I refused to quit buying cassette tapes because I just knew that CD’s were a fad that would never catch on.

And now you can't even give boxes of tapes away at a garage sale. There's a whole generation of kids who will never know the greatness of a cheesy ballad mixed-tape.

Simeon, if you're reading this... Honey, You're the Inspiration. I get Lost in Your Eyes and I'm Crazy for You. I Can't Fight This Feeling. You're my Eternal Flame and I'll Never Say Goodbye because You Give Me Something to Believe In....

Anyway, we bought our first DVD player in 2001, but DVD’s were so expensive, so we just continued to buy VHS. Then, along came Noah. And his extreme fascination with all things Elmo and Baby Einstein. And then came the knowledge that Noah goes ballistic every time we have to rewind a video in order to play it again.

And, boy, did we have to play it again. And again. And again.

You would think, honestly, that after rewinding a tape for the 1,000^th time that he would realize that we weren’t trying to torture him. That he would eventually get to watch his video, but that he’d just have to exercise a fraction of patience and wait a couple of minutes.

If you believe that’s possible, then you don’t have a child with autism. He still does that. My mom has an old video player and he still goes nuts when we have to rewind Baby Shakespeare. Still!

Which is why I count the invention of DVD’s as one of the Top !0 things that has made my life easier. You.just.push.play. Simple as that.

Meltdown avoided. Crisis delayed.

7. Pay-At-The-Pump Gas Stations - it would probably sound incredibly melodramatic if I told you how in love I am with pay-at-the-pump gas stations. I think they’re the best thing ever! I honestly cannot imagine having to drag all of your kids out of the car every time you had to fill up with gas. I know Noah and it would be a pain in my big fat rear end. Do you know how many soft drinks they have in those places? Enough for a child with autism to think he just walked straight into Heaven. It would be a nightmare. Plus, I can't resist the York Peppermint Patties that they usually have on the counter. Those and those red peanut pralines. And there's the hassle of having to get three kids in and out of their car seats… oh gosh, I feel for every mother who had to raise a child in the 80’s.

I salute you.

8. Online Card Catalogue for Our Local Library – our local library is small. They only just got their entire card catalogue online. But it is one of the best things to happen to our family.

We love the library. I wanted to be a librarian when I was kid. I used to play library and make all the neighborhood kids check out books from my “store”. I used to get in trouble for reading Judy Blume novels in class. I was the kid who always ordered the most books off the Scholastic Book forms. I majored in English Lit in college.

Reading is as essential to me as breathing.

Noah? He could give a flying fig. Taking Noah to the library is a total crapshoot. When he’s good, he’s good. When he’s bad… everyone in the whole place knows it.

Checking out a book from the library is the equivalent to going on a top-secret CIA mission. Everything has to be planned perfectly. Which is where the online catalogue comes in. Gone are the days when I would park Noah – in his stroller – next me while I searched the library computer to see what books might interest us. Now, I can check online from the comfort of my laptop and see if it’s available. I can jot down the reference number and even place a hold! Then I just run in with my list in hand and go straight to the books I want, grab them off the shelf, throw my card at the librarian and ask her to move like lightening. If we’re quick enough, we can make it out of there before Noah starts thrashing and flailing in his stroller, grabs my hand and clamps down.

Pitbulls have nothing on that boy.

So a big thank you to librarians everywhere who decided to make Dewey go digital. So worth it!

9. Family Bathrooms at SuperTarget - I’ve always thought Target was super even before they decided to put the word before their name. But once they become SuperTarget and introduced the Family Bathroom…well, I could’ve easily tattooed a bulls eye on my butt just to show my extreme love and affection for everything red and white.

The Family Bathroom is a must for an older child with autism. I mean, first of all, what is the age that it becomes unacceptable to take a male child into the women’s bathroom? Noah will never be able to go into the men’s room alone. I mean, he’s still in pull-ups for Pete’s sake. And do you know who hard it is to change a 9 year old in a cramped, stinky bathroom designed for one person?

But the Family Bathroom…. awww, my heart just swells thinking about it… solves all those problems. I can wheel the grocery cart in there, lock the door and it’s just me and the kids. No one has to know that I’m actually in there changing Noah. Noah doesn’t have to feel embarrassed about being changed in a public place. It’s big and clean and private. And I can honestly tell you where every SuperTarget is located within an 2 hour radius.

Anyplace that has a Family Bathroom is tops in my book. And that includes you, Cabela’s. Even though I hate your display of taxidermied exotic animals that should’ve never crossed the Atlantic, I do love your gorgeous and spacious family bathroom.

10. Online Shopping – you knew it, right? You knew #10 HAD to be online shopping, didn’t you?

It.Is.Wonderful!

I know online shopping helps a lot of people. Moms of kids with autism. People with agrophobia. Housewives who have crushes on the UPS man….

For me, it makes things so much easier because I can order things with just a click of the mouse and I never have to worry about taking Noah into a new place or an unfamiliar store where the fluorescent lights be too bright or they might actually be vacuuming (he’s terrified of vacuums) or where there’s the possibility that we might be subjected to a multi-stall bathroom.

I love Amazon.com. For the days or weeks or months when Noah’s behavior makes it impossible to go to the library, even for a quick dash in and out, I can order books online. Instead of taking the kids shopping for clothes, I can go to Gymboree or Old Navy or even Ebay and order online. When we’re out of Sambucus, Noah’s favorite brand of elderberry extract, I can order it online instead of having to drive an hour and a half to the nearest Whole Foods. I can get virtually anything I want or need online.

And it makes life soooo much easier.

Now, in closing, I want to make sure that ya’ll know that I don’t keep Noah locked up like some 16^th century criminal. We do a lot of things and we go a lot of places. But because Noah’s mind works so differently from most kids, we have to be really prepared all the time. So, while we can drive through McDonalds, we can never eat inside. But we can eat inside Whataburger, but has to be in the back corner booth. And we can take the kids to CiCi’s, but only at 4 because that’s when the fresh pizzas come out but an hour before the supper crowd starts filtering in. We can also go to Sonic, but we can only go to the one that has the playground with the fence. And it has to be before or after lunch so that it won’t be crowded. And we can go to one park in town but we can’t go to the other because the swings are too far from the rest of the playground and Noah only wants to go on the swings. We can also go to someone’s house, but only if they don’t have a pool or if Noah doesn’t know they have a pool. Because once he knows, he’ll spend the entire time dragging everyone to the back door so he can get outside and swim. Even in the dead of winter. And I can never go anywhere without a backpack of two changes of clothes and a purse with at least three plastic spinning tops from Dollar Tree.

But I’m not complaining. Because I can’t complain. Because my life is so much easier than the lives of autism moms before me. And I think about my sisters in other countries who are living with autism everyday and have no help whatsoever.

So this list, that might sound… I don’t know… stupid, inane, greedy, lazy, or juvenile to some people, helps keep me in check. Because life with autism is hard… but we’re managing. And, honestly, we’re really, really blessed.

Now, if I could just get supper on the table and the dishes done with just a click of the button, then my life would be complete.

Oh, you lucky future moms of the 22nd century. You're gonna have it made!

Top 10 Modern Conveniences That Make Living with Autism Easier

2011-05-29T19:07:00.007-04:00

I’m really not good at much of anything. If I were 18 and applying to colleges, my list of talents would have to read something like this… “I excel at watching reality television, looking up things on Amazon.com, and feeding my insane need for instant knowledge by being Wikipedia’s #1 looker-upper.”

That’s kind of sad, isn’t it? But my biggest talent is in the ability to throw myself one heck of a pity party. I mean, I really do need my own show on TLC to show you all how it’s done. It’s complete with sobbing and raccoon eyes and copious amounts of nasty snot and Kleenex with Slowdive on the stereo, and anything within my reach that even remotely looks like chocolate.

I once gnawed away at a bar of almond bark during a self-imposed pity party. And we know there’s not a lick of cocoa to be found in the cheap stuff. But if got me through.

But during one of my one or two or six pity parties that I’ve thrown in the last 4, 3, 2 weeks, I had an epiphany. It was like the voice of God… or maybe it was my mother…. slapped me up the back of my head and said…

“Snap out of it! Be glad you’re not a mother of a child with autism back in the 70’s! You’ve got it made!”

And it was, like, I don’t know… a rare moment of clarity. I mean, I do think that moms of kids with autism have it hard. I do! We do! But I should be really grateful for all the modern technology and conveniences that have made it so much easier for me to be able to go about our day to day life. I mean, I can’t imagine what it would’ve have been like in the 70’s and 80’s when I was a kid. Or even today in a third world country.

So, I present to you the Top 10 list of modern day conveniences that have made my life easy. It’s not a funny list or anything….sorry Letterman… but something I can look at when I start to reach for the almond bark tomorrow… uh, I mean next month… And, honestly, I have the feeling that any mother, with or without a child with autism, would agree.

1. Grocery Carts in the Parking Lot - I distinctly remember a time when all grocery carts were inside the store and you had to actually load your groceries in the car and risk letting your popsicles melt in 130 degree Texas heat while leaving your children in the car to ~~suffocate~~ ~~kill each other~~ wait quietly so you could run back into the store to return the grocery cart. Or you could just be the jerk who left it in the parking lot and then have it roll into the car next to you. Whatever floats your boat.

But nowadays? Oh my gosh. I AM the women who will park all the way at the back of the parking lot in order to park directly next to a cart kiosk. Or whatever you call them. And I AM the women who will curse under her breath when the teenagers who pick up the carts actually do their job and there are no carts to be found anywhere. And I WILL drive around and around until I can find one that has a cart in it. Because being able to just pull the cart to the side of the minivan and pop Noah in the back of it has made my life so much easier. No more having Noah fall down in the parking lot like a ton of bricks because he doesn’t want to walk.

Am I lazy? You betcha.

