Dylans Couch

OK...this has really been the week from hell. We have had a construction project go TERRIBLY wrong...talking about $10,000 wrong!!!!! I haven't blogged in a week, haven't slept in a week and my business has had to be put on the back burner.....My husband tried to remind me that "it could be worse"....thanks honey.

I AM SICK TO MY STOMACH!!! Who has 10K lying around their house????

Well in the effort of trying to get back to the land of living, I ran across "Dylans Couch" on youtube. This kid is funny!! You can check him out. The first one I watched was "the note" then I watched some of the others. Funny Kid! Maybe he can bring a little cheer to you as well. Stories are kind of long, but if you have the time to watch...you won't walk away with out a smile.

Happy Viewing!

A Work in Progress

All to often I think about my daughters future. Sometimes it really bothers me to think about how things might be. I recently found this quote and it has helped put things into perspective. Her future is not set in stone. ANYTHING is possible.

" Your future is not an occurrence but a process, a work in progress. It's a road you have to pave. The hardships of life should not destroy your capacity to do well. The state of your life is nothing more than the reflection of the state of your mind."

Written in 2008 by Khothatso Tshirufu --- South Africa

I recently visited a little piece of heaven!

Our Inspiration

Typically on Monday morning I search out and try to find the perfect quote to start my week out just right. The quote is something that goes along with my mood. Dealing with special needs sometimes means that you have HIGH highs and LOW lows. As someone who strives on planning things well and organizing my life this is something that doesn't sit well with me. You want to know how to shake up my internal emotions? Put me on this roller coater....It is truly a struggle sometimes.

My Monday motivational quotes help keep me on the right track. Today as I was trying to find the right motivation, I can't help but to think of something that happened on Thursday of last week.

There is a little boy that goes to school with my little M. We have heard stories about him for years. At first it was just stories about a little boy that got a walker and took off walking in it. He then fell down and became very afraid of walking. We didn't know his name at this point, because the stories were coming from his therapists and they couldn't share his name for medical reasons. Then my little M took off walking in the same fashion. She got her walker and next thing we new she had her new found freedom. We were off to the races...Literally. I had to run everywhere to keep up with her. You know what is odd? Have you ever thought about what a baby sees when you carry them? Think about it....they have to see things at our speed, they see it from our level, if something catches their eye, they can't stop and check it out. Well I carried my daughter around for about 3 years, never once thinking about what the experience was like for her. Then we got the walker, and for the first time, I let her explore at her speed. The first thing that struck me, was when she walked up to a car tire and stared at it. She reached out and touched it. Then she walked over to the rose bush that I had walked past every day for 3 years and checked it out. We took a walk around the block and saw cats, bushes, flowers, and gutters with water in them. It was then that I realized, up until this point, her life was going at my speed. It was exciting for both of us as she started to explore things at her speed and level.

Back to my story about this little boy...this year when we started preschool we had the honor of being in his class. It is funny because I felt like I already knew him. I had heard all of his triumphant stories and how he had overcome some of his obstacles and now we get to be in the same class. He is a VERY happy little boy, an inspiration to MY family. I saw his Mom leaving the school and stopped to speak with her and share with her how much her son has influenced my family. I shared with her that my daughter follows his path. She was a very passionate mother as she spoke about her son. She told me about how her son's grandfather recently asked when his grandson was going to run. He said "he is always left behind when the other boys go off running around", The Mom said he would run when he was ready to run. Then one day he took off running. She said they don't pressure him to do things, they just support him with what he is doing. She said he would eventually do everything he wanted, on his own time schedule, not ours. She also said not to worry about my little M. She said M would do what she wanted when it was the right time for her.

Her words were very inspirational since we have followed this little boys path for quite some time now.

I'm not sure if this counts for a Monday Motivation or not, but it is very motivational for me.

IN THE SPIRIT OF MY FEELINGS TODAY, I FOUND THIS FANTASTIC QUOTE:

Albert Schweitzer:
At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person.Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us.

Did You Know?

Your body is creating and killing 15 million red blood cells per second!

