One More Week

I can see the light at the end of the tunnel! We are almost through all the end of the school programs, performances and stuff. I don't know why May is SO BUSY, but I have loved going to Jordan's final high school concerts as well as Jacob and Noelle's performances. This has been a particularly emotional week.

Jordan had his final performance with his Madrigals singing group. There were tears during their last song and more tears after the performance as they all hugged it out. I remember feeling a lot of those same emotions as I graduated from high school. It is sad because you know a chapter in your life is finishing--and yet I have told Jordan over and over that there will be many more friends that he will make on his mission and in college. (College was way better than high school in my opinion.)

I think it also hit Jacob that his brother is going to be leaving this week. That night after the concert poor Jacob could barely talk--the emotions were too close to the surface. Boy, we are in for a roller coaster ride for the next month before Jordan leaves on his mission! I sure love my kids and I am glad that they love each other! I don't think I will make it through the next week of graduation with dry eyes though.
‪#‎LastWeekOfHighSchool‬ ‪#‎Emotions‬

No Wrinkle Care Option

Nathan has been fascinated with my washer and dryer since I got them 8-9 years ago. He used to sit in front of my front-loader washing machine as a child fascinated to watch the clothes as they moved around and around the washer. Once they were done, he would always open it up.

On my dryer there is this fantastic option called, "Wrinkle Care." If I push that button it will keep spinning the dryer every couple of minutes for a few hours after the clothes are dry so that the clothes don't wrinkle. Unfortunately Nathan prefers the "wrinkled option." I jokingly say this because any time he sees the dryer has finished drying and is on the "Wrinkle Care" option, he immediately stops what he is doing to come open the dryer for me. This is sweet, but often frustrating because I am in the middle of something--that I have to drop and fold that load so that the clothes don't get wrinkled. Sigh! Cute boy! So, here's to an autistic son that helps me keep up with folding clothes:). No "Wrinkle Care option for me (at least when Nathan is home). ;)

#AutismStories #NoWrinkleCare #Laundry

Summer...Routine?

I get to this point in the school year and I think....just a few more days and then there is no homework, no school, no schedule...oh wait! I am the parent of two kids on the autism spectrum--so no schedule is definitely out. Gotta have a schedule. Gotta have a routine. Am I ready to establish a routine for the summer? No. Gotta get working on that. Sigh!

So all you mamas with normal kiddos embrace the freedom that comes with summer and think of all of us mamas with special needs kiddos that wish we could just take a day off and do nothing with our kids. My kids would freak out! Darn it all! Well, we will get it figured out. Enjoy the last few days of school!

#SummerRoutineAutism

Game of Life

Don't you love it when you kids ask what fun thing you are going to do on Saturday night at 7:45? It's too late to really choose and start a movie...so we moved on to family board games.

This past week it was the game of "Life." I don't know if any of you have played the more "updated" version of Life. This isn't the same thing I played growing up. I think it is more fun because you draw these "action" cards as you go along and they have funny things you are supposed to "compete" with someone in. I competed against my husband in a "air guitar contest." You would have thought he would have beaten me at that due to his love of some heavy metal as a teenager--but no, by laying on my back while I was playing (like they used to) I think I got him beat:). There was also the drumming competition (on the table) between my husband and my son and the disco challenge and beautiful forehead competition that made me laugh.

So, next time the kids are bored on a Saturday night, challenge them to the game of "Life" and have a memorable time full of laughs!

#GameOfLife #BoardGameNight #FunMemories

Egyptian Walking Onions

I love gardening! These little gems are one of my new varieties of Onions that I have to brag about. I have grown onions for years and they always have reproduced by seeds. These Egyptian Walking Onions literally have the new onion bulbs grow at the top of the stem and then the stalk will bend over and plant the new bulbs in the ground. I don't know why I get excited about these things but I do. It makes me giddy to watch these new bulb wriggling out like little snakes at the top of the stem.

I am also attaching a youtube link that talks more about these onions. Thanks to Caleb Warnock at SeedRenaissance.com for introducing me to them!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61BaOfcpm6Q

Airplanes

Nathan has a new little toy. It is an airplane that makes noise (like it is taking off/landing). He loves it and has been carrying it around all weekend. When my husband first gave it to him he just sat and stared at it in the box for about 5 minutes before Justin finally said, "Open it." He did and just loves this little plane. 

It is hard to find things that Nathan will enjoy. He used to get a huge kick out of any visually stimulating toy that toddlers use and lately seems to be growing up and out of a lot of those things. Justin went on a trip to Japan all of last week and so he brought each of the kids back a little trinket. This was Nathan's gift and it was a home run because he LOVES airplanes. Too bad we don't fly very often because Nathan loves to fly and he has to sit by the window and watch the takeoff and landing.

When he was a little younger I couldn't even drop Justin off at the airport without Nathan throwing a tantrum and wanting to go on the airplane. It got so bad that we just would not even drive close to the airport to avoid the tantrum. Sigh! The good old days! I'm glad he has grown up a little more now and doesn't throw a complete tantrum about that anymore.
#LoveAirplanes #Autism

Tossing the Pillow

I love to watch my kids interact with Nathan. Sometimes I will just come into the room and catch one of those "sweet moments." I was able to catch this one on video as Jordan and Nathan were having fun tossing a pillow back and forth. I am glad that "disabilities" don't mean anything to my kids. They are able to look beyond and simply see a child of God.
#BlessingsOfAutism

Eat Like a Hobbit

"Mom, I eat like a Hobbit," Jacob commented to me the other night as he had a second snack after dinner. He made me laugh! Jacob has hit a big growth spurt this last year and has shot up at least 3 inches. He seems to always be grazing. So, here's to eating like a hobbit!