2. The Drive-Thru at CVS - I remember when we first moved here and the CVS was in the next town over, so I had to go into Walmart to pick up our prescriptions. Have you ever had to wait in line at the pharmacy inside Walmart? I honestly think that they have a laminated sign behind the counter that only the pharmacists and their techs can see that says

“Screw customer service! Stall! Make customer wait a minimum of 45 minutes. Customer will be forced to browse through store and spend money on items they don’t need. And if the customer has a child with autism, make them wait 1 hour. She will be forced to buy potato chips, hot wheels, preschool toys, and questionable food from our deli in order to keep the child from having a monumental meltdown.”

It’s a conspiracy, I tell ya!

Anyway, eventually the Gates of Heaven opened and God said, “Let there be a CVS across the street!” And it was done. And my life went from 2 on the suck-o-meter to a 6 overnight. I just pull up to the window, give them my name, and they hand over the prescription and a couple of lollipops. Bliss.

3. Debit Cards at the Oil Changing Place - there are a myriad of reasons why I love debit cards. But the main reason is because the rough old man at the Oil Changing place takes them. I don’t even have to get out of my car. Back in the day, I remember my brother and I having to get out of the car and wait in a stinky, cramped waiting area that spelled of oil and sweat while waiting for the oil in my mom’s car to be changed. There was usually a rusty old water fountain and a gumball machine only filled with peanuts. Peanuts! Say what??

Anyway, I don’t know what’s happened in the field of car oil changing, but it used to take forever and now old Mr D and his crew can change it in 10 minutes flat. And then he takes my debit card, swipes it up front, brings it back to me along with a portable “enter your 4 digit code” thingy and we’re done. We never have to even get out of the car.

4. USPS.com – okay, there are a thousand ways that the internet has made life easier and this is one of them. Have you ever had to wait in line at the post office to send off a package? With a child? A child who detests the post office? A child who thinks that the post office is a place where it is acceptable to have meltdowns? A place that happens to have the longest lines in post office history and a lady who works there that is mean? MEAN!

I get panic attacks just thinking about having to go into the post office. It is always a major ordeal. And it’s especially hard if you try to sell stuff on Ebay to raise a little money and then have to wait in line for 30 minutes just to mail a small package to Poughkeepsie. But with USPS.com, I can print off and pay for a shipping label and schedule a package pickup all online. And Noah never has to encounter Mean Post Office Lady ever again.

It’s the best invention ever.

*I am not an affiliate of USPS.com. I have not been compensated in anyway. All opinions of USPS.com and the beyotch who works at our local post office are mine and mine alone.

5. Subscribe & Save and Amazon Mom on Amazon.com – if for some insane reason I’m ever given a Mom of the Year award, I am seriously going to thank Amazon.com in my acceptance speech. I’ll touch on the many ways "I heart me some Amazon" later on in this countdown, but for right now, Amazon Mom and the Subscribe & Save feature have saved us TONS of money... and sanity.

Noah wears Seventh Generation Pullups and they are expensive! If I were to buy them at Whole Foods, it’d not only cost me $25 in gas to get there, but it’d cost about $18.99 plus tax for a package. But on Amazon.com, we use the Subscribe and Save feature and they only cost $35.80 for a pack of four, as opposed to $42.12 if we just ordered them one-time. And because we buy pull-ups through Subscribe and Save, we’re eligible for another discount through Amazon Mom, which means we only pay $26.60 for a pack of four and it comes with Free Shipping! That’s only $6.65 for a pack of pull-ups. Take that ~~Whole Paycheck~~ Whole Foods!

The pull-ups are shipped to us every month and it means I don’t have to endure the sympathetic looks from cashiers when they spot Noah sucking on his fingers in the grocery cart and realize the pull-ups are for him.

Makes both of our lives a bit easier.

So. That’s my top 5 list. I’ll continue with the remaining 5 later this week. I’m the sure the recurring theme is “Wow, that Leslie is Lazy with a capital L!” But any mom of a child with autism – or even just young children - can probably relate. And the next time I decide to throw myself a pity party because I had to park at the back of the parking lot at the grocery store, I'll think of all the pioneer moms before me and all the women who continue to mother their children in third world countries who’d give anything to be blessed with the everyday conveniences that I’m blessed with….

P.S. Have you noticed that I've just discovered how to do the strikethrough feature on blogger. I've always wanted to learn how to do that!

Potato People

2011-05-15T12:46:00.004-04:00

I know I've been pretty silent on here for the last week or so. I'm just soooo overwhelmed with adoption paperwork. It's kicking my boo-tay in the most serious way.

We finally got our I-800A and dossier sent off last week and we're filming our family video and putting together our family photo album today and will send if all off tomorrow with our acceptance papers. I'm hoping we'll get our I-800A approval in the next few weeks and then it's fingerprints and the I-800 after that and then we're still possibly looking at up to 12 months after that.

It's not going as fast as I was hoping but Little N will eventually get here and that's all that matters.

In the meantime, Eli and Nandi have been keeping me on my toes (two words - Sibling Rivalry!) - and I'm getting a pretty good preview of what this summer is going to look like... and I'm not looking forward to it!

I am, however, considering writing a blog called "Stuff My Quirky Kid Does That Amuse Me".

No, not really. But he does make me laugh.

May I introduce you to the newest members of our family?

Potato Mama and Potato Baby.

Potato Baby was originally just going to be a regular ol' Potato Guy until Eli accidentally cut the bottom half of his body off while trying to make a hole for the legs with a screwdriver. Fortunately, we had some gauze left over from who knows what previous emergency and Eli was able to fashion together a diaper.

And, of course, no pretend play is complete without Polly Pockets.

Best. $5. Garage. Sale. Investment. Ever!

With sprouting sweet potatoes (notice Baby's curly "hair" peeking out from his cap?) and left over easter egg hats and recycled flowers from our Tea Party, I think Eli did a bang up job. What do you think?

Of course, the excitement lasted approximately 5 minutes after completion and now he's on to his next adventure.

I do have wilted spinach leaves and some mushy zucchini in the bottom or our fridge... I wonder what he can do with that?

Back the Blocks

2011-05-03T10:27:00.002-04:00

One of my favorite families in the whole world is moving to Guatemala to become full-time missionaries.

Lorraine, over at All Our Precious In His Sight, did a wonderful post today on the Block Family and is fronting a campaign called "Backing the Blocks".

Amy and her family need 147 sponsors at $25 a month in order to move to Guatemala in September and serve at Eagle's Nest Orphanage.

As many of you know, Guatemala closed its doors to U.S. adoptions and most of the children will never know the love of a family. Amy, her husband Todd, and 7 of their 9 children, will serve these children daily in a Manna Feeding Program, as well as a Sports Ministry.

I've known Amy for, oh my gosh, I guess about 8 years now and I can honestly say that she and her family are the real deal. They are the most amazing family that you'll ever meet and we are so proud to be able to help support them while they serve those in need in Guatemala.

If you can, please check out Lorraine's blog today and see if God is leading you to help the Block family as they become missionaries in Guatemala.

Thanks!

P.S. Any monthly support is appreciated. We are only able to give $10 a month. At first I felt so embarrassed about only being able to give a small amount and we almost didn't give. But it ALL adds up in the end. If you're feeling led to "Back the Blocks" ANY amount helps.

Tea, Hats, and a Royal Wedding

2011-04-29T13:51:00.006-04:00

We are tiiiiiiiiiiiiiiired! Or as Nandi likes to say, "Ti-rud!"

We had our little Royal Wedding Tea Party with the kids last night. Nandi decorated our hats all by herself. We were pretty impressed.

What do you think?

Eli didn't want to be left out, so he strapped a pink flamingo to an old baseball hat.

heehee

And Sim managed to find an old cowboy hat.

Noah's not much of a hat wearer... but he did promptly eat "Princess Catherine's sapphire engagement ring"... aka a ring pop which left his lips a ghoulish dark blue.

We served cucumber and cream cheese sandwiches, scones with currants, strawberries and cream, fish and chips, and a nice pot of tea.

We tried three different dresses on our William and Kate paper dolls.

Eli colored a pictures of the "official engagement portrait".

Sim unwrapped the various pieces of china he brought over from England....

And we woke up just in time to watch Kate step out of the car in her gawgeous! wedding gown.

She looked beautiful.

We gathered all the kids in bed, drank tea, and finished up last night's scones.

And then Eli turns to me and says, "Marriage looks boring. I think I'll skip it."

Spoken like a true 7 year old!

A Royal Wedding Tea Party

2011-04-27T09:30:00.004-04:00

It's no secret that I'm a self-confessed Anglophile.

I have an English degree that I got in England where I met the love of my life (who is now my husband).

I love British history, Jane Austen, and Colin Firth. And not necessarily in that order.

I love PG Tips tea, clotted cream, and nothing tastes better on French Fries than a bit of salt and vinegar.

I also adore British rock bands, Mr. Bean, and Colin Firth.

Oh, did I already mention that?

And my kids know, without a doubt, that I must be left alone if Masterpiece Theater is airing on our local PBS station on a Sunday night.

But, having said that, I'm really not big on the Royal Family.

I mean, sure, I'm fascinated with the Kings and Queens of yore. But the modern Royal Family just doesn't interest me as much. Maybe, because with the invention of the internet, everything is already out there.

Or maybe it's because I'm older and they're younger. I'm not really sure.

But I do know that I incurred the wrath of my mother-in-law when I once casually stated that I didn't understand why the Royal Family continues when it's obvious the Queen doesn't do anything.

Boy did she school me!

And, I'm fairly certain that she now does the sign of the cross whenever someone mentions my name.

But, anyway, despite all that, and despite not having a huge interest in today's Royal Family, I do distinctly remember being a 7 year old girl and lying on the carpet of my Granny Gilda's house and watching Princess Diana walk down the aisle on the television screen.

