Down Syndrome, Autism, and COPS..OH MY!

Help Queen Ashton

2011-12-05T11:09:00.003-06:00

Hi, sorry it's taken me so long to get back to this. Ashlyn wow'd us all last 2007, when she was elected Homecoming Queen of her town of Hidden Valley. Her mom and I linked then, because Ashton had so many similarities to my Molly...ie Down Syndrome and Autism. Her mom, Leah is my go-t0-girl with questions about special little girls, like ours, her being a few years more down the road than me.

A few weeks ago, Ashton had to go to the ER because a cold had settled into her lungs...double pneumonia. Unfortunately, for whatever reason, she is not going to survive this bout. Her little lungs have just had too much work, are full, including a mass on them, and they have been sent 'home' with Hospice.

Home is the operative word here. Currently, all of their belongings are on a U-Haul truck, as mom was in the process of a move to Oklahoma. They are at Ashton's Aunts home, by the water, a favorite place of the family.

Mom's Christmas wish is to get her family together. They are trying to make it to Oklahoma, where Ashton can be reunited with her sibs, and have one last Christmas together.

If everyone I knew on FB, and who read this blog would donate just one dollar....we could at LEAST get them gas money.

Please help me bring a family home for Christmas. If you don't paypal, send me a check, and I will contribute it for you.

Lets make this a Merry Christmas for a very deserving young lady and her wonderful family.

Love,

Docs? Don't forget to listen to the Mommies!!

2011-10-02T13:52:00.005-05:00

Long time no see. Life has once again taken over anytime I could have to sit down and share. I should be in Springfield today, visiting my bestest girl, Stephanie, molly's teacher and advocate, who had to retire from her life's calling to battle an autoimmune disease that mirrors MS. She is getting treatment at Cox today.

We love you Steph, and little miss rattling chest has shut down ANY plans we had today...it's perfect pumpkin patch weather, too....but we are staying home, drinking hot tea, nebulizing and praying this doesn't take her over.

In the time that we've been offline, My mom crashed severely, and the port that was installed into her arm had healed enough to allow her to start dialysis. She is in Colo Spgs with my sister, and we worked out a visit with her a month ago. It was so good to rejoin my parents, and see sibs I haven't seen in TOO long! My baby brother Rich, namely.

got to go thru some old pics...this is the way we used to look!

My sister patty has been in charge of the dialysis, which happens Monday, Wednesday and Friday. My appreciation for her saving mom's life, will never be effectively described to her.

Dad is here with me, and struggling with issues of his own. Today is their 63rd Anniversary, and it's sad that they have to spend it miles apart from each other, but unfortunately some things are just the way they are. We continue to work towards some kind of reuniting for them. Happy Anniversary, mom and dad!!

Molly was VERY happy to see Aunt Patty, and understand where Gramma went...she has been looking for her at our house! ;-) To adulate again, the power of listening that Patty has, after a 15 hour drive, Molly was met at the door by her, and she had a stack of solo cups to give to Molly. Patty understood that molly was gonna need some 'stim time' and that stacking cups has a HUGE calming effect on Molly. Simply amazing to me, that someone GETS IT!

Also during this time, Gabe, My Beautiful Gabe Graduated with TWO DEGREES from College. Words cannot express the pride i have for him, as he did this while becoming a husband, and a father 2 times over. He also is Amazing, as is his whole family:

And Kelsi Graduated from High School in Kansas City....I might add...both graduations happened on the same day!!

Having a super happy summer! Then.......

On Aug 23rd, at 5am, with no fever or any head traume, and sleeping peacefully between the sarge and i..molly had a grand mal (tonic clonic) seizure. Her first and we're praying her only one....It sent us into a whirlwind of testing (or trying to test) and a new world of neurology! First we made an early morning run to the ER...this was after it took me too long to dial 911 (i missed it twice) By the time I actually got an operator on the phone, and she made me understand that I needed to give her our address...The seizure was over. When we tried to walk her to the car, she had only 1/2 function of her left side. That arm was flopping, and she was dragging the left leg....I rode in the back all the way, just knowing she had a brain tumor. It was the longest ride of my life.

The CAT came back all clear...The nurses were worried about mama now, she was freaking them out....Sorry about that nurseys, and yes, I was 2 seconds away from total heart failure.

Molly has no idea what happened, and was actually pleased to be where she was, as Miss Stephanie met us at the hospital, wowed us with her instant diagnosis of the CAT, and even asked the nurse to give me a copy of it on CD format...something I would have never asked for. Her mom was right when she tried to explain to Steph that maybe she is going thru her own trials, to be a vehicle for those of us just starting down the path of neuro-opportunities.

One of the follow-up tests required us all to go to Springfield and stay up all night. I worked till 9pm, then we drove to Spg, got a room near the hospital (2 beds ok?....no beds are necessary) Molly and i would walk to the Caseys mini-mart once an hour all night long. She actually did better with it than the sarge & i. (ugh)

They were to perform a "sleep-deprived EEG" which i went into blindly. It wasn't until i chatted with a "pro-mom" who was also there for the same thing. Her boy was a teen, and started seizing at age 3yrs.

She told me that they would attach all the leads (yea, right) let the child sleep a little, and then startly them awake trying to INDUCE a seizure with strobe lights and a tired brain....then they could track the seizure with the EEG and identify what side of the brain was affected, etc. EEK!!

I had been on the phone for the 4 weeks prior to the test, begging them to find an alternate way to do the test...my little girl is 114 pounds of solid mass, that will not allow anything to be attached to her person. It's one of the quirks of the OCD that comes with the spectrum. I knew there was no way it would happen....they were adament about "non-sedation" for the procedure.

So, no one listened.....I get so tired of being dismissed as a psycho-mom by the medical world. And as it happened, even though we took the time to prep, and she stood for 'the hard part' which was scrubbing holes into her head where the leads would be placed, she would not allow such an invasion of her personal self.

I'm betting i will still pay for the procedure..the bills have not started to trickle in yet.

I was also berated by the sarge, for my opinion of the pediatric neurologist. He made me uneasy and seemed irritated if i had a question....and spoke in archaic medical terminology..for instance, when i told him that there was indeed a family link with seizures, he asked if the other family members were "also retarded"

?????? really?....retarded????

I couldn't help but think that if he spoke like he was still in the 70's...maybe he wasn't open to new and improved ways to treat. To me, I got that answer with the whole "sleep deprived" EEG fiasco....and our meeting afterward. He was irritated that molly did not perform, he did not acknowledge her OR the sarge in the examining room, he was irritated that i didn't feel like we needed to start seizure meds, even though she made it through another cycle with no second seizure.

She continued to stay awake for the drive home, and until i put her in the bath. It was gonna take a full bath as she had attacked some chocolate ice cream when we got home. What a little Trooper!

VINDICATION from the sarge on our way out of the meeting....we won't be going back to see doctor "Simba the lionhearted maned, douche-bag, Dr R-word" In fact, I'm just going to be safe, and watch that she is never in a position where a second seizure would be life-threatening, and wait. I will live in this denial bubble until she gives me cause to change lanes....then we'll head for Children's in St Louis, and start the process all over. We can do the EEG In-Patient, but it is too expensive just to do, without failing the procedure we just failed. I don't understand why we just couldn't go that way from the git-to. I wonder when they will start listening to the mommies.

A very Patriotic Father's Day

2011-06-20T08:53:00.004-05:00

Blessings to all the dads out there! ESPECIALLY those that deal with kiddo's that are packing something extra....DS, AUTISM, anything at all that makes "a day off" as much in fantasy land as "riding the unicorn" We applaud your extra effort.

We combined passions yesterday, and took MY dad to a Military Memorial Service. We went to lend our voices to the Westboro goons, who like to frequent these things, and upset already grieving family members, but I don't even think they got across the state line! Probably just as well, they may mess with the rest of the country, but know well enough to avoid Hillbillies at all costs. :-)

Molly and I watched from a great vantage point, Dad ended up going inside to escape the heat but was pleased to get a hero's welcome from all the Vets that came after him. I only saw one man that could have possibly been a WWII vet there:

The turnout was amazing...though not all the way across 160 from W. Plains to Gainsville, there were spots where people came out in front of their homes, bearing up under 98 degree weather, and stood solumnly with flags flying. The entire Tecumseh fire station was present, all vehicles decorated and ladders high, with flags at half mast.

The view in, leaving no wondering exactly where the church was:

And the freedome riders coming in:

http://www.patriotguard.org/

There were hundreds:

They started a quick meeting with the Pledge:

Even my post office guy!! WHO KNEW?

They came from all over Missouri and Arkansas:

In the heat, they snapped together flags and made a line. 15 or 20 stood back, and every 15 minutes they would go and replace on in line so that the line stood for 3 hours, blocking any twits, and giving the family a beautiful entrance to a sad day.

Pfc Matthew England will be laid to rest at Ft Leonard Wood today, with another Honor Guard accompanying him, this one announced only in person so that no evil-doers could see it on their website. He will be the first KIA interred in decades. It felt good to Honor such a Hero, on such a special day

I Love June

2011-06-12T13:06:00.006-05:00

well, except for the whole Joplin tornado thing, and the 3 weeks of searing heat that followed it! We FINALLY got a break from the heat, and on the day of the (DSGO Down Syndrome Group of the Ozarks)Buddy Walk. WHAT a BLESSING!

Got to Spg early, Ally was already off taking the Praxis to open up the ages of kids she already certified to teach (now middle thru high school) I was amazed that even though she had this big event to prepare for in her life, she still had her bizness "Whole Hog Barbeque" as a sponser for the Buddy Walk, AND a Birthday Party to put on!

Gabe was getting the house ready for an informal barb-b-que they were hosting honoring miss Aubrey Jo's 3rd Birthday! We met the other grandparents in the backyard for a pool party, and Larry headed for KC to pick up Kelsi:

Ally's mom Chris, and her hubby Steve (the artist) were already there enjoying the beautiful day:

I hadn't given Gabe a graduation present yet, mostly because he couldn't decide what he wanted....when it dawned on him...PATIO FURNATURE!(and maybe new siding to replace the spot where the grill WAS :-)) They love their backyard, but it just wasn't set up for dining...so off he and I went to attempt to find some.

That was a disastrous shopping trip...we hit every store in Spg that had patio sets, but they were both cheaply built AND overpriced...as we resigned ourselves to folding chairs and borrowed tables when he spied a store just minutes from his house and YAHOO!! found the perfect set and a store owner who was negotiable and which matched the chairs they already had! We passed the big test when Ally got home and was pleased *whew*!

The mail was delivered, and perfectly timed the long awaited confirmation of many years of work...TWO DEGREES!!

Just after Ally arrived, we sped off to the ball park! Thanks to Domsmom Cathy Ward for the R-word Tee's to make an entrance in!

Got to meet Elena Thaemlitz...had no idea she was so young and pretty!! :-) OR that we had mutual friends...i.e. Allyson's Boss! Thanks to a lady who works tirelessly to bring a DS Group to our neck of the state.

we did some face paint...and this is not an easy task for a child with Autism, but she wanted it SO bad she tried to stay patient:

and danced ALOT! That guy in the black shorts was ROCKIN it!! So funny to watch as he kept getting close to Molly, and SHE kept trying to find a spot for herself!

AND met back up with Glenda and Veronica!! They used to live here, but moved to Lebanon, and we haven't seen them since LAST year's buddy walk. Glenda had a little surprise for me:

She has fallen in love, remarried, and had ANOTHER little girl with Down Syndrome!! This is Tory, and she is ADORABLE!! She has a good lead off girl in sister Veronica:

We walked to the infield:

Then gathered to walk the infield and let off the balloons:

Would have loved to watch the game in the beautiful weather, but the clock was ticking so instead we (literally) ran for the car and zipped home to set up for a party, and start welcoming company!!

and had a chocolate ice cream cake that was to die for:

Happy Birthday to Aubreyyyyyyyyyyyy (That's some of Steve's work on the wall...he's FABULOUS and gave gabe 3 paintings for the other wall for Graduation...I LOVE MY INLAWS!)

We got home after 10pm last night, spent, full, and happy with the day.

This morning? It was obvious that Molly enjoyed her day there...as the face painting continued:

Such a great weekend, although this old body was feeling the activity this morning! I love and am so proud of all my kids and the way they make things happen, and how important Molly is to them. Can't wait for next time!!

Happy Mother's Day! 2011

2011-05-08T08:15:00.003-05:00

My Beautiful Children growing up....

Happy Mother's Day!!

Blessings to all my moms...The one that gave me birth, and protected me, and had my back no matter what bad decisions I chose, picked me up, brushed me off, and made me get back on that horse. (life) This one continues to show great fearlessness, strength, and a deep faith, as well as being the bar that I will always aspire to meet.

To all my moms in my family, the ones who's genes I share, for making me proud to be a Miller... and to carry on the legacy of this name.

To my moms who travel with me the journey of raising a child with different abilities. The ones whom I can share EVERY detail of life with, and not be embarrassed, pitied, gossipped about, or ridiculed. The ones who come right back and tell me how THEY dealt with the same thing I'm dealing with. You are all amazing and loved beyond the ability of my little heart. You are my sisters.

To my moms who teach and care for my youngest every day of the school year, and who love her as their own. I would have never allowed her to enter public school life, without knowing you were there. Special blessings for one particular mom and teacher, who's own health has forced her to put her livelihood on temporary hold. We pray for your speedy healing and return, school, as life is just not as sparkely without you in it.

Blessings to the women that love our sons... deliver to us little pieces of our own selves...and make us proud to add the title of GRANDmom to our repertoire. Just when you think your heart can't possibly love, or be more proud of the children God has blessed you with...grandbabies come and blow that theory to smithereens.

To my moms who have paid the ultimate price for loving a child with your whole soul....I cannot begin to tell you how much I admire how your courage, how you continue to parent the child that has past and make sure that their memory lives on. Special Blessings to you on showing me that a mother's love extends not only across land measurable on earth, but all the way to Heaven.

I feel so enormously Blessed, to have all of you in my life and pray that the Heavenly Father holds you all in His Heart, especially on this day.

The Wedding Reception or I NEED A NEW CAMERA!

2011-03-07T09:27:00.008-06:00

or probably need 2 cameras..one to have with me, and one for special occasions. Send me your suggestions...i want one that has major megapix, 20x zoom, and fires up in a hurry with software that's easy. Only a fraction of my pics came out clear, but i did end up with a few.

ParTAY!

******************************************************************************

Gabe & Ally had their wedding reception this past Saturday and WHAT A PARTY!! All Vegas Theme (they were married there on 1-1-11) open bar, kegs, music and catered food.

When I ask Moll if she wants to go see Aubrey Jo, she grabs her coat and goes and sits in the FRONT passenger seat. She's been prone to car sickness on long trips and it helps if she's in the front..she knows that! Cracks me up.The girls ALWAYS love seeing each other.

Shauna came home from DC, and fell back in love with her nieces...we were so happy to have her home...it's always trouble with the airlines, and expensive to get back, so we are humbled in admiration that she attempted the trip.

A most satisfying weekend as a mom, and a mom-mom because all the kids came home for it, and I got one of those rare photos of them all together...

We had so much fun getting ready for the big event:
Uncle Bill was there for the "bouncy bouncy baby" main event:

The Wedding Cake

That night, they started out by playing their vows, projected onto the wall in big-screen proportions..and i cried....then they were announced and made the grand entrance toting their beautiful girls, each in adorable, pink, ballerina dresses and them in their wedding wear.

Then, as they posed for pictures, the funniest thing happened. We were so busy snapping pics and clapping, we didn't see Molly make her move...out of nowhere she appeared, next to Gabe, smiling, and posing for pictures. Hilarious and well-received by all. Look at her! She's CHEEZIN' for the camera!! She cracked us all up!

Miss Zoey Grace spotted me taking pics and made a beeline for mom-mom! SWEET! (you can see molly wasn't budging from the photo op)

Vegas theme all the way down to scratcher tickets at the purple tables...Did you win anything, Shauna?

Family Dance

Stop singing mom! How Embarrassing!

And she came up with on her own, a bracelet and beads...she NEVER wears
jewelry....yet tonight? Tonight we're stylin'

Shauna pickin' on brother Bill

Ally's mom Chris (Naw Naw) with Zoey, and Bill's Angela in the background dancing with Molly...Molly danced with EVERYONE!!

Sideways view of Molly dancing to the Black eyed peas...it's dark, and you can't see her face...but the joy is oozing out all over!!

Some Girly Line Dancing

Good Friends joined in, Bree and her little girl, born the same time as Molly, Emily...who also was acting as a photog...need to get her camera results

Shauna got Aubrey Jo a tutu, and she put it over her jammies and wore it ALL NIGHT!

Mom-mom (that's me) and Papa Larry left early with the babies, who were all partied out at about 9pm. We had a "family suite" that came with a nice bunk set (full on the bottom and well-railed on top) and the packNplay...so we were ready.

I am so very proud of this couple...they started out as college-party kids...fell in love, became serious students, became parents, and then completed their undergrads while working, studying, planning a wedding and reception, and raising their children. They didn't choose the easiest path to go, but they both stepped up and did it with a style and grace that is just amazing!

Cheers to the newlyweds, I'm anxious to see this new life you are embarking on, and relish the pride of another daughter being added to my brood.

March 2nd

2011-03-01T06:03:00.002-06:00

I've been busy dealing with the end of winter...and the viruses that come with it. It's all my own fault....I decided to celebrate the fact that for the FIRST time since molly was born we have made it without a case of pneumonia.

About a week after that statement, her lungs filled up and we started the dance. I am still hoping that we stay at "bronchitis" and that's as far as it progresses, as we start our 2nd round of antibiotics. *sigh*

We've added a whole house generator, finally, but that's all the big news for the season...it's been just WONDERFULLY boring at our house...just the way we love it. There is so much to be said for a "drama-free" life.

We are prepping for Gabe and Ally's big celebration this coming weekend, so I'll have lots to share next week...for now, I'm going to hijack Dave Hingsburger's Blog. He says so well what's in all of our hearts.... tomorrow is the day we change society and the way they view our children.

Blessings

http://davehingsburger.blogspot.com/2010/08/people-who-are.html

The People Who 'ARE'

It's in the press again. I search to find out the context of the word. I see debates all over the web, people bemoaning the 'politically correct' and the 'word police' and making ridiculous claims about having to ban the concept of a 'fire retardant'. Last I looked there's never been a protest about products that protect from fire. Last I looked there's only ever been protests about the use of a word that demeans a group of people.

No matter what the fearless defenders of freedom of speech say, there is a huge difference between a word to describe something that slows fire and someone who learns differently. There's a huge difference between a thing and a person - but, no, maybe not. After reading their diatribes regarding their freedom to spit out hurtful words, they may, really, not see people with disabilities as fully human with a human heart capable human hurt.

People mock the concept of respectful language regarding disability. People make odd arguments about the latest gaffe by ... no, I won't say her name here ... they say 'she was saying that of herself not anyone else' - um, so? The word she used was one referring, not to a commercial product, but to an oppressed minority. Yet the debate rages on and the fierceness of the attack by those who are proponents of the use of hate language are both hysterical and who often purposely miss the point. One wonders what's at stake - their personal liberty to hurt others?

It's time to recognize that the 'R' word is an attack against who people with with intellectual disabilities 'are', it is an attack against the group that they belong to. It is like other words that exist to slur an entire people, unacceptable. The fact that people do not see the seriousness of the word and the attack it represents is simply a result of the fact that they do not take the 'people' who wear that label seriously. The concerns of those with intellectual disabilities have always been diminished and trivialized. There is a sneaking suspicion that they 'don't understand, poor dears', that they 'miss the point, little lambs' so therefore their anger need not be feared as justified.

The people who 'ARE' what the 'R' word refers to have a long history.

They have been torn from families and cast into institutions.

They have been beaten, hosed down, over medicated, under nourished, sterilized, brutalized, victimized.

They have been held captive, have been enslaved, have had their being given over to the state.

They are the group in society most likely to be physically, sexually and financially abused.

They are the group least likely to see justice, experience fair play, receive accommodation or support within the justice system.

They are the group most likely to be bullied, most likely to be tyrannized, most likely to be the target of taunts.

They are the least likely to have their hurt taken seriously, physical hurt, emotional hurt, spiritual hurt.

They are most likely to be ignored when they speak of pain, have their words diminished by an assumption of diminished capacity.

They are the least likely to ever be seen as equal, as equivalent and entirely whole.

They are the victim of some of the most widespread and pervasive prejudices imaginable.

They are those that the Nazi's thought unworthy of life, they are those targeted by geneticists for non-existence, they need fear those who wear black hats and those who wear white coats.

They are educated only under protest, they are included as a concession rather than a right, they are neighbours only because petitions failed to keep them out.

They are kept from the leadership of their own movement, they are ignored by the media, their stories are told to glorify Gods that they do not worship.

That they are a 'people' is questioned even though they have a unique history, a unique voice, a unique perception of the world.

That they are a 'community' is questioned even though they have commonality, they have mutual goals, they have a collective vision of the future.

That they are have a legitimate place at the table is questioned simply because no one's ever offered a seat.

They are a people.

They ask for respect and receive pity.

They ask for fair play and are offered charity.

They ask for justice and wipe spittle off their face.

They ask to silence words that brutalize them and their concerns are trivialized.

They ask to walk safely through their communities and yet bullies go unpunished.

They ask to participate fully and they are denied access and accommodation and acceptance.

And this is NOW.

This is the people who have walked the land of the long corridor, who have waited at the frontier of our bias to finally be here, now. They have survived. They have come home. They have continued, silently and without fanfare, to take hold of freedom and live with dignity. They have given everything they have for what others take for granted. Their civil liberties are perceived as 'gifts' as 'tokens' and as 'charity'. Their rights are seen as privileges. Their movement is, as of yet, unacknowledged. They are a people recently emancipated, new citizens, who are tentatively discovering their voice.

It is a voice not yet heard.

It is a voice not yet respected.

It is a voice not yet understood.

But it is speaking.

And when it is finally heard. The world will change.

The 'R' word is an attack on a people who know discrimination. Tremble when you say it. Because those who should know better will be held accountable to those who know best.

I've been hibernating

2011-02-05T07:47:00.002-06:00

It's winter in Missouri and has really been a calm season, but as soon as we turn the calender to February, and even thought the Groundhog said we were done...it's cuts loose!

When the rest of the country got buried last week, we got a coating of ice.

I'm guessing we shouldn't have done the "happy happy in-your-face dance" because another storm came up from the south last night, and got us.

My beautiful woods:

We're all up early (the cats and molly do not understand the phrase "sleep in") and when I stumble out the sarge tells me "I'm betting 6 inches, oh and Hattin went out" Now Hattin-the-cat is our city-kitty, and does not know much about snow. I look out the window and see no kitty prints....open the front door and see this:

WTH? and call the detective over also...look at this!!

The cat went out but there are only a few paw prints leading to nowhere! Now I realize he has some spring, but seriously...this is wayyyyyy too much! Now the sarge and I are both staring out the door, letting all the cold in, in our jammies, mouths gaped and brows furrowed examining this phenomenom...we hear the crunching of frozen leaves:

Hattin had sprung over to the house and ran to "do business" via this eave route! HAHAHAHAHAH Cats crack me up!

Molly Kate is not waiting for spring, but blooming now..her words are finally coming! I even got a call from her speech therapist one school day. She was BUSTING with joy because she got a 6 word sentance!! Instead of bringing me a glass and a gallon of milk? Molly said "ma milk" (my milk) YAY! We know the words are in there...but getting her to use them has been a chore....even words she used to know are gone, and I can watch her struggle to bring them out...but she's learning how to do it!

It's weird, and if a picture of a hippo pops up on the TV, you can hear her spit out the word "hippopotamus" with no problem...that's the flip cards that have been imprinted on her brain, and if she doesn't have to THINK about it, out it pops! But if you ask her to say "ice cream" a word she used to have down pat....her brow will furrow, and she will try, but the sounds that come out definitely are not those two old familiar words. I don't understand it, but am blessed to have THE best speech pathologist in the area working with her. LOVE YOU KRISTY!!

