God is so good!

God is so good.  When I have the darkest days and my thoughts can't get out of the muck and mire; HE brings something so sweet and so special as a gentle reminder to me. 

I was putting Cary to bed and reading out of "365 Devos for Boys" (with Bob the Tomato and Larry the Cucumber) on the front.  This particular day, #76 was so special to me.  It was titled "Hopes, Hopes and More Hopes."

"Make me hear joy and gladness."  Psalm 51:8  NKJV

Hope is a very good thing to have...and to share.  So make this promise to yourself and keep it:  promise yourself that you'll be a hopeful person.  Think good thoughts.  Trust God.  Become friends with Jesus.  And trust you hopes, not your fears.  Then, when you've filled your heart with hope and gladness, share your good thoughts with friends.  They'll be better for it, and so will you.

A Timely Tip:  Think about all the things you have (starting with your family and your faith)... and think about all the things you can do!  Believe in yourself.

A bedtime prayer:
Dear Lord, I have so many reason to be happy.  Let me think good thoughts and look for the good in other people.  And, help me be a joyful person now and always.  Amen.

Talk about out of the mouths of babes....  I never expected to be blessed, corrected, convicted and moved reading and talking about the devotional with Cary.  God can and will move, if we let him.  What a blessing.  I am so grateful.  It absolutely blessed me and lifted my spirit.  It was and is beautiful.  I still cary that feeling with me now.  I'm humbled and thankful.

As a bonus, Cary actually got some of the text (the book is a little beyond him; late 2nd early 3rd grade level comprehension).  When I asked him about things he had that were good, he said "bowling lanes, pins, baseball and that's it."  It's cute and funny as well as part of his obsession; but he recognized those things were good, made him happy and he could share them.  I was so pleased when I saw that.

Many of you who know us would say you've seen this all along.  That Cary gets this.  But I opened my eyes today.  I'm always looking down the road and wondering what the next mountain is for me to climb or valley to walk through.  This gave me HOPE.  It gave me JOY that all is okay.  That it will be fine.

I   forget so much sometime.  I'm always worried and I forget to trust God.  I am so blessed that HE is revealing Himself to me the way HE is now, I'm hearing it and receiving it.  It is a fresh breath to my soul.  I"ve been dark for far too long and these fresh breaths across my life are restorative.

I'm meant to do what I"m doing.  Helping, guiding, researching, bringing people together, marketing what I believe helps these kids, etc.  I can take it now because I'm not doing what fills me up in ways that God should; I"m doing it because God is filling me first and I'm letting myself be broken bread and poured out wine.

To God be the glory!  Sleep tight tonight!  Blessings and peace from Above.   

celebrating our kids

The Art Gallery of Life.






The individual is like a unique one-off painting, a masterpiece on canvas.

But its individuality is dulled or altered when others come along and add their own swish of paint to make it something different, adding their own vision of what this unique painting should look like or be.

Someone may not like the original circle painted to one side, so they add a square on top of it. Another prefers to add their idea of the perfect shape, a triangle and another takes the paint brush and loads it with a different colour and scrawls a star.

Before you know it the original painting has become a mishmash of others visions; the original circle is now just visible beneath the added layers of others preferred colours.

Now the unique canvas is unique no more. It is coated in others dreams of what the painting should be and the intruding artists are all standing back arguing about what they each see as to what should be appreciated by the other.

If each ‘artist’ wanted to visualize their own masterpiece, each ‘artist’ should have painted their own shapes and dreams on their own canvas.

Then the gallery of life could display each unique shape, on its own unique canvas, belonging to each unique individual.

The variation of subjects in this ‘exhibition’, within this gallery, can then be the masterpiece of an example of the diversity of the passions of the painters.

It's good to be back

I don't think I mentioned it, it's good to be back.   I know I need to write and that God has a bigger plan for me; I just haven't made the time for it.  I am know  It's such an extension of who I am.  I "get it" more than I ever have before.  :)  Cheers!  More tomorrow.  Happy Monday and blessings to you are yours. 

The Day!!!

What a week it has been!!!!  We are still so blessed but boy howdy........ Damn!

I went to a leadership and advocacy conferencece and 20 minutes before I had an appointment with my state representative, Chris calls me and tells me his position (because of budget cuts) has been eliminated.  Joy!!!

All went well.  My state rep. (Dan Huberty - R) was awesome!  He is a freshman and fresh from being on the school board (that helps) and his son has IEP's as well.  For what, I don't know.

Point being, it was a wonderful and productive day!  Still, God's grace is so evident.