And I don't remember a whole lot from 30 years ago, but I do remember that. And I want that for my kids, too. Especially as they're technically half-British and go back to England with Simeon whenever they get the chance. (Nandi's going for the first time next month).

So, I think this is something they'll always remember.

And that's why we're throwing them a Royal Wedding Tea Party tomorrow night.

Now, I know the wedding will actually take place at 5am our time on Friday morning... and it's entirely true that our kids are usually up at that hour (well, Eli is) ... but Thursday night seemed like a good time.

We plan on drinking this tea....

You can buy it on the international aisle at Kroger's for $8.49 for 80 bags. Steep, I know.

Pun intended.

We'll be having cucumber and cream cheese sandwiches with the crusts cut off...

Strawberries and cream...

The world's best scones...

Made from this recipe . There's another recipe, too, which got excellent reviews. I haven't made it, but am definitely saving it for future use.

And because I know that this won't satisfy my hungry kids for supper, we'll also be having fish and chips. With salt and vinegar, of course!

I don't have a picture of that, but I usually just buy the Walmart brand of breaded fish and I usually make homemade oven fries... although I'm thinking of just buying some frozen ones because I'm feeling particularly lazy this week.

Simeon is also going to break out his prized English china that he brought over from when we first got married. He was brought up in a very refined household and he has a huge appreciation for National Trust sites and English china and pottery and the fine arts.

Which is why everyone was surprised when he married into my family. Our most cultural outing when I was growing up was going to Pancho's on Saturday night and seeing who could eat the most tacos and raise the flag first.

Gosh, I miss those days. Sopapillas with honey. Mmmmm.....

Anyway, no Royal Wedding Tea Party would be complete without royal hats, so I managed to find two Easter-y/Old Church Lady (okay, I know that is totally not PC) hats at our local thrift store and Eli and Nandi are going to decorate them with a slew of fake flowers, feathers, and rhinestones that I scored from Dollar Tree.

We'll also hang out the Union Jack Bunting...

And maybe we'll even color some William & Catherine coloring pages or do some Wills & Kate paperdolls or even attempt to replicate a double-decker bus which can all be found on THIS PAGE.

Because an event like this, as much as it's overplayed in the news right now, won't come along for probably at least another 30 years.

In which case, I hope to have remembered to save enough toilet paper rolls to make THIS.

Can't you just see one of those loo rolls all done up in white with a veil and some yarn hair?

What's that?

Okay.

Maybe I do like the Royal Family.

Just a little bit.

Shhhhhhhhhh.

It Pays to Be a Pack Rat

2011-04-25T14:53:00.005-04:00

Eli is one of those kids who, no matter what movie he's watching, always has to reenact scenes once the movie is over. Always. For days on end until he watches something else. He's been like that since he was a toddler.

Which means we've had to endure countless reenactments on everything from Barney's Beach Party to Finding Nemo to the Lion King and Shrek and Tarzan to most recently How to Train Your Dragon (oh have mercy, they're coming out with a sequel) and Kung Fu Panda (which, much to my dismay, is also getting a sequel) and a hilarious play-by-play of Mary Poppins, which we recently rented.

What this means, though, is that it is practically impossible to get rid of any of our toys because, heaven forbid, Eli decides to reenact a scene from a movie and I "accidentally" sucked the toy up with the vacuum or Sim made a "This is it! I've had enough of this junk!" trip to the Goodwill.

It also means I am so incredibly glad that I didn't get rid of that box full of Polly Pockets that I bought from my friend, Amy, at her garage sale a couple of months back - even though Nandi showed no interest in them whatsoever.

And I'm so thankful that I kept the geoboard that my dad made for the kids a few years ago - even though it held their attention for approximately one week. I still remember that week....

It was pure bliss.

And it means I'm so glad that I didn't throw out Nandi's Flynn Rider doll the day after Christmas when she popped his legs off and decided she didn't want him anymore. I think it was the sting of knowing that Santa paid $19.95 for that Flynn Rider doll and it wasn't about to go in the trash. I popped the legs back in and put it in our "I know you're gonna want this later" bin.

And guess what? Mama was right. Because we read this book last week....

And we watched this movie......

Which means.... what you see below was inevitable...

And although the movie took great liberties with the plot from the book, I think my kids took even more. Of course, they made do with what they had... but I certainly don't remember the Lilliputians being petite blondes wearing skimpy bikinis.

And I certainly don't remember one of them having her hands down Gulliver's pants...

No wonder that Flynn Rider's got such a smile on his face....

I should've thrown him in the trash when I had my chance.

In honor of Good Friday and Earth Day...

2011-04-22T09:28:00.003-04:00

This song makes me cry every time. I cannot imagine watching your baby boy give his life on the cross so that others may live. In honor of Good Friday, Mary, and wonderful Jesus who died so that I may live... I hope you enjoy this song.

And in honor of Earth Day today... may we all be a bit more mindful of our beautiful earth and the resources we have. And may we remember to use what we have instead of rushing out and buying new things to replace those that are easily fixed.

May you all have a creative husband like Simeon and a daughter like Nandi who was willing to give up part of her precious tea set to help find a solution to end pollution. (i.e. our mailbox that could've easily ended up in a landfill).

If it's broke... just find a way to fix it!

Happy Good Friday and Earth Day everyone!

On Saturday I Became a Warrior

2011-04-18T09:42:00.009-04:00

Back in January, an old friend that I haven't seen since High School announced that she wanted all her friends to do something called The Warrior Dash in honor of her upcoming 40th birthday.

Now, I'm not the least bit athletic. Oh, I like to think I am. I put on my tennis shoes, and my workout gear, and my Bob Harper DVD's, and then I do about 5 minutes of cardio and collapse on the couch and spend another 40 minutes watching Bob look at me through the television screen and yelling at me to get off my butt.

I have a totally inappropriate crush on Bob Harper.

But, anyway. Seeing that I'd spent the months from Halloween to Christmas in a total food coma, and the fact that I seem to be perpetually having some sort of mid-life crisis, I thought, "Why not?" Why not do the Warrior Dash. I'm a warrior, right? I mean, I deal with all sorts of crap on a daily basis. Surely, I can do a 5K-obstacle-course-thingamajig where you have to go through swamps and climb over rolling logs and scale net ropes and jump over fire.

Right?

Right??

And I had 4 months to get ready for it. Four months to get in fighting form and build arm muscles that would make Cameron Diaz weep and finally get one of those butts that can bounce quarters off it. Four months.

On the second day of training, I decided to jump over a small pile of leaves that our neighbor was burning. Totally burned the you-know-what out of myself. I still have a scar on my right ankle.

And, thus, ladies and gentleman, my Warrior Dash training officially ended.

But I'd already paid my 50 dollar registration fee and I wasn't about to back out. And sure, I cried myself to sleep last Friday night and had a panic attack that could rival the time I didn't do a lick of work on my oral presentation of Tess of the D'ubervilles in 12th grade English and I completely made up, on the spot, some sort of gibberish in a ridiculously phony accent that would've had my father-in-law calling the police on me for destroying the English language....and well, you know what....

I still did okay.

And, you know what? I did just fine at the Warrior Dash.

I didn't come in first.

I didn't come in last.

I walked the whole dang thing.

But it wasn't about that. It was about catching up with old friends and celebrating the fact that we're all still here to celebrate a friend's 40th birthday. It can't get better than that.

Here are some pictures from the day....

Hanging with some of my peeps, Bethany and Tristan. We all carpooled together. I don't have the pictures of the birthday girl back yet.

A picture of our shirts with our nicknames on the back. Yes, mine says "White Knuckles". It was given to me by an old Native American guide who, I thought was going to have to call in a helicopter to carry me out of Mesa Verde back in 1995. I was literally paralyzed with fear and stuck on a vertical ladder for what seemed like eternity. Finally, about 4 men had to push me up while others pulled me up.

Ya'll, I have never in my life had so many men's hands on my derriere at the same time. Sigh. Good times.

Lol. Kidding!!! You know I totally did the oogy dance as soon as I pulled to safety.

My shoe with my tracker on it that says "Free Beer". We all got free beer, a Viking helmet, a medal, and T-Shirt that says "I survived the Warrior Dash". For the record, I did not use my free beer ticket. Because I do not drink.

You Orlando Trauma Mama's keep your mouths firmly shut, you hear me??

But, no. I did not use my beer ticket. I did not eat a turkey leg. I did not pass go. I hosed off and drove straight to the nearest Chik-Fil-A and dreamt about taking a shower. (For the record, it took 2 showers, 3 hair washings, and 4 washing machine washes to get all the mud out of my hair and clothes.)

This is the three of us after the race. Obviously, Tristan and Bethany aren't true warriors and must've tip-toed through the whole thing. Either that, or they don't have coordination challenges like I do. I gloriously made out with the mud several times.

Don't want to take your muddy shoes with you? Want to help out people in need? Then donate the sneakers you wore in the race!

Because poor people really need smelly, nasty, muddy shoes!

Kidding. It was for a great cause. But I'd sure hate to be the person who had to wash all those shoes off.

Now, the best part, in my opinion, was the people watching. Because where else, except for 12th century Scotland, do you get to see men wondering around in kilts.... and nothing else.... you catch my drift? Or should I say draft.

Oh, I crack myself up.

And this fine idiot, er, I mean, fellow, must've thought to himself... "Oooh, rope courses! Cargo nets! Hay bales! Straddling rolling logs! Why, I think I'll do all that in a jock strap!"

I'm being completely serious. A little gust of wind proved our suspicions.

Ya'll, you couldn't pay me enough to be the ER doctor who had to remove all the splinters from his yoohoo. Seriously.

And this, my friends, is the piece de resistance.

This is why I'm definitely signing up for next year.