We had the babies for a week, when gabe and ally went to vegas to get married on 1-1-11

and then again last weekend. All is well in Molly's world, when her nieces are here to play. Her and Aubrey now argue like sisters, get into trouble together (jumping on the bed) and eat me out of house and home. The baby has just started walking, and is adored by her doting aunt, as well as by her grandparents....she's something special!

a messy room, and the stolen bag of oreo's:

Bill and Ang came down for a weekend after new years, and hung out. He works 24/7 and has 3 phones ringing constantly....so we shut them all off and lay low while he's home. All the grown kids are dieting and working out, and all are skinny mini's! Very proud of the determination they have, and their outlooks on healthy lives and healthy eating. I am so very blessed.....you never know when you're raising them what kind of adults they are going to be....I am blessed times 3 plus.

And on the other side of the life spectrum, mom and dad are anxious to get back here! Mom is progressing, although slower than she anticipated, but is steadily getting better. They are a couple of impulsive kids, and we want them here....but are hoping she is good and strong before they attempt it. It's been 2 months plus since she released from the hospital, and they finally got an appt at the Nephro....waiting on that visit to see before making any plans. We are currently arguing the case of plane vs driving. *sigh*

Love to my sister Patty, who had 'the crash' on her watch this time. She is an angel who has managed to balance a houseful of grandkids,

a full-time walmart job with bringing mom back to good health, and all that it entails! Love you patty!

The one improvement we did make that allows us to relax during the weather, is a whole-house generator. We are all electric, and losing power can be dangerous...we were out a week in the ice storm of of 2008, and snowed in. Now? there is 250 gallons of propane hooked up to an auto generator, and if we lose power, we're out for 15 seconds, and it comes right back! *whew* I am blessed to have a husband that knows how to pick out the perfect gift. :-)

Although this morning's snow is beautiful (Saturday and I don't have to drive in it) we have been going through the calender and mapping out the upcoming summer's activities....ohhhhhhhhhhh can't wait! Until then, I think I'll pour another cup of coffee, crawl back into bed, and read this new book! There is something to be said about forced hibernation! :-)

2011-01-15T09:35:00.002-06:00

today? the blog is about sisterhood.

I have an online bud, Dawn, who has a very populular, humorous blog...the Erma Bombeck of our generation, that has spun off to 2 books! WTG DAWN!

She started with telling us how she ebayed off a set of pokemon cards one of the kids had snuck into the groceries, despite being told "no" ...that was years ago. She has 6 kids, and much like Renee, her blogs are witty and hysterical, but still reflect the goings on in a house full of kids!

So, last year, Dawn's hubby up and leaves...and with that act, leaves a path of destruction....we know about it, but still she continues on, writing and making us laugh. We know she's going thru the BS all of us that have been left holding the 'divorce' bag have gone thru...but she maintains her humor. ....until last month. Ex-Hubby got fired, there is no insurance, there is no child support, and he really just doesn't care.

So, she came to her blog, informed her decade of loyal readers of the circumstance, aplogised to us for hanging it up, but she had to focus on something that would make money. The blog did not do that.

Last week? her publicist hijacked the blogsite. She couldn't sit by any longer and watch as Dawn struggled so hard. She asked that we 1) pray 2) buy the books or 3) contribute via paypal.

this morning i am pleased to see the contributions nearing 12 grand. Am anxious to go see on the NY Times best seller where the books are, and WAS a little ticked that a NY Times blogger opted to use Dawn's story as some sort of voo-doo mommy bloggers jinx headline....but even that is giving more attention to the situation, so I'm trying to bite my tongue on that one.

The link to the paypal giving is up top on this blog....I am donating this update to Dawn, because someone (or two) gave us a hand when we were down. I know the kids will be fine if she can keep up with the medical expenses, and i don't want her worrying herself sick in the meantime.

so if you can...Pray....go buy her books....or donate ....because girls....we need to stick together. If we did a better job of it? we would be running the country.

go to amazon.com and punch in her name: Dawn Meehan, and her two books will pop up.

And if i haven't said it enough....Thank you...and SAHMs ROCK!

I have no spoons, and my toothbrush is hairy

2011-01-03T11:25:00.004-06:00

Translation? I have the grandbabies here. My son and his wonderwoman, Allyson, are in Vegas having a dream wedding with their BFFs.... He won't ever forget his anniversary...it happened on 1-1-11!

Congrats Mr & Mrs Gabe Browning! I am so very proud of both of you...Both college graduates WHILE working and raising children. They've planned for this day for a long time. *beam*

Now...about these babies......WTH??? Were my angelic children EVER like this? Or could it be that my last experience with a baby had to do with molly kate, who was pretty easy breezy (God's gift to the parents of children with special needs) and over a decade ago....but Holee Molee...running after a little fireball LIVING the terrible twos...almost wore me OUT! :-)

Aubrey Jo, 2 years, is borderline genius....and that spells TROUBLE! I've caught her balancing on the back of a toilet (Aubrey has to go potty, mom-mom) on top of a bar stool getting into the crystal cupboard (Aubrey needs a drink, mom-mom) and choking the cat. (Aubrey likes to pet kitties, mom-mom!) She is a ball of fire who won't even sit to eat, but rather would run to the table, grab a mouthful, and then run back to whatever room her and molly are currently destroying. She has a very advanced vocabulary, which is hilarious, and don't tell her, but her mouth runs non-stop, & when she's not making up stories as to WHY she was choking the cat....she sings everything she's doing, which makes it easy to be one step ahead of her..."I'm washing the toilet with mom-moms toothbrussshhhhhhh ...tingle bells, tingle bells"

Aubrey would occasionally get upset that her parents weren't here...but as soon as i said wedding???? She would forget all about them and take off with her own wedding plans:

Zoey Grace, 8 months old, is a dream (she's also beating my arm as i attempted the above video)...she has been nicknamed "Rumba" after that little robotic vacuum ....despite mom-mom's attempt of having a spotless floor, she speed demons around on all fours, and finds stuff i didn't know existed that low, promptly popping it into her little mouth. If you come at her with an extended index finger, she will clamp down her gums and start to scream. :-) She can also maneuver said item with her little tongue, so that is impossible to find! Next time? I will own one of those dentist suction devices!

Our first outing involved the Walmart store, and a few hundred dollars worth of toys to entertain them....a belated Christmas. The ONLY toy they've played with are legos....and there is a trail of those big legos leading from room to room...I've picked them up a million times, but there they are again...follow the yellow,red,blue,green brick road! They really hurt at 4am, when you are staggering to the kitchen to fix a bottle....

Baby is also unimpressed with the selection of developmental toys at her disposal, preferring instead more technology based items...ie, the surround sound (she can make it sing and remove dvds) the remotes (can change channels & shut off the satellite) but the most favorite is my android phone.... Now, i have old remotes AND cell phones, but she will have nothing to do with them.....and my apologies to all the phone calls from my house with just heavy breathing happening...i swear IT WASN'T ME!!

Zoey Grace is on the verge of walking, she's cruising around tables, and standing independently, but cannot seem to get those pesky toes to cooperate.

BABY FEET!!

The one thing that she carries constantly is a straw...it seems to improve her balance, so i finally gave in, cut one in 1/2...and she does well with it. (i should have never gone to walmart...who knew?)

The one toy we haven't opened yet is...the whack-a-mole...for obvious reasons.

Larry's 18yr old Kelsi was here this time also, and the kids adore her, so I did have some back-up, but not enough.

I think a 2 to 1 ratio would be better. ...that would be one to watch them, and one to walk around with the vacuum hose, swinging it back and forth like a yardman uses the weed eater.

I so need a new camera...just have to make the time to do it! Ugh! So this one is blurry, but 'standin up girl' is at it again! (and the wagon of eternal legos) I think the blur is happening because I don't give it time to focus, trying to catch her totally upright...Maybe a small digital, with fast speed for the quick shots!

Off to finish bleaching the floors....the new married couple will be here soon to claim their babies.....UPDATE!! they're here!! and what i DIDN'T know was that little miss "standin up girl" has not shown this trick to her PARENTS! I thought Ally was going to CRY!

I'm thinkin it's because we can run around in diapers at Gramma NoNo's...Papa Larry keeps the temp pretty warm there...cuz she did it all week! If she wasn't holding the straw? She would flap her hands.

The sarge made me call them tonight and tell them about her independent step...Baby adores "Papa Larry" and would start waving everytime he entered a room. He's telling me that she also stepped from the coffee table to him (one step) without dropping first. Maybe she is ready....hmmmmmmmmmm

Crunch Berries are best served ala floor. Had to move the dogs outside and went thru a bottle of bleach...ICKY ZOEY!! NO NO NO!! She also is moving her head in the "no no" way....especially when she sees me. I am Gramma NoNo!

The cats stuck around and were ok with the little ones, unless they were choked, or someone squealed...they definitely do NOT like baby hollers!

Mostly? They just hid:

The Black Spot? is a black kitty thinking if he snuggles amidst more wrapping paper, no one

will see him!!

My apologies to school, who called this morning (glad they could get thru for some reason it's been ringing busy all week) to remind me that school started today. EEK! I felt pretty bad about Molly missing it, but the Sarge eased my angst by reminding me that molly would have never gone with her nieces here....so true, so true. I love that THEY love and accept her for exactly who she is...their "Aunt Molly" I so pray that they never outgrow her...right now everything is PERFECT!

Oh! Happy New Year!

Karma

2010-11-28T16:07:00.004-06:00

Wednesday morning, i got a call from sister Patty. ..I worked late (10am) and had just finished getting Molly ready for school.

My mom, had been taken to an ER for SOB (shortness of breath) and weakness 3 days prior. She just needed a couple of pints of blood, and was fine. Dr wanted to do an endoscope, just to make sure there wasn't a stomach bleed, as she was wayyyyyyyyyy anemic and he wanted to find out what caused it.

The anesthetic for the endo, caused mom to crash...she was in ICU, on a respirator, and when I asked patty where her fear factor was (our method) she said "10" and started booking a flight on the other phone.

God Bless the sarge, when he heard me ask "Is she still breathing?" he scooped up molly, ran her to school, and filled up the Tahoe. By the time he got back i had a carry-on packed, had called work, and ticket was purchased (side note, to charter a plane is $1200.00/hr w/ a 3 hr minimum...didn't ask about the jet that was offered) I decided that commercial was the way to go.

I guess i look pretty bad...didn't bother with the hair or makeup..just made a beeline for Spg..which is an hour and a half away. I was pulled out of the security line, asked to place my palms out, and ordered DON'T MOVE until I've been given the "thumbs up". They take the swipe, run it through a machine, and then give me the sign..I try to explain to them that I'm flying for a medical emergency, and am assured the checks are random. (yea right-remember, fix your hair before entering an airport)

So...on the plane i start looking around, and see the whole plane is full of grown ups with special needs. There is a company called "Sundown", and they arrange for group tours and chaperons for excursions.. Turns out, this group has been to Branson, and are heading back to Colo Spgs, like me. I settle in, and know that my karma is in place.

I chat with the guardian, and she tells me she is from Seattle, and will be flying out of Denver (yep, we all have to change planes at Denver) and the 4 that are sitting closest to me, will travel on to Colo Spgs...sweet.

The second we got at cruising altitude, the man with DS, and his roommate/girlfriend pull out huge, matching sandwiches and start noshing...I put on the new Bose buds i scored at the Katy, Tx mall, and drift off to thoughts of my mama.....when a horrible odor interrupts them...roommate/girlfriend has hurled that "yet to be digested" sandwich 4 rows ahead and 2 across, and is currently in the bathroom (I'm sitting across from it, yay) and won't come out. This has caused much dismay to the line of people who need to whiz (on an hour & a half flight-my new lucky number) and are squirming in the small aisle....not to mention the four rows of passengers who are picking pastrami on rye out of their hair. The kicker is that odor...we're on a plane...we can't open a window...so it just gets evenly dispensed so that the passengers in first class can share in our joy. This is truly the Cosmic Calamity that follows me like a dark cloud...I jump to help, but can't wipe the stupid grin off my face...this whole scenario is hysterical.

For some reason, we're delayed getting into Denver..i just need to check with sister patty, make sure mom is still alive and bolt for the gate. We land at gate 38, our connection is at gate 90, and chaperon asks me to hold the plane for my new friends, as she knows they cannot sprint the 50 gate marathon. I get there TWO FRIGGIN MINUTES after the connection has left, and am given boarding passes for a flight that leaves in .......an hour and a 1/2.

I call Patty and tell her the struggle I'm having to get off the sticks, about my delay, and that I'm heading outside for air (God Please fresh Air!) and to do the nasty (really a burden cuz this means another trip thru security) She gives me news i didn't know existed anymore! DIA has a smoking bar! YAY! It's at gate 38! BOO! The 50 gate marathon begins again, and I sniff my way to the bar.

I walk out a little wobbly as I decide while smoking, I should self-medicate (beefeater martini's) and remain calm for the next leg of the trip...a whopping 15 minutes....plus i don't want to walk into ICU and start beating up doctors who were TOLD that mom crashes with the big meds....they SWEAR, they just used a little bit of versed~Not that it's in my plan, but panic and me do not mix well...i HAVE to remain calm! It's a long walk back...and at one point I'm standing in front of a gate leaving for DuBai and seriously consider it.

Get back to almost gate 88 of 90, and am hit in the chest by a freight train who proceeds to wrap around me...wth? It's now-stinky roommate/girlfriend!! It seems, that even though there was a 1 & 1/2 hour delay, chaperon still went to catch her flight, and left these poor souls sitting at the gate! THEY WERE SCARED! Lord, I never thought to check on them, and NEVER thought they would be dumped in DIA. I assured them everything was OK & they tell me some "Juanita" is suppose to be picking them up. They don't know her last name, but do tell me the name of the community they live at...I look it up and call, but get an answering machine...it's after 7pm in Colorado. This is NOT GOOD! I have someone else to focus my panic-rage on...maybe.

We finally get to board, and i ask for their passes...they are positioned all over the plane. We get to board first (membership has it's privileges) and they stop when i crawl into the window seat on row 7. "hell, just sit here with me" and we promptly fill the row across both sides of the aisle. As people stop..look at the four us (remember, I am a WRECK) and say "I'M in 7B", I just hand them a different boarding pass and say, "Nope, now you're in 23C" No one argued, again, it's hysterical....the fear that jumps from ignorance.... Always amazing and funny to me.

We finally made it to the Springs, and sure enough there was a frazzled, young woman waiting. Anita and I had a chat about cell phones and contact numbers needed for these excursions...and I left my new, stinky friends with her *whew* and went to find my ride. Poor cousin Michele must have been driving for hours around that airport.

Enter...the ICU

The hospital has a hard time being too scary, it's 2 years old. I was amazed all all the innovations that were being used. Mom's blood pressure was monitored in a vein...no cuff. The other thing that stood out, was how quiet it was. There were no beepers and bells ringing 24/7...which can confuse elderly patients. A wonderfully electric shade made sure we had a bright view of the mountains in the morning, and it was dark at night..keeping everyone well-grounded. It also only served meals by call (no racks of trays coming up...you eat when you feel like it, and all orders are made to specs) and *drum roll* had a STARBUCKS downstairs, and only served SB coffee everywhere!

(Hospital lobby with view of Pikes Peak)

Fast forward 3 days, the vent comes off of mom and all my sibs make it to her bedside. My dad is...well, not reacting to things the way i would (edit/erase/rephrase) but it's not something we have to worry about too much, because my Uncle Bob never leaves us, and is handling Dad. Everyone reacts to panic situations differently i suppose...and Thank God for Uncle Bob, he was a Godsend and a rock.

(Uncle Bob and Aunt Ursula)

The Respiratory Therapists were pretty funny, asking me about my CPAP...guess my snoring was quite the topic! With the exception of that bit of teasing and humor, it was terrifying being up there in ICU...in 12 hours i watched 2 different families lose loved ones...one 55 yr old dad, and one 21 yr old daughter. There is no escaping the sounds and the sights of the grim reaper...and I couldn't wait to be out of there. (Blessings on those families) They let me stay with mom every night, in a very uncomfortable chair...which was fine with me, there would be no reaper visiting our room, not on my watch.

Interesting side note...she had to be kept under while on the respirator, but not on any usual downer meds.(SHE CAN'T TAKE THEM!!) and i asked about the milky white drip hanging with her other IVs...i recognize names like Levaquin and Bactrim....but not the 3rd one.

Nurse Ratchet said "Proponal"...and I'm all "oooooh, that's the Michael Jackson Juice!" She did not find that at all amuzing at all and was not impressed that I knew that..just said it was an anesthetic, they did not call it that, and it was only used for special cases, and only while people were on respirators. Then she winked and said "We call it Milk of Amnesia"

Interesting because of the speed in which it dissipates from the system. It's magic..if we needed to have responses from mom, or do a breathing test, they would just turn the dial down from 10 to 5, and immediately her eyes would pop open. They would leave her up just long enough to satisfy whatever question they had, and as soon as she started to fight the vent, would turn the knob back up to "10" and out she went. They told me she would never remember being on the vent. Amazing stuff....and made me angrier at Michael's doctor.

Terror, humor, and family connection...sounds weird...it was, seriously...we call it "Bizzaro World" but I soaked it up, anyway... Got to run to Patty's house one night, wash the clothes i had been wearing for 2 days, grab a shower, and meet the herd of grand-nieces and nephews...they were amazing. Ages 16 to 2 yrs..Patty's house stays like grand central station. There wasn't an empty sleeping-couch while Mom was critical...all the little ones were there, all the parents took care of each other's kids, so that one couple could always be at the hospital. My sister Jeri and her hubby Carl were staying there, as well as Alyssa, Patty's daughter, who flew in from Texas. She is just like my shauna, immediately went grocery shopping, and kept everyone fed.

Operating like a well-oiled machine, i don't remember seeing fights, or hearing any crying. The kids (maybe 10 of them total) were all SO VERY well mannered! Would have never happened that way when we were little....more like my parents prayed that they didn't have to call the fire truck or an ambulance when WE all got together!

It was such a short, wonderful, stressful reunion. At one point the doctor told us that there was a 15% chance that mom would not be able to come off the vent. He wanted to try it, and wanted us to sign documentation regarding whether we wanted her left on it, or not. TERRIFYING!! We opted to wait for my brother Rich, and sister to get there...stoving him off for 12 hours. Turns out, early the next morning with just Patty and I there, the RT nurse said mom would be just fine, and pulled it out! BAM! she was not breathing deep enough, so we opted for the BI-PAP, which is less invasive, and within a couple of hours, she was trying to talk. The respirator left her raspy, and sore. She had a lot of questions, but mostly was scared to death she had fallen and broken something again! As soon as i told her it was just a setback with her lungs (and kidneys) and that she would be up and out quick, she relaxed. Poor thing, how scary would that be?

I didn't tell her at the time that her kidneys were operating at less than 5%, and that the doctors were talking about dialysis. Karma was with us again, as within 12 hours, her little kidneys started working again. There is not much left of them, they say it's caused by unmonitored high blood pressure, but they are up & working and can be cared for with daily meds, and a restricted diet. No more big protein meals for mom.

I told her that my brother was even coming with his 2 boys (from Greeley) and whom I haven't seen since THEY were toddlers, and she looked at me and asked "Am I Dying?" ...so bittersweet.
"No, mom, you're in Colorado...everyone lives here"

Younger generation?? Make sure you are getting home to see your family more than once or twice a decade.

(brother rich and one of his 2 boys, Danny)

(the cutie-patootie grand nieces and nephews)

(Alyssa, me & mom-post vent)

As soon as she moved downstairs, I spent my last night with her. I didn't want to tell her it was time, but I had to get back home. We spent the night watching some Music Awards show, holding hands(my chair is again right next to her bed)and waking every hour to her whispering "do you have to go yet?" *sniff* I think the hardest thing I've ever had to do was leave her. If Molly had been with me, I wouldn't have....the sarge would have had to come pay some kind of ransom & drag us back. Slipped out for a 4am trip back to Denver, and ran for the door with a quick "see you later" holding the tears. I hate goodbyes...just like Molly....it's really difficult when you have just witnessed how fast the Reaper can sneak in. She's in good hands, though, with sister patty, I trust her judgement.

(sister, Pat...on guard in my uncomfortable chair/bed)

Caught a $100 ticket on the way back..was the last seat on the plane (amazing during the holiday rush) and had to transfer at Dallas. Again, a delay, as we had to De-ice (pretty comical since I'm still wearing flip-flops...panic packing never includes shoes) another new experience.

All the way to Dallas the flight attendant is announcing that she has a phone number to re-book, if we miss our connecting flights. I'm not worried, I have a what??? a 1 & 1/2 hour delay between flights. Check my watch, plenty of time....plus we de-plane at C Concourse, and the connecting is at D. So I walk off the plane, find a bathroom, and catch the skycab to Concourse D. Now, when I printed the passes at Denver, I only got one...so I walk up to the ticket counter at an empty gate....I must be really early and actually glad about it, there's a coffee shop right across from the gate, and the way things are looking, it's gonna be the only cup I get for the day. I'm half tempted to stop before going to talk to the scary counter ladies.

I step up, and before I can explain the situation about the missing boarding pass, one barks "What's your name!" "Wilson" "good, get on board!" wow...that's never happened, but, you don't question the TSA anymore, and I do as I'm told.

It dawns on me, as they close the plane-door behind me, that I forgot to change my watch from MST to CST. Holy Cow! I almost missed my flight and didn't even know it! The sarge was picking me up in Spg, and we timed the ticket so that I could get there, and we could get home before Molly got out of school! EEK!!

So, God DOES takes care of children and fools, and my mama, too.

Part II?? too sad to write about.....maybe later. Hey, go hug your moms, and say YES to the reunion that is undoubtedly being prepared. You just never know.......

Mom

2010-11-18T05:23:00.001-06:00

Autumn...the end of a wonderful summer

2010-11-14T10:46:00.004-06:00

Lemme see, last post was returning from Houston, TX, and basking in the warmth of good girl-friendship. We came home to a well managed home (thanks Larry)...molly was fine with my absence (first time) I've noticed the fits have stopped when the kids prepare to leave home, or we leave THEIR homes...I think she' finally figured out that it's really not 'goodbye' ..it's "see you later" A good lesson to learn for both of us! (yes, kids, i do realize i hover...am working on it) :-)

What have we been up to?

I have been big into appreciating my life, my husband and my children...they are all such wonderful people, and I am blessed to have them.

We had a really great Halloween:

Finished the Antenna install, which has made for one really happy husband:

Watched as Molly Kate fell head over heels in love with her newest niece, Zoey Grace:

My little biscuits:

Zoey loves her nanners:

And she's starting to crawl:

And rekindled the love for #1...Aubrey Jo (blurry but you get the gist)

Shauna lost her grandpa that same weekend....

(Pappa Coleman and Dorothy the early years)

We are sad to lose him, but are grateful to have known them, and rejoice that they are reunited in Heaven...this picture of them just blew me away...I know where Gramma's DNA landed...right in miss Shauna.

She attended the funeral, and flew back to NY the same day with Jennie (sis) to run the New York Marathon and crushed it...

We are preparing for a New Year's Eve wedding!

(not THE dress...just one of the try-ons)

(not THE suit, either)

They are the most amazing little family:

Little Bill is in the deer woods..hoping to see him today, with pics of a trophy buck! (as well as other duties that only HE can accomplish)

We had a hard frost this morning...so the day will be spent on visiting

www.pioneerwomancooks.com

making her bread pudding, and practicing with yet another sugar cookie recipe...still on the hunt.

I should have accomplished much more than i did the first two days of the weekend, but have spent them playing with my girl, watching movies, and resting...The Sabbath Day this week will see me trying to squeeze 3 days of house cleaning into one, while listening to the games.

