Welcome to my blog, it's my life, these are my thoughts. Sometimes they're cheerful and happy, sometimes they're a big pile of bantha fodder.

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Touched by Autism

Autism is whole bunch of symptoms regarding the psyche, response to life, and mental processing all heaped under a huge umbrella of hopelessness, or so you'd think.  
Autistic children are profusely misunderstood, they are bullied, they are looked at as "different" or as "special needs" - they aren't special needs - they need special people.  They are people who process things differently, think differently, comprehend things in ways we don't, they are highly intelligent.  I know from my own personal experiences with my son that he is a very smart young man.  I know how misunderstood he is.  Sometimes, I misunderstand him myself.  Each day is different and we never know which "son" we are going to get, I guess, all things considered - each day is a new adventure in our crazy mixed up life.  But each day we know God IS still in control.  God created him fearfully and wonderfully, gave him the breath of life, knows the number of hairs on his head, knows when he sits, when he stands, knows everything about him, yet He has entrusted us to be his parents and care for him.  This is our son in a nutshell  =)

He barks & meows
He loves stringcheese
He walks in weird way
He is very good at math
He quotes anything after hearing it once or twice
He puts everything in his mouth, he literally gets a taste of life
He likes the color YELLOW
He makes a very loud A-buh, A-buh, A-buh sound
He loves music (Weird Al and Aerosmith)
He loves flashlights, ceiling fans and motors
He pretty much breaks everything he gets his hands on
He gets overly dramatic when he gets excited
He incredibly agile with Mario & Luigi through each world
He's keen to giving minute details about stuff he finds fascinating
He is obsessed, make that extremely passionate about (train pass gates) train gate hands/crossing arms/lights 
& ding-ding sound the train gates make
He gets overly dramatic when he's upset or mad
He gets excited about anything he finds intriguing
He hates to read, it's like Kryptonite
He watches TV 3 feet from the screen
He loves guitars & keyboards
He ALWAYS has to be PacMan
He loves Thor
He couldn't care less about having more "stuff"
He acts out movies while he watches them

So yea, we're touched by autism, but more importantly we're touched by a wonderful child who has a great heart and a promising future ahead of him.  He is not his disorder, he is a child, a person, a human being living the human experience with the challenge of autism.  I expect know he will defy all odds and become an an even more wonderful young man, student, husband, father, uncle, and our SON whom we love dearly!




Stevie Nicks & Rod Stewart



This was the highlight of my 2012 summer!  I had waited for a very very very long time to see 2 of my favorite singers and last Thursday night - I DID IT!  If Sting would have been there, it would have been perfect!  Stevie Nicks alone - hands down, one of my personal top 5 artists of all time - that was such a privilege to see her perform, I mostly went for Stevie, Rod was definitely an added bonus.  To anyone else, this would have been no big deal - to me = awesomeness!   I don't idolize music artists or anything, but I grew up with and listening to both of them and I was so stoked to see them, since a kid I always wanted to see them in concert, it took 20+ years!  Since my hubby was at a men's retreat for church, I made my baby boy go with me!  I still had a blast and he had cotton candy.  It was a win win!  So grateful that I was able to go.  Makes me smile just thinking about being there.

He Holds Me Securely

Short version of life this summer:

  • Church life: I've rejoined the women's ministry at church, started teaching Wednesday night bible study again, had a successfully wonderful ladies retreat, and I am headed in the right direction in the healing process.
  • School/Work life: I graduated with honors from massage therapy school, my in-home massage studio is up and running, so stoked!   I love being a MASSAGE THERAPIST!  On the other hand, our other business has been really slow, BUT we are making it and God provides.
  • Kid life: kids are doing great.  They are growing so fast.  Getting so sassy, and they're so smart.
  • Summer life: the summer has been interesting, but pretty chill.  We haven't done a whole lot.  Life has been a bit of a struggle over the summer months, but we know God is in control, God is always faithful and He will take care of us.  I guess this was our year to hang out at home.  We've been to mimi's once (3 hours away), we've been to Nana's a 3 or 4 times, we've been bowling, we've jumped at the bouncy place, gone to the movies.  Mahoney and my big boy went on a men's retreat with church and got all stinky and man smellin.  My oldest came home all "I'm a big boy, yadda, yadda, yadda" with attitude, had to stomp that out real fast since he was being mean to bubba :(  
  • School life: Praying that they have great teachers this year.  My only concern is who my big boys 5th grade teacher will be.  I am very much considering taking him off his pills, for one they are poisoning his body and two they are expensive.  For my baby, he's going to 3rd grade and I'm hoping for a better year for him as well!
What I love most is that no matter what is going on in our life, no matter where we go, no matter what we do, no matter what we feel, God is right here with us.  I give Him the glory, even when things are hard, even when things go wrong, even when things seem like they'll never work out, even when things seem hopeless, even when things are rough, I still will give Him praise from my lips and my heart.  I know that my time here is temporary and I am looking forward to a glorious eternity with The Lord Who Provides.


O God, you are my God;
I earnestly search for you.
My soul thirsts for you;
my whole body longs for you
in this parched and weary land
where there is no water.
 I have seen you in your sanctuary
and gazed upon your power and glory.
Your unfailing love is better than life itself;
how I praise you!
I will praise you as long as I live,
lifting up my hands to you in prayer.
You satisfy me more than the richest feast.
I will praise you with songs of joy.

I lie awake thinking of you,
meditating on you through the night.
Because you are my helper,
I sing for joy in the shadow of your wings.
I cling to you;
your strong right hand holds me securely.
Psalm 63:1-8