Thursday, November 23, 2017

Thanksgiving 2018

IMG_0784IMG_0785IMG_0786IMG_0800IMG_0801

Our cooking started on Wednesday, prepping and doing everything we could the day before.  Of course, after that much cooking, I wasn’t making dinner, so pizza it was!

IMG_0807IMG_0808IMG_0809IMG_0810IMG_0811

My cute people

IMG_0812IMG_0813IMG_0814

My wall decorations courteously of Mr Farris (the girls' teacher) and Jessi’s turkey

We enjoyed a feast.  Everything was lovely.  The girls and I were talking about the quantity of food we make for Thanksgiving.  Blake has added several dishes to the menu – because it isn’t Thanksgiving without….  So once everyone has gotten married and we have incorporated everyone’s favorites, we are going to need a banquet table to put everything out on!  :)

We were all stuffed and full.  After several hours, it was time to decorate – as per tradition.  Out came the boxes, down went Thanksgiving, and up went Christmas.  I am so grateful for that tradition – it gets done so fast and everyone helps!

Sammi had gone downstairs to take a nap.  When she came up, she said, “It’s a new season!”

IMG_0821IMG_0824IMG_0825IMG_0831IMG_0836IMG_0837IMG_0838IMG_0839

My Ellie proof nativity – the other one is up high on a shelf she can’t reach :)

IMG_0834

After decorating, everyone was ready for 2nds or (more) dessert!IMG_0841IMG_0846

Wish I could capture the beauty of a lit Christmas tree in a dark room!

So many stockings  :)

IMG_0848IMG_0849

Wednesday, November 22, 2017

Alex at KSB

IMG_0850IMG_0851IMG_0852IMG_0853IMG_0854IMG_0855IMG_0856IMG_0857IMG_0858IMG_0859IMG_0860IMG_0861IMG_0862IMG_0863IMG_0864IMG_0865IMG_0866IMG_0867

I just found out that Alex’s school has a Facebook page and they upload photos every week!  I’m sure it was in one of those many forms I filled out at the beginning of the year.  I do remember signing something releasing his photo.  They never mention names on Facebook, but there are photos!  It makes it so much more real to me!

These photos are in descending order, meaning the most current are at the top and it works back until the first day of school sitting with this teacher at a table.

He is doing such normal things there!  Pep rallies, “watching” goalball games, eating, sitting in circle time, PT, O&M.  He is doing so much better than I expected!  So grateful for his school and how hard they work with him!

Tuesday, November 21, 2017

Autism and Alex

My sweet boy.  I believe with all of my heart in the literal resurrection of the body.  That one day this mortality will put on immortality.  This corruption will put on incorruption.  This sweet boy will be resurrected with a brain free of scars and abnormalities.  I love his sweet spirit!  I love his belly laughs!  I love his smiles and giggles!  I love our Alex!  And…I look forward to the day his sweet spirit is free from autism.

Alex loves to listen to music – he loves a beat – and a repetitive rhythm.   He loves to twirl – like an ice skater.  You know, when the person tucks their limbs in so they can go faster and faster.  Yes, that is Alex, but he is in his bare feet on the hard wood floor.  He really is amazing!  He loves to swing.  We have two swings suspended from the ceiling.  He goes back and forth, kicking the wall for momentum.  Or he swings round and round till I would be sick from the rotations.  He craves noise – he loves spinning bowls – truly it is a difficult task to rotate a bowl so it will spin over and over again.  He flicks his wrist just so and the bowl just goes and goes.  It delights him.  He loves the sound of metal – metal utensils in metal bowls, especially.  He loves tickles and cuddles.  He just can’t get enough input, enough stimulus for his brain.  He craves it.  He loves it.

He loves his routine.  From what I understand it is calming to follow the same routine over and over again.  He loves when the school bus comes.  He knows where his chair is and runs so happily to sit down for a cookie at snack time.  He loves his bedtime story.  His fav is Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown. He has let me branch out a little lately.  We read I Like It When and he liked it.  All of his books have braille – and he loves to feel the bumpy braille!  And I love that when his story is done, he giggles and puts his hands together for prayer.  I love this sweet monkey!

But sometimes things go wrong – like today.  We were walking down the hall to therapy.  He knows that hall.  He uses his cane to find the difference between the lobby and the hallway – there is a slight difference in height – he always finds that.  He walks a few feet down the hall, then he starts giggling because he knows what’s coming.  On the wall, about waist high, there is a metal plate that when depressed opens the door to pediatric therapy.  He loves to hit that plate.  There is a click as the door is released and then it swings back to allow entrance.  Well, today, for some reason, there was no click.  The door silently opened.  And my son lost it.

Now it could be that we are out of routine – school is out this week for Thanksgiving Break.  It could be that he was hungry – it was 11 AM and he usually has had snack at school by then.  Who knows what it else contributed, but I know what it was.  The door didn’t click.  Rage.

It amazes me that such a sweet little soul can contain this much anger and rage.

We tried to help him, a cookie, changing rooms, taking off his coat, but it occurred to me that this wasn’t stopping till we heard the click.  So we went back out.  I closed the door.  And we depressed the plate again together.  And, mercifully, the door clicked.  And Alex was back!

He happily sat down and ate the cookie and juice I had brought.  He laughed and giggled.

Sigh!  Goodness!  I am grateful for that knowledge that tells me what he needs and what is upsetting him. 

I remember sitting in church a while back.  A man was talking about the Holy Spirit and how it guided him.  His daughter was born with severe disabilities.  She could not communicate – at all.  And yet her Dad felt like he knew when she wanted to watch a movie or be held, or any numbers of things.  He felt it was the Spirit leading him as he cared for his daughter.  I remember knowing things about Bella.  I think most parents understand this to some degree.  We say we know our children.  We know their cries and what they mean.  But I do believe that He especially guides us with these special, sweet ones.  To let us know how best to care for our special spirits.  To let me know how best to care for my boy.  It’s something I pray for every night, “Please help me to be the mother that each of my children needs.”

So after today’s door not clicking, my reaction, that, to me, was an answer to prayer.  Our Heavenly Father knows and understands Alex and his thoughts, needs, and desires.  I am so grateful Alex and I have this Divine Interpreter!

(swinging in the therapy room to make sure we were regulated again)

IMG_0776

Monday, November 20, 2017

And it came to pass…

Last night as we read our scriptures, I told Bella it was her turn.  That means she will then repeat the words I read from the page.  “Bella, your turn.” I said.  To which she responded, “and it came to pass.”  :)  We all laughed and laughed.

Fast forward to tonight.  Our family seems to have contracted some little bug – nausea, headache, nothing bad, but just enough that you want to lay down.  After reading as a family, Jason called on Lizzy for prayer.  In her sleepy/sicky state, she bowed her head and started, “And it came to pass…”  Cue the laughter.

While it’s funny, I’m so glad this phrase is one so familiar to my family!  :)