My biggest prayers this month are for molly's teacher, my friend, and the woman who has made school the joy that is for my little miss, Steph. She has been diagnosed with what acts like MS..and is currently working to recover a horrible onset. I would ask that all that have made it this far, stop and send a prayer her way. *sniff*

I thank God daily for this beautiful family i have been Blessed with...and hope that everyone I know feels the same heart surge.

Friendship is Golden

2010-10-10T12:52:00.004-05:00

I'm trying to make summer last as long as possible. Good ole molly is helping with that, as today we are trying to close the pool, and cover it, as the leaves are just starting to turn. We're in what is called "Indian Summer" as we've already had our first frost, but today feels like June....a balmy 80 degrees.

Molly has put away the air pump, which we need to blow up the baffle that goes under the pool cover (to keep the cover from falling and gathering water in the middle) so I'm diverted to go to her room, to find it. I open the door and EEK!! EVERYTHING is out of any toy box, and drawers, and any sort of storage that i have in there...the baffle hangs across the couch while i sort thru this mess. Now i have toys soaking in the bath in bleach water, and am loading up a 30 gal trash bag of expensive, broken developmental toys *sigh* and sorting out a million books. We definitely need to downsize in there! We did get all the Halloween books out, and mommy took a second to read those to her. Part of the Autism, we have to prepare for Halloween, or there is total melt-downs when it comes time to dress up. We also are preferred customers at amazon as we purchase many seasonal dvd's from her favorite people...Little Bear, Sponge Bob, Maisy, and Dora.

So in the middle of all of this, i notice that the poor blog has also been neglected, and i sit here, taking a break, having a cup of coffee, updating, and betting the pool does not get covered today...ugh.

This year school has been amazing. She is now in the 4th grade, which is downstairs with the big kids, and involves switching classes throughout the day. Transition is not her strong suit, and all of us worried about it, but she really has been thriving! She is excited to go in the morning, and the ratio of good days to bad is AMAZING!! Shout outs and love to all her teachers that are making this a stellar year! She is also very much a tween, and we're having to get her up a little earlier everyday...as there is always arguments about what shirt she is going to wear. I am almost glad that she only will wear fleece pants (sensory issues) as she takes FOREVER to pick out what top she is going to wear.

Mommy got to take her annual weekend off, and flew to meet up with her bestest buds. There were 8 of us (all with kids with special needs) and as a bonus, Shauna flew in (had work in Houston) and her and my neice, Alyssa, who is the same age as Shauna, tagged along to see how moms who rarely get a day off, let alone a whole weekend, let their hair down.

I love you guys immensley, and work all year for the precious time that we have together. Thank you for being there!

This year's get-together was hosted by Brandi, and man, can those Texans throw a football party! Friends of friends and new friends to us gave us a big ole southern welcome, put on a huge pot of gumbo, and enjoyed football like I've never witnessed before. Our most humble thanks to all of you for your hospitality.

Even the puppies were decked out!! too funny!

Larry's been working hard to realize a 10 yr old goal, which is to erect an antenna that will enable him to again contest world wide. We are one week and a crane rental away from making that dream a reality. He has wonderful friends that have come over and worked for DAYS to accomplish this.

So this week the main focus is the Appreciation of Friendship. From school buds and teachers , to local guys who'll give up their own weekends to help, to girlfriends across the country whom i depend on to maintain balance and sanity....THANK YOU! Words cannot express our gratitude and fondness for you. Blessings to you and yours.

Where were you?

2010-09-12T11:20:00.004-05:00

I was pretty upset to find the only programming on a Saturday night devoted to 9/11 to be "Reign on Me" ...Adam Sandler's finest work, he embodies the chaos and depression that followed the tragedy that touched EVERYONE in this country 9 years ago. He lives how we want to live...buried in our own worlds and pushing those memories away....far away.

Nothing? Not one other program or documentary?

Because it happened to fall on a weekend this year, do we not have to remember?

Is it just too depressing for television to replay?

I wonder how long it will be when 9/11 has the same questioning looks from the young, as D-Day has to my children today.

I was getting ready for work, sitting at my vanity in our old farmhouse, with the news running on the television- sound muted. The boys were still at home and prepping for highschool, molly was an infant cooing on the bed and shauna was in Spg in college. It was a typical weekday morning.

I saw the hole in the first tower and stopped to turn the sound on....then i yelled for Larry to come see this! On my bedroom TV screen, it seemed a small plane had lost it's bearing and clipped a skyscraper in NYC.

Just as i started to call again, "Larry! come and look at this!"...the 2nd plane hit. I don't remember what sound came out of my throat, but i did turn to see all my men trying to get through my bedroom door simultaneously....a comical sight so out of place with the bile that was beginning to rise in my throat. "This can NOT be happening" We continued to watch, but also continued on with our day's preparation...this was NYC...this has to be a stunt.

On the drive into work, I heard about the Pentagon and started to panic ...up to this time, i still thought this was something else...my mind could not comprehend the magnitude of this assault.

As i walked into work, i met our loss/prevention guy, and told about the Pentagon. He did not acknowledge that i had spoken, just pivoted and started running....again....i am so confused watching this action.... like I'm watching from the rafters....it's just so surreal.

Continued into the Pharmacy and repeated the news...we had no information lifeline in our sealed off piece of the world, PDA's were not common then...and my co-workers were clamoring for the latest news...could this really happening??

I remember watching the face of one my Pharmacists draining of all color...he fell silent amidst the din of our conversations...Larry called to tell me about the rumor of the Boston flight......yes, it started out as a rumor....it has to be someone's over-reaction to a separate incident. Shauna also had called...in my stupor, I forgot that my step-daughter, Jennie, had moved to Manhattan.....there was no phone service in or out...this news started to let the terror loose in my heart...Jennie was in NYC.

I took a break, and ran to the Cell Phone dealer across from us in the parking lot...always finding it odd that they sold cell phones and big screen TVs there (big screens were new to the ozarks then) but was thankful for it today. I wasn't the only one drawn to this business....it was packed with a silent crowd gathered around the main display. I don't remember anyone speaking ....people just walked in and stopped dead in their tracks watching as the towers fell...again and again and again.

What seemed like hours later, that one Pharmacist..... a young, quiet, humorous man, got a phone call...and he animated for the first time by putting his face in his hands...was he crying? I did not know his brother worked at the Pentagon...I can't remember him mentioning it before..... his mom had called and relayed the news that brother had been late to work that day...he was safe, and the first of us left for the day.

Shauna also called to tell me Jennie was safe...she had heard from their brother.

I stayed the day at work...a testament to the disbelief.....and wish i could have stayed in that state of denial forever. Maybe that's why there was no programming last night....maybe we all want to stay in that deep denial.

I see the unresolved pain still today...I don't think the current debate has as much to do with the whole "Mosque" building on ground zero..I think it's all the pain and hate of that one horrible day, still reverberating 9 years later....Fresh as day one in the city that took the hit, and heartbreaking to the rest of the world that surrounds that city....it comes out as anger tinged with Hate.

Like the parents that suffered the loss of their babies in that tower daycare, we continue to trudge along, trying to bury the pain and continue our lives...only to have that grief resurface and explode at any given moment with the original fury of that day.

this week I remember....and wish you peace.

My Weekend in St Louis!

2010-09-06T17:23:00.003-05:00

2010-9 StL

This week? My pictures will do the talking..

just click on the above photo to come to St Louis with us!

almost Sept...summer came & went in one week!

2010-08-29T11:12:00.005-05:00

??? already?? no WAY!! School is in session, we are already into a routine with it, and I'm dragging my feet! I love summer, and probably need to move to where it happens all year long.

This week was a little crazy....working hard, and running hard, and getting back to school...I'm forcing myself to put down some thoughts here, before they're all forgotten, it's been THAT kind of busy!

Ran to the airport Friday to pick up my eldest sister...Patty is driving mom and dad to her home in Colo Spgs...we had a short but great visit as I worked Saturday, which turned out to be a good thing, as I'm not good with goodbyes. Molly handled it well, but I'm not sure she understands they'll all be gone for awhile. *sniff* Prayers for my mom as she continues her path to full recovery, I'm gonna miss her something fierce!

Today is my only day off till the holiday weekend, and I'm putting my house back together...we lost a pool pump, the glass to my stove, and the A/C in ONE WEEK!! We're still in a drought outside, but inside my house?? it's POURING!! everything is fixed now except my poor checkbook...which has taken a monumental hit...so I can't gripe about all the extra work hours....I think I'll be paying off Disney until Christmas, and am on a self-imposed spending ban until that day is reached. (which really sux cuz reallllllyyy i want an Ipad!!!)

Gabe passed his background check and is now a licenced bail-bondsman with brother Bill, while also being a full time college student, husband, and daddy. Him and Ally will be getting married in a private ceremony in Vegas on New Years! CONGRATS KIDS!! I am so proud of the man he became...worried about him in his teenage years as he struggled with "being a Miller" but in living up to the genepool, he's thisssssss close to reaching all his goals. Our Ally, his fiance, is an amazing woman in her own right...And I am so proud & happy to have her as my daughter-in-law.

Little Bill slipped home for a visit, and as usual i stocked up the cupboards and fridge only to find out that both the boys are now living healthy...gabe's down 25 pounds, and Bill? 10-15! He didn't eat anything i bought, opting for the watermelon, salads, and broiled fish! I need to get on this bandwagon! He continues to be my amazing son, the man with the plan. I whined that he needed to live closer, and he calmly looked at me and said "2 years, mom". The man with the plan, who sticks to it no matter what. I want to be just like him when i grow up!

Shauna, who's been finishing up a big case at work in DC, took the weekend to visit with some girlfriends and her sis, Jennie, in Jamaica! She's just getting home....and we're hoping that the weekend Glen Beck fiasco in the district isn't messing with her inbound flight too bad. I think we're going to get together the end of next month...so I'm giddy with anticipation over that!

and molly....my beautiful molly...is SO loving being back to school with all of her teachers and friends. She regaining more words everyday...and although she doesn't say bad ones, will admonish her father if he slips (Cardinal pitching), which lets me know she is AWARE of the bad words! It's too funny to watch her hands on her hips, and her low voice saying "dadddddddddddy" in that tone that means he's in trouble.

She was so animated at Disney! and LOVED the scary rides!! My beautiful girl....

and this? this is 13 seconds after we walked from the airport to the long-distance parking. :-)

ALSO? A big shout out to all the readers that nominated me for the medical transcription blogging award!! I was so surprised and happy to add it! THANK YOU!!

The Blessed Summer is coming to an end..sniff

2010-08-14T09:33:00.005-05:00

Summer is flying by at warp speed. Haven't even got a chance to tell yall how fabulous Disney World was! (next time it'll happen in October, though)

(that's brandi's cody from Texas, who met us at the Magic Kingdom)

I've taken a couple of vacations in this last six weeks, because that's when molly kate is flying without a net (no school or therapies) poor daddy (ex-detective) still needs a little back-up when it comes to a bored child. She was good for a couple of weeks, but then? Started getting up and getting ready with me as i prepped for work, grabbed her backpack and then sat at the picture window sobbing as i left. *sigh*

This past week, thought about a quick juant to DC, but Shauna was just finishing up a big case (18 hr days, 7 days/wk), and
I thought I would be a distraction. She just turned all the work in, and flew to New Orleans with the doctor/friend for a little respite herself. (but fishing? really?)

Gabe and Ally were jonesin' for some baby help as both had big work details so I turned my attention to snatching up granddaughters, and partying with them for the week before school starts for molly....so off to Springfield we go! (and the sarge didn't understand why I insisted on the 7 passenger Tahoe)

Zoey Grace is ADORRRRRABLLLLEEEE!!!

Zoey Grace is 4-5 months old, spoiled rotten & well deserving of it and totally in love with?? The Sarge!! grrrrrrrrrrrrrr I mean, yea, you want your g-babies to love ...but???well??? ...she's a needy litttle thing, likes to be held all waking hours, still gets up once a night (about 4am) to tank a bottle....you would think MOM-MOM would be her hero. Nope, the sarge walks in, and she SHINES and SQUEALS!!

Zoey also is adorned with the constant attention of a doting aunt, who, unable to say her Z's has been super-frustrated at not being able to pronounce her name. She calls her Bayyyybeeeee -------- weird noise --------

Aubrey Jo is 2, and wayyy too smart for her britches. Nothing is left unexplored, untried, and untasted. I collapse when she's nods off, but she is sweet as southern sugared tea, and knows how to work mom-mom jusssssssst so! She is also way hillarious with her 7 year old vocabulary, in her super tiny body, which is confusing because she eats constantly...notice how mommy and daddy's pic is there for breakfast! (she's only asked for them once, at naptime)

I'll leave you with pics, and Aubrey-isms:

"Aubrey Jo!! don't be stinky! Play nice, we really like nice girls!"

(her sniffling) "But Aubrey Jo IS stinky...Aubrey Jo has stinky feet"

those don't look stinky to me, but covered in popsicle drippings
*****************************************************************
I haz a BOOOOOGERRR!!! HELP!! (she can operate each nostril seperately)

*****************************************************************
"Zoey plays wif with Molly Cake"

"Aubrey Jo is playing with Alyce the Grape (we call my mom Alyce the Great)

when the UPS/Mail/Fed Ex guys show up:
"Pizzaaaaaaaaaaaa is here!!"

A million bucks? Not necessary...but this week? I wish would last forever.

July? Already?

2010-07-11T18:27:00.003-05:00

One common thing you'll find in my blog titles...the absolute disbelief that life slips by so FAST!! I see I went from yearning for summer, to 1/2 way through it in record time this year! We try to be in the pool daily, no matter what is going on, and outside all evening...probably the excuse for no blogging. We had a 6 week drought...and as of this minute, the rain is pelting down on round 2....round 1 netted us one inch, but i don't know how they measure side-ways rain. We are now prepping for round 3, which has been upgraded to a sever thunderstorm warning....we'll let you know about that.

We really needed it, but am so glad it held off for today. Yesterday we drove up to Springfield for the 3rd annual "Step up for Down Syndrome" Buddy Walk. It was fun and especially exciting for molly who got to be with her brothers and neices, and we did raise the money! THANK YOU to all that donated!

First? We met for breakfast at Bill's favorite place, Aunt Martha's. The waitresses always give us the eye there, like we're going to order $100 worth of food and walk away.

then we went to the park...well we PARKED at the ball field, and it was a long walk in very hot weather, but everyone did well...wearing a "molly's mob" hat was a treat for Aubrey Jo.

then onto the arena football field for the registration and entertainment. They had a nice set up, INDOORS with jump houses from Jumpmania, and even a gymnastics section, where the girls spent the bulk of their time

that is AFTER we forcibly removed them from the ball pit.

Aubrey and Molly both got "cat" faces painted on. It was tough to talk molly into it, but aided by brother Gabe and a mirror, she sat long enough to do it...and was PLEASED!! we could tell by the way she kept saying the way she talks about Lucifer. "cat cat CAT!" :-)

We met up with some old friends that had moved from west plains...evidently, it is ok to dance when you are surrounded by friends and neice! The kiddo next to her here, stayed as close as he could to molly thoughout the dancing, and she acted like she didn't know he was there! Missed opportunities girl!

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

I liked this shot...it appears that her boyfriend wannabe is pretty frustrated with her ignoring him!

We then prepared (lined up like cattle in a chute) for the infield walk...it really makes you understand the amount of people that came to celebrate these beautiful children:

We only stayed for 1/2 of the ball game...it was double header day and the first game ran long so 1/2 of the game equaled 8 pm, and we still had to drive home. I could tell how hot molly was by the way she devoured a cherry sno cone....every bite!
Everyone else grabbed great hotdogs, with all the condiments you could imagine, huh, bill!

(yea, you knew that pic would end up here!)

I was impressed that the lime shirts took up more than two sections of the baseball stands.

And really impressed that the "musical chairs" game included our children! They had a ball!

And now we're home! We were glad to see that mom and dad survived being on their own for the day, as we are prepping to take off for Orlando and the National Down Syndrome Congress Annual Convention! It's a HUGE event, and we'll be meeting up with bunches of our online friends, as well as thousands of other parents! Time to make more friends!

So tune in next week, where i'm sure Molly Kate will be introducing yall to MICKEY!

a FUN FUN WEEK!

2010-06-13T18:40:00.003-05:00

Little Bill is still in Florida...and today he SKY DIVED! Have a vid posted on my facebook page of it...it's amazing! He also para-sailed and went to see the dolphins...all this week! We are just PUMPED for him...that video is amazing, i'll try to snatch it from them and upload it here..but haven't figured out how to do that yet!

Molly and summer school this year? A match made in Heaven! She's excited about getting up uber-early...is at the car before I'm ready and SKIPS into school! I don't know what changed this year, but I'm greatful for it!

She's making a bird feeder for Father's Day at one of their outings!

This weekend we had the little girls home! YAY! Baby is amazing...she's pulled the italian side of Ally's family and has the most beautiful olive-toned skin. She's all about smiling at 10 weeks old, loves her mom-mom....but (as always) seems to love papa Larry more! I don't know what it is in him that just slays the babies, but there is one always attached to him, and one vying for that position. He eats it up.

he got her to smile big!

She sleeps just like her daddy used to:

she always wakes up smiling!

Aubrey Adored the trampoline!

but who knew she was so scared of thunder?

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

molly kate has the best back yard in the WORLD!!

Aubrey Jo was fitted into a "little too big" floatie, and was a little tentative about mom-mom's HUGE pool! We swam for a bit and got used to it, and then came in to wait for her mom (ally) to get here. The second time we went out? she was twisting and turning and telling me to 'LET GO!' She now dog paddles all over like she's been doing it for years. That child just turned 2, has a vocab bigger than most 5 year olds, and knows EVERYTHING!! She's exactly the way gabe was at that age.....Good Luck with that! :-)

Great Gramma was home, too, and FINALLY got to meet the baby! We were heading that way when she fell...so it's been a long time in coming! She should be home for good in the next few weeks! YAY MOM!!

Ok...now it's time to start the work week again....*sigh* I LOVE the weekends when they are as fun as this!

Crazy Week

2010-06-06T09:43:00.004-05:00

Transistion weeks in a house where ASD lives, are always an experience....but so far this time, it's been ok.

Molly was out of school for a week, and then summer school started! YAY! There were rumors that it was not happening this year, due to state budget cuts, and 1/2 the rural schools here opted NOT to have summer school, but thankfully ours did WITH field trips AND meals!(2 other things we thought would be eliminated) Molly is going to meet with an ABA (applied behavior) expert on Mondays at summer school, as well as continue with speech. For her? one week off is plenty and this mom would gladly vote for year round school. Kid's brains need to keep learning while they're growing! It should at LEAST be an option...for ALL kids, not just kid's like molly. Maybe one day Education will take the priority in the state budget it should.

Molly loves the routine, and i saw the immediate confusion on her face as we waited for her teacher to arrive....her homeroom classroom, was closed and dark and locked. Surprisingly enough *sniff-she's growing up* she seems to be comfy with the fact that this is still school, just different. (maybe she is remembering?)and so far, here have been no problems!! Go Molly! Kelsi would come to pick up this week with Dad, and that just MADE MOLLY'S DAY! She loves her sibs!

Mom has been given a time frame of 2 weeks till home! She's coming home now on the weekends...and the only problem i can see is her lack of patience. It's weird...she has no idea of how much progress she has made, she only sees whats happening right now, and she does NOT LIKE IT AT ALL!! All that needs to happen is her "bad leg" needs to strengthen and that's going to take time and work. Looks like the "patience" gene that is missing in my DNA, comes right from her!

Kelsi came to stay for a week...she's going to be a Senior this year, and spent the majority of her time here "skyping" with her boyfriend who was in Alabama doing some of his own visitation! We shared some laughs, and had some talks and it was all good.(all but the fact that she would not come with me to see the opening of Sex and the City II) I can't believe we're making college plans again.

(lmao-laptop bag, ipod & speakers, camera, cell phone, check-digital girl is on her way!)

Bill is in Florida with Angela and her Brother & wife...had two weeks planned in the Keys, but opted for the Atlantic side due to the threat of BP spoiling the beautiful beaches they so look forward to visiting all year. My heart breaks for the businesses down there that are suffering from EVERYONE making changes to their vacations to bypass the oil spill...as well as for the wildlife. Sad Sad situation.

Gabe and Ally are preparing to celebrate Aubrey Jo's 2nd Birthday!! (June 7th) Gabe is travelling to Arkansas Thurs-Sun and working with Little Bill (or covering for him)and brother Josh in the Bail Bonding Business...I try not to think about it too much....I've already witness what happened with those boys when they were little with slingshots...and now they are "Tazer" certified! EEK!

Shauna stepped up the whole marathon business by running in the Northface Endurance Challenge!

http://www2.thenorthface.com/endurancechallenge/races/2010/dc/index.html

That's a 50K or 30.07 miles of mountainous terrain...and she did FABULOUSLY! Another scary habit for my kids, as she watched one girl fall off the trail, toppling down and suffering a compound fracture of the shin. The alternative would be falling off the trail and ending up in the Potomic! EEK! She loved it so much, was giddy when she called, and ended up 3rd in her age group,cutting MORE than a minute off her usual pace time! AMAZING!! I use that word alot to describe Shauna...

That's the update for this week, I'm off to redo the bedroom (strip and shampoo carpets) ugh...there is ALWAYS some project needing to be done that I'm behind on...it's such a glorious life i lead....but it's not as hard as the sarge, who has to try to mow with a nekked girl (ok she put her shoes on) and 2 german sheps helping!

We are looking forward to the trifecta in birthdays this month (aubrey 6/7, Bill 6/11and Molly 6/22) and next month? A 5 star Disney resort in Orlando for the National Down Syndrome Congress Convention! Gonna meet up with some families there I've MISSED SO MUCH!! can't wait!!

what happened to my vaca??

2010-05-30T09:51:00.004-05:00

I've been off this week, just staying at home and getting my act together. Molly has been right by my side, tearing my act apart. Im gonna call it a push.

the shirt is out of the "winter" bin, the pants out of the "too small" bin & add daddy's prized "champion boat" hat to complete the look.

and we had to accessorize! This came out of the "Halloween" bin!

My poor yard, which was totally redone last season, is showing the wear & tear of two big dogs...so Pruett Home Improvement is on their way to fix it by re-doing the deck and hang gutters! ( i KNOW...the sarge didn't understand either) They also will redo all the entry ways to make it easy for mom to enter the house AND the pool! Did I mention I'm married to the most wonderful man in the whole wide world?

I did get to Spg to visit w/ my bebes. Zoey is growing by the second, and can hold her head up and focus intently on my face, as well as jerk around to see what dog just walked by, or where mama's voice is coming from! She is also starting to smile! SHE'S SO ADORABLE!!

Aubrey Jo's vocab has now surpassed mine. She runs the i-phone, looks up her flash cards, and i think she's working on the grade 12 set! They told me it's also causing trouble. Daddy was admonishing her one day, and when he got to "3" on the countdown Aubrey just turned around, dropped her pants, and said "Smack it! Just Smack it!" hahahahahahah. She can also just drop her pants because she is no longer in pull-ups! YAY AUBREY! She continues to idolize her Aunt Molly. :-)

Mom has been a roller coaster ride, we're glad to say we're off of. She crashed one more time to the point i was arguing with the ER doc about putting her on a vent! EEK!! A new doc came on duty about 5am, and LISTENED to me...(Thank you, Lord) and we tried the Bi-Pap machine (strap-on face mask that blows O2) and her numbers came back into line with every 1/2 hour blood-gasses draw! She was diagnosed with "carbon dioxide" poisoning, occuring because her breathing was so shallow. Those pesky lungs are still bugging us, and she remains on O2. I'm thinking she inherited Gramma LuJon's lungs *sigh* As SOON as her levels were back in line?...she bounced right back. There have been more than a few Miracle Days along this ordeal.

She came home for an all day visit with us yesterday, making Memorial Day a day to remember...and I know we're very close to her coming home permanately. I want to go get her again today, as they do no PT in rehab on weekends, and i saw first hand her improvement throughout the day as she moved around. I don't want her being idle all day and 'stoving up'.