**

Or

**

In space, astronauts cannot cry properly, because there is no gravity, so the tears can't flow down their faces!

**

or

**

An earthquake on Dec. 16, 1811 caused parts of the Mississippi River to flow backwards!

Can we say DROUGHT?

QUIT COMPARING!!!

Ok, this has bothered me for a VERY long time. Yes, I am a parent of a special needs Angel, and Yes, I am also a parent of a "typical developing" angel as well.

I have some friends that have a special needs daughter and every time we get together, it seems like we have a contest to see who has improved more. I can see them over there watching my little one and grading their own daughters disabilities based on the severity of my daughters condition. It really pisses me off! Get over it people, your daughter has special needs....quit living in denial. What ever her degree of disabilities are, they are real. Yes, she needs to wear orthopedics. Yes, she is in a special needs school. Yes, she may always need a little extra help..... SO WHAT....DEAL WITH IT. Your daughter is beautiful and she is an amazing little girl.

I have watched this happen many times with other special needs parents. We meet and start chatting about our kids. Watching each others kids, trying to spot what is wrong with them. We talk about medications and diagnosis....but really the whole while we are trying to figure out who is worse off. WHY DO WE DO IT???

Now for all of you with your "Normal" kids....Please stop walking on egg shells around me! I love the fact that you just had a beautiful baby. I love the fact that your kids walked at an early age. I love the fact that some of you have kids that borderline genius. I AM HAPPY FOR YOU. I mean it. You do not have to be afraid to hurt my feelings by sharing your perfect children. Yes, it may sting a little when I see your 3 year old run up and say "I Love You Mommy", but that is OK. I am still HAPPY for you. Please don't be afraid of me or my feelings. I want to hear your prideful stories. I want to feel joy for you.

For as much as I would love my daughter to say those three words, she just can't yet. I truly believe that she will, when she physically can. Even though she can't say the words...I get the message in other ways....it really takes a special someone (maybe just a truly devoted mom) to look into the eyes of their child and see the universe. I think sometimes looking into her eyes, I can see her tell me she loves me. It is magical. Sometimes she can look at me and make me melt. Maybe it took being a parent of a special needs child to slow me down enough to appreciate those silent messages.

So, all I am asking is let my little one be. Let her excel with what she can, let her show you how hard she is willing to work. Let her be the most perfect kid and quit grading her. Let your own child shine and grow. Be proud of your kids accomplishments and don't be afraid to share them with me, just because you THINK that you might hurt my feelings.

Motivational Monday

"Doing what you love is the cornerstone of having abundance in your life."
--Wayne Dyer

Don't Forget the Other One

OK....I know how important it is to be sure to show each of my children how much I love them. I think overall I do a pretty good job, but lately I am finding it harder to show my oldest the same affection. I think that partly it is because she is growing and becoming a "little person". She has her own style, attitude, like and dislikes. As a parent it is a little frustrating. Well....maybe frustrating is a little harsh. It is just hard. My youngest, my special needs child, is still young enough that she likes having me around. She doesn't mind me doing things for her. She still wants to cuddle. Not to mention she is just "pure love". There really is no better way to describe her. I don't think she has an ounce of bad intentions in her. As a mom, I don't EVER want to show one child more affection, love....well anything more than the other. IT IS REALLY HARD.

I only know what it is like to have two VERY different kids. Sometimes I wonder if it is my little one's disability that makes me want to favor her. Is it because I feel like I need to protect her more? What will it be like when she is an adult? Will I still feel this way?

I wonder if ALL mothers have this struggle?

Motivational Monday

I love getting my week started with a little jump start! Sometimes I search for great motivational things that I can use when I am down and out. Being a Mom of a special needs daughter means that we go through many bad days...especially when doctors are involved. I grab onto any inspiration and motivation I can get.

