Live Everything

“Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves. Do not now seek the answers, which cannot be given you because you would not be able to live them. And the point is to live everything. Live the questions.” ~Rainer Maria Rilke

Bows for a Good Cause

I think most of you know about the non-profit organization I started so I can get a fully accessible playground built in my city (and eventually more cities)....


If you don't know about this project, go HERE to find out more.

Well, fund-raising is in full gear right now, and I've just started a blog, Chloe's Bow-tique, that will sell bows. ALL proceeds from the bows will go directly to the playground!....
I currently do only one type of bow, but they are pretty darn cute! They are all made of high-quality fabrics and are securely fastened to ribbon-covered double-prong clips. I plan to expand and do other types of bows, but this is what we've got so far....


Prices are reasonable and remember -- it's for a GREAT cause! Tell all your friends about chloesbowtique.blogspot.com!

Why Would God Allow This to Happen?

Article by Wanda Hughes, February 2008
Retrieved from No Greater Joy website


My grief washed over me like a tidal wave.

Scenes flashed across my memory: There was the time when I was at a highway rest stop and saw an elderly mother leading her handicapped adult son out of a stall. I thought, “I could never cope with that.”

At night, when the children and my husband were asleep, I was left alone with my ponderings. I didn’t want to know this pain.

God must have made some mistake. We don’t have the resources, the patience, the skills or the abilities. We aren’t great parents. We are just simple, common folk. We aren’t equipped to make these decisions. If we truly love this child, would it be better to hand him over to someone who IS capable? If so, why did God place him with us? I looked back over my pregnancy and tried to figure out a cause, as though having an event to blame would help.

Was it something I took? Did I eat too much protein? Or the wrong kind of protein? Did I not eat enough vegetables? Was it because I ate contaminated foods? Was it something to which my husband or I was exposed?
During my pregnancy we had refused screening because, “We aren’t going to send him back,” we flippantly responded. “We will take whatever God gives us.” But now, I truly wondered if it hadn’t been a way of protecting us from the temptation of abortion. In my swirl of emotions, I wondered how far our fear and doubts would have taken us. I trusted we wouldn’t have done it, but now I wasn’t so sure.

As I sobbed, I wrapped my arms around myself to steady my shaking. My stomach was twisted in knots. The tears flowed, but they weren’t healing tears. This was a sorrow without answers. I heard my keening as though I were listening to someone else sorrowing. I struggled to put my thoughts together in light of my faith.

Was there something we should have said, done or prayed? Was this because of our past sin? Or our current sin? Or sin we weren’t aware of? Is this God’s wrath displayed in our child’s suffering? “And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?” (John 9:2). The words that had once been an interesting Bible story now haunted me.
Was God trying to tell us something? Or was it a random occurrence? Could I dare to think that Jesus’ answer to his disciples would apply to my son? “Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him” (John 9:3).

I thought of my family: What about our other children? This isn’t fair to them! They have bright futures before them and now our limited resources will be strained further. We aren’t young. We were planning to retire one day and enjoy our twilight years together with grandchildren around our feet. Those dreams will be changed.

What about our marriage? I thought about the flawed areas of our marriage. We had rough spots. Would this be too much? Would our love be broken in a way that was beyond our ability to mend? Would we lose each other? I didn’t WANT to lose my husband! I NEEDED him! I ached for him.

He was dealing with his own swirl of emotions. In his way, he did for me what he needed. He gave me space while he went to work and put in a new floor. He dealt with his pain privately and in his own way. It felt like I had been abandoned. I knew I wasn’t, but it felt terribly lonely. Thankfully, I was too occupied to lash out at him. It would have only made matters worse.