Because even though my work-out consists of lifting my hand from the salsa bowl to my lips while beautiful Bob screams at me through my television set..... and even though I've had 9 Caramel Frappes from McDonald's in the last 3 weeks.... and even though I will probably never ever ever ever lose those last 5 lbs....

I am pretty darn sure that I can fill out a Hooter's costume better than this guy....

See you next year!

There's Only One Reason We'd.....

2011-04-13T09:22:00.006-04:00

Make sure all the juice stains were mopped off the floor and bookshelves dusted.....

There's only one reason we'd actually sweep under the rug and the couch and put away all the countless children's DVD's that collect on the coffee table.... and the floor... and around the TV... and under the couch...

There's only one reason, I'd break out the Easter crafts and make it look like we're regular contributors to Family Fun magazine.....

There's only one reason (and only very few times) that you'd actually be able to see what our countertops look like and eat off the floor (although I wouldn't recommend it)...

There's only one reason all the scribbled bits of paper would be pulled off the wall and I'd spend 2 agonizing hours trying to tie flimsy butterflies to fishing line - which, did you know, is invisible?? - and hang them from the ceiling to make a little girl's room a bit more cozy....

(Sorry for the fuzzy shot. Photography... not my forte).

There's only one reason all the dinosaurs would be shoved in the closet and the bookshelves adorned with things that make little boys look refined and cultured... you know, like horses and books and star student pendants.

There's only one reason that I could convince Sim that it was high time to replace our toilet cover seats.... (one day we'll get proper flooring)....

There's only reason that we could actually convince Noah to "please, please stay dressed... just for a couple of hours... please!".....

There's only reason that we could get this picture of Eli and Nandi playing Tangled and acting like loving siblings.... (Eli, your momma has a picture of you holding a barbie doll.... here's a new spelling word.. B-R-I-B-E-R-Y)....

There's only reason I'd have apples, cinnamon sticks, and cloves on the boil to mask that oh-my-gosh-what-is-that-smell? Please-tell-me-someone-has-gas-and-that-we-don't-have-a-lost-hard-boiled-egg-somewhere-in-this-house.....

There's only one reason I'd break out the apron and make banana chocolate chip muffins AND a fruit plate complete with vanilla bean fruit dip.

The only reason would be because we had a visit from our SOCIAL WORKER....

And the only reason we'd be having a visit from our social worker is if we were getting a HOME STUDY....

And the only reason we'd be getting a home study is if we.....

You guessed it! We're PAPER PREGNANT!!

I can't go into all the details just yet, but I can say that we're adopting a little boy who is just under two and he is the cutest most loveable thing ever. I can't say right now where he is, but it'll probably be January or February before we're able to travel. I also can't say his name, so I'll just have to call him Little N for the time being.

That's right... we're going to have three N's in our family! Noah, Nandi, and Little N. Eli is totally cool with it because he says being the only "E" in the family makes him special.

Too right, Big E!

I can't wait, though, to be able to share Little N's adoption story with you someday. It's truly amazing how it all worked out. It's one of those things where you just know that God's fingerprints are all over it.

So that's our news!

Oh, and one tip from me to you. If you should happen to have a home study one day, please make sure your husband doesn't serve the social worker coffee on one of these napkins....
Fortunately, our social worker used to live in London and likes British humor. Whew!

More Eli-ism (JOKES!)

2011-03-11T08:03:00.004-05:00

Okay, so I know we're halfway through March and I'm posting a picture of Eli from Christmas. But it fully embodies Eli. He is so funny and so full of life... and, shhhh, I haven't taken pictures of the kids since then. I know. I know. Another strike against my Mommy Card.

Those strikes are adding up!

So, anyway, Eli has decided to become the class clown. On one level, I know it's a way of dealing with his academic issues. He is really struggling with school. Math is hard. Reading is hard. Writing is hard. But, dagnabit, he's pulling a 96 in Music! And Art! And P.E.!

That's good, right?

I wish school could be easier for him, but he has some real learning challenges. Which breaks my heart because he is SO smart! He knows everything about world events. He has the vocabulary of a high schooler. Oh, wait. Not THAT kind of vocabulary. Not the HS'ers who hang out on the bottom level and smoke, but more like the ones in the Honor Society.

Whew. Had to make that clear.

But because he has learning challenges, his self-esteem is very low. And he makes up for it by being funny.

BUT... I think he IS funny. Because Eli is older now, I won't go into all the things that he can't do... but trust me when I say that basic academic learning - simple math, simple spelling, even some simple self-care is still hard for him.

But good grief is that kid smart! His jokes make me laugh. He has play on words. Double Entendres. It's obvious that he is intelligent... he just has such a hard time with transitioning things to paper. If he could go through school with all his learning being spoken (no written tests or essays, etc) he would do so good. It's that transition from brain to paper that's hard.

Anyway, here are 5 jokes that Eli came up with this morning... in a span of about 5 minutes.

1. Why did the baby clock get lost? Because his mom didn't keep a WATCH on him!

2. What did Planet Earth say when Jupiter started squeezing him? Hey, give me some SPACE!

3. What did the Baby corn say to the Mamma corn? Where's POP Corn?

4. What did the brain say when it got stuck in the cloud? I'm BRAINSTORMING!

5. What did the sheep say when it lost its legs? Where are my LAMBS??!! (limbs)

Okay. How can we get this kid on Ellen?? =)

Leslie's Homeschool Day In A Life (with a 9 year old son with Autism)

2011-01-29T11:14:00.004-05:00

Over at Simple Homeschool they've been showcasing different families and what a typical homeschool day is like for each one.

I didn't officially link up to showcase our family, but it did inspire me to sit down and write a major overdue post about what a typical homeschool day is like for Noah.

In one word? Untypical.

It changes all the time... especially because I'm a morning person and get jack-all done after 2.00pm. Partly because that's just how I am and partly because I have to entertain my "General Hospital" obsession... and it comes on at 2... and partly because after that then Eli & Nandi come home and absolutely nothing constructive whatsoever gets achieved for the rest of the day.

It also changes a lot because we have a lot going on. We go to Dallas every Monday and Tyler every other Tuesday for therapy and our day is pretty much shot by the time we get home. But we do our best and it's better than doing nothing... at least that's what I tell myself.

I've spent the last few months really trying to fine tune a schedule that works for Noah. There's always a guilt that I'm not doing enough and sometimes I fear that everything I'm doing is quite pointless, but I can't bear the thought of just letting him sit in a corner all day... although it seems to be his favorite thing to do.... so we just keep trucking along.

Right now... here's how our schedule looks. BTW, my colon and semicolon buttons don't work, so I have to use periods in place of colons... just an FYI. I'm not trying to be super cool or anything. =)

Morning -

5.30 - 6.30 - I wake up. Fix Sim's lunch and coffee and check my email and read some blogs.

6.30 - 7.45 - Eli and Nandi wake up. They watch cartoons on PBS and eat breakfast and get ready for school.

7.45 - I wake up Noah. We load the kids in the car and drop Nandi & Eli off at school.

8.10 - get back home. Make Noah use the Ipad to choose what he wants for breakfast (still using hand over hand). He usually chooses cereal. Using hand over hand, I make him get the bowl and spoon. He pours the cereal and I help him with the (rice)milk. He has to close the milk and put it up. This is still mostly Hand over Hand (hoh).

I fix myself breakfast and Noah usually eats some of it. It helps gets his veggies in. I usually scramble 3 eggs and chuck in some chopped raw spinach, brown rice, basil, some rotel or salsa, and whatever leftover veggies we have. Noah will usually eat veggies and chicken if it's been finely chopped up in the food processor. I split it in half for each of us. If he doesn't eat it, it goes in the fridge to be heated up for lunch.

8.30 - 9.00 - I rub Noah's legs and arms and tummy and back with coconut oil. I get him dressed. (He still can't dress himself) and I try to get him to help me. I brush his teeth and make sure his fingernails are clipped.... that's a must because he has dry skin and likes to scratch himself. Then I give him his remedies. He takes one remedy in the morning and I put it in Sambucus - which is Elderberry extract.

9 - 10 - Three times a week, a friend comes over and we work out. Sounds so vain, I know, and I have a good post to write about it, but, basically, we moms of kids with special needs need to live forever, right? So I gotta stay healthy.

It has nothing whatsoever to do with my 20th high school reunion coming up or the fact that I went through a mid-life crisis and blindly signed up for the Warrior Dash and am now hyperventilating with just the thought of it. Nope. Nothing at all.

During this time, I do HOH with the Ipad and Noah requests to watch a video. He still favors Elmo and Baby Einstein videos, which I just don't understand. Especially because he's so stinkin' smart. Most of the time, he doesn't watch them. He wanders through the house while they're on. I think he likes to have them on in the background because it's something he's used to and comfortable with.

10 - 10.30 - I try to do RPM at this time. We just started Story of the World and I try to do it 3 times a week. We do RPM Science 1 day a week. RPM Bible 1x a week and usually math is at the end of each lesson.

10.30 - 11 - If the weather's nice, we go for a walk (either I push him in his stroller or push him in his adaptive bike) and I try to talk to Noah about whatever lesson we didn't cover or just whatever I come up with. I try to spell things in our conversation... like... "Look at all the T-R-E-E-S that don't have L-E-A-V-E-S. Those are called D-E-C-I-D-U-O-U-S trees." If I'm feeling particularly nice that day then I'll sing Noah's favorite.... all the multiplication tables. Oh my word. It's torture. Plus, he starts getting aggravated because I usually mess up when it comes to the 8's and 9's.

What can I say? I firmly believe in calculators.

11 - 11.3o - Free time while fix lunch... usually left overs, homemade french fries, rice cake with almond butter. He's not the best eater.

11.30 - 12 - Lunch time. We both sit down and eat and I read some pages of Chronicles of Narnia (or whatever book we're currently reading). Noah also gets his second remedy of the day and I put it in Liquid Vitamin C.

