No more "monster daddy"

I had to snap this picture when I saw Abby crawl into his lap. Just a few months ago, Abby was indifferent to dh at best. Hostile at worst. She called Jimmy "Monster Daddy." He said it didn't bother him, but I never believed him. He's too much of a tenderheart.

Well, no more "Monster Daddy" around here anymore.

What a thing to be thankful for. Happy Turkey Day ya'll!

song lyrics..."Superman"

TACA video (please turn on your speakers)

These are the words to the song that played in that tacanow.org video link I posted. I know they didn't, but it is almost like they wrote it for people on the spectrum. I had not heard this band and I have no idea what they are about, but this song really touched me.

FIVE FOR FIGHTING LYRICS


Superman

I can't stand to fly
I'm not that naive
I'm just out to find
The better part of me

I'm more than a bird *I'm more than a plane
More than some pretty face beside a train
It's not easy to be me

Wish that I could cry
Fall upon my knees
Find a way to lie
About a home I'll never see

It may sound absurd *but don't be naive
Even Heroes have the right to bleed
I may be disturbed *but won't you conceed
Even Heroes have the right to dream
It's not easy to be me

Up, up and away¡*away from me
It's all right *You can all sleep sound tonight
I'm not crazy* or anything

I can't stand to fly
I'm not that naive
Men weren't meant to ride
With clouds between their knees

I'm only a man in a silly red sheet
Digging for kryptonite on this one way street
Only a man in a funny red sheet
Looking for special things inside of me

It's not easy to be me.

SHE DID IT!

Today, Abby went to her first day of typical Sunday school without an aid or a shadow!
She has been in a program our church has set up for kids on the spectrum and when we started being able to do that it was life changing. In September they decided she was ready to transition but I wasn't, LOL. Well, it is very hectic in September when the whole children's ministry has promotion Sunday and Jimmy had just gotten home and too many changes in her routine at once can be hard for her. Anyway, we began transitioning in October and we had a few false starts trying to find the right fit for her. Finally, we ended up putting the girls together and after two weeks with a shadow, today was the day. Her teacher said that she did great and that the two of them were fine together. YAY!
Thanks for letting me share our little victory. Jimmy is away and I was about to pop!

"I Was Like You Once"

I found a collection of this mother's poems and I wanted to share this one. She captures the autsim experience, at least part of it, so perfectly. Mercifully, these times are less frequent for us now, but it was not too long ago that these words described every outing, every day at home. We use to live in such a miserable place. Life was something that happened to other people, we were just in crisis control around here. I was always either trying to prevent a tantrum, enduring a tantrum, recovering from a tantrum, or waiting for the next tantrum. Even sleep brought no relief from the screaming. When I think back to a year ago, OMgosh. I cannot believe how we use to live. Thank God for the miracle. We are so blessed.
Anyway, here is the poem.

I WAS LIKE YOU.......ONCE
if you see me
at the supermarket,
and my child is
screaming,
rolling on the floor
with anger seeping from his pores.
please don't blame me,
I was like you once,

If you are in a restuarant
and my child
throws food and it
hits you in the face,
please, don't be angry,
I can't handle any more rage.

If you see my child
climbing over
a very tall fence
with nothing on
except his hat.
Please don't call the police,
I only looked away for a minute.

If you see me
crying, as you
pull up next to me
at a stop light.
at a busy intersection.
Honk and smile, I need a friend.

If you see me,
running down the street
with curlers in my hair
chasing a small child
who runs so fast, I can't catch him
Help me chase him down.

If my child grabs
your child, or pushes him
or bites or
kicks him, or
says words that make your hair curl.
Please forgive him, and me too.

If you happen to
see us, walking
in your neighbourhood,
or in the malls,
or at the park
Please don't turn away,
I was like you once.

copyright 1999
Sally Meyer

The School Bus

The School Bus

When he was two
I put him on the bus
he was just a baby
my little baby.
going to a school
to learn what I
in all my wisdom
could not teach him.

I took him to the bus stop
that morning,
holding back the tears,
handing him over
to strangers.
I had not expected
this, I had looked forward
to days filled with
fun and laughter,
playing in the park
jumping in puddles,
and swinging high in the air.

He still had those baby cheeks,
and his hands were pudgy
I had not cut his hair ever
and it fell down around
his shoulders.
This was not supposed
to happen.
I was being robbed,
I was supposed to have
had this little child
for three more years.
I should have been the one
to help him learn
to show him the world.

But I could not even
teach him who he was.
I had to come to grips
with that knowledge
that others, would teach
my child, that my hands
were not the hands
to guide him.
I had to let him go
in order to gather him home.

He didnt care that
I had put him on a bus
to go to a school, where
they would try and reach him.
He didn't turn to wave
as I stood on the sidewalk
blowing a kiss.
No tears were shed
by the baby in the school bus,
no goodbyes for the
mother on the street.

He sat clutching his
new backpack,
reciting the alphabet
over and over.
When the bus pulled away
I walked home,
holding in tears
that promised to fall.

Opening the door
the stillness hit me,
the quiet, the solitude.
I was not ready for this,
that bus had taken away my baby.
I wanted to run after it
screaming for it to stop
I wanted to grab that
small boy, hold him
and hurry home.
Sing to him, bake cookies
and rock him to sleep.

But I could not,
his only hope was
the bus that would take
him to a place where
loving hands would work
their magic, would tend
and teach
And so it was,
that day when
the school bus came.

I let him go.
Autism is not the end of the World
. . . . just
the beginning of a new one.

copyright. 1999. Sally Meyer

An uplifting poem I came across

I found the following poem at this on-line store: Awetism Store


It's Spelled Wrong!
By Donna Cooper

A mistake has been made.
The word doctors and neurologists
use to diagnose our children is autism,
but it should be AWEtism.
Just think...


Awe at my son's progress.
Awe at each accomplishment.
Awe that we've been blessed to be
part of a miracle
Awe to see God's hand at work in my
son's life.
Awe to meet such wonderful people.
Awe for each little step in the right
direction.
Awe for the love I never knew I had.


It's not Autism, it's AWEtism!

things are tough all over.

The recent conclusion that Emma Jean is more seriously compromised than we first thought (or were even willing to consider...) has been heavy for us. It is almost like reliving it all over again, but not quite. There is less fear I think, but I do regret the lost time because I couldn't entertain the idea of both of them being on the spectrum.
But we know what to do and she doesn't have the same degree of difficulties to overcome. We are blessed in that and so much more.
Anyway, thanks for watching and please pass it on.

Please watch this video clip


Please take a few minutes to watch this.


http://www.tacanow.com/VIDEO.htm


Thanks in advance for watching.
The recent conclusion that Emma Jean is more seriously compromised than we first thought (or were even willing to consider...) has been heavy for us. It is almost like reliving it all over again, but not quite. There is less fear I think, but I do regret the lost time because I couldn't entertain the idea of both of them being on the spectrum.
But we know what to do and she doesn't have the same degree of difficulties to overcome. We are blessed in that and so much more.
Anyway, thanks again for watching and please pass it on.

Please take a few minutes to watch this

Please take a few minutes to watch this video clip.
Thanks.


http://www.tacanow.com/VIDEO.htm

Good news!

Abby's OT has offered to treat Emma Jean twice weekly for SI issues PRO BONO! We are sooooooo THANKFUL! Our lame insurance won't cover OT and we were prepared to find the $165 a week to get it for her, but Gioia and the clinic has offered this to her. We are so blessed. Thank you for your continued prayers and support.