The books I had collected since childhood, planning to share them with my children, now sat on the shelves in their neat little rows and seemed to laugh at me. I wanted to joy in the academic accomplishments and the smartness of my children. Now, I would see other children breeze past milestones that my child would likely struggle to master. I didn’t know if he would ever be able to read.
So many people said, “these children” are blessings. If this was a blessing, why was I dying inside? I saw a news report about a boy who was the biggest fan of a sports team. He was called an inspiration, instead of a kid who liked football. I didn’t want to mother an inspiration, I wanted a son.

HEALTH CONSIDERATIONS
What happens if he dies? What happens if he doesn’t die? What happens to him if we die? In my heart I wondered if he would die from physical complications. In a way, it was the only thing that made sense. My son would die; we would grieve, and we would somehow move on. Our friends would comfort us. I would sorrow over the loss, and we would honor his memory by becoming better people. Surely that’s what God had in mind. Now I was negotiating which sorrow I could better manage.

And if he lived? How would we teach him? What if he can’t learn? What if he can’t understand about God? Will he understand enough to have faith for salvation? The sobs shook me again. My mama’s heart said to hold that baby. Bond with him. MAKE him respond. I had done that, but NOW . . .
I was afraid to look at him because I didn’t want to see any features that hinted at his condition. I only wanted to see my son, but in looking at him, I knew the day would come when strangers would only see a diagnosis when they saw him. I knew this because I had been one of those people. Now other mothers would do that when they saw MY child.

We had only been his parents a few months. People had spent lifetimes studying his condition. We were faced with mountains of documents while I was still recovering from giving birth, coping with a new baby, dealing with hospitals, doctors, surgery, etc. There was so much to learn. How was I ever going to decide what to believe when the experts didn’t even agree?
While I was still trying to cope with the diagnosis and struggling to manage his care, I began to wonder if I would ever get to be just his mom. I wondered if his little arms would ever encircle my neck and if he would ever utter a joyful declaration of his love for me.

EARLY INTERVENTION PROGRAMS
Many voices told us to get him into an early intervention program as soon as possible. He wasn’t even six months old yet! The dictionary defines intervention as an action that comes between two parties by force or threat of force to maintain or alter a condition. While I believed that these workers had the best of intentions, I held my little one closer and refused their “helps.”
Instinctively, I knew that anyone or anything that tried to move this child outside of the authority of his parents would also remove the protection he desperately needed. I would learn later that in my area, the therapists who coordinate services for children with special needs are also backlogged with children who suffer because of a lack of stimulation. This means that they can begin to treat all of their cases as though they are working with children of parents that are “ignorant” or “unwilling” to help their children. Later, we would utilize various services, but always at our direction and discretion.

THE TASK OF BECOMING INFORMED
I tentatively glanced over medical literature and cringed. The words were delivered with clinical heartlessness: “mongoloid,” “mental retardation,” “thick tongue,” “low I.Q.,” “poor health,” “poor social skills,” “congenital defect” . . . I would later learn that much of the information was terribly outdated. The sick feeling returned to my stomach. If this is what they EXPECT from my child, why would I want them to treat him?

Someone must have been praying for me in that moment. In my soul, the tiniest seed of faith stood up and said, “I don’t know what to believe, but I know WHO to believe. I want to know what He has to say.” So I pulled out my Bible and read in Psalm 127:3, “Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.” Whose reward? His? That is referring to God! I looked again at the words in the medical reports. They were in stark contrast to the WORD.

The experts all said my child was a disappointment, a defect. The Psalmist said that God had fashioned this child as His own reward, a divine trophy.
“And the man of God answered, The LORD is able to give thee much more than this.” II Chronicles 25:9

I recalled how God used the stone that the builders had rejected. Psalm 118:21-23 stated, “I will praise thee: for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation. The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. This is the LORD’s doing; it is marvellous in our eyes” (cf. Matthew 21:42; Mark 12:10; Luke 20:17).

I remembered the Syrophenician woman who was glad to be called a dog if it meant she got crumbs from Jesus’ table (cf. Matthew 15:27, 28). The word began to wash over me, “But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty” (I Corinthians 1:27).
Strains of a childhood hymn came to me:

Jesus loves me! This I know,
for the Bible tells me so.
Little ones to him belong;
they are weak, but he is strong.