12 - 12.30 - I get the Ipad and we go over whatever spelling words Nandi & Eli came home with at the beginning of the week. I know he knows phonics (because he once spelled "money" as M-U-N-E) but I don't know exactly what he knows, so I make sure to go over words with him.

I try to get him to type them out on the Ipad and also on the letterboard. It's slow going and, quite honestly, I hate it, but it's important. Most of it is HOH.

12.30 - 1 - We do whatever chores we haven't done yet. Noah is starting to help empty the dishwasher. I hand him the silverware and he puts them in the drawer. They're all on top of each other, but it's a start. I also hand him the plates and cups and he puts them on the counter. I put them away afterwards.

Then, HOH, I help Noah take the laundry basket to whatever room we need to go to and he helps sit the clothes on that person's dresser. Then I spray the table and he takes a rag and wipes it off.

Finally, Noah fills up the dog water bowl and puts more food out. Then we feed the squirrels and put food in the bird feeders. It's 80% me and 20% him, but I'm hoping that eventually - over time - he'll get the hang of it.

1 - 2. If I'm honest... I get lazy by now and like to watch The Talk while checking my email. I should be doing another RPM lesson, but I fail miserably in that area. Usually, I do Noah's stretches and exercises while watching TV and swing him in his swing (it's indoors) and bounce him on the ball. I try to tell myself that it's still educational because Noah is constantly listening and learning just by exposure... so he's still learning by having the TV on. Although I'm not sure he's learning much by listening to five women blab on and on about who knows what. Although, I like to think he's gaining sensitivity skills that will surely help him land a wife someday. =)

2-3 - I usually veg and watch General Hospital - although sometimes I feel guilty and take Noah outside to swing. And I might read another book to him. If my guilt hasn't taken over me, he tends to watch another video or play with his spinning top. Sometimes he just crawls onto the bed with me and lies down. I hate to think what he's learning from GH while he does... especially as there's that psycho Lisa story-line going on... and then there's the stripper who likes Michael, the teen... and really, when are they going to realize that the Balkan is really that creepy lawyer?

3 - We leave to go pick up Nandi & Eli from school. We're usually waiting in the school until 3.25 - so I put an audio Book on. Right now, we're listening to Sean Bean (can I just say... "Yum!") read King Arthur and The Knights of The Round Table. Later on in the day, while I'm putting on Noah's PJ's or whatnot, I'll rehash the part of the story that we listened to earlier in the day.

After the other kids come home, it's mayhem. We normally try to go outside and jump on the trampoline and I try to put on some of Noah's favorite music while I'm helping the other kids with their homework. Lots of times, we'll go over math and spelling problems in the bedroom where Noah is so that he can listen.

Dinner is at 6. Bedtime is at 8. Noah gets his last remedy and some more coconut oil. And Sim and I turn into massive couch potatoes after that. Literally, nothing gets done after 8. We are officially fried.

Regarding curriculum....

We do Story of the World for History. I do Eli's math homework for math (although Noah is officially at at a 3rd grade math level. Math just scares the heck out of me). For Science, we're doing a workbook right now called "The Ocean" and after we finish that, I might do one on the Human Body. For Bible, we're currently doing The Children's Encyclopedia of Bible Books.

We're not doing a proper language program... just working on spelling words right now and constantly reading to him. Currently, we're reading "The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe" and we're reading "Little House in the Big Woods".

We do lots of crafts with the kids. This week, we made homemade butter, balloons made out of pig bladders, and clove stuffed oranges from the Little House in the Big Woods.

I'm dying to buy the year-long homeschool curriculum for Little House on the Prairie and Chronicles of Narnia from Cadron Creek . I think all three kids would love it.

I'm also thinking of doing Classical Conversations at home with Noah starting in the Fall. I really like the idea of a classical education and it would really help me structure his lessons.

Anyway, that's what we do right now. Not necessarily the best..... gosh, I could improve soooo much. And I'm sure things would improve if I'd just throw away the darn television and computer. But, really. That would be too cruel.

And that's a day in the homeschool life of Noah Partha T.

Kelly's Korner - Show Us Your Singles! Introducing Liza

2011-01-21T07:37:00.005-05:00

Last summer, Kelly (over at Kelly's Korner) did a "Show Us Your Singles" day where everyone could link onto her blog and post about their brother or daughter or friend or cousin or whomever they wanted and try to fix them up.

And did you know that since then there have been two engagements and another couple still together?

So when Kelly decided to do another "Show Us Your Singles", I had to jump on it... because I have the perfect person that I've been dying to fix up for ages.

Let me introduce you to Liza....

Isn't she gorgeous? We consider Liza (pronounced "Leeza" and short for Elizaveta) our "Russian Daughter" because she lived with us for three years while she was studying for her Bachelor's degree here in Texas. Now she's all grown up (just turned 28) and has a fantastic career in finance, her own place, a wonderful network of friends and family.... but for some reason she's still single.

Guys, I just don't understand....

Liza is a breath of fresh air. She's originally from Uzbekistan and is extremely social and cultured. She speaks flawless English... and dare I say, even has a bit of a Texas accent? Yee haw! She loves to travel. She's super adventurous - and is game for anything. She plays the piano beautifully and is an excellent tennis player.

But what I love most about Liza is that she's so down to earth. Yes, she loves a good pair of heels and going out to a restaurant with a group of friends, but she also won't think twice about putting on a pair of tennis shoes and running a 5K with her sister. She's so wonderful with my kids and was invaluable to us the first year after Noah came home. With his undiagnosed special needs.... we couldn't have made it through that year without her.

She's a natural around children and has great instincts. She's just so much fun!

Liza is also incredibly family oriented. Her parents and her sister live in Dallas and she is extremely close to them.

This is Liza with her sister Nadia (who is also single!)

Liza with our kids at Dallas Heritage Village.

We just adore Liza. She's the best of both worlds.... she wouldn't hesitate to go out with friends on a Friday night and have a great time, and then spend Saturday playing tennis at the park before catching a live show or going to the symphony that evening, and then lounging around Sunday afternoon curled up on the couch watching movies with her family. She's just all-around a wonderful person and, personally, I think a guy would have to be a fool not to want her.

Just my humble little opinion.... seeing as I am her American mother and all...

Though it has nothing to do with me, I would love to see Liza with a real man. Girls, you know what I'm talking about. None of this wishy-washy, I don't know what I want, can't make up his own mind, too afraid to get his hands dirty boy... but a honest to goodness, down to earth, God-fearing, holds the door open, loves his momma, sends those flowers, athletic, strong and handsome man. And if he's a bit cultured and likes to dance then that's a plus, too.

Okay, so I'm asking for the whole package all wrapped up nice and neat with a little red bow. But we moms just want the whole world for our kids now don't we?

If you linked over here from Kelly's Korner and think that Liza is the bomb-diggity, leave a comment with your email and I'll forward everything on to her. Or you can email me at recoveringnoah@yahoo.com .

Wait... what's that sound? Do I hear wedding bells........?

URGENT Need for a Family for Child in Latvia

2011-01-11T10:54:00.002-05:00

I know that all it takes is just one simple search on the internet and suddenly you're flooded with stories about children in far away countries who urgently need to find a home. Most of the time, I say a quick prayer, lament the fact that we're not in a position to adopt right now, and hope they find a family.

Every once in awhile, though, you come across a story that just rips your heart in two. That's how I'm feeling right now after reading Davids' story.

I can't tell you why it's touched me so much... most likely because I can't imagine what's it like to be on the verge of aging out of the system. Knowing that in 12 days, you're going to be kicked out of the only home you know and forced to fend for yourself on the streets. No food. No money. No shelter. No job. No education. No prospects.... unless you consider suicide, prostitution, or drugs a good prospect.

This sweet boy, Davids, is going to face those prospects on January 23rd. He was going to be adopted but the family backed out at the last minute and Davids is so distraught that he's become physically ill from the stress.

He seems like such a sweet boy.... small for his age. Still liking toys and games that 9, 10, and 11 year old boys like. Funny and bright and usually happy. He was hosted in the US last summer and did really great. There doesn't seem to be any behavioral problems that tend to scare people away from adopting older children.

Anyway, I hope you'll read his story. You can find it HERE and read about Davids' story and see his picture.

I hope you'll pray for this sweet boy. I look at my own kids and I cannot imagine any of them ever being forced out onto the street. And the thought of that.... the thought of what their future could have been like..... it makes me cry. And I can't help but cry for this boy - who I've never met - but whose future is hanging in the balance. Whose future depends on someone stepping forward and saying, "That's my son".

Please read his story. Look at his picture. Pray for him. Pray for a family. He has less than 2 weeks before he's out on the street.

Thanks.

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-23T10:21:00.002-05:00

My niece Alaina, Nandi, my little cousin Brittany, Noah, and Eli

It's been quite around here for awhile. Things have been busy! With a capital B!

I made just over 70 Delvin Dolls and that pretty much had me occupied for quite awhile. Delvin's family has really been helped this Christmas season and I want to give a big shout-out to everyone who bought a doll. I'll update the Delvin Doll blog soon with all the updates and pictures.

Nandi finished her first semester of Kindergarten and Eli is now halfway to becoming a second grader! Nandi looooves school and Eli just tolerates it. Thankfully, though, he's made some friends and we're not having to pull him out kicking and screaming out of the van each morning. It's happened a few times.... but not everyday like like last year.

They are both super excited for Christmas. Nandi is hoping for art supplies, legoes, and toy soliders so they "can kill each other". Honestly, I have no idea where she gets this stuff! She's taken to pretending to shoot us all with her fingers.... which.... had this happened a year and a half ago, I'd be really worried (you know... in the midst of the RAD violence that was going on). Now, we just roll our eyes and wonder if she needs a sister so that her tastes can be a bit more refined.

No worries! Not happening anytime soon. But she definitely needs to get some female friends. She's such a little tomboy.