She's being very impatient with her recovery, and i detected a little depression. I told her this is part of the post-major surgery blues, perfectly normal, and to keep working....which would be another reason I want to go get her again. Rehab doesn't have a problem with it at all....but mom was hesitant.

We finished off the regular school year last week, including 3rd grade pet day!! Molly was pretty "ho hum" about it i thought, until teacher described to me the way her face lit up when she saw mom&dad and the matching set of German Sheps! Too much fun with a goose, and a donkey being brought in to round out the dogs and cats!

Her teacher that we LOVE LOVE LOVE!! Ms Stephanie (Wit-Wee) and Steph's daughter Kendall with their Oversized Weiner Dog! :-)

Got a new desktop computer, so spent the bulk of my time with that headache, (which translates into I'm locked out of my bank acct until tuesday) and since none of my peripherals would fit it, had to buy a new printer, too! SPENDING SPREE! (yep, ally and me snuck away to Target and Best Buy, and got pedi's while i was i Spg) To sum up? I think larry AND the bank account are both going to be very happy to see my vacation end

now? prepping to go back to work *sigh* I definitely would like to add "permanent vacation" to my resume...as I know Molly would like, too.

Carly George

2010-05-22T15:14:00.002-05:00

This is Carly George, and this week as i sigh a little sigh of relief in our own health crisis, my heart focuses on this wonderful family. They are so much like us. Mama Joany has grown children as well as her "late in life blessing", Carly, who is just a year younger than my Molly Kate.

The one thing especially dear to my heart, is the fact that Carly also creeps into the big bed at night, to snuggle between her parents, just like Molly does. I KNOW, I KNOW!! we shouldn't let this happen, but the look on Moll's face, as she holds both our hands in hers, is absolutely precious. The one look makes me realize how hard it must be for her to conform to her school and typical peers, as well as to our constant ABA (applied behavior) demands......but for one fleeting instant, we can see how happy she is to be right where she is and cannot deny her. I love that i could share that with another mom....a mom who understood.

Carly was born "enhanced" or having down syndrome. Unlike molly, her little heart was only half-formed, but through many surgeries, she healed....The family was again immediately devastated to learn she had developed leukemia. She survived the horror of that protocol and was in remission. The last few years she has grown stronger, joined her class at school and they too, began to live the typical life of a family with an "angel child" and all the joy that comes with that.

Last month, Little Carly, who had survived impossible odds to be on this earth, simply dropped and left it. They kept her alive long enough to be snuggled in between both her parents and she simply slipped away.

This week, everything is so much better in my life...mom is stronger by the day, school is almost done and really fun for molly, and I have some time off of work. Time to right my world, which has been spinning out of control for the past month. I can finally crawl off this rollercoaster of 2am phone calls from panicked nurses, rotating doctors by the day, Emergency Rooms, DNR requests, Ventilator arguments, ICU's and FEAR! Lord, the FEAR just eats you alive. I laid in bed one night and actually started chilling, the way a woman does right after she gives birth. The stress was taking it's toll.....and I'm so relieved that the pressure is finally abating.

It is unfathomable to me, that Carly's mom Joany will never get this chance, will never get off the roller-coaster, will never sigh the sigh of relief, or witness the "look" that comes at the end of the day, when your special child is surrounded by the security of a big, warm bed, and her loving parents. My heart aches for this mom.

I ask you to lift this family up in prayer. I ask you to spend that extra time with your family...let the dishes soak, skip the meeting, make the trip to visit and just bask in the love of your family.

Our worlds can be turned upside-down in the single beat of a little heart.

Hospital Drama

2010-05-08T12:38:00.003-05:00

So, as i left you we were celebrating the birth of my #2 granddaughter, Zoey Grace...that was 5 weeks ago...and i see photobucket removed all my pics! grrrrr we'll get that fixed.

We were all walking on air when, when as life does sometimes, everything crashed...actually my mom crashed, right onto her knees as she was putting a basket up on the top shelf in her bathroom. Both mom and dad had been running around like crazy trying to pack for the big trip back to colorado, the car ready, serviced and loaded.

She fell right onto her knees and they were swollen from impact, but after walking back to her bedroom and getting them up, she refused to go to the doc....she just jammed one and she was sure if she stayed off of it for one day, it would get better.

Next morning, she obliged me by letting me take her to the doc. The impact of the fall had not only jammed her knee, but had knocked the ball out of her hip joint and fractured it. They called an ambulance to the doctor's office to transport her to the hospital, and then two weeks of hell began.

Mom is currently at a rehab wing in a local carehome...She is better and the new hip ball is in place and healing nicely. I don't want to even think about the 2 weeks of horror that happened in between the fall and the rehab...suffice to say...we never want to go through anything like that again.

I was glad that i did not have to survive it alone...and had a witness to the weirdness that is hospital life, or what i've come to call....Bizzaro World. You absolutely lose all sorts of time frame, or logic...thank God there are nurses there to guide you through. My sister patty, when she heard the panic in my voice as things declined- dropped everything and drove right out....she drove all day and night from colorado springs, right to the hospital...thats about 16 hours of driving that she made in record time.

Then my children organized and got mobile...gabe from springfield (even though he was prepping for college finals) bill from fayetteville (leaving his phones/work) and shauna from DC....giving up a fun trip she had planned home.....They took care of the shopping, the cleaning, taking care of molly, and even made AMAZING evening meals for all of us...no matter what time we got in...8, 9, 10pm...there was food waiting. My children never cease to amaze me with their selflessness and good heartedness. They took care of everything i couldn't.

Dale (sis's hubby) stayed with larry and worked at the house, whipping our yard back into shape & the annual cleaning of the garage...we've had a couple of close calls with tornadoes...and spring rains...and the land was definitely getting out of hand. All the acres are cleared and stacked and the new tower is painted...thank you Dale.

Mom will be in rehab for about a month...or less. She refuses to come home while not being able to walk...and the drama that occured earlier left her flat on her back for 2 solid weeks, at which point her body just quit her. She wakes early and heads to the therapy room...lifts weights...works with bands..and walks on the "ballerina bars" Shes recouping fast and i cannot wait to get her home and have life return to normal. We still don't know how the colorado trip is going to work out....life is kind of on hold right now.

So...i am back to work and still not in a 'routine' with my new schedule, which includes waking early to do the domestic thing and take molly to school (map testing week) stopping off to visit with mom and tweek her orders...track everything that's been lost in moves from the floor to ICU to the floor and then to rehab...(they lost her clothes) then onto work-where i try to focus for a few hours until i can run back to rehab on my lunch hour. She is pretty much settled now..pictures up on the wall and new jammies bought...She is very determined not to be there long and amazes me with her attitude and drive.

The day we got there, my little town suffered a double-murder, suicide, domestic dispute...all of which involved, as well as the witness to the event.. are employees at the facility mom is staying. ...so now add a few news crews to the day....the drama and stress just seem to continue....so i ran away! Not really, but i am taking a powder for a day or two...not to club med..but to springfield. Gabe is now trying to take finals and finish papers for the semester...Ally-mom has returned to work, and two little girls are making them both frantic!

Mom-mom (what AJ calls me) is here, watching dora and shopping and fixing meals for them! Finals should be done this evening...and i have a congratulations meal ready for him to celebrate with. Funny how that whole family thing comes around, isn't it?? I was missing my babies anyway..they grow so fast..and molly is having a ball with her favorite person in the whole world, miss aubrey jo!

I sure understand why both Ally and Gabe have the dark circles...baby is only sleeping about 2 hours at a time (just like gabe when he was an infant) and refuses to sleep on anything but a warm human body! Aubrey Jo is full into the 'terrible twos' and the second you sit down to rock the baby (this happened last night) she runs to get into some trouble....this time grabbing baby shampoo and pouring all over her head! As soon as baby is slipped into a swing so that you can handle that mess...that little angel starts screaming! Not much ruffles mom-mom....but the poor kids seem frazzled! Adding college finals to the scenerio made this a necessary trip, something that made it's point when I took my first shower with curtains and door open, and with my glasses on!

I'll add pictures later...maybe...when things settle back down to my much appreciated boring life...and hopefully will get back on blogging schedule soon!

hugs...and don't forget to appreciate all that you do have....including your health, uneventful days and well slept nights. Boring is the goal I'm working toward for this summer! :-)

She's HERE!! HAPPY EASTER!

2010-04-04T13:17:00.003-05:00

We waited for sooooooooooo long...

Then had a weekend of False labor...so did alot of walkin:

But then? on the night of the full moon???

i got the call!! buzzed up to Springfield to find everyone calm in their anticipation:

Things moved VERY fast...and all of a sudden?? SHE'S HERE!!

She is strong from minute one...and wouldn't let go of the scales

Zoey? This is mom, and she is a FABULOUS mom! She took such good care of you, and of herself, and of daddy, and of her job...She watched over you every second, and made sure you got the healthiest start a baby could ask for. Know that she's one in a million.

And your big, strong, daddy. He never flinched! His concerns this past 9 months all surrounded your homecoming. Know that there is nothing he wouldn't do for you:

And this is me...Gramma does not have the words to express the joy and gratitude she has for your parents in sharing this moment:

How do you like your new home? I hear you've been just surrounded with love from your huge family:

This is Uncle Bill. He's the best Uncle you'll ever know...you will especially love his "bouncy baby". (I have THE MOST amazing children.)

My Beautiful Browning Babies:

This is your big sister, Aubrey Jo..she will be your protector, fashion expert, and partner in crime. No one will know you, without knowing her. She will always be in the next room from you in school, and the one you go to with all your secrets. I know she will not take these responsibilities lightly. She is SO excited that you are here! You will never want for anything.

This has been just THE BEST Easter Season we could have asked for. Many Blessing from our home, to yours! Birthday Shout out to Shauna!! She will join us here for the party the first week of May. HURRY HOME!!

Good Palm Sunday Morning!

2010-03-28T11:03:00.002-05:00

Palm Sunday...always a favorite day for me, because on this day, in mass, many moons ago....I went into labor with Shauna...DO YOU HEAR THAT MISS ZOEY????

Spent last weekend in Springfield, because we thought Zoey was coming...labor was intensifying, things were progressing on schedule and WE WERE SO EXCITED!! then? she changed her mind...always a woman's prerogative, but EXTREMELY disappointing to her waiting family.

And here it is, one week later, and she's still not making any moves! Just the opposite, she is as quiet as a mouse. I keep telling Ally-mom that she's just resting up for the big day, but honestly, at this point there is nothing i can say that is going to soothe the souls of her befuddled parents. I just KNEW that on this weekend, i would be down there, but have not received a call yet...I think the doctor is going to make it happen this week, but we all would have rathered she would make her appearance on her own. *sigh*

This is NANA (pronounced nah nah) Ally's mom last weekend during the big wait! There is no vying for JoJo's attention when NaNa is in town...she is the BOMB!!

Molly's been keeping us hopping...it's still too chilly here to run outside in panties, and this was the result of me telling her to get dressed before she went outside...and yes, i did demand shoes and SOCKS!

For as much time as she puts into dressing up in layers, when we get home? It is IMMEDIATELY taken off...just wish it would happen near a hamper:

She has had a hard week at school. It seems that she doesn't want to ride the bus anymore, and we are stymied on whether to make her do it (she throws her shoes) or to give in and pick her up daily. It's not that we can't, it's just important for us to have SOMETHING typical in her life. Decisions, decisions.

Here is my attempt at (being suzi homemaker) baking bread. It was on the counter trying to rise, but wayyyyyyyyyyy too much fun for molly to not poke poke poke, so i put it in the oven, and then promptly forgot about it. I did not win any awards this week in the domestic goddess area:

We are still trying to break into spring, and i am VERY greatful that last weeks storm that dumped snow all over my immediate neighbors to the west, just rained here, and last night we had the first thunderboomers of the season! Miss molly is just becoming aware of the noise and did NOT LIKE IT! :-) The flowers have enjoyed all the rain, though.

Have a beautiful Palm Sunday and Holy Week, and hopefully I'll be in here soon, with pics, bragging on my new grandbaby!

Spring Break 2010

2010-03-14T13:57:00.003-05:00

Ahhhh yes, Spring Break...remember when that was the best time of the year? When you got to go to some exotic place and GO WILD???

Well...I stayed home and worked & poor miss molly stayed at home with daddy...he was amazed at how busy she could be...given the fact that she is STILL half sick! (made me not feel so guily about not scheduling a Panama City Beach vaca with her) She has been busy keeping house in her own special way...this is the master bedroom;

and while we're cleaning up that?? She is redecorating her own room.

I still haven't figured this part of the Autism out...somebody told me these kids were METICULOUS about having everything in it's place...in our house, she seems the happiest when all of her prized possessions are on display. In other words...please call before you come to visit!
(We take it in stride...occasionally boxing everything up and releasing it one tub at a time....and it's time to do that again!)

We got exciting news on Wednesday regarding the baby enroute....Ally is at 36 weeks along, but the 'gaby-baby' is at 39 weeks in size. She (Zoey) has turned herself into position, and we are standing at 1 cm dilation, and 75% effacement! I'm sure we're looking at an earlier than planned birth, just like it was with Aubrey Jo! He did not, however, tell her to stop working...so maybe next week???

Saturday, i couldn't stand not seeing them, so the sarge took molly & me up to Spg....well...of course, Bass Pro was having their Spring Fishing Bonanza! Here we have the sarge, aubrey jo, and molly kate toting spongebob...all searching for the perfect lure.

That scenerio lasted a split second...we had to herd the girls in a little...They were OUTTA CONTROL!! :-)

We saw the amazing stacking turtles..and the waterfalls

Then onto meet a new display..and this guy is amazing! He appears to be all white (although he turned darker in my pics) and he's HUGE!

Then onto the boat show...I seriously thought we were taking this one home...

It has all the power he needs...and the third seat in the middle..something we're missing on the Champion we have now...I think we need the third seat:

Molly did really well, until we got into the boat place..It has really high ceilings..the sounds were reverberating, it was packed with Saturday traffic and we suffered the "OH NO" public meltdown. Big Brother Gabe scooped her up and hugged her tight, but we made a quick exit..across the street on Campbell, to Ally's Cafe..the Whole Hog...man, THAT is some fine BBQ! Next time yall are visitin at Bass Pro...slip over for the best in town!

Today is time change day...and I'm having trouble getting motivated...but shopping/laundry/cleaning all have to be finished...so off we go.(Up in the Air and Her Lovely Bones are here courtousy of Blockbuster..we shall see)

Have a fabulous week, it's spring here, and I'm hoping yall are enjoying some long awaited warm weather! It's been chilly here, but there are signs around my house pointing to the warmth of the Missouri spring...:-)

IT'S HERE!!

2010-03-07T11:09:00.003-06:00

FINALLY!! Spring has Sprung in the Ozarks...we are set for 60-70 degree days and 50 degree nights..FOR THE WEEK!! I couldn't be more pleased, or more short of time as yall get a few notes, and then WE ARE OUTSIDE!

Molly has been home for Thurs & Fri, with the snotty snots...I'm sooo hoping this break is gonna help with that. She is off for the entire upcoming week for spring break, but her always plan-deficient mommy forgot to take time off....so it's her and daddy in the back yard, and i will be enjoying the rest of the beautiful weather week in the Pharmacy. I think the whole isolation-from -the-virus-at-school thing is going to work out well for her... & I've been trying to convince my boss into shutting down for this week also, as we, too, have been passing this virus around....but that's a no-go.

For the "You won't believe this" event at my house this week....This morning was a particulary hard starter....i woke up with a near migraine, and moved to the couch after doing the pepcid/excedrine/gatorade cocktail...where i was trying to force some caffeine. My big re-homed german shepherd came to check on me. Now she has more hair on her tail, then any 4 of your dogs combined, and it's very pretty.....until of course it knocks my coffee cup over! Not too much of a mess, because on the second wag, all of the coffee was absorbed into it. The third wag, however, slapped me right in the face, and i swear it was like she picked up the coffee cup and just threw it on my throbbing head! I was soaked!

It did get me moving, though....and the big breakfast is on the stove, there is a jello salad made, and a turkey breast ready to pop into the oven. I do need to pick up a couple of rooms (ok they were destroyed by hurricane molly)...but that will be the bulk of the inside work for the day.

Family news?

Gramma & Grandpa are doing very well...made a trip over to Poplar Bluff and got dad some new shoes that have put a new spring in Dad's step, and we've been traveling around the area discovering new places for my mom to dive into....that would be the "Dent & Bent" warehouse shopping. She l0ves it.

Larry is outside NOT getting the boat ready, but getting the yard ready...as well as prepping to erect a monster tower. Always has something going that guy! He is in hog heaven with the NASCAR season starting and in Surround Sound, thanks to Bill's thoughtful Christmas present.

I got to go see Avatar with a g-friend and LOVED IT! The 3-D thing is awesome!! Can't wait to take molly to see Shrek, or Toy Story in 3-D!

Haven't seen Bill, who loves the outdoor-spring-weather more than me (if that's possible) He's off at the lake, and hiking in the woods...probably improving on his acreage, building fences, herding cattle, and any other chore that can be done outdoors. Even if he were to come home, it would just be to grab us for a trip to the river. Thank goodness for texting.

Gabe and Ally are at 37 weeks into this pregnancy..and the nesting has begun. Everyone is ready for miss zoey to make her entrance NOW!! And speaking of that...Congrats & shout-outs to my online sistahs, Mo and Beck, who both became grandparents again this week! I'm coming in 3rd in that race!

Shauna, ohhhhhhhhhhh shauna, has just registered for a race of her own... an Ultimate Marathon...this one goes through the countryside, and is over 30 miles long! EEK!! My extreme girl sets the bar a little higher. She is also running in the Boston Marathon in a few weeks.

All of my children continue to awe and amaze me!

I hope that this fabulous spring-week stretches out across the country and shines on down on all of them and all of you, with the warmth of the Love from our home to yours!

welcome back to the frozen tundra

2010-02-28T14:08:00.003-06:00

This has undoubtedly been the longest winter i can remember down here...longest and coldest, although we're thankful for no big ice storms leaving us without power...like last year!

That is a budding back yard tree, with a very red bird in it...there are fat pregnant robbins all over, and we heard a couple of tree frogs start to sing. That, and the hiway covered in mating skunks carcasses (makes driving erratic at best as you try to dodge them) lets me know we are almost done with the winter blues! YAY!

We've been hibernating..today is the first nice day in months..but still a little chilly, and everyone has been recouping from yucky bugs...so we're still laying pretty low.

funny stuff...i forced molly to try some candy, today. It simply amazes me that a child would not like candy! Aubrey Jo yells "TANNY!" everytime she see gramma! Molly has nothing to do with it. She got some Fun Dip for valentines day,the powdery stuff with a stick to lick and stick?? i was showing her how it works, and then slipped some onto her tongue when she wasn't looking. She STUCK HER TONGUE OUT and ran to the kitchen to get a towel, tongue protruding as far as possible..grabbed a washcloth and WIPED IT OFF!! *sigh* What a kid!

We had Aubrey last week, and had a ball...at 19 months, she is speaking in full sentances,is in full Monkey-butt mode and remains quite the handful! She is soooo Gabe at that age....really fun unless you take your eyes off of her for one second. Ally and Gabe are expecting Baby #2 soon! Due date is the first week of April...but there is NO WAY she is going that long. Gaby Baby #2 is lookin pretty big, although Ally isn't gaining much. Doc said she was a postergirl for pregnant mommies. WTG ALLY!

The girls both traveled together well...giggled all the way in the way back seat

shared a stroller at the mall

and no...we didn't even THINK to put one of them in the basket!

tried on each other's clothes:

And basically kept us all entertained. We already miss her, but not enough to keep her more than a week...as she missed her mommy and daddy, too.

Not much else going on...just waiting for spring and OUTDOOR FUN!

Rahm Emanuel + Rush Limbaugh =A Pair of BOOBS!

2010-02-06T10:48:00.005-06:00

Well, here we go again....Years of work by parents united, who know the love a precious child-one who does not see your skin color, your sexual orientation, or what designer clothes you are wearing. One who demonstrates the true meaning of Christianity by only seeing you for what your are....and loving you for that gift.

This was blown away in a week by a presidential staff member, and a radio (prejudice pig) talk show host....I'M SO ANGRY!!

And what do i hear from the so-called enlightened people around me?

"what's the big deal? it's just a word!!"

" I AM GUARANTEED THE RIGHT TO SAY WHATEVER I WANT BY THE CONSTITUTION."

"Im sick of all this PC crap"

************************************************
"It's just a word"

yea, there are many words in the dictionary...double them in the 'urban dictionary' which Rush kept quoting from all day yesterday....THE URBAN DICTIONARY is a web site where anyone can go type in ANYTHING in for a definition!! Trust me, I'm about to go over there and insert some definitions for Rush. I can't believe he was so ignorant as to quote IT, as if it was some kind of reference book!! What a JERK!

"It's just a word"

the N word-also just a word...try walking down a street in East St Louis, and yelling THAT out!! No?? Why??? BECAUSE SOMEONE would step up and MAKE YOU PAY!! You see, the group of people that this insult is aimed at? CAN DEFEND THEMSELVES!! best stick to making fun of inncocent children.

Another word..."fag" ...oh yea...that USED to be what we called cigarettes...but not now...This particular group of people, who the word was designed to degrade...gathered together in a PAC and attacked Washington DC right where they needed to....in elections. I can almost bet the house that Rahm Emanuel would never spit THAT word out when he was angry! It would cost the democrats the White House!!

And then there was Matthew Shepherd....a young man murdered at the hands of red-necked, ignorant, hillbillies...who thought it was ok to beat a man to death, just because of who he was. Kind of sealed the deal with that word...NO ONE uses it now...no one with any intelligence at all.

Really?? Does it really have to come to that???

'I HAVE THE RIGHT TO"

well sure you do....but do you also possess the couth NOT to??? Do you possess the humanity not to?? Are you a believer? Do you know that our children come right from the heart of the Creator? Does your church teach you to diss those who do not measure up to your standards??? Really? Mine teaches to Love thy Neighbor.

We also have the right to bear arms, but NOT the right to use them in a dangerous and reckless manner. You also do not have the right to use hate-language in a dangerous and reckless way. That also is Law!

"I'm sick of all this PC crap"

Did you know that children with Down Syndrome are 1 in 300 conceptions? Did you know that those children falling on the Autism Spectrum are now 1 in 100?? 1 in 70 in boys!! Did you know that even though YOU don't feel the need to be politically correct, that chances are 1 of the 4 people that just heard you.... Now Despise You!! They are dealing with a situation in their family..maybe something you weren't aware of. You've just lost the respect of a peer, and maybe a friend.

And while I'm at it? If you are on the clock? YOU CANNOT USE THIS KIND OF LANGUAGE!! It not only disrepects the company you are representing, but makes your co-workers KNOW that you are truely unprofessional and undeserving of any respect in your chosen field. We shouldn't have to have policy that directs it, but you know what? In my company?? WE WILL!!

Ultimately, it's cowardice, ignorance, and just totally immaturity. If you feel comfortable in using all of these hate words when you're at a social function?....when it's "just you few' in a circle...THAT'S PURE CHICKEN SH*T!! Come up to my face and tell me your "hillarious" joke, why don't you??? Let me put it to you in a way you can better understand....I dare you...hell, i DOUBLE DARE YA!!

My child may not possess the the understanding of a Hate Crime....but HER MOMMA DOES. She may not fight to defend herself or her peers as she doesn't have a mean bone in her body...

BUT HER MAMA DOES!

try me.

http://r-word.org/

and a post script...thanks Jackie!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GY8SvBD1OrU

goodbye January!

2010-01-30T11:07:00.006-06:00

We're finishing the month off with another big snow! No ice, thankfully, and i was already scheduled off...so YAY! We're entertaining ourselves with movies, cooking, and the neverending game of baseball!

Yes, it's a carrot bat (from last year's Easter) and yes, she taps her shoes with it before she hits...like Albert. Too much sports TV in this house FOR SURE!! (those are the boots she put on when she THOUGHT she was going to play in the snow..she's HACKED!)