I determined to measure my and my child’s success or failure by God’s measure, and none other. The difficulties and challenges were still there. The circumstance didn’t change.

But now, we knew something that all of the experts (and many in our fellowship) did not know: This was no cosmic accident caused by sticky chromosomes or rotten eggs. This was a trust, a commission, placed within our hands – just like all of our other children. God would teach us what to do, tell us when to do it and provide the means to accomplish the task as we sought to serve Him. In the midst of our past and the future uncertainties, we clung to “I
AM.”

As we prayed and sought God, He directed us to the resources that offered our son hope and fit our family. We changed our diet and got creative in how to find the highest quality foods at the lowest prices. I began to read about natural health and herbal remedies. Instead of running in fear from our child’s diagnosis, we were now pursuing the hope. Predators tried to take advantage of us and said things like, “Purchase our product so your son will develop normally. See our pictures? Read testimonies from other parents!” We refused hope in a bottle and chose to hope in Him.

A secular organization of neurodevelopmentalists trained us to think of brain development in a whole new way. We knew they were an answer to prayer when they said, “You are the expert on your child. We are the experts on brain development. We will teach you what we know, evaluate your child and show you how to apply our techniques at home.” God provided the funds for us to use their services for two years. When the funds ran out, we were armed with information and able to move forward.

A book on the politics of nutrition educated me about food. A book by a mother of an autistic son showed me how to track down the cause of odd behaviors and symptoms in a systematic way, investigating the effects of certain foods on our child.

It would be deceptive of me to make it sound like it was an easy ride. It hasn’t been. There have been stretches when we weren’t sure if we were making the right decision. God has patiently taught us how to follow Him by various means.
Sometimes a series of tiny adjustments have led us to places we would have never set as our goal. More than once I’ve had to purpose to follow after my husband in obedience to God’s word when others quietly wondered if he wasn’t being foolish. I’m proud to say that if he is a fool, he is God’s fool. God has proved more than equal to the task of teaching my husband all He needs him to know to lead us.

Have we been overwhelmed? Oh yes! This is far too big a task for us. Thankfully, “I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day” (II Timothy 1:12).

God is big enough to handle your hurts, your anger, your doubts and your fears. Jesus is the only One who truly understands, and He knows just what you and your family need. “But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice” (Matthew 9:12,13).
When you think about it, ALL of God’s children have required extraordinary measures. “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30).

There's Hope

[Verse 1:]
Back when I had a little
I thought that I needed a lot
A little was over rated,
but a lot was a little too complicated
You see-Zero didn't satisfy me
A million didn't make me happy
That's when I learned a lesson
That it's all about your perception
Hey-are you a pauper or a superstar
So you act, so you feel, so you are
It ain't about the size of your car
It's about the size of the faith in your heart

[Chorus:]
There's hope
It doesn't cost a thing to smile
You don't have to pay to laugh
You better thank God for that
[repeat]

There's hope

[Verse 2:]
Off in the back country of Brazil
A met a young brother that made me feel
That I could accomplish anything.
You see just like me he wanted to sing
He had no windows and no doors
He lived a simple life and was extremely poor
On top of all of that he had no eye sight,
but that didn't keep him from seein' the light
He said, what's it like in the USA,
and all I did was complain
He said-livin' here is paradise
He taught me paradise is in your mind
You know that

[Chorus]

[Bridge:]
Every time I turn on the T.V. (There's Hope)
Somebody's acting crazy (There's Hope)
If you let it, it will drive you crazy (There's Hope)
but I'm takin' back my power today (There's Hope)
Gas prices they just keep on rising (There's Hope)
The government they keep on lying
but we gotta keep on surviving
Keep living our truth and do the best we can do

[Chorus]

Stand up for your rights [echo]
Keep shining your light [echo]
And show the world your smile [echo]

[Chorus]

It Makes a Special Family

"God doesn't give children with disabilities to strong people: He gives them to ordinary, everyday people, then He helps the parents to grow stronger through the journey. Raising a child with special needs doesn't TAKE a special family, it MAKES a special family."Author Unknown

Go Ahead and Stare, It's What People Do

Not so sure why we tell our children that it is not polite to stare.

