Homework for the Weekend

I'm baaaack!

Sorry I didn't post yesterday.  I fully intended to but my Thursday morning didn't start exactly as planned.

Lily has not slept well the past two nights and that's usually a cue that something's going on.  So Ryan and I loaded her up and ran to the pediatrician's office to have her ears checked.

Sure enough - double ear infection.

At least we caught it early this time.  We're learning to watch for those nonverbal cues that Lily sends and look for the message in them.  For her, sleepless nights usually mean ear infection.  No fever, no tugging on the ears, nothing else at all.  Just interrupted sleep for a few nights in a row.

The nurse practitioner thought we were geniuses.

She couldn't get over the fact that Lily's lack of good sleep made us think to have her ears checked.  But it's only been through much trial and error (click here if you need some proof) that we've learned that our kid likes to sleep and if she can't, something's going on.

Lily started her antibiotic yesterday, had some ibuprofen before bed and had a great night of sleep. Which means Ryan and I did, too.

My family functions well on good sleep.

So.  It's Friday.

I have some homework for you this weekend if you're up for it.

There won't be a test on Monday.

And the only "prize" I can give you for completing it is my grateful appreciation.

I'm going to spend some time in prayer over the weekend.  And I have a couple of specific things I'll be praying about and I would love it if you would join me in praying for these same things.

First, Lily is still conking herself on the head.  Read here to get the back story if you missed it.  I am just going to start actively praying that God would remove this behavior.  Just take it completely away. I mean g-o-n-e gone.  There's not a doubt in my mind He can do this.

Secondly, I sent an email to the California doctor to make sure he had received the immense package of Lily's medical records I mailed a little over a week ago.  The receptionist responded that he does have it and will be looking it over to see if Lily fits "the profile" and if so, they will then contact us to set up an appointment.  I really like this doctor's philosophy and approach and I just feel like he can help her.  I will be actively praying that God will open this door and that we'll be taking a trip to California in the near future.

If you would pray for these things alongside me this weekend, I would be ever so appreciative.

From Jesus Calling by Sarah Young -

"I am a God of both intricate detail and overflowing abundance.  When you entrust the details of your life to Me, you are surprised by how thoroughly I answer your petitions.  I take pleasure in hearing your prayers, so feel free to bring Me all your requests.  The more you pray, the more answers you can receive.  Best of all, your faith is strengthened as you see how precisely I respond to your specific prayers.  Because I am infinite in all my ways, you need not fear that I will run out of resources.  Abundance is at the very heart of who I am.  Come to me in joyful expectation of receiving all you need - and sometimes much more!  I delight in showering blessings on my beloved children.  Come to me with open hands and heart, ready to receive all I have for you."

Psalm 36:7-9,  Psalm 132:15,  John 6:12-13

Thank you for praying with and for me and for being a blessing to me.

Enjoy your weekend!

11 Myths About Autism

I consider myself to be a life-long learner.

There are a few things that I feel like I really can't know enough about and autism is one of those.

Besides discovering new treatments, therapies, supplements, and methods of communication, education can be a very valuable tool in creating awareness and understanding in those not familiar with special needs.

I came across an article called "11 Myths About Autism" and thought it might be interesting reading for some of you.  It's brief and won't take you long to read but the information it contains is quite helpful.

It might also be a handy tool to pass along to those people (even family members!) who are not quite sure what to make of a child with autism.

And while we're on the subject, there's a popular essay written by Emily Perl Kingsley called Welcome to Holland.  It's one of the greatest ways to explain autism through the use of an illustration that I think all of us can relate to.

Take the time to read and educate yourself about special needs.  It won't be the same as living it day in and day out, but a little understanding goes a long way.

And special needs parents deeply appreciate the effort.

Fun on the Fourth

Thought you might enjoy seeing some pictures of the fun we had celebrating Independence Day. 

The only way to survive July in Austin is to get wet.  So Ryan and I and the girls, along with my in-laws, headed to my parent's ranch in Wimberley.  

My parents grilled hamburgers, my mother-in-law brought her famous cole slaw (the only kind I'll eat) and Ryan and I provided the children.

There was Fun.... 

Family....

Food...

And even Feet!

As you can see from the pictures above, my photographer, Ryley, slacked on the job and actually got in the pool. Therefore, I have no pictures of the grandparents.  You just can't get good help these days...  

Enjoy your Tuesday and I'll see you tomorrow!

Happy Fourth of July!

I hope you have a wonderful Fourth of July filled with family, fun, and food.

I also hope that you take some time today to remember how blessed we are to live in this wonderful country and how much we owe to our armed forces for giving us the gift of freedom.

If you have some time, watch this video of one of my all-time favorite patriotic songs.  

Then go thank a soldier. 

Tracy Morgan is NOT a Funny Man

I don't think of myself as an overly sensitive person.  I have a fairly thick skin and I'm not afraid to laugh at myself. I just don't take myself all that seriously.