Miss Molly, by edict of Big Daddy, is banned from playing outside...She has been home all week with a sinus infection, and even though we've been on the Zithro...she doesn't seem a whole lot better....if anything her symptoms are worse! All that stuff lodged up in her head is making the big escape.

The puppies seem to be LOVING the new snow! Wayyyy to cold for us to play in it!

My little Memory Garden Angel is 12 inches tall:

If you look closely...you can see molly, boo-hooing in the window..she wants to come and play!!

Even "city-kitty" got into the action

Heard my little JoJo, and her mom (pregnant-due in April) ALSO are down with a bug.. a stomach bug!! bummer...REALLY a bummer as TODAY IS ALLYSON'S BIRTHDAY!! Happy Bday, Ally...feel better soon. She is SO beautiful, inside and out..and we feel SO blessed to have her in our family! Your birthday present (was Christmas present) will get to you soon, as soon as the snow melts! Sorry we couldn't be there today!

Miss Aubrey JoJo came for a visit last sunday, with Uncle Bill, Ang, and her daddy....always a party

the boys came to (play x-box) set up my surround sound, and Ang came to do homework. She's putting herself through college and I'm SOOOOOO proud of her!!

Shauna is Prepping for the Boston Marathon, and this storm hit DC this morning, right in the middle of an 18 mile run...she had to knock off early as she didn't have goggles on...HAVE FUN WITH OUR SNOW!!

Jo Jo is getting to be a big girl...besides being in the "always in trouble" monkeybutt stage:

she is attempting to dress herself!

SHE REMAINS TOO CUTEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!! She also hid one of the Sarge's slippers, which for the life of us we cannot find!! LMAO!

Gabe was happy to drive in the snow to get her stuff...he's doing it in a new CAR!! (great Bday present if you ask me) Their first big purchase together that was made all on their own! Makes a mommy proud.(Hyundai Tuscon)

I stay humbled by the blessings that are my family.

grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

2010-01-23T15:48:00.002-06:00

Saturday and it's weekly shopping/chore day. My mom likes to get away, and we always take molly and practice our 'big girlness' in public. All in all it was a good trip. We grabbed a happy meal, ran into some friends and went to "not my" store....(Sorry big W, but the last thing a retailer wants to do on a day off is shop, and worse than that? Go to work to do it.....my bad.)

Molly has taken over gramma's cart and is pushing it well, and only adding things to it she thinks we need (oreos, cheetos and a mylar balloon) and all is good that is, until we get to the check out. I have one cart unloading it, and she is right behind me with her cart, when she starts screaming, and not a frustrated scream...a real one...i look, and sure enough, she has managed to get her arm stuck in a gap of the cart, AND IT HURTS!! (enough to cause spontaneous bladder explosion)

So im rushing to her, and just as i make it, she dislodges herself, rips her coat off, throws it, and really starts crying while rubbing the back of her arm.

No one....i mean NOT ONE SINGLE PERSON came to our aid. Pretty uncommon in these parts...pretty uncommon for store management....oh, don't get me wrong, everyone GAWKED at her...but no one came to help.

She, after all, looks different. She was probably screaming, because she has Down Syndrome.

*sigh*

and i keep waiting for this rainy stinkin' week to get better.

Is it really wrong to drink in the morning?

2010-01-18T08:26:00.001-06:00

OMG

I could NOT find the cheese pretzels this morning...BLASPHEME!!

The sarge put some regular ones in her bowl (yes, she has a bowl, and it better be the one with the lips on the side, because the plain round one WILL NOT DO!) and said, "come on, we're gonna be late for school"

She just throws the bowl. (Translation? She wants the cheese ones)

Well, lemme tell ya, YESTERDAY I had cheese pretzels in the cupboard, but TODAY?? THEY'RE MISSING! and we all know who TOOK the cheese pretzels, but do you think that pretzel-nabbing-skunk can remember where she put them??? OHHHHHH NOOOOOO!! (and trust me, when they're hidden, they are gone for life)

So, she sits her pretty little monkey butt in the rocking chair, folds her arms across her chest, AND REFUSES TO MOVE!

Now, those of you with typical children know that you can reason, or at worst, jerk them up and throw them screaming into the car....but that doesn't work for us. Picking up a temper-throwing child with DS??? It's like trying to maneuver around a 85 pound water balloon!

So, after dodging shoes, having her remove her clothes, and scream at the dog (who has inserted herself into the situation because she knows molly is upset...Add 90 pounds of hair) I finally find a 1/2 bag of Cheetos, stuffed in her drawer.

"Will these yellows do?" as I pour them into afore mentioned Tupperware bowl.

She examines the contents and looks up at me and says..."more"

And I'm thrilled she used her words.

Daddy, on the other hand, is not thrilled at ALL, but both of them are on their way to school, and I have cheese pretzels at the top of the shopping list.

Oh BTW, she threw her blue "has to be back on Monday" folder during this fit and I ran it out to the car, when the dutiful German Shep escaped behind me. Mizzy had decided that SHE was going to attend school with the upset child, even if it meant running behind the Tahoe all the way to school.....so my apologies to the neighbors who had the misfortune of witnessing the Kramer-haired woman, with a hair brush, in her (no-bra)jammies, chasing a dog around a vehicle. I'm sure it was a scary sight!

And how was YOUR morning???

1/4/10 Aubrey says sorry at OneTrueMedia.com

2010-01-04T14:16:00.001-06:00

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

HAPPY LEAP YEAR 2010

2010-01-04T12:27:00.003-06:00

Well, it was ALMOST over! Ha! I didn't think our new year's celebration was going to amount to much, but it turned out WONDERFUL!!

Not big party-people anymore, we did get hats and horns and champagne...The sarge was due to take off for KC in the morning early to get Kelsi Shae for a visit, so him and molly retired at the usual bedtime, but gramma & grampa & the dogs and I stayed up, vowing to AT LEAST make it to 11pm, when we could celebrate with the New Yorkers, Anderson Cooper, and my fav girl, miss potty mouth, Kathy Griffin!

and a kiss to start it off!!

I had to work New Years Morning, so after the festivities headed right for bed, only to start fielding phone calls when the REAL New Year happened from all my kiddos (except the new parents, who also were snoozing) and STILL got up feeling like I'd partied all night! UGH!

Since i had to work, the sarge took Molly Kate to see Aubrey Jo in Springfield. That's her favorite trip for sure...still i was surprised when waking her (she's a heavy sleeper and despises having to get up for school) that all i had to do was whisper in her ear...."molly? do you want to go see aubrey jo this morning?"

She was up, dressed, and handing Larry his coat in about 5 minutes!! "Huuuuuuweeeeeeeee!"

On the way home? He brought me the best present! Not only was he packing Kelsi and Molly...but grabbed "Jo Jo" too! I had a long weekend coming (school doesn't resume here till Tuesday) so baby came and played with us!!

Jo Jo is VERY verbal (19 months old now), and the funniest little skunk you've ever seen! She's into everything so i had to implement some emergency tacktics to keep her out of my "cleaning" cupboards

Gabe even showed up for a biscuit and gravy Sunday Breakfast! He commented on molly's weight gain by yelling.."Who has a fat belly???!!" Immediately Jo Jo ran over and lifted up Larry's shirt!! HAHAHAHAHAHAAH poor larry!

And trust me, Big Gabe and Little Bill are the only men in my family that can clean and jerk this load!

And he whipped up some snow ice cream for us! Breakfast dessert!

Everyone is on their way home now, at home, and it's quiet around here. I'm cleaning up and getting ready for the work/school rush tomorrow, which is going to be slow-going...they forcasted a 'dusting' of snow as a possiblilty for the new year, but we ended up with about 4 inches! Not much to my yankee neighbors, but we have NO SNOW REMOVAL EQUIPMENT!! Down here? it doesn't happen enough to warrent it...so you just wait for it to melt.

but im not complaining...Molly LOVES the snow!! Good thing..just got the news that now TUESDAY school is called off!!

I get to fly around and do all sorts of fun stuff....but having a load of girls together for some weekend fun seems to top the list! Not that we don't have our moments...Jo Jo was pickin' on Aunt Molly, grabbed her beloved bag of cheeze pretzels, and just showered the room with them! Course "mom-mom" doesn't really get excited about stuff like that, but daddy thought it needed to be addressed....this is aubrey telling me "sowwy" and Aunt Molly, unphased, running thru with a new bag! No harm, No foul! (she has THE sweetest little voice!)

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

http://www.onetruemedia.com/shared?p=a223264b2672ab4202e4be&skin_id=1010

wow, is it over?

2009-12-27T14:42:00.004-06:00

It's over...i can tell by the load of laundry on my bed waiting to be put away.....It seems all fun ends with my laundry...which is why it's almost always in baskets! UGH!

We got shauna home...and she remains precious! Molly was thrilled, as were all of us, and she brought a new cooking technique to us from a french girlfriend, which also was embraced and to become a part of our traditions...the pumpkin soup poured over roasted nuts, and mulled wine were both delicious & health conscience. For the first time in forever?? My time was not all spent in the kitchen...she LIVED in there! YAY! Hattin the Cat...who moved back to the ozarks after being too pent up in a studio apt..was more than thrilled to have her home!

Christmas morning was full of molly presents and fun....Molly just doesn't rip thru paper, she wants to play with or try on each gift as it is given....she opened her new coat first, and it remained on for most of the morning!

As well it should, given the fact that we actually had a white Christmas!! This is also something very uncommon in these parts (missouri) but more than welcome! Grandpa and Sarge couldn't wait to get at it!

We usually just get gifts for the kids, but Grandma & Pa surprised us with something I've been looking at all season, but just couldn't justify spending the money on....what a surprise that it was a gift for grandpas best buddies, Hattin and Lucifer! A cat tower!!Shoulda figured!!

Or maybe he just got it for them, to get them off of their favorite place to stay...on HIS BED!!

Then, we travelled back to Spg, to see the boys albeit too short of time, as we had to hustle girl-child back to the airport.....I did get the rare opportunity to have them all in the same room at the same time. Merry Christmas, Mommy!!

The hardest part to my "little angel" was letting go of all her siblings. Molly keeps pretty good control of herself, and really tries hard to act appropriately....but there were no holds barred when we had to say goodbye. She screamed all the way from gabes to the airport...finally stopping with the vocals, but still shaking her hands...and then it started all over when she saw shauna gathering her bags to run into the airport. Daddy had to make an emergency McDonald's stop...as nothing soothes the tortured soul in Molly's eyes, then some Mickey D's French Fries!! *whew* It's ok Molly...momma feels the same way!

I'll leave yall with 'dare-devil' baby...Aubrey is at her Peak in the getting-into-trouble phase! Hope Your Christmas was as good as mine, and that you have less laundry to put away!!

LMAO!!

2009-12-22T08:58:00.002-06:00

Guys...we're doing a mid-week update, because my kid is SUCH a HOOT!

Last night was the Christmas Pageant...grades 2 and 3. Very well put together, and adorable! I dropped Molly off at her room, and asked the teach (after seeing no aides were around) if i needed to stay? or go get a seat.....Teach takes me out to the hall....just giggling. She says "nope, the only trouble we've been having with her is she keeps grabbing the mike, and saying this longggggggg story!" She told me it was too cute....but other than that, she's good with the group, knows where she needs to be, and knows all the songs! YAY!

So, she's up on stage singing her songs..and there are 3 mike stands at the front. 4 kids each line up behind each mike stand, and say their parts of a little play. Then we see it. Behind the middle mike...Molly has assumed a position at the end of the line of kids.

(this is their adorable little costumes...and the infamous microphone. Molly is just behind the little boy in green sonic shirt, in the middle)

The last kid says his part...and then molly steps up......(at this point I'm thinking God Bless Music Teachers Everywhere!!!) She motions to molly the "Hurry Up" sign language, and starting with a wee voice, and then clearing her throat...my non-verbal daughter reaches her mouth up to the mike and says....

"bub bub.....bub bub bub"

And then turns around to take her spot on the riser.

HILLARIOUS!!!! and everyone enjoyed her ending remarks!! The sarge almost pooped em and I was rolling.

Just cuz you're not a big conversationalist...doesn't mean you can't be the star of the show!

:-)

(this is her...her costume now on the floor in front of her....standing next to "Bobert" who continues to be the main man in her life at school)

A whole MONTH???

2009-12-20T19:21:00.002-06:00

It's been a whole MONTH??? Ohhhhhhhhhh I'm not winning any prizes for sure! HA!

I think Facebook has alot to do with it...we can update in real time now...not a bunch of recapping needing to be done...and EVERYONE i know is on FB, except YOU, PAMMY AND STEPHANIE!! FOR SHAME! hahahahah!!

Lets see, we left off with Vets day...went right into Thanksgiving, where everyone but shauna made it home and ate BIG! Those boys can still put away more food than any 12 of your men, and I spent most of the day in the kitchen!

Allyson and Gabe brought wonderful pies and smoked briskit from the new barbeque place Ally's managing, ("Whole Hog" for those of you in Springfield) as WELL as my grandbaby! Aubrey Jo stayed with "mom mom" for a few days after, as the kids had to return to work. Her stays with us are the highlights of all of our lives....and let me tell ya, it takes 4 adults and one Aunt to keep up with her 17 month old, busy-body self.

Bill and Angela also came loaded with new movies and lots of fun!! Ok, maybe some of it wasn't THAT fun for bill...but Gabe seem to enjoy himself! UGH!

We had a little bout with bronchitis and molly, but we're able to muscle through it at home with NO PNEUMONIA, and no hospital stay. YAY! So that took up some time and energy. Molly wants nothing to do with getting well..she will fight you every drop of medicine,(we always wear part of the dose) or has to be hogtied to be nebulized.

We're done with that, all the Christmas cards are in the mail, and the presents secured....and for the first time this month, I feel like i can sit and breathe easy! We did get to see the Christmas parade here in West Plains (mom and dad really like parades) and even though molly was JUST getting over her bout of lung-crap....her and mom just HAD to stand out there for a bit, in a cold rain, and cheer on the participants! (and get candy)

The rest of the month has had some really good news for my other moms and friends online...i know I've asked for prayers for these families...and thought i'd update them for a sec!

Renee Garcia has her little Reece's Rainbow baby, adopted and at home now WELCOME HOME KELSEY!! (also with DS, like molly and renee's daughter Kennedy!)....and Nicki's Ashey, who had a relapse in her Leukemia??? Is cancer free as of latest scans, but continues to keep up with the protocol to keep her that way. Ben?? Amy's Ben? The wonder child-chef, and Keeper of the Love... also has had scans recently and continues to be free of the beast.....so KEEP UP THE PRAYERS....i see them working everyday. Prayers to all that continue the fight.

Shauna will be coming home for Christmas (barring anymore snow storms pounding the east coast) and we're THRILLED!! She arrives Wednesday in Springfield! Molly has a party Monday, as well as a program Mon Night, 1/2 day of school on Tuesday, and then Christmas break begins here! IM SO EXCITED!!

I just love this time of year....and not in the tradional way...there is not a load of presents under the tree but just one "something special" for each of the kids...but really, that's all. We all have everything we could ever need or want... and the whole commercial part is avoided as much as possible.

Part of the reason??? working in retail....part of it happened when we had nothing....but lately??? its just another one of the very wonderful things about having a child like Molly. She has some stuff to open, for sure (she loves the whole tearing of the paper thing) but isn't easily impressed by what we can buy. Holidays to her mean getting to see all her sibs and her niece with a dash of rough housing, laughing, sharing meals and hugs! She's a different child when surrounded by the love that is radiated by my older children and those that love them. I so appreciate each and every one of them...they are all OUTSTANDING young adults and make me PROUD!

So this is a short update, but we wanted to wish you a Molly Christmas!! She knows the real reason for the season, likes to take a quiet drive and just be in awe of the Christmas lights, and rejoices in the love of her family.

Know that we count you all among our blessing this season....Family, Friends and moms like me!!

Merry Christmas!

Veteran's Day

2009-11-15T13:42:00.004-06:00

We had a very special Vets Day in our little town....for two reasons

My dad was here

and

Andy Ingalsbe got to come home....He's our local teacher who also serves, i think he was on his 4th tour, when he caught enemy fire right in the gut. We were sooooo scared as they could not even get him stabilized to get to Germany for awhile. He finally made it there, and then on to Walter Reed where they have got him all patched up and on the road to total recovery!

He's home till Dec 3, and then has to return to Walter Reed for more follow up surgery. GOOD LUCK ANDY!!

we started with a parade...and an Airman (Mr. Garrett) came over to stand with mom and i, telling us about all his sons who were also airman!! He was also proud of the fact that he could still wear the uniform...too cute!

And of course, besides a flyover, the parade started out with the troops!

And J Peterman of the sheriff's office! (he used to play basketball with my kids at fairview, and his mom works with me)

and bands and cars and horses and harleys...it was one of the biggest Vets parade we've ever had!!

Of course, we had to put dad on a float..

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Then on to the big luncheon! We were met by a handsome marine, who helped mom out when she needed it most...I don't know who you are...but THANK YOU!!

Inside i was happy to see Coach Don and Bonnie Long. They helped raise my kids, both being teachers at Fairview, Don teaching the kids to reach far beyond what they thought they could achieve. Bonnie commented on how Shauna HATED running long distance and giggled at the fact that she was now a marathoner, and told me her Luke (shaunas class) had just finished an Iron Man Triathalon! WTG LUKE!! Bonnie is Andy's wife's Sister.

And another shout out and thanks to this young man, who made sure dad got on the float, and then stayed with him till he was seated at the dinner. I should know him, and my heart shuttered when I saw him later gather with all the Purple Heart Receipients. God Bless

Inside a GENERAL made the presentation of Andy's Purple Heart ....He was explaining to us that this was such an honor for HIM, as usually he just puts the medals on the soldiers pillows as they evac out...at this point? He quietly broke down, and all of us cried for all the soldiers. Obviously he had placed many purple hearts on many pillows but didn't get to have too many ceremonies after that.

It was a very moving meeting.

He immediately turned the show over to Andy's original recruiter, and long-time friend, who actually made the presentation.

God Bless you All

all the photos from the day, awesome especially if you love old cars and Harley Davidsons...are here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/21477528@N00/sets/72157622684861437/

**************************************************************

On to family news!! The little sonogram was from my newest (#2) grandbaby who is on the way! He/She will be here the first week in April and i hope to be able to tell you next week, what colors i will be buying...PINK OR BLUE!! Thanks Gabe & Ally for keeping my MOM-MOM title in use!!

Shauna has decided to sign up for the Boston Marathon, ALSO in APRIL! So that's going to be a huge month for us....after this december of course..SHE'S COMING HOME!! Having my kids home for the holidays is all i ever want!! Speaking of which, i think im going to set the tree up today.....I KNOW!!!! can't help it...too exciting for miss molly!

The boys are here hunting deer at camp, and i was SUPPOSE to be baby sitting miss Aubrey Jo, but the work schedule didn't work out...so we anxiously are awaiting our next visit. Molly gets up every morning looking for details of the day...and if it's "no school" day?? the first thing she does is bring me a pic of Aubrey Jo...telling me she wants to do a road trip!! She loves that baby girl obsessively! (just like mom-mom)

Hopefully, i'll be able to post some camp pics next week, with big ole bucks hanging from the trees...as it stands? All hunters are skunked, and the inaugural chili pot is empty. The deer are winning!! (we had to turn the air on today...that could have something to do with it..hahahahaha)Don't worry boys...there is a front moving in, lots of rain and cold wind, and I'm sure that will bring the deer out!!

Have a great week!! and remember to Thank a Veteran if you get the opportunity!

FINALLY!

2009-10-31T11:12:00.002-05:00

i KNOW!! my life AGAIN got out of control, and my puter is beginning that three-year-old slow down, as well as the sattelite being out from the rain...so blogging has not been at the top of my priority list! I am sure it will be very frustrating to do today, so bear with me....and btw, ??? who is using a MAC??? do send me notes as i may be leaning that way this time around.

ok..last time i was telling you how the trees hadn't changed yet....now? it's done! We had a week of cool, rainy (understatement...more like flooding/dangerous/water rescues)and windy weather, so most of the leaves have peaked and are now blanketing the ground.

THEN I went to Phoenix to meet up with my girlfriends...we do this once a year, and for most of us it's the only weekend away from our special kids we get. My first time was reallyyyyyyyyyyy hard to do, but now i look forward to that weekend every year. To make things perfect, i left the cool, rainy, autumn, and flew right into a 100 degree summer. Mo was the perfect hostest with her awesome home, wonderful family, and inground pool/hottub. And I'm not going to say we party all the time, but i will say, no matter where we are, as long as we're together? It's a Party! I LOVE YOU SISTAHS!! THANK YOU!

Got home just in time to greet my parents. Sis Patty Ann, Hubby Dale, and the standard foo foo poodle followed them on the drive down (from colo spgs) We got a day to spend together and I watched as my BIL marveled at the quiet of the Ozarks woods.

The next weekend? Both the Boys, and Angela and Aubrey Jo popped in for a surprise weekend visit!! YAY!! While they were here, we tracked shauna running the Marine Corp Marathon that sunday morning! She finished with a 3:37!! That qualifies her to run in the BOSTON!! although beings it's in april...i think we'll be shooting for Boston in 2011! WTG SHAUNA~! (pics to come later!)

and now?? ITS TRICK OR TREAT TIME!! Molly and i are on our way to town (i think the continuous crappy weather has squashed a trip to the pumpkin patch)to get one jack o latern, and then off to the Trunk or Treat tonight...Yesterday was the school party!

Our other gfriend at school, was a real rockstar, complete with wireless mike! cracked me UP!

In case you were wondering...molly still has a red-headed boyfriend

So...that's what Ive been up to, and why Im not at the puter...I have definitely not been
bored ........but seriously? Am looking forward to a little bit of it!

equine therapy...first day

2009-10-05T21:23:00.005-05:00

flikno jeans (she won't wear them)
no boots (sketcher croc's)
no idea of whats coming:

Horse Lady "Does she talk?"

me: "not much...the words are there but she rarely uses them"

H.L. "Molly would you like to touch the horses nose?"

M "no, thank you"

"Would you like to help me saddle the horse?"

"no, thank you"

"you have to wear a helmet"

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO"

"Would you like to walk up a step ladder and get on the horse?"

"no, thank you"

"How about if dad helps you on a ramp?"

Now, molly's fav noise to make when she's riding anything is
whoaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa (from little bear) but everytime
she gets excited on the horse? He STOPS! WHOAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!

"you only say whoa if you want the horse to stop, molly....now tell the horse to stop"

"stop, horse"

"wook! me! Dah-ey!"

the sarge had his hand on the saddle as he walked beside her, after about 5 minutes?

"no dah-ee" she removed his hand..."go, horse"

Mrs Roberts from school was there working out her pony, as was a little barrel racer girl...everytime they trotted by us?? SHE WOULD WAVE!! AND SAY HI!!! (miraculous...she doesn't even wave at ME!)

So that was the first day...we only rode for about a half hour, and she dismounted perfectly! Tomorrow? Mommy's gonna go find a couple pair of ropers (mommy had her crocs on, too...EW!)

Oh and then Amy Ostertag's butt called me!! GREAT KARMA DAY!!

Guess what????

2009-10-04T12:32:00.002-05:00

Great week here! We did NOTHING!! (i love those kind of weekends) Just a drive yesterday to scope out Risner Stables...Molly will start horse therapy there tomorrow!! YAY! We've already warned them, the only thing negative about molly and horses? TRYING TO GET HER OFF!! I swear, i have to take her AND the saddle!! Wish us luck!

I'm seeing all sorts of fall photos online...and am confused...we are in pre-fall here, and have had our first weekend of cool weather. By cool, i mean I'm only running the fans right now! Our leaves have only just started to turn. Took the puppies out for a run around the property this morning, and can only find one bush turning red.

This is the backside of our property...maybe one tree is trying now, but soon? it will be spectacular!