So much of this world is begging to be stared at. Go to the zoo and stare at the animals, or to the beach and stare at the sunset. Pretty faces plastered on magazines, TV, movies; we're encouraged to stare at them.

But stare at a person, in person? So rude.

I have no shame when it comes to staring at people. Beautiful people, I love to stare at them. Men and women. If I find someone striking, I'm gonna get my eyeful.

One of Graham's surgeons was positively stunning. Over six feet tall, long and lean, nerdy horn rimmed glasses, slick pitch black hair, perfect Chinese features. He looked like a porcelain doll. I don't say things like this, but he had the face of a freaking angel.

So when he was around, I stared. I got caught often. I didn't care. I kept on staring. He was that beautiful, it would have been a shame to miss one second of that gorgeous creature.

I'm an equal opportunity starer. If you are strikingly ugly, I'm gonna check you out too. Maybe I'll find something pleasant in your fugly mug. Maybe I'll tell my friends that I'm sure I saw the butt-ugliest person on the planet; aren't I lucky?

It may be because I've always been so shameless in my staring, that I've never minded Graham being stared at.

Come on, before I had Graham, if I'd seen a woman with a floppy fat baby on her hip, a tube sticking out of his shirt that was hooked up to some funky contraption slung over her shoulder, I'd have stared my face off.

And stare people did, and do. All the time. And it's never bothered me. Human nature is curious. I know this. I love this.

Sometimes the person staring would apologize, and ask what was wrong with him. I'd assure them, no apology necessary, and do my best to explain him.

What mommy doesn't like bragging about her baby? Well, I had more bragging rights than most mommies. And one hell of a story to tell.

I welcomed the stares, and the questions.

Graham's first pair of ear molds were bright green and I loved them. I loved the stares they garnered. I loved getting to tell his ever evolving story.

For some reason, for his second pair of ear molds, we decided on clear. His ear doctor was thrilled;

"Wow, you can't even tell he's wearing hearing aids!"

I hated them. Because they were invisible, and made this very important part of Graham invisible. They only lasted a couple months and we were back to bright colors.

And kids stare at them. All the time. And I love when kids ask about them. Because that's what they should do.

I love when parents get it and encourage their kids to ask.

I've wanted to smack some parents for their ignorance.

Don't scold your child for noticing something different about another child. Praise the child for recognizing that difference exists and celebrate together diversity, ability, difference.

Beach season is around the corner. Graham will be running around without his shirt, in all his scarred up glory.

I want him to catch a kid staring at his scars and tell that kid that he was sicker than any baby ever. That he's had more surgeries than anyone he knows.

I want him to make up a story about saving his sister from a pack of angry wolves.

I want him to welcome the stares and be as proud of those scars as I am.

Safe

Simple Things

I think the 1st and 2nd verses of this song may have been written about the life of a child with special needs. It's just lovely....

I've put my favorite parts in bold....

--Simple Things--
Verse 1:
Simple things
We take pleasure in the simple things
We take pride in little victories
And we wear our simple crowns
Oh, tugs of war, we battle ships and thunderstorms
And naked is our uniform
It’s our simple hand-me-down

Chorus:
It’s a beautiful morning
Beautiful morning
Dressed up in summer and tied with a bow
Let’s be courageous and face tiny dangers
Let’s climb those fences
With signs that say “don’t”
Beautiful man I’m a beautiful woman
Find simple pleasures wherever we go
It’s the simple things
That make us feel at home

Verse 2:
For a simple view
We’ll sleep up on your daddy’s roof
'Cause our sleeping bags are waterproof
And they leave static in our hair
For poor Heaven’s sake
The sky is tired of being scraped
(And) pigeons crowd the fire escapes
There is traffic in the air

Bridge:
We get high on simple things and
We take flight on dips and swings
We fly…

Verse 3:
Aren’t you tired of being prisoner of your desires?
There is life beyond the razor wire
That you’ve strung around your mind
When you complicate the simple pleasures it’s too late
'Cause you’ll know better than to take pleasure in the simple
Things in life…

I Believe...