Eli is hoping for two How to Train Your Dragon dragons and some ridiculously priced remote controlled dinosaur/thing called Crunch that retails for $100. Uh, no, thank you! But I think he'll like what Santa brings. They each get three gifts from Santa and that's all, so we try to make it what they want.... but we put the kibosh on the Crunch thing....

Probably because we're totally broke after splurging for an Ipad for Noah. Yep, he's getting one! We're sooooo excited. Oh my gosh, this is totally going to open up his world. We are still trying to figure it out. This is our first i-anything! We've never even owned an Ipod, so we don't now the first thing about downloading or apps or anything like that. I swear it took 10 minutes for me to figure out how to turn the darn thing on. But it's so cool! He probably won't fully appreciate it on Christmas morning, but after a few months I'm sure he'll love it. Fingers crossed!

There are so many apps out there for kids with autism. Our school district sent me an amazing list of apps, so if you want a copy, just send me your email to recoveringnoah@yahoo.com . It's a rocking list! And I'll be sure to let you all know which ones Noah loves and are helping him the most.

Besides that, we've just been busy getting ready for Christmas. We had my niece and little cousin for a few days this week and that was a lot of fun. Today we're cleaning, cleaning, cleaning. Or rather I'M the one cleaning, cleaning, cleaning, while the kids are making a mess, mess, mess.

I swear I get one thing picked up and turn around to find 2 more things in it's place! Sim has decided that after Christmas we are going to embark on a major decluttering project where we get rid of 1/4 of our belongings. And we really don't have a lot of stuff. But I do have tons of craft things and homeschool supplies that I've held onto for all these years that I (sniff sniff) probably need to list on Craigslist or something. The hard part will be convincing Eli to part with his things. He's our hoarder and will hold onto pieces of string and tiny scraps of paper with such gusto that you'd think we were torturing him or something when we tell him to put it in the trash.

Speaking of which, I need to get off the computer and start picking up. Laundry, ugh! It multiplies like rabbits!

Hope you all have a wonderful, wonderful Christmas! And don't forget to remember the reason for the season!

Eli-isms from this weekend

2010-12-06T10:12:00.002-05:00

Upon me giving Eli a kiss this morning.... "Wowzers! I've never had a lady kiss me that good before!"

Upon seeing Sim give Nandi a cup of chai to drink.... "Dad, I really don't think that's appropriate for someone of her age."

Upon watching Sim take out a pan of rice pudding from the oven.... "My, that rice pudding looks quite delectable!"

I can't remember the rest, but he was full of them this weekend. He is a funny, zany, quirky, marches-to-the-beat-of-his-own-drum little 7 year old.

One of the joys of being Eli's mom is that life is completely and utterly unpredictable with him around!

Thankful

2010-11-25T16:33:00.002-05:00

I'm thankful that I never have to worry about drinking clean water.

I'm thankful that if I'm hot, I can walk inside my air-conditioned house.

If I'm tired, I can climb into my bed.

If I'm hungry, I can walk to my fridge or get into my car and drive 5 minutes to the store.

I'm thankful that my children have opportunities in this country - a hope and a future.

I'm thankful that I live in a country that allowed me to bring my children into this country.

I'm thankful for teachers who care about my kids and I'm thankful I live in a state that gives me the freedom to choose how to school my children.

I'm thankful I've never had to give up a child simply because he was born with a deformity.

I'm thankful for living for where I live.

I'm thankful for Scottish Rite Hospital and doctors and therapists who donate their time to helping children reach their potential.

I'm thankful my parents live near me and that I still have both of my parents.

I'm thankful I was able to know all 4 of my grandparents and have a wonderful step-grandma who loves my children as her own.

I'm thankful for kids who have blessed me immensely and who have changed me for the better.

I'm thankful for my husband who moved away from his own family so that I could live near mine and who works 11 hours days in a job he doesn't particularly like because he wants to support his family.

I'm thankful that as a 37 year old wife and mother that I have the opportunity to go back to school next summer ... because it's something that is denied to so many women around the world.

And I'm thankful for living in a country that has so many diverse cultures and races and beliefs... because even though I may not agree with all of them, I am lucky to live in a country that allows them.

May you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Amen.

New blog for Delvin's Dolls

2010-11-20T22:10:00.003-05:00

Delvin's Dolls finally has its own blogspot. Whew! Now I can go back to blogging about Noah and autism.... which was pretty infrequent to begin with and might be a bit slow while I'm making the dolls. I'm toying with the idea of giving Noah his own Recovering Noah Facebook page just so that I can post updates. I did do Twitter for awhile, but just couldn't get into it.... but Facebook...I'm a pro. =)

Anyway, if you want to keep up with Delvin and the dolls I'm making, please feel free to stop by www.delvinsdolls.blogspot.com . It won't be updated very much, just when I get updates on Delvin from Mayan Families and whenever I have a new doll coming out and such.

Thanks!

India and Korea Doll (Delvin's Dolls)

2010-11-16T18:47:00.004-05:00

Thank you all so much for the doll orders! We still have a ways to go, but I think Delvin and his family are going to get those beds! Whoo hoo!

I've finally finished the India doll and Korea doll. I was meant to work on them over the weekend, but Nandi & Noah got sick. BTW, Nandi has her heel cord lengthening surgery tomorrow, so think of her will ya? We leave in a few hours so they can admit her this morning for all the pre-op stuff.

Anyway, finally was able to work on the dolls yesterday. Whew! Ya'll know I can't sew, right? I was telling a friend... "What kind of person decides to sell dolls when they don't even know how to sew??"

Uh, that would be me.

Remember.... great intentions! Novice crafter. Glue dot lover.

Here are the pictures of the two new dolls. I'll be working on a Liberian/West African doll this week, too. Pictures to come!

Anyway, thanks again, everyone! I can't wait to post pictures of Delvin's family with their new beds. Hopefully in the middle of December.

Oh and just a reminder.... the dolls are $15 each and that includes first class shipping. Thanks!

P.S. A big thanks to my mom who hemmed hems on some of the doll dresses today. I think she couldn't stand the sight of her little girl having a panic attack over her lack of sewing skills....

India Doll

Korea Doll

Delvin's Dolls

2010-11-11T17:13:00.005-05:00

This is Delvin. Isn't he cute!? He's the child we sponsor through Mayan Families. Last year, Eli decided to give $25 of his birthday money to Mayan Families and it just so happened that Delvin's family went to the Mayan Families office asking for food at the same time. When we found out that Delvin needed sponsorship to go to school - and that he's in the same grade as Eli and the same age (4 days apart!) we knew we had to sponsor him.

Delvin is 7 and is in the first grade. He lives in Panajachel, Guatemala. He has three brothers and three sisters. A year ago, his dad died and this past May, his grandfather passed away. His grandfather was the main income earner in the family and they've been really struggling since then. Actually, they were struggling A LOT before then, so the situation now is pretty dire.

One thing that's been on my heart for a long time is that Delvin and his older siblings sleep on the floor. And it rains a lot in Guatemala, so basically they're sleeping in the mud. And that breaks my heart.

We'd love to be able to buy two beds, two mattresses, and four sets of blankets for Delvin's family. Yes, they'll have to share beds, but it's culturally acceptable. In order to do this, we need to raise $400.

That's where Delvin's Dolls comes in! You see, my friend Amy is doing a blog roundup of all the things people are selling to raise money for adoptions or orphans or charities. And, honestly, I'm not crafty at all. Need I remind you that I made a "D" in 8th grade home ec? But I love the idea of clothespin doll ornaments and thought I'd give it a try. So I'd like to introduce you to Delvin's Dolls! Each doll is $15, which includes shipping, and all profits (about $10 per doll) goes towards buying Delvin and his family some beds. If we meet our goal and any extra money is raised, it will go towards Delvin's school fees and, hopefully, maybe, we'll be able to send some of Delvin's siblings to school next year! Wouldn't that be awesome??

There are five dolls to choose from - China, Ethiopia, Guatemala, India, and Korea. I'll have pictures of the Indian & Korean dolls posted by Monday.

Each doll is about 5 inches tall and is ready to hang on your Christmas tree! Don't want your doll to be an ornament? Just let us know and we'll be sure to send your doll "hook-free". Each doll comes with a little stand and would look adorable sitting on your shelf!

I plan on making the Indian and Korean dolls this weekend and will have pics up by Monday. Amy had a deadline, though, for her blog round-up and I wanted to get in there. That's why all this is a bit rushed. Hopefully, Delvin's Dolls will eventually get its own blog and it'll all be done properly, but, like I said, I was in a rush to get this up.

I don't have any boy dolls and probably won't be making any before Christmas. I know. I know. I have two boys, so I know it's not fair. But the truth is that I don't know how to make their clothes. Like I said, I don't claim to be the best crafter. Not at all. I'm just a mom who has a soft heart and who wants to do her part. So I hope you like them, but it's all a work in progress.

But, yes, boy dolls. On the agenda! =)

Here's the specifics....

1. Each doll is $15 and includes first class shipping. If you want it shipped via priority mail, you'll need to pay the difference. You can pay via paypal with our email addy - recoveringnoah@yahoo.com . If you need to pay via snail mail, please email me at recoveringnoah@yahoo.com for our mailing address.

2. All dolls must be ordered by Saturday, December 11 in order to reach you by Christmas.

3. I have no idea how many dolls we'll sell (or if we'll sell any), so I can't tell you how long it'll take for your doll to reach you. I can promise, however, that I will keep in contact with you and you can expect to receive your doll within 10 - 14 days after placing your order. (Hopefully sooner!)

4. I only have enough of the Guatemalan material to make 15 dolls. I am ordering more material this weekend and will post pictures after I place the order. It will probably be different material because the material I'm currently using is some we bought 6 years ago when we were in Guatemala adopting Eli, but it'll still be colorful and beautiful!

