Last night my dd had her 1st ballet recital. Everybody would turn to the left and my dd would turn to the right. They we so very cute everyone of them.

My ds with autism was okay for the first 2 hours and then the last 1/2 hour he was toast. I felt bad for everybody around me, I did not know how to calm him down. My dh wound up taking him out and he was better. I am going to be talking to the therapist because wow, it is heartbreaking when he melts down.

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Our support group tries to do set up informational booths every time we can. On Saturday Tennessee Voices for Children hosted and event call TVC's Annual Children's Mental Health Awareness. Well, it rained, not only did it rain, it poured. But we still had a good time.

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Tonight my df & I merged our classes together for peformance night. We presented the rainforest, her class was the tribe and my class was the animals. It was a lot of fun. I have to admit that I was a little worried because rehersal did not go so well. But the kids are K-2 so we figured it would at least be cute. And it was very cute.

I believe that all the kids enjoyed it, and a good time was had by all. My df is such a blessing to my life. I hope that she knows that when I see her beautiful face she make me smile.

One of the things that we do with our ds with autism is that we try to make him particiapate in things that normal children do. So my df's son stood behind him and read his part, for which I am very grateful.

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In 7 days we have had our daugther's kindergarten graduation which I served on the committee, then preformance night at coop, which I helped with a preformance of 19-22 children that are in K-2.

Throw in that we (our support group) has to organize our stuff because we have a display table to set up at the zoo Saturday, and a meeting coming up on Thursday to address situations that have come up with all the new members.

I am sad that on Saturday I have to go to the zoo, my dd was suppose to recieve her awards for Keepers at Home and now she is going to the zoo with me to work. We still have mother/daughter time it will be just a little different than expected.

I know that after our support group meeting that things will slow down I hope.

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I won't tag anyone specific ... play along if you want. No pressure. I do think I'll have AJ fill this out as a get your brain working activity this morning though!

One word

YOU CAN ONLY TYPE ONE WORD!

Not as easy as you might think.

Now copy or forward, change the answers to suit you

and pass it on.

It's really hard to only use one word answers. Be

sure to send back to the person you received it

from!

1. Where is your cell phone                                counter

2. Your significant other?                                    work

3. Your hair?                                                          yuckie

4. Your mother?                                                    sweet

5. Your father?                                                      kind

6. Your favorite thing?                                         friend

7. Your dream last night?                                  nothing

8. Your favorite drink?                                        soda 

9. Your dream/goal?                                          Christlikenss

10. The room you're in?                                    homeschool

11. Your hobby?                                                 reading

12. Your fear?                                                     failure

13. Where do you want to be in 6 years?     praying 

14. Where were you last night?                     home

15. What you're not?                                        maid

16. Muffins?                                                       banana

17. One of your wish list items?                   healing

18. Where you grew up?                          Tennessee                 

19. The last thing you did?                           drink              

20. What are you wearing?                          sweats                

21. Your TV?                                                   off                

22. Your pets?                                               outside                

23. Your computer?                                      link               

24. Your life?                                                 God's               

25. Your mood?                                           calm

26. Missing someone?                              yes                

27. Your car?                                               blessing            

28. Something you're not wearing?        shoes       

29. Favorite store?                                     McKays        

30. Your summer?                                     busy     

31. Like someone?                                   yes      

32. Your favorite color?                             green    

33. When is the last time you laughed?      today

34. Last time you cried?                           yesterday

35. Who will resend this?                        unknown

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If you always have a stocked pantry will you please share with me how you stock it. I have a meal plan every pay period, but it really seems that we run out of food 3 day's before my dh gets paid again. I always feel like a very bad planner when we are scrapping for change to by bread. Would you look over my meal plan and give me suggestions or a list of food that is always handy to keep around.

Here is the plan:

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For the last 3 years I have had a kindergarter. And tonight my baby graduated. It was a strange feeling, I have worked on the committee for the last 3 years and have really enjoyed it. I hope you enjoy the pictures.

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I have been really struggling with some issues lately. My ds with autism has been "wigging out" and hard to bring back around to do things that I know that he can do. My ds with autism is gifted with perfect pitch. What you sing, or he hears he can sing at the same pitch and the same beat.

When he was 2 the only way I could keep his attention was to play classical music and do sign language. Then and only then I would get great eye contact. So as you can imagine we would do this about 20 times or more a day. I use to put only classical music in and that is all that we would listen to. His favorite hands down is Handel.

I was almost just really to give up....I had emailed an autism group to ask if he needed drugs.....(or if I needed them, lol)....Then I got a phone call from a dear friend who introduced me to a website that teaches through singing. YEAH! Here is the link if you want to check it out http://www.songsforteaching.com/

With this new tool, I was ready to face the challenge of teaching him again.

Here is how we have structured our learning.

We do right/left brain exercises -- 1 foot in front of the other.

Then our teaching songs...what ever we are focusing on that session for example:catergoies

Then to our "area" and work with flash cards, build words with blocks and finally write words on the board.

Sometimes, I really feel like I am not doing enough. But, then I remember that God is in control and He will give my son (his son) what he needs. I know that one day my ds with autism will stand before crowds and talk of God's amazing grace.

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On Saturday, my dh suggested we go to the park and fly kites. It was a lot of fun. Here are some pictures.

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April and May for me are probably my busiest months. But, the things that are going on are fun and exciting for me.

My dd is preparing for her kindergarten graduation. My ds (oldest) recited Psalms 100, and ds with autism fell asleep (yeah!) and now my dd will be showing everyone 12 signs in american sign language. When I was a kid I got to have kindergarten graduation and it always stuck with me, so I was very glad to find out that our umbrella school gave the kids this experience, too.