I Believe...
That just because two people argue,
it doesn't mean they don't love each other.
And just because they don't argue,
it doesn't mean they do love each other.


I Believe...
That we don't have to change friends if
we understand that friends change.



I Believe....
That no matter how good a friend is,
they're going to hurt you every once in a while
and you must forgive them for that.


I Believe...
That true friendship continues to grow,
even over the longest distance.
Same goes for true love.


I Believe...
That you can do something in an instant,
that will give you heartache for life.


I Believe....
That it's taking me a long time
to become the person I want to be.



I Believe...
That you should always leave loved ones with loving words.
It may be the last time you see them.


I Believe....
That you can keep going long after you think you can't.



I Believe....
That we are responsible for what we do,
no matter how we feel.


I Believe...
That either you control your attitude or it controls you.

I Believe...
That heroes are the people who do what has to be done when it needs
to be done, regardless of the consequences.


I Believe....
That my best friend and I can do anything or nothing and have the best time.


I Believe....
That sometimes the people you expect to kick you when you're down,
will be the ones to help you get back up.



I Believe...
That sometimes when I'm angry
I have the right to be angry,
But that doesn't give me the right to be cruel.


I Believe....
That maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you've had
and what you've learned from them and less to do with how many
birthdays you've celebrated.


I Believe....
That it isn't always enough, to be forgiven by others.
Sometimes, you have to learn to forgive yourself.


I Believe...
That no matter how bad your heart is broken,
the world doesn't stop for your grief.


I Believe....
That our background and circumstances
may have influenced who we are,
but, we are responsible for who we become.


I Believe...
That you shouldn't be so eager to find out a secret.
It could change your life Forever.


I Believe....
Two people can look at the exact same thing
and see something totally different.


I Believe...
That your life can be changed in a matter of hours
by people who don't even know you.



I Believe...
That even when you think you have no more to give,
when a friend cries out to you -
you will find the strength to help.


I Believe...
That credentials on the wall
do not make you a decent human being.


I Believe...
That the people you care about most in life
are taken from you too soon.


I Believe...
That the happiest of people don't necessarily
have the best of everything...
They just make the most of everything they have.

Coloring

Junior has no use of his hands so things like coloring are very difficult. He can stiffen his arms to make his hands move across the paper while coloring but then cannot hold onto crayon or marker.

We discovered that finger crayons work really well for him. They have a large circular top which fits in his palm and the pressure against the paper holds it in place. I purchased these at Target but haven't seen them there lately, I did find plenty on Amazon.


Regular crayons and markers will not stay in his hands so we made some elastic bands to keep them in place. I sewed velcro to the ends of a wide piece of elastic. Being sure to sew the rough side of the velcro on one side and the smooth on the other so you can fasten them and make a loop. Be sure when attaching the strap to your childs hand that the rough side of the velcro is up.
I know this is not the best hand position but this is how Junior rotates his hands when he colors. We may stretch and use hand splints at other times but when he is coloring I want him to be successful and do as much as he can by himself .

Here is a picture with the marker correctly positioned, it just doesn't work for Junior.

Ability Station

by Matt & Steph of Ability Station.

All you need to do is read the first line of "Tale of Two Cities" to know that [Charles Dickens] was talking about a child with a disability - "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times." Now, I say that as I'm lying in bed, exhausted after spending half the night cleaning up a gallon of cooking oil that my son just emptied in our pantry. You love them so much, but sometimes you just don't want them around.