5. While all the profits from the China, Ethiopia, Guatemala, and Korea dolls will go towards buying Delvin and his family some beds, 1/2 of the profits from selling the India doll will be sent to Sarah's Covenant Homes in Ongole, India. Most of you know that SCH has a special place in my heart - as sooooo many of the kids there remind me of Noah. I really want to do something for them, too, and I think it's only fair that the India dolls go towards helping out Sarah.

SCH and Mayan Families are my two favorite organizations and it would be great if we could not only help out Delvin, but also the sweet 81 children that Sarah cares for in India.

That's all for now! I'll work on getting a Delvin's Doll blogsite up and running and will keep you all updated. Please feel free to email me with any questions at recoveringnoah@yahoo.com

Leslie

Happy Halloween!

2010-10-31T12:02:00.003-05:00

What do you do when two of your kids want to go trick-or-treating, but you know without a doubt that your third child will refuse to wear a costume? And doesn't like to walk in public?

Well.... ya gotta get a little creative!

Sim turned an old washing machine box into The Mystery Machine Van and we all went as the Scooby-Doo Gang.

Nandi (aka "Little Diva") insisted on being Daphne because "Mommmmmy! You look just like Velma!"

I refused to spend $24.99 on a red "Daphne" wig... but I think she looks really beautiful with her dark hair.

The green scarf around her neck was fashioned out a pair of old green tights. Reduce. Reuse. Recycle!

Shaggy... meet your father.

Eli met up with a friend from school (aka Darth Vader) and I had to take a pic because "Hooray! Eli has friends!!". That's actually a big deal if you've been following our blog for awhile.

And do you like the soul patch? Kudos to you, Mr. Sharpie Marker.

The wig is one of those cheap Donald Trump wigs from Walmart. We hacked it off with a pair of scissors and turned it sideways and voila! Hello, Shaggy.

I always knew Fred had a thing for Velma. I just knew it.

Sim decided that we should rename The Mystery Machine "The Chick Magnet" or "Chick Mobile" because, let me tell ya, little Noah was gathering up quite a crowd of the...uh... female persuasion.

He was one popular little dude last night.

Trick or Treat. Smell my feet. Give me something good to eat!

Waiting in the long, long line for Halloween goodies.

This gives you a good view of how Noah's stroller fits inside the box.

The whole gang... Fred, Velma, Daphne, Velma, Scooby, and The Mystery Machine Van.

Hope you all have a great Halloween that's full of wonderful memories, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and ghost and ghoul free!

Noah's Autism Therapy Part 3 - Equipment

2010-10-29T13:09:00.007-04:00

I finally got around to charging my camera so you could all see the different equipment we use with Noah. Some of it we use everyday, and others we just use here and there (i.e. when we remember!)

Where possible, I've written where you can get each piece and how much it cost.

I hope these posts aren't coming across all showy or anything. I generally put the cost of each therapy so that others can see how much it might cost them should they decide to try the therapy with their child. Plus, I hate reading about a therapy and getting all excited only to find out that it's completely unattainable for us because it costs, like, $400 an hour or something. Been there done that. And even though we still spend a couple of hundred dollars a month, it's gone way way down from where it was when I felt like "I" had to cure Noah in 3 months time or else.

First up, which you'll find in the picture above, are stability balls. I love these! They're my favorite. We use them for everything.. not just Noah's therapy. And, let me tell ya, I'm all about buying Noah equipment that I can use too... especially equipment that promises to firm up my flabby tummy by sitting on it.

Mainly, I sit on one of the balls while I work with Noah on his massage table (you'll hear more about that later). And I also like to sit on one and put Noah on another, hold him by his feet, and roll him back and forth. It really works his trunk muscles... and that kid's got some rocking core strength! We also play "bucking bronco" where he sits on a ball and I grab his legs and start jerking him back and forth and side to side. Warning.. your child MUST have good trunk control for this - otherwise - he'll fall backwards and hit his head on your wood floor.

Don't ask me which kid I tried it with to discover that little gem.

Anyway, we see if Noah can stay on the "bucking bronco" for a count of 8 - and he'll grab my arms before then if he's wanting off. I also like to put him on his tummy and roll him back and forth or bounce him up and down. And another favorite is sandwiching the ball in the corner of a room (you have to stand tight against the ball to keep it from moving) and then I hold Noah's hands while he jumps up and down on the ball. We usually sing songs and such while doing this.

The good thing is that the balls are available everywhere (Target, Walmart, Ross) and are pretty cheap... about $10 - $20 depending on the size. We have the largest size (60cm??) and the one just down from that.

The chair above is Noah's favorite. My mom scored this for about 5 bucks at a garage sale last Christmas. I think it's a video game chair?? Not really sure. It's more of a "Oh my gosh, this chair is perfect for Noah!" chair.

He's constantly in, rocking back and forth. It'll tip all the way back and then he has to use his stomach muscles to pull himself up. And sometimes, he'll drag us to it and we'll sit in it and he'll climb in our lap and we'll go back and forth together - singing songs or trying to read a book.

I don't know exactly how therapeutic it is, but I'm pretty sure it works on one of his sensory issues. Vestibular, maybe? (Man, I should know this stuff!)

Next up is the purple hammock swing that Santa brought him last year. But I also hear that you can get it at First Monday in Canton for about $99. You have to bargain them down to this price. You can also go to their website EZ Hang and buy from there. It's more expensive, though. About $130 and I'm sure you'll have to pay shipping.

Let me say, though, that we've had several swings and I love this one. It holds up to 350lbs and I can get in it with Noah and swing. Swinging is definitely one of his favorite things and this normally calms him down if he's having a massive fit. And Nandi and Eli love it, too. My gosh, we have to force Eli out of it sometimes!

Santa brought this mini-trampoline 2 Christmases ago. I sure do love it when Santa brings therapy gifts! But you can also buy it anywhere. I'm sure Santa picked this one up at Academy for about $99. It did have a nice little mat to cover the springs, but our puppy chewed it up.

Eli actually likes to get on here and jump after school. I honestly think school recesses are too short... he's got soooo much energy to burn when he gets home. Maybe each class needs a mini-tramp in the back of the room and each kid can take turns letting off some steam or something.

Mini-tramp in the way of a mini-trampoline... not a 1st grade mini-tramp. No. We don't need that. Just clarifying.

Noah likes the little trampoline, but doesn't get on it everyday. But when he does, oh man, he goes to town!

This is the infamous IKEA egg chair! Thank you Mr. or Mrs. or Miss Swedish person who invented this. You must have a child with autism.

I swear it's the PERFECT toy for a child with sensory issues or one who loves spinning things and loves to be spun. You can sit in it, pull down the cover (great for kids who like to feel enclosed) and have someone spin you around and around. Noah actually prefers the cover to stay up and sometimes he likes to stand in it while I spin him. (Although I'm sure that's totally what NOT to do...so be careful on that one.) And, oftentimes, he likes to pull his toys in there and give them a spin.

It's $80 and you can find it at IKEA here. If you don't live near an IKEA, be sure to check out IKEA swivel chair (or egg chair) on Craigslist. We've even seen them at garage sales. If you order it straight from IKEA just know that the shipping cost is outrageous.

This is an awesome balance board that Sim's friend Jason made Noah for Christmas last year. In his spare time. And he works with Sim, so you know he has practically zero free time. And he has a family. And still managed to do this for Noah.

Yeah, he's pretty much a saint.

Sim put the textured rubber gripper thingies on it (a couple of bucks from Lowe's) so that Noah's feet wouldn't slip off. Noah likes to stand on it while we hold his hands and balance back and forth. We also sit him cross-legged on it - though it's hard to keep him in that position - and try to get him to balance his weight on side and then the other. Plus, it's good for moms, too! Really works your balance and core muscles.

Noah's balance is improving so much!

We hit the jackpot with Santa one year when he decided to bring tons of toys that could double up as therapy equipment. But I believe you might also be able to find these at Academy - on sale even - after Thanksgiving. We don't get on this as much as used to... mainly because Nandi & Eli don't care for it as much now and they won't get on it with Noah. But he still likes it and sometimes I'll stand on one end and push up and down on it. It's hard work, I tell ya! I try to convince myself that I'm actually getting some cardio in while doing it. Don't know if it's true or not, but I'm all about psychological effects.

My parents bought this at First Monday one year for Noah. I think it was around $55?? I'm not really sure. I've also seen this set up around Christmastime outside of gas stations. Is that just a Texas thing? Or does every state have people setting up and selling things on the grass next to a gas station?

Anyway, Noah loves it. He's a swinging machine. He really has to work hard on to stay on it, so it's helping his trunk muscles. I mean, honestly, for a child with CP, he has great trunk control!

Noah pretty much gets on this every day.

Without fail, we can always find Noah on his little yellow swing. And he doesn't care that the whole thing only cost us $25 at a garage sale or that everythings broken on it except the three swings in the middle. He loves that thing. One day, I'd love to get him one of those big wooden ones they sale at Costco and cost the equivalent of a month's salary, but, really, he loves this swing. Doesn't bother him a bit.

He still doesn't know how to swing himself, so I spend a lot of time outside pushing him. But now that he's taller, he can push off a little with his feet. It's not proper swinging, but he still gets the swinging motion from it and he likes that.

Our beloved trampoline. We used to practically live on this thing 4 years ago. I believe we got it at Walmart for about $250 + $100 for the net? I can't really remember. It was definitely worth the money.

Noah doesn't initiate going on it as much as he used to, but when I take him on it, he's all smiles and giggles.

This is the piece d' resistance. Our massage table that my parents snagged at a garage sale for about 15 bucks. They're all over Craigslist, though, so it shouldn't be hard to find one if you need one.