I decided maybe there are others out there that need a little boost......So here you go. I am going to share my Monday Motivation with you and hope that we all start our weeks out right~



"The only disability in life is a bad attitude." ~ Scott Hamilton

"There is no easy or quick plan to happiness, there is no single spot where you can start. Where you are right now is the best place to begin. Be careless in your dress if you must, but keep a tidy soul." ~ Mark Twain

The Morgan Project

As a parent of a special needs child I KNOW how expensive it is. We have had our share of medical equipment, medication, Doctors and specialists....UGH...it is extremely exhausting. I am always looking for ways to help. In doing some research I ran across The Morgan Project. I haven't actually used them yet, mostly because I just found them, but this looks like an exception program. Even if you don't need the money or have a special needs child....this is a great program to donate to. The Morgan Project is a 501(c)(3)non-profit organization. If this GREAT cause can help even one special needs child or parent....it is worth passing along!

You can find out more about them by going to www.themorganproject.com. Here is a little bit about their "mission"~

"Working together to promote awareness and support of parents caring for their special-needs children, and to enhance the quality of life for these special families."

Our Mission is to provide support to parents/caregivers and act as a reference source for information, financial resources, used equipment exchanges, research and clinical studies, support groups, web links, etc. This will be done in the form of creating an interactive website, and monthly newsletters.

To try to consolidate, and then disseminate, all the available information tools available to caregivers, from sources such as the Internet, newsletters, parenting organizations, support groups, etc. There is a lot of information out there, but it takes so much time to search for it that most caregivers just don’t have the time to spare to look for needed assistance on their own. We would like to put together a newsletter that would be a source of information for parents/caregivers to help them help their children.

To make small individual grants (products & services only) to parents/caregivers of special children for travel expenses to attend medical conferences that they would not otherwise be able to afford to attend. No parent/caregiver, or their family for that matter, should have to “bleed” in order to give their child the opportunity to be evaluated by experts, and to seek the support of other families in the same situation.

To make small individual grants (products & services only) to parents/caregivers of special children, for things like positional seating, adaptive car seats, durable medical equipment not covered by Medicaid or Insurance, and other non-covered items that would make caring for these children easier on the parent/caregiver and help to improve their quality of life.

PRIMARY GOAL

Our primary goal right now is to aggressively seek corporate sponsors, large donors and dedicated volunteers in order to become a viable organization, make valuable connections & tap resources in our community, and to continue to raise funds in order to provide the goals of The M.O.R.G.A.N. Project.

Proud Mama

Today I attended my little ladies graduation from pre-school. Well actually it was from one class into another. I have to share the abundance of emotion that I have right now.

It is an AMAZING site watching the little people fight for every little accomplishment that they make. They NEVER give up and work harder for things that most take for granted. It is equally amazing how truly dedicated and caring the staff and teachers are at our school. I watched each student (about 25 or so) get special recognition for every accomplishment that they did. I have witnessed each of these kids grow, mostly because in the small world of special needs you meet everyone through early intervention. A lot of these kids have we have known for 2-4 years already. As I sat in my chair listening to all of the accomplishments, my mind can't help but to go over each little step that my lady has made. I teared up.

Then from across the room I heard my little lady call my name "MaMa". That makes my heart warm because she can't say many other words verbally but she can pick me out of a crowd and call my name. The pride that I have right now is beyond measure. I love my little sunshine....my pride and joy!

Sometimes I WISH the rest of the world would take a lesson from the world of special needs:

Cherish every accomplishment. Always do your best. Let go of the little thing that don't really matter and cheer on your neighbor. If you fall down get back up and try again. So what if you don't do it perfectly. Smile. Celebrate. Love. Laugh. Play. Listen. Sing.

Did you know?

Approximately one-sixth of your life is spent on Wednesdays.


:)
Cherishing Mommy

Wordless Wednesday

The New Bike!

We got it....the NEW BIKE! How cool is it to watch your 4yr old sit on a tricycle and ride it for the first time? Most children get to ride a "big wheel" or tricycle or scooter at the young ages of 2 and up, but for us it has been a feet just to learn how to walk. If you would have asked me a year ago if my little one would be riding a big girl bike on her 4th birthday, I would have teared up and said probably not. Now I am tearing up and telling you YES....SHE DID IT!