My folks are prepping for the move back here! HURRY!! you don't want to miss the big leaf show! And speaking of them HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!! They celebrated their 61st on the 2nd...and we're hoping they dont find out that Barrack and Michelle's was on the 3RD! ha!

Had a better week as far as the Autism thing...Got alot of responses from a dual diagnosis group i signed up on. These parents have got kids from 0 to 20yrs old...and are a wealth of information and Joy! this is the story of one of the moms in there, and her beautiful daughter.

for the record? SHE WON! She is now the homecoming queen, and gives me more hope for the future of my own precious daughter. This mom is also dealing with early onset Altzheimer's in addition to the DS and the ASD, so not only does she inspire hope, but slapped me with the 'COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS' hand.

I'm counting down to a little getaway to Phoenix that happens in 2 weeks! I have a group of moms, with kids with DS molly's age...and they are wonderful women. They share so much of my humor and love for life. We've been close since molly's dx, before she was born, and fly in once a year to play and chat. No kids, no dads...just girls.

texas meet:

arizona meet:

vegas baby:

I just don't know how i would survive without my "sistahs" and this once a year habit. Thanks, Sarge (and teachers) for making this happen for me!

??? the guess what????? oh that is a new addition to the blog....

guess what??? (or should i say who??)

we're bacccccccccck

2009-09-27T12:42:00.002-05:00

so sorry for the delay...we survived the first season sickness, nothing now but tired girls, molly is still a little congested, and mama has a hack! The sarge managed to escape the first bug!

We're getting very excited about Shauna's run...she is doing a full marathon on Oct 24th. I don't know how she does it...she's run halfs..made a 70 mile bike ride, been rock climbing, AND works 40plus! WOWSER...she continues to amaze me daily.

The weekend before last, we finally got a visit at gabe's house (illness had prevented from seeing our favorite little girl grandbaby) and had a great time. Little Bill and angela came up and we all showed the waitresses at the Belgium Waffle House, exactly why they should have bigger tables!! It was gorgeous outside, so we just hung in the yard and played for awhile...Gabe is an avid golfer now...so he worked on his swing:

Aubrey Jo took a swing too!

Molly Kate is perfectly content in her role as Aunt Molly. We can't be there enough in her eyes.

It never ceases to amaze me, at the speed in which my little boys grew up.

My stylin' Daughter-in-law to be and i ran to get some girl time...kinda made gabe mad as it was HIS birthday!! hahahaha but THIS momma knows how it is to work full time, while being a mom, and that sometimes? we need a little shop time to balance. Poor Gabe, he's working 40, STILL A FULL TIME STUDENT, and doing the daddy duties! HAPPY BIRTHDAY GABE!

It all worked out for him though, as while we were off on a girls day....Someone else was watching the girls....although watching the girls usually involves in ALL watching the chiefs play football...Good thing both the girls are BIG SPORTS FANS!! :-)

I have to close with a pet...Goofy Hatten the Cat, who was rehomed to us from DC (we call him the city kitty) is having some identity problems....any OTHER cat in the world comes when you call "here kitty kitty"....not this one...

He has also attached himself to the sarge...so when we need him to come home? Larry just whistles and slaps the side of his leg!! And yes, the city kitty has been Hillbillized...he has a hidey hole in the briars by the sheep.

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

I think we are off to the pumpkin patch today....we had a picnic yesterday in Linn, Missouri...and ended up FREEZING!! I actually ran into to buy jackets! Funny thing about molly.....Linn is a small town and only had a Family Dollar to shop in. Since it was raining, and we would be stuck under a pavillion, instead of at the playcenter...i invited her to go pick out a toy. She moseyed up and down the aisles, finger on chin, surveying all that was available....and what did she pick out?

A 100 count package of styrofoam coffee cups!!! Ahhhhhhhhhh yes...you got to love the autistic child. THE most fun she could think of having??? STEM STACKING!!

Have a Great Week!!!

first week of school?? first bugs come home

2009-09-13T09:11:00.004-05:00

And now we know why molly was acting out. Oh. she wont run a fever, but she will tell you to "hush". Rumor has it this week, she used the phrase "Bite it!" Not one that we use around here, so I'm thinking she's picking up some new stuff on the bus!
(or she's trying to say 'QUIET!')

She had an upper respitory infection....started as a virus and went haywire, although im pleased to say we fixed her up at home. Now we can hope that her peers will forgive her. Our children, because they cannot express sickness or self-diagnose, have only one response to being ill......ACTING OUT!! I swear....if she refuses to do her work at school, the first thing we should do is take her temp!

So she brought the bug home to mommy. I had to leave work Wed, was off Thurs & to the doc, and after a shot AND anti-bi's in pill form.... Sat morning I woke up with a raging migraine....first one i've had in a year....and probably related to my virus. THANKS MOLLY....i love the way she brings these things home to share. To those that know me IRL.....i was not able to even drink coffee yesterday! NO LIE!

The sarge just left to work out of town all day (something he was worried about doing given my current health situation) and i just realized he took my wallet, with drivers license and all my cards with him! EEK! I had packed the vehicle to go to springfield this weekend, not knowing that those plans were about to be thwarted.

Soooooooooo even if i wanted to go get milk today (oh yea, molly's newest behavior at home is taking gallons of anything, uncapping them, and pouring them down the sink) i can't. That's ok, as i don't think im up to driving yet...we are heartsick over missing a chance to see Ally, Gabe and Itty Bit...but i just can't chance infecting them, too.

Poor miss molly is surely getting tired of being at home, and REALLY disappointed at not seeing her favorite neice! Gabe called today, and molly actually answered the phone, said "hello" and then?? "Aubrey Jo!"

She's been busy dismantling the house, and trying on the new fall collection (while unloading the chest with winter accessories in it!) Cracks me up that her glasses always fit better upside down...not much of a bridge there to hold them up!

I'm going to take this time to regain control of my realm, and prepare for a better week! We have been ignoring all the housework as Bill and Angela were home last weekend...had lots of fun just hangin'...and having pillow fights!

We were also suppose to meet with the Autism Tech...she wanted to observe Molly at school and get us all 'on the same page' as far as dealing with the acting out....but she had a worse week than me! Took her daughter and the daughter's friend to Gulf Shores to hit the beach for Labor Day...when the plumbing system of the hotel came loose, fell off the top of the garage ceiling, and totaled 3 vehicles, including hers. Given the holiday weekend, she was stuck there till at least Tuesday, and then longer while they ironed out the details. No Autism Tech at school this week! Blessings being sent her way.

*Raising Tea Cup*

Here's to everyones health this week....such a precious commodity that we take TOO much for granted. This week also starts the September Childhood Cancer Awareness Month!

I have been way-laid with 4 days of illness (and admittedly whining about it)....I cannot imagine how babies are expected to power through 2 year sentences of chemo and radiation.

Be aware, wear gold,and offer up your prayers....
this video was made by one of the moms who so eloquently allowed us to travel with her and her family as they fought the beast. Heartwrenching as Coleman was one of a set of twins.

Amazingly, these moms continue the fight...after giving all. She has all the data you need to know, and as parents, we NEED TO KNOW!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjmCMUvu_gM

A new week, hopefully a better attitude

2009-08-30T13:59:00.002-05:00

Sorry about my rant last time. If you continue to follow the blog, you will continue to see the rants I'm afraid. Like millions of other moms, facing millions of other disorders (some life threatening so I am feeling somewhat ashamed of the rant) we continue plugging along.

(first day of school, thank GOD that oversized shirts and
leggings are back in! She added the headband around her
neck)

She's been very excited about school...she's out to the car before I am dressed, and jabberwocking at home when she's done!

Sadly, we didn't make it one week without drama. I understand she was pushing some classmates around on thursday, and was banned from recess as a result. I'm trying to be open-minded about things, but had put "NO banning recess" into the IEP. It's so important for her to get out, that it will actually EASE her issues. Now I have to try and attempt to see WHY no one is listening to me, without pissing anyone off. That could mean they would just make her give up recess, and not tell me about it. THIS IS THE PART THAT SUX!

This past weekend, we went to Joplin for a big ham-fest Larry wanted to be involved with. Not really my cup of tea, but i drag him all over the country for things I'm interested in..soooooooooo

It started off bad...Molly thought we were naturally going to see Aubrey Jo. She talks about it all the time. I mean all the time...she's obsessed. She brings me my shoes and says Aubrey Jo! She continued to babble all the way..."Aubrey Jo", "Babe" (what she calls Gabe) and we even heard a Jager (the choc lab) When we bypassed Springfield, and i mean THE SECOND we got off on the 65 bypass, we heard a holler from the backseat. It always amazes me that she always knows right where we are! She has been gifted with the sense of direction left out of my DNA. ...and sometimes that is a bad thing.

I do not have the wall charger thingy to her DVD player...i had them all packed up together, she got into it, i hid it...and when it was time to leave, i could NOT remember where i hid it. That is how it is at my house...I'm constantly trying to put things out of her reach...she is constantly on a mission to find those places...and the house is constantly in disarray. If you go to a house, where one child is Autistic...don't form any opinions on the housekeeping techniques of that mom...it is what it is....i saw photos of a mom's house who had ALL kids with autism, and laughed when i saw all their mattresses on floors. We have a blow up on mollys floor because she "tornado" sleeps...and nothing is going to keep her in the confines of a "normal" bed.

So, we get to the holiday inn, she realizes that there is not going to be any Aubrey Jo, and meltsdown in the parking lot...she is not even going IN to the hotel. I might add that there a few hundred people glancing off at this incident. And to add the explanation point to the situation, she pees her pants. UGH! (she's not done this in weeks)

To decompress the situation, i pull out the DVDs, but of course the charger i DID grab isn't going to work today....and to top it off, walmart is out of stock of both types of these chargers. They will never have any idea of how important being 'instock' is to costumers.....

The meal at Olive Garden was great...but molly ate nothing. She is still on "Aubrey Jo" strike.

We call for bedding for the rollout...and they bring it at about 2am...so she slept with us, on a horrible bed, leaving ALL of us sore and grumpy Saturday morning.

Larry gets up and is still rarin' to go to the meet...but molly and i lag behind. I'm determined to make this a better day. We head for the pool. It's an indoor pool and covered in bugs. YUCK! so her and i get into the hot tub, and then go to a fine breakfast buffet, which has all of her favorites on it. She again, doesn't eat.

Things settle down when we check out and head over to the convention center...the DVD charger for the car is working well....and she's finally a happy camper. I kind of wanted to check out the museum, but didn't want to chance a relapse....so there we were in the parking lot, watching a dora dvd, and reading the 2nd book of Twilight..and watching her consume her first meal in two days. THAT is why we make the effort to keep things "in molly order". She doesn't ask much, but if it's not there, it's all chaos to her.

We did get a little AJ time on the way home, but not enough by the screaming and crying that happened for 10 miles after we left Aubreys house.

We had just caught ally on her way out, so only got 1/2 hour or
so, and no Gabe (he was working) but it WAS a joy to see our little
miss-growing-too-fast. Aubrey has so much more hair, is saying "molly" and laughed and loved on her funny aunt. She really didn't have time for Gramma....cuz it's all about molly. Very Sweet.

Molly says Aubrey Jo 8/30/09

so that was the first week of school, and a shot at a fun
weekend, sometimes it works...sometimes it doesn't

i continue to have hopes and doubts...and i have business to attend to.

For right now, i can promise you...Autism Still Sux

I hate Autism

2009-08-16T11:42:00.007-05:00

Open House at School happens tomorrow, where we get to find a new teacher (eek!) and a new room. I think the chaos of summer school will help in this transformation...Molly should be THRILLED to have a homing spot, even if it's in a different place than last year.

We've been talking to our teachers, and have found out they have TOTALLY moved her spec ed room downstairs (im sure molly + the stairs had something to do with that decision) and rearranged all of the lower grade hallway.... so instead of just running in and dropping off our school supplies tomorrow night....i will be taking molly in at 5pm and staying until 7pm! :-) or however long it takes to make her feel at home, and understand the new layout.

Steph (sp ed teacher) looked just FRAZZLED the last time i saw her...she's pleased with the look and the layout, but like me, worried about what her "routine oriented" kids will think of the change. All the teachers i know have lived in the classroom this week, preparing it for the onset of kids...I LOVE YOU GUYS!! THANK YOU!!

This will be our first year with the dual diagnosis...I will be working on molly's welcome letter to send home to the parents of her classmates today.....it's gonna be hard one to compose this year. *sigh*

Down Syndrome affords a sweet, loving kid who interacts socially, knows how to laugh and loves to dance. I can celebrate everything about it..it really has been a positive force in our lives, and introduced us to the most amazing parents & friends. We headed out into the world singing songs of diversity and had a little SPARKLER to show the world that just because she had a duplication in the 21st chromosome, it didn't make her all that different from your child.

Then, Autism entered our lives.

Autism, to me, remains the black cloud that hangs over the first diagnosis. I hate that it snuck in and has stolen my little social butterfly away from her classmates. I hate that it has stolen her words. I miss catching her eyes with mine and having her smile at me and run for a hug. We still have our little moments, but mostly I have become "the provider". Because of the outbursts, typical kids will shy away, now. Molly is learning to communicate her frustrations, but it's still easier for her to throw something at you....and she has a good arm. Adults can understand this..kids??? not so much.

She loves being among peers...but not too close. Her hugs come, but it has to be at her discretion...she doesn't understand why they don't make "Dora" clothing in her size anymore, and could care less about the Jonas Brothers.

I reallllllllllly hate that everyone has an opinion on how we raise our autistic children. We DO discipline, but i can't BEAT HER everytime she is just being autistic. If you learn anything from reading this rant...learn that you should keep your nose out of parental interaction with their autistic children....we find it rude and find YOU to be incredibly ignorant. She is not a typical child...things have to be handled differently....and while I'm on the soapbox...keep your disapproving looks and "if that was my child comments" to yourself, too. WE CAN SEE YOU.

Autism is just different. She retreats into her own little world and is perfectly happy there. She just needs a few supplies...something to dangle, some cheese pretzels, a glass of juice, and spongebob on the tv.

She does not need to be dressed, the cloth irritates her...she loves the bus, but can't tolerate the noise....She loves baths, but brushing her teeth feels like we're brushing them with razor blades...toothpaste like acid on her tongue, and cutting her nails to her constitutes an amputation....so if you see a child strip nekked in public, or think their nails are a little too long PLEASE JUST UNDERSTAND.

Im a little more down about it today, as I got a chance to see her interact with her typical peers this week...and the distance between her and them has again grown by leaps and bounds. The only way to battle this is "inclusion" with the other 9 year olds...that is why even though she is not going to understand the math class, she will be sitting there with the other 3rd graders. She may be working on something else, but she will be there, learning to sit quiet, to take her turn, to raise her hand and which kid belongs to which name.

My attitude is always a work in progress. I seem to wallow in my grief as far as the Autism diagnosis...still stuck in the "anger" phase.... spent two years in denial..and i wonder how long i'll be angry.

I want to find a cure for this disorder, but even THAT scares me...if im angry now with no answers, imagine how ticked I'll be when i find out that this all could have been prevented. Down deep, i know i did something to cause it....although the govt won't ever tell me what it was. I doubt they ever do.

For now? Teach your children that it's ok to be different, that everyone has a right to be in class. Teach them that the word "retard" is NOT acceptable as an adjective (it has become a hate word) Teach them to take the time to understand those children who are different, PLEASE DON'T RIDICULE THEM....and teach them that it's ok to like them, it's ok to invite them to a birthday party, and it's ok to walk up to their mom and ask them anything you want to help you understand.

Know that one out of every 150 children's parents will thank you and respect you for it.

saying goodbye to summer

2009-08-10T11:14:00.004-05:00

I am on vacation, and was suppose to be in Sacramento at the DS conference, but could NOT find airline tickets reasonably priced! (not $1800.00 to fly 3 of us) NEWSFLASH TO THE AIRLINES...i could have charged off a pleasure trip but I REFUSE TO BE HELD HOSTAGE by high ticket prices. You don't want to go bankrupt? You had better make it affordable to go...even if is Sacramento!! (had actually checked out flying into vegas for $39 and driving over...but finally just scrapped the whole plan.)

Then i pouted for awhile, because we did not get to go on vacation this year. Sacramento was SUPPOSE to be vacation...grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. AND Dr Capone was a speaker at the convention (leading MD authority from John Hopkins on Dual Diagnosis) and I really, really, realllllllllllly wanted to hear him talk. BUMMER!!

So, the sarge came to the rescue..He took us away...away to explore arkansas, and then to swing around to see both boys & my itty bitty....YAY!

We went to Eureka Springs, Arkansas.(go google it, it's a hoot)...solely to take molly on a train ride. :-) They have an engine and one antique passenger car that putts at 5 mph into the woods, and then back out again. Just a little ride, but she soooooooo loves trains, and we thought that maybe this would be a good way to see if she'll tolerate it! (with kids with ASD it's easier to try it close to home, and small at first) Plans for Amtrack are always floating around in the back of my head.

She loved all of it! She did get a little nervous once the horns began blowing (turned around and made a beeline for daddy.....not mommy, daddy) but settled down after hearing it a few times...at one point the engineer even made the horn sing.

My Montage 8/9/09

After riding the rails...we slipped into a motel, took a swim, watched a new dora dvd...and then headed off to eat! She likes the whole motel thing...as long as there is a dvd player, that is.

The next morning, we went to Turpentine Big Cat Rescue Sanctuary. This is another good google site, they do fantastic work at rescuing cats from people that get tiger cubs because they are soooooo cute, until they hit 200 pounds, as well as other circumstances. There are over 100 big cats there from all over the country, as it's the only one of its kind. They need all the help they can get as finances are what they are nowadays.

Ok...mama loved this stop and has wanted to go forever...but not so much molly....it's the paths...if there is a walkway, or a path that is visable...there is only one logical answer in mollys world..... WALK! Walk with a determination that would put "the little engine that could" to shame. Head Down, one arm swinging, and do not stop unless you are at the end of the path. Do not stop for any reason...not for rocks in your shoes...not for blisters...not if Spongebob himself appeared on the pathway....keep walkin.

UGH! she would not even LOOK at the Tigers, Lions, Leopards that were trying to get her attention....so we didn't stay long. There was only one path.

This big guy was rubbin up against the railing and lookin for some lovin from the caretaker....just like a big kitty!

Then off to Blue Springs....

Blue Springs is hundreds of feet below the highway on the White River. You walk down a gajillion wooden stairs and then on (get this)...A PATHWAY through the ozarks.

The nature-walk was abundant in wild flowers, hanging vine trees and covered paths...so much so that despite the 97 degree day, it was cool under the shade of the multitude of foliage.

looky how far ahead of us she is...MOLLY!! SLOW DOWN!!

All of my pictures are of the back of molly as she RAN the entire racetrack of nature...not even looking up to hundreds of butterflies, or fields of daisies. Mission girl had a goal in sight. zzzzzzzzzoooooooooooooom.

We spent the afternoon at Bill's over in Rogers, watching him work (ok she was in the bedroom with dora) and watching "Twilight" The movie wasn't half as entertaining as hiding behind a partition and listening to my baby boy explain to a felon what was going to happen if he decided to skip out on the bail. :-()!! or listening to him be sooooo understanding when the parents were insisting that the law had picked up the wrong kid for felony tagging...even though that kid was visable on 40 different videos from area businesses.

It's weird listening to your baby talk like a man. A wise, understanding but fearless man. Weird and Proud and ....it's just indescribable the feelings. When did he grow up?

Later, we drove up to and had really planned on staying in Springfield, but Gabe had inlaw company in, and we were very sore from the motel bed (old age is rearing it's ugly head here) and the sarge was beginning to complain of "calf cramps" I had to laugh, as that walk out of the Springs?? Oh yea, straight up, and since Molly was jogging it...we both had to, TOO! It scares me to think of how sore it makes me to try and keep up with her now.....what is the future going to feel like???

Everybody agreed we needed to be in our own beds...and even though it meant a long drive in the dark, we were blessed with a big, full harvest moon to light our way...and as a bonus, a meteor shower to guide us home.

Home...i thought i needed a break from it. I was wrong.......unless of course you pick up two sheps from the kennel, and forget to put the cage in....then? oh that warrents the "Stink Eye"

time...EEK! WHERE DID THE SUMMER GO?

2009-08-02T09:10:00.003-05:00

Its AUGUST! School starts in TWO WEEKS?? WHAT HAPPENED TO THE SUMMER I WAITED SO LONG FOR?

I haven't been blogging, the laundry room is still a heap of junk-storage, and there are baskets of clothes waiting to be folded. As i work on that, I see more evidence of fleeting time...there is ALWAYS one stack where i put the clothes that don't fit Molly anymore. Did she have a growing spurt? or was I just not paying close enought attention?

My life is still a blur...and I do not like it one bit. Work+shop+home+supper+playtime+bed....rinse and repeat....try to throw in some bill paying, signing classes, marriage tending, etc...and UNCLE!! I GIVE!!

Sometimes i feel like i barely am keeping my domestic head above the level of toys strewn across my livingroom.

This weekend though, it all comes to a stop (except for the hourly vacuuming) because my little g-baby Aubrey Jo is here. She's a mess, but a more cautious mess this time. I can't miss seeing her for more than a week, because she DRASTICALLY changes daily. She's growing too fast and that little brain is sucking up data at warp speed.

we have already taught her to say "bill" !! My youngest son is the light of her life, and is also down visiting this weekend. They play the "blubb blubb flap your finger on your lip" game...and now she says BILL!! followed by that motion/noise. (too cute)

She woke up this morning, before anyone else, and although happy to see me come to rescue her from the pack N play...her first word was "Maul" an appropriate word for her doting aunt, Molly Kate.

Molly is stingy with her toys, More stingy with her Brother and now there is a fight over the tippy cups....but still....Aubrey Adores Molly more than anyone else. :-)

AJ is still a monkey butt...but evidently has learned a few hard knock lessons, as she doesn't fly off the couch anymore but slides down, and if she should happen to get stuck on her descent...SCREAMS FOR PA PA!! lmao!

I just watched her dump her cereal bowl (no milk) on the floor, and look up innocently at bill and say "Oh Oh" For one fleeting second, with her big, bright, lashfilled eyes...and the curls at the back of her head...i saw Gabe. Her daddy, my baby.

Where did the time go???

a day in the life of.....

2009-07-05T20:13:00.005-05:00

today, i got nothing accomplished. Nothing...it's my "i have to go back to work" time of vacation week, and i am just stalled out!! I have the house to myself, and by george...IT'S MOMMY TIME!!

Larry eventually returned home from a long roundtrip picking up Kelsi in KC (9 hours) and he looks around the toy-strewn livingroom and asks if i'm feeling ok. I should have made up some 'female' disorder at this point, but that would call for quick thinking and energy output, so i just stick my tongue out at him.

He collapses on the couch, Boondock Saints is playing on network, and tries to chill out and watch TV. 3 seconds later he's passed out. What am i to do? Vacuum and wake him??? I lay on the other end of the couch and help him, like a good wife!

Blessed, overcast, sunday afternoon nap time. We can affort this little slip in parenting, because the front door is latched, and Kelsi is here to keep an ear out for any molly shinanigans. Molly is currently in my room, stretched out on my bed, and uncharacteristically calm watching a DVD.

1/2 hour later, she walks out in a fashion designer outfit! There are men's underware on her head, black dress socks on each hand, 2 pairs of MY socks on her feet, inside-out spongebob jammie pants under a sundress, which is under a pink shirt, and admiring herself in the mirror. Yes, in that 1/2 hour of my quiet peace...she sized up the situation and jumped on the opportunity to unload all of our dressers!! (as well as those 2 laundry baskets waiting to be folded) UGH!

(I'll bet you think I'm making this stuff up, aren't you?)

I move onto supper...a nice one to welcome Kelsi home...grilling KC strips and baking potatoes. It's later than the usual supper time, and Kelsi has switched to the Simpsons (special episode starring michael jackson *sniff*)and we set up molly's little table and chair in the livingroom and allow her to eat there! She, in the meantime, is in the kitchen with tongs...which is Mollyspeak for "no thank you, i would rather just have a pickle"

Tonight i put my foot down, and tell her "your food is on the table, go eat!"