You can tell from the pic that it's in the living room. Basically, it's been everywhere. Our room, Noah's room, Noah's closet. But, I'm pretty much 100% an outta sight - outta mind girl. And if it's not right there in front of me then I won't use it. Which means our living room looks like an Occupational Therapist's dream. Everything is right smack dab in the living room. But, hey, I'm a lot more consistent now with doing Noah's therapies each day than before.

The last piece of equipment... which I forgot to take a picture of because the kids were fighting over it and Sim hid it... is a Bosu Ball.

You can get them at Walmart or Target for about $100, but they're a little cheaper on Amazon. Of course, you have to consider shipping. We got our ball for free from a friend. (Thank you! You know who you are!!)

You can use either side of it. Either side, though, works on your balance and balance activities are some of Noah's favorites.

I hope this gives you an idea of the things we think are essential for Noah's in home "program", so to speak. It took several years to get everything... we've had the trampoline for about 5 years now... and I'm a firm believer in giving gifts that can be used for therapy purposes. (The good thing is that my kids are so used to this that they don't know any different!)

There are a few things that I'd still like to get....an Ipad being the most important. Oh my gosh, have you read about all the apps out there for children with autism? There are some AMAZING reports about nonverbal children using Ipads for communication. I tell you, I have become obsessed with Noah getting one. I'm hoping for Christmas, but it will involve me getting off my rear and cleaning out the garage for a massive garage sale and putting some stuff on Ebay. The wheels are definitely spinning in my head. If you have one and use it for a child with autism, please let me know!

Next time, I'll do a post on some of Noah's favorite things... and things we can't live without. I do plan on doing a post about the exercises we do with Noah, but it'll involve my husband taking pictures... hopefully, he'll have this weekend off.

Have a great weekend!

Noah's Autism Therapy Part 2 - Miss MG (One of the Key Players)

2010-10-21T10:09:00.004-04:00

Photo by liveandlearn.net.au

Brain gym is something that I'd heard about off and on during the years we were doing biomedical treatment with Noah. It seemed interesting, but wasn't really our cup of tea at the time. Noah stopped talking and started having infantile spasms the day after he received his DpT shot... and all his urine and fecal tests were showing that he had heavy metals in his body... and since I couldn't understand how doing a few exercises would help him recover from autism and get all the metals out, I just filed all the Brain Gym info into the part of my mind that was reserved for all the stuff that seemed like a neat idea but would never work for Noah.

Basically, it went into the same pile that included homeopathy, chiropractors, natural medicine, RPM, and cranial sacral therapy.

Oh, hindsight. You certainly are 20/20!

Actually, I didn't even consider Brain Gym for Noah until about 4 or 5 months ago. We initially started going to a Brain Gym therapist about a year ago for Eli. You see, I can't really tell you - in proper technical terms what exactly Brain Gym is... I'll link you to the official site instead... but our former Occupational Therapist had mentioned that Eli was having trouble crossing midline. And at the time, he was writing all his letters backwards (still does some of that) and was writing complete words in mirror image. In fact, he could write his name E-L-I with his left hand (and he's right handed) but then he'd switch to his right hand and write I-L-E. Except it was backwards and I don't know how to do that on my keyboard.

Also, if he wrote with his left hand, he'd start writing words on the left-hand side of the page - like you're supposed to. But if he wrote with his right hand, he'd start at the right-hand side of the page and write backwards until he got to the middle of the page and then he'd switch to his left hand and start at the left hand side of the page. His writing basically looked like this...

I love dinosaurs zuc l00c era yeht.

Translated as.... I love dinosaurs cuz they are cool.

See what I mean?

Anyway, one of the reasons Eli did this is because he never crawled. Ever. He went straight from sitting up to bear crawling and he would walk with his legs straight and his butt up in the air. He did this for a little while and then took off walking. Now, he couldn't even sit up on his own when we adopted him at 9 months. He had zero trunk control, but picked up things quickly. But he never crawled.

There's a school of thought out there that crawling is a major developmental milestone and helps link both sides of the brain together and that kids who skip crawling can develop learning disabilities - especially with reading.

Now, this isn't true across the board. Lots of kids skip crawling and are developmentally fine. Geniuses, in fact. And, like any therapy out there, there's going to be critics. No therapy can single-handedly satisfy everyone. But we couldn't ignore that Eli seemed to fit all the signs of a child who could benefit from Brain Gym.

Like a lot of therapies that are good for kids with ADD or Autism, etc, Brain Gym isn't covered by insurance. If you can find an Occupational Therapist who does it, then you're in luck b/c most insurances will cover it. But Brain Gym on its own... nah.

And don't even get me started on my soapbox about that. I mean, insurance companies won't let you try it out, say, 15 times to see if it works... but exactly what is this country going to be like in 15 years time when there are thousands and thousands of adults with autism who are going to be without insurance and relying on Medicare? How much is THAT going to cost?? You would think the govt and these insurance companies would do whatever treatments are necessary to get our kids healthy... because our "unhealthy" kids are going to become adults someday and who's going to pay for their medical needs? And the kids who actually end up being institutionalized? Who's going to pay for that? Yep...... but I digress

Okay, so, anyway, this time last year we were pulling our hair out over Eli. He was terrified of everything. Throwing awful fits nonstop. Everything was a battle and we were worn out. So, we said, "Okay, we're going to try Brain Gym. What can it hurt?" Except our wallet, of course.

Like most therapies that insurance doesn't cover, Brain Gym can run up to $100 a session - with a session being anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour. Well, we didn't know what to do. We thought, okay, maybe we'll find a therapist, go a couple of times, learn all we can, and do it at home.

That's when we met Miss MG. She has an actual name, but she's so swamped that she's asked me not to mention her name on here. BUT... if you are able to take your child to Tyler for therapy then leave a comment with your email and I'll get back with you.

Look, I'm a Dallas girl. All our therapists are in Dallas. It's a big city. I have faith in it. It's a snobby attitude, I know, but I never, ever, ever go east.

East TX, to a North Texas girl, is kinda backwards. But we live here now and my kids are growing up to be East Texans... so I need to change my attitude, right? Well, I did find a Brain Gym therapist in Tyler, but I was kinda like, ehh. I mean, there's nothing in East Texas for kids with autism. Slim pickins, folks. But we called and, oh my word, I take back everything I ever said. This lady is a Godsend!

I am floored by her. First of all, and this has nothing do with anything, but she used to be in the Peace Corps and so I totally love her. She's got a great heart! Second of all, she loves my kids - even when Eli takes his shoes off and stinks the whole place out, she just grabs his feet and goes to work. Third, she thinks nothing of me taking notes and doing the exercises at home. In fact, she encourages it. Fourth, she goes to these expensive trainings that I could never ever afford and she tells me all the stuff she learned. And, finally, she only charges $25 an hour.

That's right. $25 an hour! Ya'll, I'd be paying 4 or 5 times that much in Dallas. Yay for East Texas!

And the cool thing is that not only does she do Brain Gym, but she also does the Masgutova Method .

I don't know of anyone who does that except for Miss MG.

Let's shout it out load. Yay for East Texas!

Svletana Masgutova does neuro-sensory programs and works with kids who've retained their primitive reflexes. You see, and here's where I really start talking in layman's terms and probably getting everything wrong, infants are born with several reflexes that usually go away by the time they're 1. But some kids still retain them. In fact, as of last year, Eli still retained 9 out of 11 primitive reflexes. And if kids retain these, then issues can occur.

Think about the child who gets in trouble at school because he always does his work with his head on his desk? Or the child who slumps in his seat. Or the child who fidgets. Now, what if you realized that maybe it's physically painful for that child to sit up straight? What if the only way he can work is with his head slumped on the table? What if that 5 year old physically can't sit cross-legged in a circle during story time? What if it's so uncomfortable that the child is concentrating only on being able to sit cross-legged and, therefore, unable to hear what the teacher is saying?

That's what kids with retained primitive reflexes go through. Every single day. And the goal of Brain Gym and the Masgutova Method (which also works really well for kids with cerebral palsy) is to help repattern the brain and lose those primitive reflexes so they can catch up to their peers.

There's so much I can say, but I think I will leave you with two things.....

1. Here are some links that you can look at for more information...and that will really tell you all you need to know.

The Official Brain Gym Site

The Masgutova Method Site

Reflexes, Learning, and Behavior by Sally Goddard. Actually, all her books are pretty good.

2. And finally, I'm going to tell you how Brain Gym is helping Noah.

I think Brain Gym, plus seeing Dr Rosenthal (look a few posts back for info on him) have really helped Noah's brain/body connections. I know I keep harping on this, but Noah's brain works. His cognitive abilities are in tact. He just can't get his body to cooperate.

Noah's seen Miss MG about 5 times now and last week was the FIRST time she was truly able to spend a good hour on him without him protesting. He came home that night and started throwing up and having diarrhea. The next day, he was fine and we started seeing some great changes. Noah is babbling more. He is starting to play games with us by taking turns playing with his spinning top. Yesterday at Walmart he imitated me putting the groceries on the conveyor belt by taking off his shoe and putting it on the belt to be scanned (lol). For the first time in his life he is actually bringing us things.... like a toy that ran out of batteries. A dish cloth to dry up a spill. He is choosing which spinning top he wants us to spin and picking it up and handing it to us. If he drops a fork, he picks it up and puts in back on the table. For the last year, all he's done is drag us to things. He'd drag us to the toy that needed batteries and throw our hand on it. He's drag us to the spill and throw our hand on it. He'd drag us to the fork for us to pick up. But now he's actually bringing us things and that's a huge accomplishment!

1. RPM

2. Chiropracter work and Cranial Sacral Therapy

3. Homepathy

4. Brain Gym

Next time, once I remember to plug in my camera battery (!!), I'll take pictures of all the equipment we use with Noah and then I'll talk about the exercises we do and how we use the equipment that we have.

And, hopefully, it won't take another two weeks for me to get around to it! =)