Enjoying the Days Even With Autism

Having a special needs son can be very difficult sometimes. His behaviors when he does have them can be something else, and when they seem to be at their worst I find myself on pins and needles around him.

This time around I trying to find joy and keep on keepn' on. So, we have continued on with our regularly scheduled life and THIS time we are trying not to let autism get in the way.

The boys had a great time learning about Joseph and his coat in our history lesson (Story of the World).  The activities in the book are so much fun. This one wanted us to use a long sleeve button up, but we didn't have one that my husband currently didn't wear, so I grabbed one of his undershirts and cut it. The boys thought it was fantastic...(and my hubby never noticed his missing shirt ;)

We then headed out to the science museum. Now, I'm not sure many people understand what it's like to have a child with autism. Most of the time really he is such a sweetheart, but then there are these weeks that just come out of no where...and you guessed it, the week made its appearance this week.

 I had told him the night before and gave him a "field trip" picture so he would know. While we were getting ready to go he would run around turn the TV off and on, annoy his brother, calm down, go into the garage, get in the car, I got him out and locked the car, he would ask to watch TV, ask to go to grandma's, ask to go to the neighbor's, ask to watch TV, ask to go to grandma's, ask to go to the neighbor's, (rinse and repeat), take off his shoes, say he need to go poo poo, take his brother's hat....whew!

THEN we get in the car, I buckle him and his baby brother (and here is where I'm on pins and needles) I notice I forgot the pass to the museum. Now we can get in without it and I almost opted for that option, but decided it would take me 10 seconds to run in and get it. Run in....SCREAM. Run out and he had unbuckled and was taking toys away from his brother.

OK, we made it to the museum and he did pretty good. I got some happy pictures of him. I did not however get a picture of him climbing a shelf to reach a huge TV they had hanging up high and didn't get the picture of him grabbing a snickers bar  from the gift shop and stuffing it in his mouth...wrapper and all. Needless to say I had to buy one for each boy. =]

This is his favorite thing every time we come. He pushes a button in front of him and it "sneezes" near his head. He thinks it's a hoot.

This is one of my favorite thing to look at, it's huge!

Roping the cow

These words float around the wall and you can keep them bouncing with your shadow or the swim noodle. Too cool! They also have birds that fly across and you can whack them and their feathers fall off.

This was the pioneer exhibit and the boys LOVED it. they had a wagon set up with pretend food and fire.  I sat on a log while they cooked and fed me dinner. It was nice to be served for once ha!

All in all our day went well and we really are blessed and I don't think I could love my sweet boys any more even if I tried.

Adding A Bit of Halloween to Fall AND Finally Something Above the Couch

I have had this couch since the begining of the year, and this week we finally hung something above it. I waited this long because I really had just a  few certain things in mind and I finally found it! It still may need more eventually,  but of course I don't put just aything up unless I love it.

(see the coffee table I mentioned a few days ago? $35! will probably get a facelift when we move)

(the boys were so happy to have a table to play on and a place to color...=])

Added a little pumkin love to the entry.

Found this little guy at TJMaxx

Got this idea from PB. I headed to Hobby Lobby and got the letters to spell BOO and added the glass. I love it!

Drew on the frame I painted and blogged about a few weeks ago.

We went out and got some costumes for the boys. Nothing fancy, but this year we'll have a cowboy, a police man, and a cow. Our littlest loves cows. He was holding an elephant cosume and I showed him the cow and he dropped the elephant on the floor and grabbed the the cow (more like smothered the cow) and said "MOO". I think it was love at first sight.

Weekend Full of Friends and Sports

 Our weekends seem to be filling up fast. Last weekend we went to a high school football  game with some friends. It was so nice to be able to take the boys to hang out with their friends, and it was nice for my husband to get to go (I told him the only way I'd go is if our friends could come along)...I have to have a girl to talk to! No, I'm not even going to pretend I'm one of those girls who enjoy football. I just REALLY don't. It was much better visiting with my friend while the boys and men enjoyed the game.
The next day we headed for Tibby's soccer game. We were playing our cousin, so our whole family was there and it was FUN!

 

(look at those brothers)

family on the other side

my dad and nephew chatting away

After the game we headed out to lunch with the enemy! (the cousins we played above) I just love those days that are spent with people you truly enjoy. It doesn't seem to happen as often as I would like, but when it does it's like magic what it can do for your heart. We DO however, get to spend some time with them again as we all head out for homeschool day at a local pumpkin patch!

(chatting about the sandbox outside)

super cool nephew

and my big brother =]

We then went home to watch movies and crash, and enjoy the rest of our evening with our little family.

It's funny how it's only Monday now and our weekend is already full of plans, but they involve being with more friends and family so I think I can manage!

Loving my big boy.

Dancing In the Minefields and A Dream That Made My Day

I've been having an extremely difficult time lately with my emotions. After losing my friend to cancer a month ago (which has affected me in so many strange ways), I have received several personal emails for prayers of new diagnosis of cancer. Some people I know personally and some though blogging but love and pray for just the same.