She throws a fit, and when i say fit, i mean she SCREAMS out this gutteral noise so loud I am sure the neighbors (closest is 4 acres away) are calling 911....then she slams herself into her chair, picks up a spoon and hurls it into the big screen! (Big.... slow.... breaths, mommy.....1, 2, 3, 4, 5..... )

She's off to time-out in her room (which translates into i now have 2 rooms to reclean) and even though 2 minutes ago i couldn't WAIT to dive into that perfectly grilled steak, i have now lost my appetite. grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Larry, has come out to see what all the noise is about,and immediately jumps at the front door & HE STARTS SCREAMING!! He's yelling at the cat, in his "emergency" voice. HATTIN!! COME HERE!! HATTIN!!! (this is a cat, and you KNOW this is not what they repond too....cmon sarge...can you say "herrrrrrrrrrre kitty kitty kitty????)

I bolt from the kitchen, (and my now cold, unwanted steak) and run to the door, a little ticked off about another loud interruption, but still hearing panic in his bellows, and yell..."WHAT is going ON??"

"Hattin is chasing a skunk down the road, and is in attack mode." EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!!! Now I'M flying out the door and Mizzy the dog decides she needs to help me. I try yelling at the female shep, who being newly adopted and still skiddish immediately flops and drops and starts wetting the sidewalk. GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA.

I finally make her understand that she needs to get in the house, when Lucifer, the old black cat, has to come stick HIS nose into the situation. He procedes to do what he does best, and that is "put the explanation point" on any direction i give the dogs. SMACK SMACK-HISS HISS...which sends Mizzy yelping and flying back out the front door, all the while Larry is continuing to scream at Hattin.

We finally get all animals contained, including the hoisting of Mizzy back in the house, and I run across the yard trying to catch up with Hattin, but not too fast which invites the "catch me if you can" game he so likes to play...said skunk has now disappeared behind the blackberry briar that separates the road from the neighbors sheep field.

I pick up the city kitty...and carry him back to the house, and look at the sarge who is SMILING!! "He was in crouch and conquer mode" Larry seems to love this about cats...the way they pounce and jump prey, which up to this point has been an occasional lizard! He can almost respect cats for this, and is actually BEAMING at the returning soldier.

I'm just frazzled and confused at my KC transplanted husband/trooper.

"LARRY!! SKUNKS are NOCTERNAL!! AND they carry RABIES!! There is NO GOOD REASON for a skunk to be WALKING DOWN OUR ROAD during the DAYTIME!!"

Sheeeeeeeeeeeze!! talk about your city kitty....I'm married to city-guy!

Now? all is quiet, I finally have a topic for the weekly blog. It's time to clean up from another typical day in the Wilson Home...and prepare for the dreaded return to the work place, which honestly is beginning to look more like a welcome place of escape.

Larry is quietly sitting out front.

With the Glock.

Autistic Traits

2009-06-30T11:22:00.002-05:00

oh yea...there are the traits you read about on all 'diagnose Autism at home' websites, but then there are the others....

This week, on the dual diagnosis board i lurk at, the topic is dumping and throwing. I've discussed the dumping here before...all the toy bins...all the dresser drawers, and the fact that my silverware is in tall tupperware tubs out of reach of my little dumper...

but have i ever spoke of throwing things?? Until now, when Molly just had Down Syndrome, honestly? I was too embarrassed to discuss the 'less than desireable' types of things we deal with. Coming out about the Autism seems to have freed me a little of that embarrassment, so you need to know.

Kids with Autism, tend to vent in ways that make old woman yack in a grocery stores...one being..they throw things. It was intolerable when she was a baby...but now that she can put some weight behind that toss?? it simply HAS to stop!! A full tippy cup hurling across a classroom can do damage.

So, just as a clue-in if you are one of the "sooooooooo much better than me" moms at Walmart who witness a "meltdown" of one of our kiddos??? Try to understand that we are working on this behavior non-stop. NOT taking them into public for fear of the above? Not a solution. In fact, the more our kids are mainstreamed, the easier it is for them to learn to be appropriate.

This was my post back to another mom just facing the long term of her 3 year old's awesome arm:

I would like to say that Molly is over throwing things...but last night? She went for a popsicle...now it's bad enough mommy hasn't been to the store in a week and she is left with just purple ones...(AS IF!!!) BUT the one she pulls out??? it was born with no stick. I hear the cry of anguish explode from her, and honestly, you would have thought someone had just ran over the dog....

AUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

and then i see the offending member FLY across the kitchen and come to it's final demise on my coffee maker.

ugh

She did throw a tippy cup at summer school last year, and hit her boyfriend in the eye. Not good (although he did beg the aide not to tell anyone) so I am blantently aware of what HAS to happen. We work on this constantly, as it is SOOOOOOOO inappropriate...on one level.

On the other?? for the non verbal??? what else is there?? How else is she to let me know that THIS is a circumstance that is JUST NOT TOLERABLE!! I can so empathize with her...throwing things is as easy to stop for her, as is stopping my tears when im REALLY ANGRY. As much as I don't want them to fall, as inappropriate when i am trying to express myself like a sane human in a situation that I feel is WRONG WRONG WRONG!!

the angrier i get, the more they fill my eyes. After 50 years, is still uncontrollable.

I feel like i need to try to make her understand, that no, in the case of a broken popsicle, this IS not appropriate...but if the big scary man is wanting you to come to the closet with him???

You Go Girl!!!

What a line to walk.

BIRTHDAY TIME!! and a FAMILY REUNION

2009-06-23T09:46:00.004-05:00

yesterday, Mommy almost yacked when she discovered she had deleted all the pics from the longggggggg weekend. Shauna armed with Gabes DSL in Springfield came to the rescue (being stuck on sattelite really adds to the frustration) and found them....YAY, for the pics anyway...we decided on El Charro for the birthday dinner, and their delicious enchiladas and the stress over the pics ....made mommy's tummy a virtual volcano!

I am pleased to be able to add the pics and tell you about my fabulous week! First....Ally came to visit on Wednesday, catch some rays and pool time, and bring the baby down. Rays are easy to come by as we are in a stalled weather system that is giving us 100 degree days!! AUGUST IN JUNE!! After the winter we had....no one is complaining. She left Aubrey Jo home with us and went back to Springfield to work...I love having the baby here, even though she steals my toys and pretzels! She is funny! I don't mind that mommy has to spend alot of time with her...but i REALLY DID MIND when bill was loving up on her. THE NERVE!!

She's ready to go!! Actually, this is an adorable float, but wayyyyyyyyy to old for her! mama brought a floatie with a canope on it that worked much better.

The cat got in on the action, trying to teach her how to open the door, but she is still too short

Grandpa Sarge also had some instruction on ham radioes....Aubrey Jo LOVESSSSS her grampa...anytime she'd get bored, she wander down the hall to the radio room. He is like a magnet to little ones!

Then Shauna made it in from DC! YAY! She had a 10th High School Reunion to attend.

She did some Pilates~ in the morning...Aubrey Jo helped with them, too

then FINALLY mom and dad made it in! They missed me SOOOOOOOO MUCH!!

Uncle Bill and Angela joined in...and we just had bunches of fun after that....

In addition to all the kids at my house? everyone brought PUPPIES!! Only Jager, the chocolate lab, was able to manuver the stairs to my hideaway, though...silly dog!

My sibs fight all the time in a funny way....one morning Shauna woke Bill up with my super soaker squirt gun!! He ran out of the bedroom and threw her in the pool with all her clothes on!! They are really funny!!

All that fun left us all tired, but mommy said she was GLAD that the "family couch" was full again!

Then we went to El Charro for a birthday Celebration! MOLLY IS 9!!! She got a plate of her most favoritest rice...and then? SURPRISE!!

All in All...it was the best birthday a girl could want...Momma and I are very tired today, as we clean up...but both of us decided the best kind of vacation, is the EVERYBODY COME HOME vacation.

WELCOME SUMMER!!

2009-06-15T08:58:00.002-05:00

Today starts THE WEEK!! I'M SO EXCITED!!

Shauna comes home Thursday, I'm taking the week off...hopefully BOTH the boys will be home...Ally may be down Wednesday to "Club-Spa Gramma" and use the pool, and let me play with Aubrey Jo...Molly's Birthday is the 22nd! so im hoping to have a party for ALL THE KIDS! and I AM JUST PSYCHED!!

I just love it when i can get all my chicks under my wings at the same time. Doesn't happen very often, for SURE!!

Last weekend, instead of blogging, i was at a Birthday Party for a little girl WHO TURNED ONE!! can you BELIEVE IT!! ONE YEAR OLD!! ALREADY!!

it was a blast....

molly and Aubrey got a little face time:

She loved her cake and presents:

Molly fell in love with a zip slide attachment at the park...which I'm currently looking for to add to her playset!

But Aubrey was too little to try...check out that adorable party dress!!

Maybe she's all of one year old...but grampa is STILL HUGE TO HER!!

Molly is still loving every minute of summer school...and all that summer is here in the ozarks. She has no idea her WORLD is about to be ROCKED with the reunion of her siblings. She also LOVESSSSSSSSSSSSSS everyone being home!!

have a GREAT WEEK!!

the last of May is over!! WHEW

2009-05-31T14:35:00.004-05:00

wow! what an ending to a month! School is out, Graduation is over, and the POOL is OPEN!!

I'm over my little pity party...I'm not why it is so necessary for me to wallow a little bit, before i pull up my big girl panties, and get on with the tasks at hand....but i do. Didn't mean to be a bummer....Judevine comes tomorrow and starts us off with a 3 hour training session. Hopefully THEY will teach ME how to deal with some of molly's more undesireable habits....and either get her talking, or get us all signing!

This is a pic the school sent over after i posted about the fishing trip...lmao! doesn't molly just look THRILLED with the field trip???

and ally's graduation:

Gabe barbeque'd for all the families, and the food was delicious!

And we were granted a beautiful day for the outing...it had rained the previous 5 days, and was looking bleak, but it just turned out to be a perfect day:

We took molly out to a party our local Hospital was throwing, on the occasion of thier 50th year of operations...She had a ball! (and a blue coconut sno-cone!) The main pic on the title of the blog was her coming down a TWO STORY SLIDE~! ALL BY HERSELF!! (ok, one dad had to get up there and talk her AND his little girl into the tall climb)

After that we made what's become an annual event, and stopped to have lunch with Texas, a friend and workmate from the old Walmart Days! She lives in Branson now, but comes over every Memorial Day Weekend!

And some exciting stuff for you bird watchers out there! We have returning Killdeer to our yard...strange little things lay thier eggs in the open field (where we may not mow anymore) and hatch them there, before moving them to the lake. There were 3 eggs, and we timed the peek just right to see the last little one

mama kept a close eye on us:

And the adoption effort puppy is still with us. I haven't heard from anyone close, that i think would be a good family for her, although there have been several long distance opportunities from wisconsin and illinois ???????? what is with THAT? so she is still hanging around, waiting for me to move her:

So it's been a busy month...June is the month of birthdays around here...Aubrey Jo has her #1, Molly turns 9 on the 22nd and Bill has one on the 11th! I got this in the mail this week: Isn't she just adorable?? I mean really, have you EVER seen such a beautiful baby??? (sorry, couldn't help it, grammy keeps BLOWING outta my proud chest!! She is ABSOLUTELY the BEST!! and now? The invitation to her first birthday party!! YAY AUBREY JO!!

And we'll do it all over again when Shauna comes to town on the 18th! We will celebrate ALL the kid's birthdays then, when they'll all be together! So ON WITH JUNE!! I hope it is as eventful as May!!

I'll let you know next week how my training goes...and our new life in Summer school as a mom of a child with the dual diagnosis! I am happy to have her, blessed with FOUR healthy children, and with the love they have brought to me twofold, with the addition of the ones that THEY love...and surrounded by the love of good friends. I have MANY MANY THINGS to be thankful for, and won't let a little "label" get me down!

A new title, a new life, and a rainy day blog

2009-05-24T10:36:00.004-05:00

Yea, I've been off awhile...partly because we've been so busy with Ally's graduation/end of school stuff/and acceptance. I'll talk about the fun in a future posting...it's just been a blur in my life as of late...for now? we'll focus on one topic:

Acceptance

Molly Kate now has a definite diagnosis of being on the Austism Spectrum. There, I've typed it for the world to see...My skunky, funny girl is Autistic.

tears...*sniff*

She went to Kindergarden twice...the first time? FABULOUS!! Everyone loved her, she was gaining a vocabulary, and was elected princess candidate of the spring festival...purely a popularity election. She was the only one on stage to engage the audience in the Wonder of Molly Kate, bowing, throwing kisses and inviting applause and adorable admiration. The pinacle which spoke of the future, and just how much of a "poster child" for Down Syndrome she would become. No need to fear...I'm just like YOU!!

Year two? things started to change....her circle of friends started dwindling to 1 or 2...she had previously dropped the signs when she verbalized the word...but now she was dropping the words, too...and she became more obsessive/compulsive.....playing only with toys that would stack well...then forgoing toys altogether for better stacking utinsels like paper plates, spoons, and oreo cookies.

denial

For 2 years i watched the changes...they were also noticed by teachers and tagged as a possible "A word" in her IEPs, (still not ready to accept the possiblity) and then? i started talking to other moms, and visiting other websites.... Moms with kids on the spectrum.

I'm Angry

I was so careful with her innoculations, only to find out i could have separated the MMR and taken it in 3 different doses....knowledged gained too late. I'm not saying it WAS the MMR, I'm saying i don't feel like i was given enough knowledge about all the alternatives at the time of innoculation....(hers was definitely mercury free) and we still don't know why this disorder is attacking our children at the current estimates of 1 in 150.

Since she has Down Syndrome and the majority of physicians don't believe that our children can have Autism (they think it more of a level of the DS)so I too kept dragging my feet. It's taken me two years to grasp the idea and call in the experts...and the experts have come and filmed an evaluation, studied it for 2 months...and sent us the diagnosis.

She is mildly autistic by their standards...but still...another diagnosis, and this one packing SO MUCH MORE OF A PUNCH than the DS did....I so worry about "losing" her...her spitfire...her sassy...her demonstrative love......this diagnosis has just knocked me for a LOOP!

I'm slowly getting on board. Judevine has promised parent training...support...playdates...respite...horse & music therapy and of course we will persue any and all opportunities for her as always

but.... (sorrow)

It still leaves me feeling lost. She's different from her peers, now (friends with down syndrome) and we again find ourselves in the limbo world of parenting. Time to start all over I guess, and accept it...support it...learn it..fight for her and her place in this world ....and advocate.

soon

************************************************
Happy Memorial Day sounds like such an oxymoron. Thank you! more appropriate.

Thank you to my dad and uncles who fought in the big one, WWII....thanks to all of you from my generation who fought in Nam, and didn't get the thanx when you came home.....and as our own 1138th prepares to leave for that horrible place, THANK YOU and prayers for our servicemen and women currently serving in this lastest conflict.

We especially honor and remember my Father in Law, Glen Wilson, who left us too early at the hands of Altzheimers, after surviving the Germans.

After fighting in Germany, he came home and devoted his life to his 5 children and wife... and the Missouri State Patrol for 33 years...

always the public servent...and the bar to reach for. We miss you, pops

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!

2009-05-10T12:06:00.005-05:00

I sat down to write a touching Mother's Day blog, but was interrupted by a SNOOTY little MISS KNOW IT ALL...who is currently fighting me on the wearing of the big girl panties. It's not that she isn't potty trained...she is...it's just the fact the "bypers" are the norm, and in NO WAY should we ever venture away from our routines. MOLLY THE MULE!!

Such is Mother's Day to SO MANYYYYYYYYYYY wonderful moms i have the pleasure of knowing...my sisters. We can discuss panties, hormones, flop&drops, poop & IEPS. We know enough collectively to make one fantastic physician!! (as well as how to make a geneticist cringe)

We have shared our joys, and screamed our losses and just about the time we are ready to give up???...we lift each other up in love, in shared stories, and touching phone calls, and prayer....never with condemnation or pity (which is possible from the typpies)....but with the love of true understanding and compassion. Our children have taught us lessons in patience and diversity we would have never learned without them, and along the way have introduced us to each other. We Celebrate Them! and thank them for that awesome gift!

We meet face to face, open our homes to each other without a second thought...the sisterhood kows no anxiety over things like that...we just love "hangin" with each other. We come from every demography imaginable and yet we are family by the one link that binds us closer than blood.

We understand. That's just it...we UNDERSTAND.

I hope one day...the whole world can reach this level.

HA HA!! PANTIES!! I WIN!!
*****************************************************************************

This week marks the beginning of the "end of school" parties...we didn't post last week, nor have the parties been as much fun, because of the rain and tornadoes....but we keep trying. One day daddy went to school and all the kids went fishing!! Molly caught the first fish!! (She wasn't impressed) The MUD was pretty awesome though!!

this is her and our beloved miss stephanie, who is not even afraid of splitting up worms and hooking them for 30 kids!!

and this is Chloe our newest temporary "child"....we are re-homing her...I am thinking about calling her Karma, because thru the advertising I've done, we may have found the original breeder, as well as a woman with the same name as her 2nd owner, who ALSO lost a female german shep! (that was a wrong number, BTW!) I have lots of wonderful prospects for homes for her, and will be sad to see her go.....she's been a HOOT!

have a GREAT DAY!! Enjoy the pampering and THANK YOU MOMS for all that you do for ME!!

love,
e & molly kate

i wanna be like molly

2009-04-26T21:13:00.002-05:00

I want to be just like molly sometimes...cuz she is just too cool...not as cool/famous/built as baROCK obama this week....

but still cool...

For instance, if she sees you packing up to leave...she will just excuse herself to her room and a little bear dvd. She doesn't like goodbyes.

She has all the faith in the world that you will be back soon...whether it's me off to work, or her siblings...shauna only gets home once or twice a year....but that's fine. Molly knows they will get together again, soon, and it will be time to PAR~TAY!

She hasn't seemed to notice that gramma and grandpa are not here anymore....they moved out to colorado springs for the summer, and will be back in the fall...but she's not said anything. She knows they'll be back.

This week marks the anniversary of Little Maddy...she was born into SUCH a loving family, with an inoperable heart condition. Like molly, she had down syndrome...but she had to have a transplant to save her life...and NEWS TO ME, "our children" were not eligible for transplants!! EEK!! They loved her till she was 18 months old...and she remains forever 18 months old. Isn't she just gorgeous???

I mention this to 1) honor her and the fight she instilled in me for the rights of our children, and 2)to rejoice in the opportunity she gave me to meet her mom...one of THE most beautiful women in the world! Love ya amy...you're the BOMB!

That's why i want to be like molly....just having that faith in the reunion...she accepts the fact as much as she knows there will be pretzels in her cupboard. No need to question it, or stress over it...it will happen.

I need that kind of faith.

*******************************

This week Molly's been putting sentences together for me!! YAY! She calmly announced one morning, when joining me outside to marvel at the beautiful, warm day that was dawning...."Cold, Go Inside"

Simple...to the point...and factual...and hearing a sentence out of her nearly 9 year old mouth caused ELATION in my throat! Daddy heard it too...cuz i was just sitting there..mouth agape, not wanting to scream and scare her out of talking again.... when the sarge sticks HIS head outside grinning and says..."Cold? Go Inside?"

YAY!! I did NOT just dream it!!

So go have a great week, marvel when you can, never take your child for granted...and keep the faith like Molly. Try not to be too sad, or worry about what your children are doing without you there looking over them..... just try to anticipate the reunion>

Par~TAY!

Easter, one week later

2009-04-21T06:53:00.003-05:00

Both boys came home for a long weekend! YAY! We cooked, ate, played outside when it wasn't raining, and doted on the baby!

Aubrey Jo, now 10 months, is not just walking but RUNNING!! She is also attempting to talk...she can say MMMMMMMMMMMMMM when you ask her how the cow goes...and MMMMMMMMMMMMMM when asked what Molly's name is. She can bark (how does the dog go?) AND we taught her to MEOW!!

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

She is currently in the "quick study" mode...imitating everything she sees & hears! Larry was even teaching her his nasal HA HA HA, and the next morning when she awoke fussing, both him and I were making a bee line for her....she amazed us by stopping her fussing, and breaking into a nasally HA HA HA as soon as she saw Larry! cracked me UP! Her IQ has got to be off the charts, she is so bright! She also loves spongebob! Of course, grammy makes sure both girls are never far from him...

Molly, who adores and is adored by Aubrey soaked up the love and attention of her brothers, and was MORE than a little jealous when Bill loved on the baby.

She has been struggling through MAP testing at school...(changes of routines) so it was nice to smother her in the love of brothers again. There was even a bonus when Josh came over! Grammy babysat all the little ones why the boys went to see Fast and Furious! The big family couch is now sleeping a second generation.

(bree, hayden, and mckenna)

Our big news, happened yesterday when I took molly to school. She remains pretty much non-verbal, and misson oriented....meaning when it's time to go, it's time to go....no fanfare, no hugs, no lengthy goodbyes...just GO!

Yesterday, as I dropped her off at school, she opens the car door, side eyes me and says clear as a bell "BYE BYE'

YAYYYYYYYYYYY!! A FIRST!!! I'm so excited i have to stop myself from screaming!! I curb the urge and compose myself and reply "Bye, I love you"

and ?????

AND??????

i hear her!!

"Lub you too"

YAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAAYYAYAAYAYAYAYAYAYYAYAYAYAAY

Big day for us!

Enjoy your week....do NOT take anything you have for granted!!

Pity Party

2009-04-12T11:48:00.003-05:00

nope...didn't blog last week...probably shouldn't this week....but here
we go anyway.

Im blue...it's raining, and I'm not even sure all of the rain is going to bring back what was lost in the ice storm. My trees look dead...most are snapped midway...the tulips turned black and joined the trees this week.

Easter is a bust....molly has already dumped all of her bubbles out...was only interested in tossing hard boiled eggs like a softball, and is now angry with me because i thought rice crispies was a better breakfast than pickles, coke...(no not coke, milk...wait, milk but NOT in THAT glass) and ketsup.

ugh

And even though i know as I'm buying her basket stuff (toys not candy..and a big mind-debate on whether i should buy the chocolate bunny or not) I know that Easter is just not going to be anticipated with joy and hunts and celebration like i remember. there was a hunt, but it was raining and i knew they would move it to the Civic Center, and we don't do well with alot of noise in a contained area. *sigh*

DAMN THE AUTISM!

A child I have been praying for suddenly lost his battle with cancer. I guess that should be considered a blessing, as he seized unexpectedly, painlessly and fatally... and got to miss all that goes with losing a long battle with the disease....but it is SO NOT FAIR.

DAMN PEDIATRIC CANCER!!

I try to get my mind around the fact that it did happen close to Good Friday, and I know this is the season to believe in rising from the dead, and the Glory that comes with that....but even that somehow doesn't make it any easier. WE HAVE TO STOP IT! Really...i mean really...with all the money that is being alloted to keep cars in production...where is the money for cancer that attacks babies??? I know if we could unlock that door, ALL cancer could be cured.

DAMN THE POLITICS

To top everything else off...I have been attacked violently and verbally from someone close to me...attacked because they THOUGHT i wasn't acting up to par for them, acting as should be expected in their mind.

At first? I thought they were joking,....a late April Fools. I am always on par with those close to me...and then it dawned on me that there was no joke intended. I don't know when i became a pissin' post for those that i love, but it stopped on that call. A word to the wise....you might want to consider calling and yelling at me about what you think i didn't do...THE DAY AFTER! It would have saved much heartache, and caused me not to have to run around canceling everything i HAD PLANNED.

DAMN!

But...In this season of forgiveness...I'm giving myself a do-over. This will include a long, hot soak....and some hard work (molly has just destroyed my bedroom) forgetting and forgiving the childish phone call, and realizing that none of my children have horrible diseases, but do-able disorders, and while I continue to pray for those that need it, and try to raise awareness for them, I will thank God for the family He has blessed me with, all of them....just the way they are.