And I think a sense of humor is especially important when raising children with special needs. While it's never funny to laugh at our child, we certainly need to take the opportunity to laugh at some of the things they do.  Laughter may be the only thing that gets us through the day sometimes.

But some things simply aren't funny.

Take the comedian Tracy Morgan.  Personally, I've never cared for him and I don't watch 30 Rock.

But he can't seem to stay out of trouble lately.  If he was needing some free publicity for his career, he's certainly gotten some.

First, he spends some time doing a comic skit full of anti-gay remarks, complete with the comment that he would "kill his son if he acted gay".

After being called out (even by his own 30 Rock co-star), he issued an apology.

Cue the next stand-up routine.

Gay bashing didn't go so well so he decided to make fun of people with disabilities saying, "Don't ever mess with women who have retarded kids.  Them young retarded males is strong.  They're strong like chimps."

Call me dumb, but I don't think there is one thing funny about that.  That is not humor.  That is cruelty.

And not just because I have a child with special needs.

The fact that he is an African American man makes this a little more surprising, in my mind.

I came across an interesting response to Tracy's statements written by an African American mom of a special needs child.  It's worth a read so click on it if you have a minute.

Do I think that the word "retarded" or "retard" is going to disappear from our vocabulary?  No.

Do I really want to spend the rest of my days issuing petitions that famous people apologize every single time they say the word?  No.

But I'm glad that some groups do feel that way.

Because when someone with a platform uses those derogatory words and attention is called to it, how they react to it can create an environment for some positive change.

It makes people think before they speak.

But the stupid statements made by Tracy Morgan go far beyond using the r-word.

On a very public platform, he has revealed exactly what kind of person he is.

He had to know that on the heels of his gay bashing remarks, many people would be listening to his first several public appearances to see how he responded.

And this is how he responds?

Bullying the most defenseless portion of our population.  Picking on a group that struggles for respect like no other.

All for a laugh.

In the church, we often quote Luke 6:45 which says, "The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart.  For out of the overflow of his heart, his mouth speaks."

I think the statements made by Tracy Morgan give us a glimpse of what is stored in his heart and therefore reveals what kind of man he is.

And funny isn't what comes to my mind.

Back to Basics

I am a sucker for good packaging.

For instance, I am totally convinced that all natural, chemical free products like these:

are so much more effective and so much better for me than say, Dial body wash.

My dad would say that what's in those cute containers is probably the same thing as Dial body wash, just with a beautiful label and double the price.

Since there are no money trees growing in my backyard, I simply can't afford to indulge in these lovely products on a daily basis.

But I do have a child with autism.

And I do hold fast to the belief that while none of us needs repeated exposure to tons of chemicals, she definitely doesn't.

So I buy myself good old Dial body wash and splurge on California Baby or Burt's Bees or Original Sprout products for The Bird.

Which takes care of her, but leaves me with the question of what to do about the rest of my house.

I want my home to be clean but I also want it to be healthy, safe, and non-toxic for all of us.

Most chemical-laden cleaning products don't really clean any better than back to basics stuff.  They just clean faster and might require a little less elbow grease.

(I feel the need to insert a note here - I know my little brother is rolling his eyes right now and thinking I've been living in Austin way too long.  Right now, he's telling his wife that the hippies have gotten to me!)

But honestly, having Lily Bird with all her issues and sensitivities (and the thousands and thousands of kids like her) has really opened my eyes to how many potentially harmful products we come in contact with every day.

So while I do admit to having a cleaning service come into my home twice a month, the rest of the time I use natural cleaning products.  I know there are all natural cleaning companies but doggone it, they are so expensive that it's just not an option right now.

What's a girl to do???

Make her own inexpensive and chemical free household cleaners!

And the best part for those suckers for packaging like me?  You can put them in any cute containers you like, craft unique and expensive looking labels, and laugh at how much money you saved.

So here we go.... Make Your Own Non-Toxic Cleaning Kit.



Here's how to make my favorite all-purpose spray that I use on absolutely everything:

1 tsp. Borax

1/2 tsp. baking soda

2 tbsp. white vinegar

1/4 tsp. liquid castile soap (scented is fine)

2 cups hot water

Put in a spray bottle and go to town.  

FYI - you can double or triple the recipe and just keep the spray bottle under your kitchen sink.  The water doesn't have to be hot to still be effective.  And that way you don't have to keep mixing it up every time you want to clean.

What to do with all that extra Borax?  Since it's a laundry booster, put a scoop of it in the wash with sweaty work-out clothes.

And how about all that extra castile soap?  Bathe with it!  

If you click here, you'll get an entire page of non-toxic cleaning recipes from www.care2.com that can tackle any dirty home with ease.  And a little elbow grease.

Let's be safe.... and get clean!

Have a great Thursday!