It's difficult to really, truly understand what it takes to raise a special needs child until you've been down that road. As we've walked that road with our son Charlie, we've received amazing support and help from others who've been there, and in turn, we've committed to help those who will come after us.

Charlie

As we've battled, politicked, and struggled to help our son, we've learned that not all is as it should be. It seems backwards that it was harder for a family, like us, who already had more than their share of challenges, to find specialized toys and products for their special needs child than for any other child. It should be easier, right?

There's just a one letter difference between Autistic and Artistic.

We're passionate about trying to make the road easier and better for those who will follow. The road we walk is difficult indeed, and if we can make the journey a little bit easier, then we'll have accomplished our goal.


At Ability Station, we believe in the philosophy that every child has untapped potential that can and should be explored. Regardless of the situation, we will never put limitations on your child's ability. Our dedicated professional staff is devoted to helping you at every stage of your child's development.

Every product that Ability Station carries is hand picked by professionals in the child development therapy field. Chosen specifically for their ability-enhancing and thought provoking features, you can relax by knowing that your child's play time is also a learning time-don't worry, we won't tell them if you won't.

Eternal Glory

2 Corinthians 4:17

For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.

This Little Light of Mine

Love This!....

iPad

I have been hearing a lot about the i-pad and how well it works for those who are differently abled.



I couldn't wait to try it for myself and last night Junior's teacher brought one over for us to test drive, all I can say is WOW. The screen is huge, large enough for Junior to be able to use his eye gaze. There are apps with every kind of educational program along with communication apps and of course lots of games. The screen is super sensitive to touch so it was easy to help Junior with the activities.





Aside from stiffening his arms Junior has no ability to use his hands so no he can't manipulate things on the screen but it keeps his attention and brings education to him(it is also much easier to move and get up close to him then a regular computer). For a child who is stuck in the house many months out of the year that is very important. Reading is a struggle for him and it takes a lot of work to keep him interested and focused. Today on the ipad we were doing exactly the same activities we had been doing on his boards but there was no struggle to keep him on task. He was totally focused and didn't miss one question. Some of the words were ones we had never worked on before. Sometimes it is all about finding the right tools to help your child reach their potential. I am so excited to find this tool and now to figure out how to get one for Junior(regardless of how much it would effect his educational progress the district will not purchase one for him because of his lack of movement).

I would love to hear what others think of the ipad and for those who have tried it with their child, how did they respond?

Like My Shadow

by Carrie of I am Fearfully and Wonderfully Made.

Sometimes I see a lot of it and sometimes very little but it is always with me.



I heard this phrase last week and it stuck with me.

I was out to dinner with some friends last night. We have been talking about sharing our stories and the best way to portray our lives.

One of the most important things we realized is that our life is not all about grief in dealing with a severely disabled or medically fragile child. It is not a moment that we need to "get through". It is not a challenge/adversity that we come out the other side of and feel free or without struggles.

Many of us have received books on grief, praying through the tough times, getting through the storm...all of which have their time and place. It is certainly something that is part of the process but it is not something that goes away or even runs our life. It is hard to have your child struggle with basic things like eating or motor skills. But when you child snuggles in to you, it is a moment that you would not trade for anything.

We have a very strong ebb and flow in our life. Sometimes it is heavy with grief and struggles; other times with tremendous joy. Sometimes things are really rough and other times things are calm. We miss the things that we do not have but we love the things that we do.

The sorrow and hurt can creep up when you least expect it. Sometimes I find myself consciously pushing away those thoughts. Then, at times the struggle is in the obvious, when unwanted test results come back or having your child go through yet another medical procedure. It is hard to see you child put through so much and there is not much you can do as a parent to stop it.

We appreciate the little things in a entirely new way and savor it all. This life has changed so many of us...made us better people...love a little more deeper...more reliant on our faith. Having those struggles does not mean our faith is lacking it is just part of our life moving forward.