Really emotional for me, as I lost my grandma when I was little to cancer, I really know what a process it is on a family. My husband is being really sweet through my emotional state and insomnia. I can't sleep. I go to sleep at 10:30-11:00 ish and am up reading at 2:00AM where at around 3:00AM (30 min. before my sweet man gets up for work) I hear a whisper "Jeana?"
"yes?" I reply
"I'm so sorry you're awake, and I love you" as he kisses my head
Right after, our 5 yr old wakes of a bad dream, I hug him and open the blanket for him to crawl in with us and the littlest who had already snuck his way in.
Used to I wouldn't be so nice about it, but lately I think "it's not going to last long, and I remember being little and scared and making the way down the long dark hall to my daddy's room....and he never told me to go back to bed."
I get up as my sweet man wraps a towel around his freshly showered self. I stand at the sink eyes filling with tears and he holds me. He loves me the only way he knows how through this and it is enough.

At 5:00AM I slip back into bed with two sleeping boys. I pull the blanket up closer to them, so they are warm. I smile at the littlest with his hands arms up over his head.

I read in Psalms "when I call give me answers. God take my side"  and then this. in 4:7 (The Message) I have God's more than enough. More joy in one ordinary day.

I turn off the lamp and lay in the quiet, feeling the the fall breeze through the open window and hearing the crickets worship their Creator I drift off to sleep and I dream.

I dream I am in Target with my husband and we can barely hear the song Dancing in the Minefields (which I saw two bloggers blog about yesterday and having heard it a month or so ago I just fell in love) playing through the store. My husband in his playful manor grabbed me and started dancing. I hesitated since we are after all IN a store and then I just let it be and I smiled so big. As we dance I looked around and saw almost everyone else had started to dance. Grand mamas with their grand babies, mommas and daddies, and daddies with their daughters. I couldn't believe it! My heart pitter pattered and filled with love. I even remember my husband laughing as we danced saying what a horrible dancer I am! I really am, and he knows I don't like to dance, but he loves to dance with me anyways.

As the song ends and smiles are contagiously sweeping through the whole store, we turn to walk out his arm around me. A guy winks at me. The old me would have taken that as a huge compliment and it would boost my confidence and self esteem. But this time in the arms of the man I love, I just glanced up to his smiling face and snuggled deeper in his arms.

With whatever it is I'm going through, I am so thankful for my husband being right by my side, and my Father comforting me. Easy days aren't promised always but He will carry us as we dance through the minefields and sail through the storms.

Fall Weekend

Today was beautiful. We woke up and headed out to a garage sale where I found a coffee table! I've been looking for one for a very long time.

I spotted one last week at a yard sale near our home, but went home to do something and headed right back out and watched someone  else drive away with it. I was secretly a little bit upset but for no real reason, because today I found the one I've had in my mind this whole time!

I think God chooses to bless us in these ways. What may seem so small and petty, He delights in romancing us with. I think He is doing that on a much larger scale in my life right now, and I can't wait to share! Soon.

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We then headed to the soccer  field to watch our STAR (Tibby)! Oh how he loves that game, and oh how we love to watch him. I watched him stand with a boy I don't know on his team, with his arm around his neck like they were best buds, it made my heart swell up big.

After the game we were pulled to the side by the coach who told us what a special young man he is, and how wonderful he played with others and took direction. She had nothing but good to say about him. I was one proud momma.

My dad who is a mailman ran into an old preschool teacher of Tibby's and she also went on and on about him and how special he is and how she has never had a kid like him.

God has big plans for him I know!
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I am so glad it's fall. The weather has been absolutely beautiful, and I'm ready for cozy evenings snuggled in by the fire. After long hot days of being out and about, staying in sounds nice.

Hoping your weekend is full of blessings.

To Remember

There is so much floating around in my old noggin that I want to remember. So of course I want to jot it down here.

The way the littlest man say "mom" at the end of his sentences. Kinda reminds me of an annoyed with over-bearing mom teenager.
me: "do you need to go peepee?"
B: "no MOM"
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me: "we have to hold hands in the street"
B: "let goooo MOM"
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B: "snack please?"
me:"after nap"
B: "k MOM"
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Tibby. The way he just loves for you to play with him, tickle him, play jokes on him, and read to him. He gets very upset when it's time to stop. Poor guy.

He has a fantastic personality. We went for a drive the other night. Went and got an ice cream cone, and I could hear him all the way in the back of the car singing "you can bring a mug...you can bring a jug...but just don't bring.....A SIPPY CUP!" to that my sweet husband glanced over at me and whispered"don't bring a sippy cup?"