Aragorn: Gentlemen, we do not stop 'til nightfall.

Pippin: What about breakfast?

Aragorn: You've already had it.

Pippin: We've had one, yes. What about second breakfast?

[Aragorn turns and walks away]

Merry: I don't think he knows about second breakfast, Pip.

Pippin: What about elevenses? Luncheon? Afternoon tea? Dinner? Supper? He knows about them, doesn't he?

Merry: I wouldn't count on it.

#EatLikeAHobbit

Mothering Moments

Can I share with you one of my mothering moments that happened on Mother's Day? Nathan has been kind of grumpy lately. I don't know if I should blame it on teenage hormones or what (since he can't tell me). So, I got to go sit with him in the foyer of the church so that he didn't bother anyone else with his 'not so happy' outbursts. As I was sitting there, I happened to look up and there was a large picture of the Savior emerging from the tomb after his resurrection--perfect and glorified. As I looked at that picture, the Lord reminded me that someday Nathan will have a perfect and glorified resurrected body too. I found myself suddenly grateful that I was spending some time in the foyer with my sweet, but grumpy boy. I look forward to that future day when I can spend time with my son in his perfect and resurrected body and hold a conversation with him.

#MotheringMoments #Resurrection

Mothering Day Moments Every Day

The funny thing about Mother's Day is that for some reason I think we mothers have some preconceived notion in the back of our brains that our kids will be angels on that day and that everything will suddenly flow smoothly. Only, I have never had a "perfect" Mother's Day (as described).

I have discovered that Mother's Day is a day like any other--and we get to be mothers on that day. We get to correct our children and put up with them as they tease the dickens out of their siblings. We get to love our children and hug them and yes, the kids do tell us that they love us and give us sweet cards. So, moms out there--don't feel bad if you didn't have a perfect Mother's Day. Instead focus on the wonderful mothering moments that happen every day!

#MothersDayMomentsEveryDay

Mother's Day

Happy Mothers Day! I have found that the responsibilities of being a mother are 24 hours a day, and 7 days a week. My job as a mom is never done. It only evolves day to day as the needs of my children change. It is the hardest job in the world. There are days that are heart-wrenchingly difficult. There are sleepless nights and even longer days. But, there are also days of joy and pride as I watch my children grow and develop and make good choices on their own. I love my job as a mother!

I also have a greater respect and admiration for all the mothers in my life. My own mother, my mother-in-law and many women along the way who have taught and "mothered" me through life's thick and thin. You can mother whether you have borne a child or not. God bless all you mothers out there. You are doing a great work!

#HappyMothersDay

Picking Classes

I'm sitting here looking at blank spots in Nathan's 11th grade schedule wondering what I'm supposed to fill in the blanks. It's not like I'd get a response if I asked him--autism is like that. His ability to communicate verbally is very minimal. Even if I wrote it down, I don't think he'd know what to pick. There are lots of "regular classes" that I know he wouldn't like or enjoy.

He is supposed to take "Health" next year--ridiculous, right? That makes me laugh. I'm sure he can sit through it though--poor, bored child. Sometimes I just want to say, "He is in functional skills class for a reason." He isn't meant to be in regular ed classes. He doesn't learn like normal kids. It is like trying to shove a round peg in a square hole. Sitting him in Health is like sitting me in an Algebra class taught in Chinese. I wouldn't learn a thing and would be pretty bored--and I'm sure Nathan will be too.

Picking classes for my other kids is hard because they have like 20 things they want to do and only 2 spots. Then there is Nathan. Regular classes just don't work for him. He is unique and special and has different things he enjoys and does.

Sigh! Oh well. I emailed his teacher and she said she'd fill in the rest because he is a hard one to pick classes for. Whew!

#PickingClasses

Concert Tantrums

Ah. The end of the school year is upon us along with concerts and performances and tantrums:). Last night Noelle played in her orchestra "Monster Concert." Nathan threw a huge tantrum and didn't want to go. I yelled at us the entire way out to the concert and for about 40 minutes before that. Sigh! So, Justin and I rotated staying with him in the car during the performance so he wouldn't yell and yell at the concert and disrupt the performance.

Ironically, an acquaintance of mine called me this week and asked if I'd like to help her put together a "concert" for families that have kids with special needs (so they could be noisy and get up during the concert and not feel bad about interrupting or bothering anyone). I remember thinking--you think I'd take my son to one more concert and deal with his tantrums? No thank you! If I wanted to go to a concert and actually enjoy it I would leave Nathan home with a babysitter.

Now, I know that there are lots of kids with special needs that would LOVE to attend a concert like that, but others (like Nathan) don't like to deal with the crowds and noise and commotion of concerts.

So, enjoy the end of the school year performances everyone! And, if you can actually sit through one without tantruming kids, count your blessings:).

#ConcertTantrums