Having a child with severe disabilities, a disease or medical problems has its struggles...for me, it is like my shadow, some days I see a lot of it and sometimes very little but it is always with me.

Do Unto Others

I’m not good at asking for help. There, I said it. I have always had an independent streak and until now, it has served me well. The problems come when…well, when a problem comes. I usually chose to handle things on my own in a low key fashion. Despite the fact that I now blog Austin’s life for the world to see, I am actually a very private person. It’s true.

Simply put being the single mom of a medically complex child is stressful, no two ways about it. Major medical decisions are mine and mine alone. Medical debt is mine and mine alone. Raising this child to be a loving, well adjusted member of society – that's all my doing. Not that the responsibility is all mine, but the day-to-day reality is.

I have to admit that quite often I am overwhelmed. {Not an easy thing for this gal.} I know I am not alone, I know there are other single moms or families struggling to raise a family on a shoestring budget or with overwhelming medical expenses.

Over the past two years, on more than one occasion, support has come from an unlikely source. Total strangers.

Completely by surprise I have been approached by people who have heard of my situation and wanted to offer their assistance. Call it divine intervention, call it lucky, I call it blessed.





Help arrived in the form of a gift card for groceries, clothing, and even manual labor to repair a tornado wind blown fence. In each case the support was a welcome blessing to this “I-am-Super-Mom-hear-me-roar” kind of gal. The best part aside from the actual offer(s), is knowing that the motive is nothing more than to help relieve me of some financial or emotional stress.


Do you have a utility bill that needs to be paid?

Do you have an unexpected and expensive car repair?

Do you have a medical bill hanging over your head?


While I was fortunate enough to have people seek me out and offer me a helping hand; there is no shame in seeking out help for yourself or your family. Organizations looking to help Special Needs families are out there, you just have to look for them.

I have found a handful of resources that you might be interested in checking out for yourself or someone you know that may be in need.


Aubrey Rose Foundation: Grants available to assists with medical bills not covered by Insurance

Snappin' Ministries: Special Needs Parent Support Network, offers financial, spiritual and social resources.

First Hand Foundation: Offers assistance with treatment or equipment needs, based on funding criteria.

Jessica's Hope Chest: A foundation for critically ill children offering financial assistance and counseling.

Modest Needs: A grant based program for families or individuals in financial need.

Most of these programs are privately funded programs and may be income based or have "medical-only" criteria, these are NOT wish granting programs. Also, keep in mind that most of these organizations are available for financial support, as well as emotional support.

Make Your Day Monday: I Will Love You

I just found this on You Tube. It was created for Exceptional Family TV. Their premier is in May, but they just posted a preview of their program. You can check it out here.

I absolutely adore this song by Jacob McLemore and thought it would definitely make your day....



Here are the amazing (and oh-so-relate-able lyrics)....

As I watch you lying in your bed,
I bow my head
And I thank God for this child that He's given me
You're not different, you are perfect like you're supposed to be

So baby, no matter what happens in this life
I will always, I will love you,
I will love you my baby

And as I watch you learning to do things
I never thought you could do
I'm amazed and I'm so in love with you
And even through the hard times,
I don't know what my life would be without you

So baby, no matter what happens in this life
I will always, I will love you
I will love you my baby

There have been so many struggles on this road
But God will see us through, this much I know, yes I know
'Cause I love you more every day
And nothing in this world could ever take that away

So baby, no matter what happens in this life
I will always, I will love you,
I will love you my baby, my baby, my baby, my baby....

No Pain That We Suffer

"No pain that we suffer, no trial that we experience is wasted. It ministers to the development of such qualities as patience, faith, fortitude and humility. All that we suffer and all that we endure, especially when we endure it patiently, builds up our characters, purifies our hearts, expands our souls, and makes us more tender and charitable, more worthy to be called the children of God... and it is through sorrow and suffering, toil and tribulation, that we gain the education that we come here to acquire and which will make us more like our Father.... in heaven."~Spencer W. Kimball

Light it up Blue

April is Autism Awareness Month.