Also our coop has performance night and I am excited that we (animal science) have teamed up with countries of the world. It will be so very cute the kids are K-2 and we are presenting the rainforest. I am really looking forward to this.

Our support group goes into family mode in the summers. We have a meeting to get ideas from parents on who they would like to come and speak and if we have any volunteers to serve on committees. May we have the zoo, June we have a picnic, July we have pump it up and hopefully in August we are going to do something very special for our mom's.

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On Friday we popped old fashion popcorn and we all watched "National Treasure". My dh and I had reviewed this movie about 5 times in order to make sure it was okay for the kids. Well, they took the Lord's name in vien more than once. I wondered how I could have missed this when they were not in the room. But, other than that it is a great movie. It is amazing to me what my dh & I will not pick up on until we have those precious little ears in front of us.

Saturday, I took our ds with autism to the store by myself and we worked on not running off, not yelling, and then we just had a good time. I know I am "home" when I cannot run to the store without seeing at least one person I know. That day we saw 3.

Sunday was a big day for us. We visited a new church--a huge church. But, it was a good experience and we have been praying for months about this. I know a lot of people in the church already through upward sports, vbs, and Bible studies. And that is very comforting. Then after the new church we went to a friends house for their son's birthday party. He is so cute, we had a great time. It is always nice to talk to friends and meet new people.

Usually we have real uneventful weekends...

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This picture I think says a lot about Christians in today's world. I hope that you get it. For the record, the fish represent Christians.

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I am thankful that;

1. the Lord loves me

2. that I have a great group of friends that is okay for me to be real

3. that some of the boys at coop are just starting to realize that my dd with autism can speak and are starting to talk to him

4. that I have a beautiful unique family

5. that God gave us a helper 2 days a week and she is wonderful

6. that I know how to laugh at myself when I have an "air head" moment

7. that there is a church that we are really welcome to attend and not looked at as an imposition

8. that my brother only has a few more weeks of servicing his time in the war and gets to return to see his wonderful family.

9. for my extended family, our therapist, and our doctors

10. for a network of support

11.  that all my children are healthy and happy

12. for my sister, because no matter if she understands she will listen and sometimes cry with me.

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1. How old is your Bible? 8 years old
    2. Did someone give this Bible to you or where did you get it? Yes, my sister gave it to me at Christmas
    3. What version is this Bible? New King James Version
    4. Do you mark your Bible? How.. highlighting, underlining? Both...
    5. Where is your favorite spot to read your Bible? On my couch early in the morning before the people in the house roll over.
    6. Do you use tabs, memory, or do you sing the Bible Book Name song to find the books of the Bible? Memory, but I learned the old testament song when I was 7.
    7. Have you had to tape together any parts of your Bible? Yes, a couple of pages in the front.
    8. What's your favorite verse at this time? 2 Corinthains 10: 3-5
    9. What's your favorite verse of all time? Jeremiah 32:17
  10. Do you have any special memories that include this Bible? This Bible has provided comfort for me during some of the tuffest times of my life. When my son was diagnosed with sever autism, my grandmother pass on and when my husband and I almost did not make it to see another day together as a family.
 

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As you know my ds with autism and I have turned our house into an masken tape circus. We have a number line that is 15 foot long going down our hall and a huge thing in our living room.

Well, after a few weeks of trial and error. These are things that I have seen. He has started alternating his feet going down the stairs YEAH!. He has started telling me words when I asked him. Today, they were ball, bike, both, back, and bee. Then he wrote numbers without me touching him. DOUBLE YEAH!!!!! Here are his answer without any help.

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As you saw we had a "county fair" on Friday night. Well, it wiped me out, more than most of the activities does. So, tired of being "tired" I talked to my husband and we got a game plan together to fight this anemia.

I have been already taking 50 mg of iron along with 2 vitamin/minerals pills. I have added 2 more vitamin/mineral pills and my dear husband made liver for me, because I was dizzy and could not walk without running into walls or needing to hold on to something.

Living with anemia is very frustrating. Because I look heathly but normal things can wipe me out.

I go back to the doctors in May to have my blood redrawn, and I pray that I am up to a normal level.

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Tonight a local church put on a "county fair" for families who have a special needs member. It was very sweet and touching and everyone had a great time. I deeply appreciate this church. Here are some pictures.

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Okay, I talked with my mom at the beginning of this last week and asked if she was going to have Easter dinner. I did not get the feeling that she was planning it and I figured if she was, she would call to at least tell me what to bring. Well, as most of you know I live a crazy, hetic, hair pulling life and the week passed and I did not call. So, upon not hearing from my dear, wonderful, loving mother I assumed that we were all on our own. 

So, Saturday night upon the wee hours of Sunday morning I am in the kitchen making a pot roast, and scalloped potatoes. Leaving only the home maid biscuits for the morning. {I know not the traditional meal...but I really don't like anything from a pig ;-(}. So, church was great, come home make biscuits and sit down and ate. So far every thing is lovely...then...the phone rings. And I hear, "Where are you? This was your idea!!!!!!!!!!".

I proceeded to pack up the 3 darling and excited kids and make the 1 hour and 20 min one way track to my parents house. We were an hour late and had already eaten. I think my name was "mud". We had a good time. It is hard not to have a good time in my family. I love my sister, mother and father with all my heart. They are good people.

My father was wearing my dd hat...when my sister sends the pictures I will post them. I am greatful to God that my family knows how to laugh (at ourselves and each other).

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My dh and our dc like to build things and create different things. On occasion we buy kits to put together... well here is the pirate kit. We went in to Target looking for some thing different and walked out with this. They need to add one thing but I thought it looked good. Here it is

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