She is so proud. The bright, beaming eyes tell it all. She might not be able to vocally tell me what she is feeling or how proud she is, but I know by the smile and eager eyes. She won't go slow on it. The new found freedom has her trying to keep up with her big sister....oh brother...we are now getting some knee pads and elbow pads :)

On a little different note, we are still unable to get our seizures under control. She had 4 yesterday....Her Neurologist has suggested changing her meds to either Topomax or Depakote? Probably don't have them spelled right, but I now have to research them...Oh how I wish I would have gone to school for my PHD....I could have been a doctor. Maybe I was meant to find and cure my little ones mysterious illness....

Still in limbo....probably always will be.

A Special Place

There is a special place in life,
That needs my humble skill,
A certain job I'm meant to do,
Which no one else can fulfill.

The time will be demanding,
And the pay is not too good
And yet I wouldn't change it
for a moment -- even if I could

There is a special place in life,
A goal I must attain,
A dream that I must follow,
Because I won't be back again.

There is a mark that I must leave,
However small it seems to be,
A legacy of love for those
Who follow after me

There is a special place in life,
That only I may share,
A little path that bears my name,
Awaiting me somewhere.

There is a hand that I must hold,
A word that I must say,
A smile that I must give
For there are tears to blow away.

There is a special place in life
that I was meant to fill.
A sunny spot where flowers grow,
upon a windy hill.

There's always a tomorrow and the
best is yet to be,
And somewhere in this world,
I know there is a place for me.

Sorry....Sorry.....

Ok...I am feeling horrible right now, I have managed to come down with some sort of Vertigo (or something) and I can't barly look at my computer (or anything else for that matter). I have been unable to reply to all of the emails/comments and stuff comming my way. For all of my Friends, Family and New Found Friends, thank you for all of your thoughts and prayers! It is greatly appreciated.

Please bare with me...I just can't function properly right now....I will email you all as soon as I am functioning properly.....

The Party Is Here!!

The Ultimate Blog Party 2008!!

This is my first party...but how fun! I'm glad I was invited. For anyone visiting for the first time, WELCOME! My name is Christa. I am a mom of two FANTABULOUS kids and a wife to my hero. I own two business and keep busy being the supermom that I want to be.

I create story books and love helping others do it as well. Pictures and stories are my life. I have an afterschool program that I do for my school district that helps kids write and publish stories...I guess it is my way of giving back.

Now tell me about yourself! I hope we can be friends!

Another One of Those Days

I think yesterday was what I would consider a terrible day. My husband keeps telling me that it could be worse, but as a mom, a sick child is a sick child and nothing is worse than that.

My little one went to school and after being at school for about an hour I got a call that she had a seizure. I hate seizures. She hasn't had an awake seizure in about a year and before that it was about 2 years. Something is always really wrong when she has awake seizures.

Last week (Thursday to be precise) our Neurologist decided to increase her Keppra by 1.5 ml...now that might not seem like a lot, but when you are dealing with kids and everything is based on weight....this is alot. I always freak out about the medication for some reason. It freaks me out to drug up my child!

Yesterday, after our seizure crisis, I had to speak with our Neurologist about the fact that we just increased her meds and now she is having awake seizures....he decided to increase the other med.....UGH.....THIS JUST SUCKS.

I then went to the school to see how she was doing and found out that she might have had a seizure on Tuesday as well.

****** Here is what I just don't understand.......WHY SHOULD ANY CHILD HAVE TO BE SICK? WHY SHOULD ANY CHILD HAVE TO SUFFER? WHY THE HELL CAN'T A MOM HAVE SUPER POWERS TO HEAL OUR KIDS?

I hate sitting by helpless. I hate having to rely on others to care about my child as much as I do....I hate knowing that when I walk out of a doctors office, that some other sick child is going to walk in and I am now "out of sight, out of mind".....

A Heart For Children

One hundred years from now
it will not matter
what car I drove,
what kind of house I lived in,
how much money I had in the bank,
Nor what my clothes looked like.

One hundred years from now
it will not matter
what school I attended,
what type of typewritter I used,
how large or small my church.

But the world may be
a little better because...

I was important
in the live of a child.

~ Author Unknown ~