I had a great time at TALAC (Texas Advanced Leadership and Disability Conference).  I met some amazing people, true trailblazers.  I also had a chance to tape most of the workshops and key note addresses. 

The biggest thing I came away with (and knew academically) was how "normal" they were/are.  They arem't any different that you and I; they just get to the same place going a different way.  That's all.  Once of the coolest guys I met had CP,   He looks on what he does (public speaking, advocacy and such) as story telling.

Isn't that what we are all here to do; tell a story?  :)   Anyways.....

As the story ensues.....I'm looking for another job, Chris is as well and I'm wondering, worrying (shouldn't be) and praying about how all of this will make sense for Cary.  But, it will.  My prayer and want is that I can find something that will give the time I need (I'm working on my own "thing" at the moment) and the money we want to get where we need to go.  Is that any different than any other mother or father?   Hmmm......

I think I finally get it!

Whew!  The first two days of school are over and have been successful.  Cary is off to a great start.  He has a wonderful support staff in his teacher, his aide, school interventionist, psychologist and the assistant principal.  We have been truly blessed.

These past few weeks have seen me floundering a bit.  (ADD doesn't help matters....)  I knew I wanted to do something with the blog but wasn't sure exactly how to go about it.  How to write it, as in adding to certain posts and not creating new ones. 

I know the topics that I would want to hear about, but would like to hear from my followers.  My topics would be; biomedical intervention (DAN protocol), nutrition, enzymes, different therapy modalities, advocacy, networking opportunities for parents, structured play groups, cooking and baking for the GFCF diet (and other specialized diets) AND, what is developementally appropriate compared to our kids?

So, whoever is out there, give me your feed back and let me know what you think.

Hello Everyone!

It's been a couple of weeks since I've been here and man I"m tired.  Tired and blessed really.

We took our first family vacation, in cash, for four days.  Rode the river, saw friends, and relaxed.  It was a good time.  Just always a little stressful when I can't give C free reign.  I know any parent can identify, especially ones with ASD's and managing their obsessions/stims. 

It has been a challenging summer.  C is really coming along in so many areas, but dang; he's just not listening.  It's like the terrible two's, except we never went through them.  He was pretty compliant and easy going.  (when you are stuck in your own little world and small, mecanichal things amuse you, it's easy).  Now, he's coming into his own.  Realizing he has options, choices and going through many of the same emotions and changes that a two-year old would.  He's almost 6.  I"m grateful, but man.....it's a challenge.  Then add his obession with elevators, computers, microwaves, buttons, machines (vending or otherwise), numbers......and you get the picture.  I try and make it a teaching time, but it can drive me nuts!  :)

Ahh, c'est la vie!

School starts in a couple of weeks.  That's exciting.  He is going to be mainstreamed with support for about 3-3 1/2 hours a day.  He will continue with speech and will get an hour of OT a couple of times a month.  It's going to be a good thing.  I"m just nervous.  He's never been in a classroom with more than 10 kids before (during his inclusion time he was, but their was an aide for him and one other boy).  It's looking like his classroom will be upwards to 18-20.  No one else is worried but me.  :) 

This weekend my parent advisory group will be getting together for our first social.  I am so blessed to be with these people.  They are wonderful, caring and a lot of fun to be around.  We have all have much in common because of our kids and I'm excited to meet the spouses.  Yeah! 

I'm off.  I need to get to bed.  I will be posting an update on the GFCF pancakes.  Need to work on the texture. 

Toodles for now!  Love and His Grace, Krista

Today!

Today was a little different.  C had his last therapy session with Elizabeth.  He is no longer in need of one-on-one ABA.  This is awesome that he has gotten to this point in a year.  It's a little hard because I needed the time with her just as much as he did.  We will still see her, just not in the same capacity.  Bummers, as she would say.  She's our favorite.

C will continue in the social interaction group.  He definitely needs that.  We have him signed-up for after-school tutoring.  We will see how that goes. 

I have another wonderful dilema.  Where do I go from here?  I know that I"m meant to do something with Autism, but what?  Should I form my own resource group, become an ARD advocate, what?  I have an overwhelming need to help.  To give to others. 

I remember what it felt like when we were handed the diagnosis.  I was okay, then about 2-3 months later I thought "Holy s..."  I was totally freaked.  I thought I was going to have to hover over him constantly (not that I don't do some of that now), watch his EVERY move and have my heart in my throat at every turn. 

Some of that has died down, but I still want to give; need to give to others.  So, any thoughts, words of wisdom and prayer would be appreciated.  More later!