Things you can do to Light It Up Blue

* Wear your Autism Speaks puzzle piece pin every day throughout the month of April, and tell people about autism if they ask about it.
* Change your Facebook profile picture to the Light It Up Blue logo and tag at least 10 of your friends.
* Post on your blog about how you are “lighting it up blue” to raise autism awareness.
* Add the Light It Up Blue logo to your e-mail signature … and type your e-mails in blue!
* On April 2 wear blue clothing and ask your co-workers, schools and friends to wear blue too. Take pictures and add them to our Flickr gallery.
* Bake puzzle piece shaped cookies and frost them with blue icing, then bring them to your school, work or place of worship to raise autism awareness.

One Step at a Time

I like the concept of these lyrics. Even though for us, it's not one step at a time.... we haven't reached that milestone yet! It's one "inch-stone" at a time around here, but we keep pluggin' along!....



(picture a DAFO in the video instead of that red stiletto! haha!)

Re-Post: I'm Feeling Eastery!

It's been awhile since a family fun post. Not for lack of cute ideas to share. I'm just not sure if anyone is actually into these posts. Now, onto some Eastery ideas!....

What? You don't think 'Eastery' is a word? My rule of thumb is, throw a 'Y' at the end of any word, and it instantly becomes an adjective. This rule may not apply when you're playing a game of Scrabble with Scrabble nazis, but in all other situations, it works. Go ahead, try it!

Ok, NOW onto business....


These Easter Chick Cake Pops are ADORABLE! Don't they just make you feel happy? Head over to Bakerella to find out how to make them.








Bakerella also gives this bunny cake pop idea. Too cute!




These mini bird nests are not only cute, but delish too! Busy Bee Kids Crafts gives the directions.

Busy Bee Kids Crafts also shares this fun idea to make fruit bunnies!

Busy Bee Kids Crafts is full of fun Eastery ideas. I love these brown bunnies also. What can I say, I'm a sucker for Nutter Butters. Mmmm! Those are high protein/low carb right?

And, hello, how cute is this Peep Wreath from Everyday Celebrating!?!

Busy Bee Kids Crafts has yet another cute idea with these adorable baby blue birds. =)

Nap Time Journal's garland is very Eastery!

Have a great weekend everyone!!!

Re-Post: Some Egg-Selent Ideas

Easter is this Sunday, can you believe it?!?! Here are some cute crafty Easter ideas. Enjoy and have a great weekend!!!

Martha's egg creatures are SOooooo cute! It's not just this bunny, either. Go check it out!

I love Family Fun's egg turned into bumble bee idea. Cute!

Head over to Lolly Chops to find out how to create these delightfully-dyed easter eggs!

I like this chick napkin holder from Busy Bee Kids Crafts.

These sparkly eggs are adorable! Head over to Domestifluff to find out how to make them!

Martha's egg garland is too cute!

I also like Martha's egg wreath idea.

I think this boquet made of egg cartons is clever. BHG shows you how.


How To.... Do Something teaches how to make art out of egg shells!

I really like Activity Village's felt eggs.

Family Fun's fluffy chicks are just the ticket for Easter weekend!

BHG shows how to make this dainty easter basket!

If you've got any cans around the house, this basket idea from BHG is really cute. =)

I like this spring centerpiece from BHG.

This lop-eared bunny from QD Patooties is retro fab!

What's Easter without bunny ears? Martha tells you how.

The Fab Miss B teaches how to make these fab tiny fuzzy bunnies!

Wee Folk Art shows how to make these cute bunny finger puppets!

Living Locurto gives some cute (and free) Easter printables!

If you forgot to plant your daffodil bulbs last year, no worries. You can just make these paper daffodils from Busy Bee Kids Crafts.