Power of Music

Each child has their strengths. My children seem to especially love music. I think God knew what He was doing when He sent them to me because I LOVE music as well and have been involved with directing choirs for years.

Noelle started orchestra this morning. She chose to play the violin, whereas her brothers play the cello. It will be fun to hear them playing together as they get older. Here is a photo of her with a violin that is 1/16 the normal size. Did you have any idea they made them this small? She will be playing a full-size violin and will continue with piano.

Jacob, although he is high-functioning on the autism spectrum, has LOVED playing the cello and the piano. Now he wants to learn to play the guitar, left-handed (even though he is right-handed). Not sure how that one is going to play out.

Nathan, though low-functioning on the autism spectrum, LOVES music. He is constantly singing. He won't ever sing when everyone else does, but he loves music. When he is mad, it calms him down. It is a very important tool in our home.

Jordan also loves music and is loving his senior year taking 3 choir classes (two vocal choir classes and one where he plays the bells). He too has been blessed by the power of good music and has told me that music helps him to keep temptation away when he listens to it.

I am thankful for the power of good music. It can drive the blues away, it can teach kids rhythm, counting, math, and it is a second language to learn to read. I hope schools continue to value the arts. They are so important!

18 Years

My oldest son, Jordan, turned 18 this weekend. It has made me reflect on how quickly the last 18 years seem to have flown by. Part of me is so happy to see him growing up into such a wonderful young man. Another part of me was a little teary as I realized that by this time next year he will have "flown the coop."

He is a wonderful, sweet, caring, fun-loving young man and I feel privileged to be his mom.

Pretty Just the Way You Are

As I was tucking my daughter in bed last week she was telling me how so many of the girls in her grade are wearing makeup (she is in 6th grade). She said, "I just want to go tell them that they are beautiful without makeup. They don't need to wear it to be pretty."

I thought to myself, "God bless you! Stay this sweet always!"

No Mondays!

"No, meat! No pretzels! No cookie!!!" This is how my morning started. Nathan didn't want anything in his lunch today--not even a cookie. This is coming from a boy who stealthily snitches any sweet thing that is in sight or out of sight. Everything was "NO!" By the time his bus came, it was "No school!" Sigh! I walked him out to the bus and he got on anyway.

Most days he is a happy, sweet boy...but maybe Monday mornings are an exception to that rule this week! Have a great day everyone...and no cookies! ;)

A Little Fire

Sometimes I feel like the cartoon with the fire coming out of my head--especially when I feel my "mama bear protector" side needs to come out. There are things I feel passionate about defending and my family definitely ranks up in that area. I have never been one of those push-over mamas. I think I like to get on my little soap-stand and holler a little if I feel things are not the way they should be.

Granted, this little fire inside of me has helped me get and keep the extra services my special needs kiddos need in school and it has come in handy in many a situation. But sometimes I think it raises my blood pressure a little too much and stresses my family out.

Tonight my fire got lit when I found out my son had to pay a $50 reservation fee at a local restaurant for Homecoming. When I asked him why (because I've never had to pay a reservation fee) and he couldn't answer me, my mama bear came out. Several phone calls later, (because the kid at the restaurant couldn't answer my questions) I finally got ahold of the manager who was able to placate me with a simple explanation. (And no, I didn't yell at any of them, but I was going to track down that answer if it killed me).

I think I stressed my poor son out with my questions/reaction and I had to apologize. Mom doesn't want to see her son taken advantage of, and even though he is almost 18, I still feel quite protective of him.

Sigh! I've got to find the balance between being protective and over-reacting. Does anyone have any tips? Maybe someday I'll get it right. Thank goodness for repentance and forgiveness.

My Singing Boy

Most 16-year-old boys won't sing, and my Nathan won't usually sing when anyone else is singing, but if he is by himself--just listen to him go! Tonight I sat down at the piano and played children's songs like "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes," "The Wise Man and the Foolish Man," "If You're Happy and You Know It..." Every song I played, Nathan happily sang all the words. It was a sweet moment.

Of course, I dramatically clapped for him at the end of each song, and he usually wanted to sing his favorite part of the song over and over and over. But, that is what kids with autism do.

I just felt blessed that we were interacting and having a great time together. It isn't like I can sit down and ask him about his day or have him tell me what he wants to do when he graduates from high school. No, that will never happen with my Nathan, but I am satisfied by little moments like this where we interact in a fun way.

And they're off....

My house is so quiet right now. I think having the kids home all summer made me accustomed to the noise...and now I just can't get over how quiet it is. I got all the kids off to school successfully this morning spanning a gap from the first one leaving at 6:40-8:20am.

I was awake at 5:00am due to a trip back east last week that has had me up between 5-5:30 every morning. Why couldn't I sleep in on my last two days of summer? Who knows! I may try to get a nap before the kids get home.

I feel a mixture of emotions today. Sadness that our summer is over. It was the best one we have had so far with lots of fun trips, little fun things we did and a schedule I semi-managed to maintain through the usually unstructured summer. Joy that my kids have good teachers to work with this next year that will love them and teach them. Apprehension as Jacob starts Junior High, which I don't exactly recall with a lot of fondness--I hope the kids are nice to him even though being high-functioning on the autism spectrum doesn't exactly help him blend in. Bitter-sweet feelings as I watch Jordan head off to his final year of high school--sweet for him, but a little sad for me as I realize how in a years time so much will have changed.

I love being a mom and I have to admit I do miss my kids even though I was pretty drained by the end of the summer. It some ways it has gotten easier as they have gotten older. Nathan has started to entertain himself a little more (I haven't had to hire a nanny for several years now to help me survive). I think I will take a break this week to try to put my house back together and organize myself before I decide what my priorities need to be during this school year. I've got so many things on my list of things to do that I'm not sure where to begin...but, I'll make it!

Happy summer recovery everyone--and happy school year to the kids!