And while I'm at it??? Thank God for my parents...they are SOOOOOOOOOO into the real reason of the season and my only regret this morning, is that we didn't get mom a new bonnet! THANKS FOLKS! (all dolled up and ready for Mass!)

so you can throw this one into the I AM ONLY HUMAN file, and know that yea, even I have my days. I just try and get control of them and turn them around. Sorry to unload.

edited to add...

what am i doing?? making deviled eggs out of the crushed glittered ones (lemonade out of lemons?)

...what is she doing??
oh she is into dressing herself now a days....we argue over school attire (that's typical now isn't it?) but on Easter Sunday? She's destroying my bedroom drawers, and donning her OWN outfit! like gramma!!

In my darkest days...she has her way of making me laugh...AND we have been looking for that one maroon state patrol shirt of daddy's!! WHO KNEW she was saving it for just when i would need to see it....and made me LAUGH!

Happy Easter Everyone

Another boring weekend

2009-03-29T14:18:00.004-05:00

I'm loving it!!

Just me and the family.

Mom and dad ran off to tunica this weekend, but escaped just before all the tornadoes started up...Molly the sarge and I ran to Springfield and grabbed the baby up, and headed for home before the alleged snow was suppose to hit...and settled in for a boring weekend of just kids and housework.

We left here in shorts, as it was 65 or so...and got to Springfield and it was 41!!! EEK!! Aubrey and Molly have the same taste in toys

Heading for Home: Dont forget your "gunkey" molly...does diesel want to come with?

Hangin with the puppy:

Goofin with Molly...or maybe fighting over the little chair....

Patty-cakin' wif PaPa

LOVING that big, low window....just my size!

She is well on her way to walking...just cruising right now..and standing independently for long periods of time! These are some clips for posterity...and you can hear molly's goofy new laugh for the season. Most the times i ask her.."what is that noise your making???"

to which she adds at the end of the goofy giggle, "ha ha ha ha ha" I'm thinking spongebob has alot to do with that laugh!! Enjoy your week, I hope it's as boring as mine!

3/29/09 Bree at 9 months

Spring Break!!

2009-03-23T07:41:00.005-05:00

Been a crazy week...i GUESS today starts spring break! She's up and at it early, and somehow i thought the rumor about them shaving a couple of days off for snow days was FALSE!! Honestly...i still don't have confirmation....just the fact that no one is answering the phone at school!! GREAT MOMMY!

Aubrey tested her parents sanity by getting under the kitchen counter (new house-the cupboard locks are not up yet) and taking a bite out of a cascade packet!! She's fine, although I'm not too sure about her parents! (welcome to my world, gabe, the eater of chlorine posts for the apt pool, and drinker of bleach!) i USED to have the number to poison control memorized!

Shauna is done with her 'really big' case...and last i heard was in NYC celebrating that fact with her big sis, and heading for a Fleetwood Mac concert in Jersey! YAY!! This one took a long time, with too much stress!

Bill and Angela came home with thier rude puppies!

They are both adorable but poop too much! (the puppies i mean)

We ate too much (i always cook big when bill is home...as skinny as he is, he eats for 3)
but we always exercise also...we took advantage of a nearly 80 degree day and headed for the river to do some explorin.

bill? why do i have to wear shoes in the river and you dont?

That just doesn't seem right!! Im going to take my shoes off, too!! Too bad i seem to only
know one way to take off my shoes. (check out bill's face...hahahahah)

COLD WATER!!!!

I'm outta here!!

Then we hiked our way up to Blue Springs...this is a continuously 58 degree spring that bubbles up all year long....and a ways back up in the woods. This is the first year molly has made the hike without having to be carried back....just lifted up in a few places.

Looking at the river, and talking...this is the way molly talks now, we have no idea why, but her hand has to be up over her mouth...probably some tool used in speech that has gone awray.

The drop off to the spring is right there...but no amount of telling her to stop will do...BILL!! TOO FAR!!!

Blue spring lies off of the river...which was down, but flowing beautifully.

There were caves to explore:

And monkeys in the trees:

and miss molly went to bed early....and slept hard! IT'S SPRING BREAK HERE!! and more importantly??? IT'S SPRING!

Bone

2009-03-15T10:03:00.003-05:00

I have had the opportunity to meet some of the funniest women in the world...and got to catch up with one this week.

We both used to manage competing food marts, and one of the funniest things i ever saw in a newspaper ad was HER store offering a 1 pound pkg of BOWLES for $2.99! (a typo that should have read bowls) Cracked me up and i grabbed a copy of the ad and ran right over to ask her if these were in the meat dept? or freezer section???

Bone (her old name, which i won't let up on, cuz it was funny, too) came in today. She has been a SAHM, something I'm really jealous of (thanks bernard for crashing my 401-I hope you share a cell with big-bubba-roid-rage-ralph) her for being able to do that...but she's changed her status. She's blonde, pretty, not fat at all...but well built. A brick.

"So, what are you doing these days?"

I know it's coming when her eyes start to twinkle

"I am an over-sized escort"

It took me about 10 seconds of gaping mouth-confusion-face to figure out she was TALKING about driving a little truck in front of the "wide-load" semi tractors!

We laughed till we cried...she says it doesn't pay alot...but with a title like that?
who cares!! Love ya, Bone! You made my day!
**************************************************
We are celebrating a huge step for molly this week...many of you saw me hinting about it on FaceBook!

At molly's school, they have a drive-thru-drop-off section. Since 9-11 they don't want alot of parents wandering around the halls. I've been driving molly in, in the mornings (she had been having trouble with all the chaos on the bus) and we get to park in the handicap section, and walk in. (parent parking is about a mile away..and i don't have a placard, but the school understands how slow molly can walk and granted us permission)

So, we still have to get in the car-line, and watch what the other kids are doing, to get to our parking place. The parents pull up to a stop sign in an area teachers are manning, grab their backpacks, jump out of their cars and walk in a crosswalk to the front doors of the school.

This week, I also stopped at the stop sign and looked at molly and told her to go, like the big kids. It took a couple of days, but on friday, she successfully , with no prompting, opened her car door, grabbed her back pack, and walked to the front door, to a waiting aide!!

YAY MOLLY!

Of course i drive around into the forbidden area to make sure she's connected with her aide, and on Friday??? Molly shot me the stink eye! I guess i shouldn't be checking up on a big girl!

*beam*

a few shots from the week....When Bill came to pick up Bree, he brought brother Josh and his son Haden. Although Josh is the "brother with another mother"..you cannot tell by looks, or attitude at home, that he is not mine. The three boys are CLONES!! And Haden seems to be following suit.

Hatten the Cat likes to stretch out in weird positions to sleep...what a goofy cat (i thru molly's croc in there for size proportion...he's HUGE!)

Sarge gets nervous when Larry and Kelsi take off for a soccer ball, and a sliced tire keeps them away for hours! (oh yea, come monday we're wrapping the Tahoe in some decent rubber...I will be BROKE!)

It's hard work worrying and waiting, so he was resting his big nose on the table that ALWAYS has a bowl of pretzels on it!

And yes, THIS WEEK is KELSI'S spring break...YAY!! Molly is excited to have someone to watch "oswald" with...although "Ducky" (mollys name for her) usually is hooked up to the lap top, japanamation, and emo bands. Shes 16 now.

I love my house, and the fact that any given weekend, we can have 5-15 members of family hanging around, and just being "home"

Have a great St Patty's Day week. Everyone's Irish This week! Even Barrack!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Xkw8ip43Vk

lightning, assessments, and Aubrey Jo

2009-03-08T11:01:00.005-05:00

I started this earlier, but lightning crashed outside, causing Lucifer the Cat to jump from outside on the deck, to inside on the couch in one flying leap....and then the rains came. Hard rains, knocking out satellite computer and Oswald on television (OHHHHHHH NOOOOOOOOOOO) We're dodging the tornadoes up north (knock on wood) and just getting some violent rain storms that are short in duration.

Spring is FINALLY here, and the grass seems universally greener after a 10 minute monsoon. YAY! IT SMELLS SO GOOD!! My yellow daffodills are opening, and there are buds on everything else.

We are celebrating but tired here...miss Aubrey Jo has come to rock our world for the weekend. She's very comfortable at grammy's, but wouldn't sleep anywhere but WITH grammy. We snuggled on the couch all night...she stirred a couple of times, but with a few pats on the diaper, she'd drift right back off. Being acutely aware of her new found gymnastic abilities, and the speed in which she can pull them off...grammy didn't sleep too soundly.

She has changed so much!! Dang the ice storms!! I last saw her as an infant, and she returns 4 weeks later as a rug rat!

She is a dancing baby, imitates sounds i make,patty cakes, signs daddy and more, laughs, pulls ups and walks around cruising, stands independently for a few seconds..and can FLY on her hands and knees!!

She will make the "scrunch face" atcha:

WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN!! She's still quite small, making her antics even funnier as she is now the 'walking infant'

and ohhhhhhhhhhhh she loves her food...in fact, if she hears someone in the kitchen, or spoons rattling, or cupboard doors being opened?? she is ON IT! LOOK OUT MOLLY...she's diving in for your fries!!

Also? she is quite tasty

She came with a packNplay, but currently molly is in it, and against all of bree's parent's warnings, SHE is not.... but has run of the house (bathroom doors closed) and she's loving it! She runs down to see grampa in the radio room...chases the cats, and loveeeeeees sarge the german shep. He just makes her squeal! There is no taking your eye off of her...not for one second. I think also, i may rename her "woomba" as even though i've vacuumed 37 times, she still is finding things to pick up and put in her mouth. Yes, Gabe, the dog food dish is secured on the back porch!

I am so amazed by her sheer sharpness. She doesn't miss a movement, she doesn't miss a sound. Her eyes flit and scan and move her to the next escapade. I don't think I'm seeing her in such amazement because molly was so laid back as an infant, either....I think I'm amazed....because she is amazing. I see great things happening for this curious little girl.

We did have molly's assessment Friday...to see if she's on the Autism Spectrum. The interviewer came while moll was outside playing, so we had some time to set up before calling her in. The first thing molly does is run over and give her a big hug! BLASPHEME!! SHE NEVER DOES THIS! lmao...i believe molly thought the lady was shauna, as she was young and had beautiful hair!

She filmed the eval while running thru several tests. After she left, i realized i had answered some questions wrong...YES, she does repeat words consistantly...CAT CAT CAT CAT ...should i email her? Why i am so worried about things that i forgot to say....do i WANT her to be Autistic?

Nope

Thanks to Maria, who is dealing with many of the things we are....i want answers. In my heart i would rather not have the label, but i WOULD like some answers. Those answers won't happen for a month or so. It's a long process. I just know there is a magic key to unlocking molly's intellegence, as there is no doubt that it is there, and whether or not the key lies in a diagnosis on the spectrum, or someplace else...we will keep working until we find it. Molly has many contributions of her own to make.

I will end with my frustration/chuckle of the week.

The school sends molly home all the time. She is "out of sorts" or "pushing" or "has an ear infection" (she had a bad case of wax)" "has pink eye" "maybe the flu" and it's just CONSTANT!!!.... to the point that I was beginning to think that maybe molly is just too hard to handle, and it's easier to send her home than to deal with her. And what am i to do? Tell them she doesn't have an ear infections, or take her to two dr's to make sure. Tell them NO, we will not pick her up no matter what YOU think????

Today I opened a warning notice from the school. She's missing too much!

UGH!!

Off i go...the woomba is heading for my bedroom, which is referred to as the 'toy room' by the sarge anyway....too much FUN! OH LOOK, she's found mama and dadda...and is signing with thumb on her head...and saying mum mum mum (shhhhhhhhh don't tell ally)

I'll leave you with 4 generations (with one crooked little finger) of hands,
and hopes that spring EXPLODES in your area..the way it has ours...Don't forget to spring those clocks ahead, either!

EEK!!

2009-03-01T10:13:00.002-06:00

i so hate to start with this again, as it is officially march...but IT SNOWED YESTERDAY!! all day...for about 5 inches or better. They are again forcasting 70's for the end of the week, which means we again move from the frozen tundra into the world of slop!

We have no dirt or sand in missouri...only clay and rocks...which is why the schools are closed so often...a wet, clay road is mighty messy and the busses have a hard time navigating down them. We also have no major snow removal devices...just salt trucks AS IT'S NOT SUPPOSE TO SNOW!! I am grateful that there is no ice this time...and it was rather pretty and FUN!

It's only going to be a short inconvenience, but it sure messed up my travel plans...i cannot WAIT to see my big boys & girls, and the baby! Every weekend something jumps up that keeps me here and miserable.

The past Wednesday Molly was in a 2nd grade play at school...we were scrambling because detailed info wasn't coming...ie: i thought she was a pioneer girl (found out she needed a long dress on monday)...but she ended up being a bird. (found out she needed solid colored clothes that WERE NOT pink on tuesday) She would have a better pioneer girl as they don't have to wear beaks, and not even robert "bobert" the boyfriend could convince her otherwise!

She did well in her part, stayed on the risers, standing and sitting appropriately with no aide right beside her. Mommy and the aide were standing close..but not too close.

She goes on stage, does her thing, and the curtains close..the children are suppose to exit stage left...and out they all come, all but the last little bird. UGH! She finally appears, but decides to exit stage right..into the next group! The aide is on it...but not as fast as Bobert, who got to her first! PLEASE don't knock the other kids off of stage right!!

Now to all the parents out there that are shaking their heads at the poor little girl who doesn't know any better??? I hate to inform you, but she knew EXACTLY what she was doing..SHE'S A SKUNK!

Someone built a little Fairview bus..which they call the twinkie mobile (no clue) and it came in on the "Rosa Parks" part of the play....molly was very interested as you can see, i was just pleased she didn't take it upon herself to upstage the bus!

The funniest thing about the whole play was i actually heard her singing!! OH MANNNNN she's definitely a candidate for instant fame on American Idol....and not the GOOD KIND!

She was making up her own words (molly jabberwalky) and belting them out at the top of her lungs. It was precious!!

Thanks to the store for not berating me about my lateness...i THOUGHT it was at 8:30pm....and it ended up being one show only at 8:30AM!! I was not the only parent in the dark...but we manage!

This is a big week for us. Judevine comes on Friday to evaluate my precious (skunk) angel. Although it's been pretty obvious for the last two years that developementally, she's not even keeping up with her peers...Mommy has been dragging her feet on getting offical word. Judevine is the Missouri Autism Spectrum Disorder experts.

The school has already adjusted her learning programs...as they are good at what they do. They have been trying to get some word on it also...referring to it as the "A" word to a "living-in-denial" mommy.

We'll let you know next week what they say....and please forgive the quality of the pics...the 'all-together' mommy walked out sans camera...AGAIN and had to depend on the cell phone to capture the antics!

Have a great week!!

Hiding the markers

2009-02-22T10:52:00.004-06:00

To Hide..or not to hide, THAT is the question!

Yesterday an exasperated daddy came flying into the sanctuary
(my bedroom) where i was solving all the worlds problems
(learning how to play bejeweled) and he could not even speak.

Molly was sitting next to me with her books.

Larry is not the best communicator...and as much as it irritates
me sometime, I stop what I'm doing and dutifully follow him out
to the livingroom, to winess sign language at it's best.... the point and scream.

Oh yea...it's so screamable, that i forgot to grab the camera. Molly had taken it upon herself (did i mention that she was WITH ME?) take a black sharpie out of the computer desk...and draw not only all over the oak rolltop desk...but all over my flat screen monitor!

Mr Clean's Magic eraser works well on both oak and flatscreens by the way, but in retrospect...i need a little help with the question.

Do you teach her NOT to do it? Or hide the markers?

Maybe right after I teach her that is is not polite to disrobe in the
kitchen.

(blurry but you get the gist) Do you say no? Or just hide everything your child could possible get in trouble with?
********************************************
I was off last week....we joined the nation in celebrating national Flu Week. For the first time i can remember..since having molly..even the MOMMY had to make a trip for anti-bi's and cough syrup. Little Bill joined me in the celebration...ending up with a trip to the ER, Shots and Medications. Molly was off for FOUR DAYS with PINK EYE!! we could NOT get it under control!

It hurt....EVERYONE was hurting, and as if to throw salt on our winter wounds...it snowed here on Saturday morning!! Then I looked out the front window and saw this...

Those are robins eating what's left of my lawn.

HURRY SPRING!!

What do you do with your oreos?

2009-02-08T13:12:00.003-06:00

What do you do with your Oreos?

Weird question...but just this week, i found out my boss puts them in a bowl and eats them like cereal! BLASPHEME!! Here i thought there were only 2 ways to do it....dunk or twist, and now my WHOLE WORLD is up in the air...

Are there other ways to eat oreos that i cant fathom??? Do tell.
***************************************************************

This week, Molly and I accompanied the Sarge...who was off to Tenneessee to study what would happen communication-wise, should the New Madrid Fault decide to bless us with a ten spot on the richter scale. Did you know that there were large groups of people, that get together on their weekends and stayed honed in response if the unthinkable should happen??

This is the big bridge across the Mississippi River, and did you know, that if we do have a big quake, it would be the first thing to go?? Yea, TMI, Sarge...some stuff i just don't NEED to know!(particularly when I'M ON THE BRIDGE!)

We stayed at a resort on Reelfoot lake, and i was pumped that we had a lake, and beautiful, warm weather to play with! NOT!

I thought that everyone had recovered from the storm, like we had...and had NO IDEA how horrible the areas south to us STILL ARE! The lake was covered in limbs, the marina trashed and our resort (should be off season) was filled to capacity with power guys shipped in to get them back online.

Oh well, it's Eagle Fest! We can go bird watching....NOT!!

The planned pontoon boating excurstion was cancelled due not only to the tree limb destruction...but to the WINDS! It was 73 degrees and I'm sure the winds were gusting up to 73 mph! All the eagles, who should have been there on a layover from migration, put on scarves and headed for cover.

We busied ourselves outside (wish i would have remembered the scooter) at the gift shops and with the laptop. It's a trick keeping her occupied...not as difficult with the rest of the crew...we pay a squirrel to keep them entertained!

I see in the near future...rescuing the squirrel from the jaws of a german shep...and replacing the big window.

Although the trip didn't turn out how i planned, I can't feel bad about it...there are too many people down there who feel bad for good reason. I hear it's worse in Kentucky, and these crews will move south as soon as they're done in Tennessee.

The ice snapped highline poles at the base.

Today, I'm fighting a virus...i will NOT be SICK! Totally believe in Zycam and G-2 water and am hitting both hard (along with traditional meds) While stumbling around to find those...i cleaned out molly's med cupboard...EEK!!

Double EEK when you figure at LEAST 5 bucks a bottle, and those aren't the amber ones! Into the trash with the out of dates!

My mantra for the upcoming week? stay safe...live healthy...pray for those less fortunate...and COUNT MY BLESSINGS!!

PS..throwing this picture is, cuz my eldest sis's name is Patty Ann...and not only did we find her diner...there was a 51-52 Law vehicle outside! Maybe someone (cuz she STILL isnt ONLINE) will print and take this to her! ha!

love ya.

The Storm of '09

2009-02-01T10:15:00.003-06:00

That's what it will go down as....the Storm of '09. People will speak of this for decades. It was one that tested us, took us to our ultimate last straws mentally, scared the fire right out of us, and made us revert to caveman tactics for survival.

I'm sitting in a warm house now, and it's quickly fading as to that one week we lost. The above photo is of my 10 yr old tree. We've watched it grow from newly planted to the majesty that it is now. My only tree in the back yard, much valued for the shade it provides us in the brutal summers.

On day two...it started to droop....the sheer weight of the ice pulling it down. That same ice was working on the power lines.

On day 3...it snapped in 3-4 different places...I nearly snapped with it

I had worked Monday and Tuesday...but left early on that day. We had plenty of warning, and we're well stocked on "snow day" comfort foods...but oh man...if I could go back again, I would have done it all different.

This storm was different than any i had ever experienced in my 20 years down here. It started by raining little hail. It rained these little ticky tacky sounding hail balls...no bigger than bb's....and it rained them for 24 hours straight.

They covered everything like rain, and then joined together, like some horror movie objects coming to life, to coat my entire world in clear, slick, wrap-around ice. Then it started to snow, and iced the slick beauty in about 3 inches of white blanket...

THEN WE LOST POWER!!!...something that has never happened before...we were iced in, too far and dangerous to try to get to town...and we were without power. I have an all electric house.

The irony of the fact that I moved my parents down here with us, to enjoy a temperate winter did not escape any of us. Larry's antenna's for the ham radio came down...the verticals...the beams...all of them. The dollars to replace that mess are still being tallied:

We were without power for 4 days...food supplies drained, emotions raw...and when the thaw finally came it came in the form of a 55 degree day...it only made things more dangerous. The missiles of icicles that were firing down at us made it impossible to get to the vehicles...the thought of 4 inches of a solid sheet of ice on my roof, just waiting to dislodge makes us run out of the house a safe distance even now.

At the top of this pic, you can see where baby tree had split at the top.

We had a small generator, that provided space heaters to keep the chill off, but we did not use it at night. SO COLD! We had a little tv, and the laptop powered to run molly's dvds...and we had coffee or the microwave alternating...but microwave food was NOT what i had purchased!

We ended up moving the propane grill into the house, and blowing the tank on one night of warm. We got the house all the way up to 60 degrees.

Out the front door...it looked magnificent...I can only start to enjoy the beauty now that power has been restored. There are still thousands of homes without...especially our neighbors to the south in Arkansas...They caught the brunt of it...we were but on the fringe of that storm.

Little Bill and Ang made it home, and made everything better. We lost power
again for the entire day Saturday while they were home, but it was back on at the end of the day...It still blinks, and my breath stops for the duration of time until it kicks back on.

Bill made everything better...all it took was some laughs, a snowball fight, and some sledding....and all was well again.

Today I will go replenish the pantry, and then come home and shop for a whole house generator that runs on a tank of propane. We may never have the opportunity to use it again....but...just in case

Down Syndrome, Autism, and COPS..OH MY!

Help Queen Ashton

Docs? Don't forget to listen to the Mommies!!

A very Patriotic Father's Day

I Love June

Happy Mother's Day! 2011

The Wedding Reception or I NEED A NEW CAMERA!

March 2nd

I've been hibernating

I have no spoons, and my toothbrush is hairy

Karma

Mom

Autumn...the end of a wonderful summer

Friendship is Golden

Where were you?

My Weekend in St Louis!

almost Sept...summer came & went in one week!

The Blessed Summer is coming to an end..*sniff*

July? Already?

a FUN FUN WEEK!

Crazy Week

what happened to my vaca??

Carly George

Hospital Drama

She's HERE!! HAPPY EASTER!

Good Palm Sunday Morning!

Spring Break 2010

IT'S HERE!!

welcome back to the frozen tundra

Rahm Emanuel + Rush Limbaugh =A Pair of BOOBS!

goodbye January!

grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Is it really wrong to drink in the morning?

1/4/10 Aubrey says sorry at OneTrueMedia.com

HAPPY LEAP YEAR 2010

wow, is it over?

LMAO!!

A whole MONTH???

Veteran's Day

FINALLY!

equine therapy...first day

Guess what????

we're bacccccccccck

first week of school?? first bugs come home

A new week, hopefully a better attitude

I hate Autism

saying goodbye to summer

time...EEK! WHERE DID THE SUMMER GO?

a day in the life of.....

Autistic Traits

BIRTHDAY TIME!! and a FAMILY REUNION

WELCOME SUMMER!!

the last of May is over!! *WHEW*

A new title, a new life, and a rainy day blog

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!

i wanna be like molly

Easter, one week later

Pity Party

Another boring weekend

Spring Break!!

Bone

lightning, assessments, and Aubrey Jo

EEK!!

Hiding the markers

What do you do with your oreos?

The Storm of '09

The Blessed Summer is coming to an end..sniff

the last of May is over!! WHEW