yesterday PLUS an announcement

I got up & got a bunch of chores done yesterday morning...

lots & lots

and

it felt good.

(the hallway inside the garage door)

As I walked through my house in the morning light, I was struck by how much I love this house. It's far from perfect & needs a lot of work- in so many areas...

But it is my dream home. It looks like me & Brett, it's has my personality all over it.

It says family to me.

 Ya- I like it here.

***

I headed down to the hospital to pick up Chloe.

I had permission to take her off grounds for the whole day 12-8:00 PM- Woo Hoo!

We headed straight to lunch at Stan's! 

Gyros & Cheeseburgers with onion ring & fries.

 Oh man- that beats hospital food any day.

(Wende sent Chloe a big pack of sharpies because she knows how much she loves them, she isn't allowed to keep them there so I put them in her room when I got home.)

I had a package for Chloe 

(I usually do)

Full of little things she needed from home AND gifts from kind people-

 kind people that I love more than anything in the world.

 So many people have sent me down with little things for her!

I have never once asked- they just do.

I appreciate them & hope that angels bless them & their posterity forever more.

Is there anything better in the world than someone doing something kind?

Not something huge - just something kind.

Something thoughtful and kind and- for my sick child?

(tears)

People are so good.

A sweet family in our congregation -Hi Jennifer- sent a big envelope full of art work from everyone (she has six beautiful children) for her room! Each child & both parents made all these darling things for her.

 Pictures & jewelry... SHE LOVED THEM! Just loved them! She can't keep the jewelry but it is here for when she gets home. People send her quotes & letters & things to hang up in her room- nice.

We had so much fun eating lunch & going through these things and- just being together.

When Megan was just a tiny baby- we lived less than a block from this little drive in, Stan's. We were very poor college students. Every Monday Brett would head over there with our leftover change and wait in a very long line. Monday nights they had 1/2 price ice cream... good memories.

We headed to Target- then the mall

And found lots of cute things on sale for school etc. 

It was such a GREAT day. Really, really good day.

Brett & Trent came down & met us- Plus these two cuties for dinner!

Are they cute or what?!

This is Jack's sweetheart Emily. 

THEN

it happened.

All Hell Broke Loose

-oh boy-

The restaurant was crowded, Trent was overly excited, there were so many choices on the menu, he started throwing baby fits. Then the baby fits got bigger.

 Chloe started to tic. I started getting upset, Brett was calm.

I was so very embarrassed with Jack's girlfriend there. (So embarrassed, really.)

 Then it escalated to the point Brett had to take him out to the car and go home.

 sigh- it's been a long time- since we've had an episode like this. 

I apologized to the waitress & servers & Emily & tried to blame the autism, teenage hormones, whatever? 

It was rough.

(we both got new shoes)

We finished up our dinner & headed to a different mall- crazy I know!?

We only had one hour - so we had to make it quick.

While Chloe was mesmerized by the make up counter, I headed upstairs in JCPenney.

I went up the escalator & gasped out loud (for real) as I walked in on this display!

It's been YEARS since I've been in a JCPenneys- I was so impressed!

Chloe tried on lots of make up- she loves it & for sure doesn't need it.

 Isn't that how it goes, when your young & don't need it you always want to wear it... now I need it & I sometimes forget to even put it on! I don't want to - but now & then I go out in public & there I am-

 one eye with mascara on the other forgotten-- and I think Trent can be embarrassing!?

Then it was time.

 I dropped her off. Again.

And started my long, one hour, cry fest-- home.

Back to the house that I love.

I love it much more with my sweet Chloe in it.

It's really not the house, but the people who live in it & have grown up in it.

I don't write much about her illness because it is intensely private. I don't want to make anything harder for her than it already is. I love her. I love all of my children & never want them to suffer.

Thank you for praying for her & us.

I love it when people tell me their children pray for her.

 Those are my happiest moments, knowing that children pray for her. 

How could Heavenly Father not hear the prayer of a child? 

Speaking of children 

Here are a couple of cuties and an announcement - if you haven't already heard.

 (Finn in front- Crew in back)

Dear Heavenly Father -

Please bless the children & the grandchildren- all five of them!

this week

Laverne & Shirley

LOVE

their daddy

Sunday afternoon Brett when outside with some sunflower seed 

and they were so happy to see him.

They always are.

It's just so endearing to see him with the ladies-

they are laying at least 9 eggs a week now!

I traded work days with a friend so I could go to our Tuesday edition of Creative Day

which was extra special

Kristal's birthday!

Birthdays are the BEST

with these ladies!

Kristal chose salads for lunch

we had appetizers, three different wonderful salads, mini cheesecakes & this banana cream pie!