A few days later he was singing it again while getting ready for dinner. I asked where he learned that song and he replied "on veggie-tales" with a giggle he then said, "then he spills his water and says, I'LL TAKE THAT SIPPY CUP"

It delights me to see him getting the humor in that.
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Jaiden has been speaking in sentences. SENTENCES! Really, I am thrilled that the other morning he said"can I have some cereal?" I said "yes" ....."great words J!" then he said, "can I have a banana too?" to which I replied, "YES! Wow, J your words are wonderful!" .....then I forgot what what I was getting and said to myself..."what was I getting?" to which he replied "a banana"

Now I bet he only wishes he could have a conversation without his mother saying how great his words are....
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I am reading this man I love it. So many ideas on creating a stylish home with kids.

It is 2:35. I ah-hem am still in my pjs. And the boys? Well they are half dressed if that counts for anything.

We did school today...mostly reading and writing and they did WONDERFUL! I am proud to announce I will have two boys reading on their own very soon!

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Funny story....?

We went to Walmart the other day. I really do not like it there, but we needed some things we could get it all there so ya know one stop shopping.

We paid and put our huge jug of water on the bottom of the cart and headed to the car. We unloaded the kids and were unloading the items we had (when I noticed that a man who was driving behind us as we were walking drove by starring at us) I didn't think too much of it...I mean look at me. Really. oh yes this is still the same woman who is still in her pjs and hasn't had a shower today. SO, then we notice our water is gone and it must have fallin off the cart. Which then our sweet boy just so happens to inform us that the man in the jeep took it.

We looked and the man has parked his jeep by this time and instead of heading into Walmart (where he would have to walk past us) he heads to a fast food joint at the opposite end of the parking lot. oh yes he did.

Now, I'm not a fiesty girl and am by no means looking for trouble, but that man sure was. *grin*

So I headed after him. Oh yes I did. To which he ran. RAN. Into the fast food place to use the restroom.

My husband...poor guy finally realizing I was not giving my water up told me to get in the car and he would go in and talk to the man.

He did, and THAT poor guy went alllll the way back to his car to return the water scared to death. And then proceeded into Walmart.

All I have to say is..you barked up the wrong tree that day buddy! No. I'm not really sure what got into me, but I really just wasn't in the mood. My hubby was not mean at all, just said" hey man, you think you can give us our water back?"
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I am working really hard on creating a photo book with shutterfly. A big book for us and smaller ones for grandparents for Christmas. A few pages I'm working on...

I love life right now. We are blessed beyond measure and most of all, I love my Father for being with us in this life every single day if we invite Him. I adore my love. He makes me smile, I anxiously wait to hear the phone ring every day, and to sleep in his arms at night. I am delighted and honored to spend my day with three handsome little boys who make me laugh, keep me young, and are just so cool to hang out with.

Overflowing

We walk though our daily lives every day having its ups and downs, but for the most part when we actually take the time to stop and see the things He is doing in our lives every single day....the blessings are overflowing. They rain down on us, and if we choose to see them, our lives are enriched with knowing how much He loves and cares for each and every one of us.

201. spending a weekend with friends and family
202. the crisp and coolness covering as we enter a new season
203. the weird security of a schedule that changes every other month
204. being home with my boys
205. making a great football meal for a man that seems to fall more in love when I do that =]
206. feeling beautiful because I am loved
207. learning that of having a bunch of little messy boys scattering around the house...is one of my favorite things
208. reading a book that inspires and comforts me
209. rain. RAIN!
210. root beer floats
211. pumpkins
212. boys learning to read!
213. tall snugglie socks before bedtime
214. long quiet morning walk with my husband
215. getting to go on a retreat alone with my husband in a nice hotel and great food all paid for by a family with a special needs child!
216. writing and drawing pictures for our boys in Kenya

Feel the blessings raining down!

Weeks 3 AND 4...yeah

Hard work making the Nile river

We even grew grass all around, but before I could snap a photo our darling Ollie got a hold of it...have I ever mentioned how much a love that dog? No?

We finished our FIAR story about Ping. The boys really grew to love that little yellow duck. We did crafts, studied a bit of China (not TOO much so not to confuse them since right now we are actually Galloping the Globe in Africa), we ate Chinese food, and so much more.

Looking over Museum ABC and we finished up the letter F

Putting words together to make a new word!

He is really getting into spelling and reading! YAY, one thing I get a little overwhelmed with the thought of teaching. He is very strong willed and a bit of a perfectionist, so letting him spell words he knows gives him the confidence and desire to learn more.

Making a pirate scene with stickers (purchased from Dollar Tree) Arrr!

I LOVE how he put the black cannons on their eyes as an eye patch and the sword in one's hands.

I picked up a few more at Target and Jaiden got to make all kinds of silly faced people.

We then explored Taxonomy by figuring out how many different categories we could put our Lego's in.

(thinking of more ways we could sort them)

And just because I love this picture. We sure seem to having a great time together!

Stay tuned for week 5 at the end of this week filled with our SCIENCE and GAME day.

Linking to No Time For Flash Cards