Polar Express

Last evening the "Polar Express" was on TV. We've read the book as a family many times but have never seen the film. Surpsingly Airen and Mara sat through the whole movie. It was nice to sit as a family and enjoy some real family time together. Of course at the end Doug says it would have been even better with popcorn!!!

Wise words from a wise woman

This week while speaking with a good friend about happenings in my life and how my children were we got to talking about more deep ideas and such. She knows the day to day challenges I have with Airen and therapies and such. She knows my family dynamics and understands the challenges that go along with being a stay at home mom and having a special needs child. She told me the following.

"There are two types of people in this world. Karen, you are type one. Your type will be faced with adversity and challenges and many negative issues. You will roll down that hill of uncertainty but you will eventually land on your feet and make it and succeed. Type two people face these same things and only continue to roll and never get back on their feet. They need additional supports from the environment around them and never truly make it to a standing position, even with this help." She went on to tell me that because I am type one person those around me never truly see that I am struggling. All they see is the strong person I am and the wonderful mother I am to my children. Type two people are the ones that need all the help and support they can get so not for them to fail.

For this friend to say this to me meant the world. There are times that I am at the end of the rope and there are no more knots to be tied. There are days that I am just ready to put each child into a room and I sit for a few minutes of peace. There are days that I wonder what life would be like if God chose a different path for me. I then sit back and look at all the successes I have with Airen and what a wonderful loving son he's become. What a great big brother he is to his sister. I see Mara who is my trying one but is also my cuddle bug full of life. Through the eyes of each of my children I am able to embrace life and all the trials God has thrown my way. I am ready to handle the adversity and challenges because I know that no matter what I am a wonderful mother. I am a wonderful friend and most of all I am a wonderful child of God and He knows what is best for me and He won't give me more then I can handle in any given moment. I thank you God for all you've blessed my life with and hope that the type two people out there see God and His gifts and someday come to stand on their feet...alone.

Airen's Christmas Poem

This afternoon Airen came home from school and sat down to write his own poem. In school Airen has been writing more and learning words. Each week his teacher sends home a poem for us to read and learn. Airen decided he was going to write his own poem. Airen's speech therapist came for therapy as Airen was finishing his poem. She was very impressed!! Typically with autistic children they learn to spell words and they memorize the words and the spellings. They have issues with understanding that other spellings exist, example...to, too, & two or one & won. Airen is actually sounding words out!!! He understands phonics!!! We are so excited!!!! Here is the poem Airen wrote in black, in red I wrote what he was telling me!!!

So much for writing each day

Okay so trying to find enough time to sit down to eat most days is impossible. Thinking I could find enough time EVERYDAY to write a blog entry was truly pushing it. Oh well, life is crazy what can I say?!?!?

Sensory overload

So the last few days Airen has come home from school a bit upset. He doesn't come right out and tell me what is wrong or if something happened at school. Yesterday it was a good day because he had OT and the therapist does ''brushings'' on his arms & legs. Airen enjoys this lots and it tends to calm him down a bit. Today he got in the van and was really quiet and had a sad face. Asking him questions on the way home I managed to get a few things out of him. He is very upset that he didn't get to stand next to a little boy in line and someone else did. He doesn't understand things with friends very well. We are working on social stories on how to be a good friend and how to give our friends space when they need it. So when we finally got home he walked in the house in tears. He sat on my lap crying and had me sing his special song, "Come Stop your Crying" from Tarzan. Almost immediately he calmed down and stopped crying. Driving to Ms W later this afternoon he opened up telling me that during reading time in his reader it is too noisy for him to ''keep his mind straight''. The poor kid has such sensory issues and any outside noise seems to upset him and he can't concentrate. So we talked about him telling his teacher when its too noisy and that he can't think straight so hopefully he can try to fix the problem by using his words. I am volunteering in the school tomorrow so I will probably stop by and talk to his teacher about the distractions he's talking about and hopefully Airen will speak to his teacher also. At Ms W this evening he and his little friends were twirling on the swings and then got to jump on the trampoline. So thankfully he had an energy release and is ready to sleep tonight.

Congratulations

Congratulations to president elect Obama. No matter is you voted for McCain or Obama this is history in the making. For all those who have thought something couldn't be done or someone couldn't succeed in something Obama being elected is hope for all. The 44th president of the United States has made history. Instead of folks being upset that McCain didn't win they need to step back and look at the history in the making. If you have children you need to sit down with them and tell them that Obama is our president elect and that as a child they can do anything they put their minds to. To the McCain party, they fought a long battle and in the end McCain will most likely still be around and doing good things for our country, just not as president. So congratulations to the Obama family and I look forward to seeing you in action.

VOTE!!!

Get out and vote today!! Anyone who doesn't vote today cannot complain about the way the election went. Every vote counts, every person is important in this process!!!

VOTE!! VOTE!! VOTE!! VOTE!! VOTE!! VOTE!! VOTE!! VOTE!! VOTE!! VOTE!! VOTE!!

Lazy Sunday

Today Airen got to play with his friends for a long time!! As I was leaving to get him Ms W called and said he could stay another hour. When I went and got him the kids were wound up. I don't know how she does it with all of them. Mara and I played with little people most of the afternoon and attempted a nap. Mara was too giggly for a nap so that idea didn't fly. This evening Airen is so wound up still. He's played outside today and is still bouncing off the walls. He's had NO candy today and no other junk. Right now he is teasing Mara and Mara keeps going and giving him kisses. These two are a handful today. Daddy is working late this evening as the Lego Store has a floor change to do this evening. Bedtime is not coming soon enough.

Happy Halloween

So we had our Halloween ritual and went to some friend's house for dinner and trick or treating. Airen was excited to see his friends and was so wound up. Once the bellies were full it was time to get everyone dressed and attempt some pictures. My kids aren't the greatest when it comes to pictures so we will be attempting in daylight to get some good pictures of Airen and Mara together in their costumes!!! Surprisingly there weren't too many kids out. Both kids got a good amount of candy that mommy and daddy will enjoy!!! Hope everyone had a fun evening and didn't get into too much trouble.

NaBloPoMo?!?!

So I've been told that November is National Blog Posting Month. The idea is 30 posts in 30 days. I like a challenge and there is usually so much going on in my life so I am up for 30 posts in 30 days. Granted some days you may get nonsense that means nothing to you but will to me!! Should be a fun month and I am off and running.