YUM

Just in case you think my life is perfect...

Brett came home with flowers after I spent two days extremely perplexed & upset over what to do about a certain 13 year old boy who

- last week broke the $300 notebook computer the school let him use & now we have to pay for

- then Monday the same young man's school called because Chloe's debit card was found??

What?

- Trent eventually confessed he had, "borrowed it & taken it to school."

Then lost it.

three words:

WHAT THE HELL?

When kids saw him use it at the vending machine---

they all wanted him to buy them something too.

(of course they did!)

We had no idea how much had been charged until the next day when we went to the bank.

OH MY GOSH.

ARE YOU READY FOR THIS

$90.00

Let me just say- it's tough being a parent of a teenage boy.

 But add some ADHD & Autism and it can be.... a challenge.

1. He knew taking the card was not right.

2. He knew it was the wrong thing to do.

3. He didn't truly understand- that real money was involved.

~sigh~

Just for fun:

take a look at this---

I Love Trent

He is learning & we are learning and

 LOOK HOW STINKING CUTE THESE BABIES ARE!!!

5 for FRiday

1. Hooray it's Friday! For what ever reason Hailey was feeling better & was able to go to school today- double hooray & sigh of relief.

2. Trent yesterday after school: "Hailey, I knew you weren't feeling good so I brought you this!"
(a pack of gum)
 Hailey: "wow thanks Trent!"
Upon opening the pack of gum- which Hailey assumed Trent earned in class- she realized it was only half full.
Hailey: "Hey Trent where did you get this?"
Trent: "Oh I found it on the floor at school ... I knew you didn't feel good so I brought it home for you."
BIG SMILE

3. New Year= New tic. Trent has quit whistling, almost completely in the past week. He started facial scrunching about a week ago with humming. The brain is such an amazing thing. The doctor told us his Tourettes was "developing" and would change from time to time & maybe even stop for periods of time or possibly permanently. We noticed the scrunching (a very typical tic for Tourettes patients) coming on last week & over the week now the whistling is all but gone. wow.

4. Chloe continues to back the most amazing breads! Sunday she made this beautiful loaf- she made two of them... I wish YOu could taste this stuff- its SO GOOD. Now that we have early church (9:00AM) we have decided to bake more on Sunday afternoons- I can't wait for this.

5. This story has completely warmed my heart today. I love it. At lunch time the girls were talking about kids who have autism at their school & how they interact. Chloe knows a boy with it (kind of like Trent's) in her Biology class & he is frequently invited to be in her group projects - yes she invites him. It's not easy- but she "gets" him.
Hailey has definitely decided she wants to work with Autistic kids more in the future. She is a peer tutor to two autistic boys (who are devastated & lash out when she doesn't show up at school.)

Yes- having special needs at home- brings about special opportunities & understanding for us all.

This life is truly a blessing- but it's certainly not for wimps!

Today My Son Has Been Officially Diagnosed With Autism

Autism is a spectrum disorder, meaning that the symptoms can vary from person to person, from the more severely to those mildly affected.
Autism Spectrum Disorders include Autism, Asperger Syndrome and PDD-NOS, which significantly impact socialization, communication and behavior.

Asperger Syndrome- it's what Trent has.

Oh how... do I write my feelings about this?

It's not something that I am surprised by, it is not something that has changed who he is.

He is still the same boy he was yesterday & the day before.

He is a sweet boy with a good heart. He is kind, mostly- he just has tough time in social situations especially crowds- which isn't easy when you are in a big family.

He doesn't understand social cues. He is hyperactive. He definitely does not get embarrassed.

I guess what hurts the most is that my pediatrician told me last month that kids with Asperger's are typically targets of teasing & generally have a difficult time being accepted by their peers. She is absolutely right.

She suggested we talk to his class at school,

church & scouts & let them know why he is different.

I have contemplated this while waiting

for the official diagnosis & I agree- she's right.

It is really a way to teach the other kids,

why he is different so that as they grow up maybe they will be understanding with him.

If we wait until he is older I think they will just make fun of him anyway.

Right now they are young & accepting. He has the best teachers.

He will get the help he needs, I will make sure of it.

Now I know why I have been prompted so many times to work & volunteer at the school. Everyone knows me & our family. People look out for Trent, they really do.

Yesterday I went in to work in his class & the playground supervisor stopped me and told me how Trent had said something funny on the playground the day before.

He had skinned his knee on the wall- and said, " I think I left my skin on the wall."

He is so funny.

I gave her a hug and thanked her for being so good to him.

Gosh, this hurts.

I love this kid.