Saturday was a DAY

Mabel greeted us at the door yesterday. We went upstairs to find her cage in the above state. Houdini chewed her way out. But first she pulled the area rug into the cage and it being balled up (think making paper snowflakes when you fold the paper and cut)her chewing created little holes all over the rug.

It was a ROUGH day yesterday. We left here at 8:30 for a Special Olympics basketball game that started at 10:30. Sally was in RARE form. Or should I say the Autism was. Crying, whining, pooping her pants - it wasn't pretty. But as soon as the game started she was in heaven. Now, Sal doesn't actually play - she runs up and down the court and stands at either basket - trying hard not to come in contact with the ball. She also stands in the middle of the court and waves to us. :-) But she is one of only 7 and has to be put in for the other kids to have a break. Plus, she provides comedy. :-) But to the family yesterday she was a miserable little brat (and I HATE that word).

So by the time we arrived home *I* had had it! I have some kind of swollen gland thing in my neck - it's not awful - just annoying - so Mabel's little trick was just what was needed to put me over the edge. I just had to laugh. Bill and I collapsed on the couch and watched our new addiction: "House" and just let the day pass by.

JBSRA won one and lost one yesterday. We play at the State Finals in March, down in Bloomington - which means we will be staying overnight in a hotel. Sally and ANYONE in a room with her - NOT a good match. It will prove to be VERY interesting - I'm SURE! :-)

Jack and I sat on the bleachers yesterday - waiting of Bill to bring a drink and popcorn and Sal was warming up. I talked to him about Sally (she's been riding him pretty good lately) and I commented "She's really on your last nerve lately, huh? I know it's hard, Jack. It's hard for me too, but we have to keep trying together as a team." I said

"Mom, you don't even know," he replied "I have 20 at school and 1 at home, that's 21 people on my back,"

It took EVERY ounce of strength I had to not bust out laughing. It was SO funny - but I knew he was serious and would not have appreciated his Mom laughing in his face. That boy can make SO much drama out of nothing. I swear he'll be a politician, lawyer or actor (if he doesn't end up in jail) the way he can deliver a line of bs is unbelievable. :-)

Mabel Goes To Jail

Wednesday morning Mabel got out the front door as Sally was waiting for her bus. Of course, being Mabel, she ran as fast as she could down the sidewalk and out of sight. I have given up chasing her - esp since we now have inches of snow covering the ground and the fact that I have a very time sensitive morning schedule.

So,as you would guess, she wound up in Animal Control doggie jail. I got a call at work around 2:00 telling me that they had Mabel and kind of "scolded" me about letting her out. Ughhh. Telling me that she could get eaten by a coyote - oh if only..... Now don't go giving me grief about that - I love Mabel and I'm just joking - but just like my kids she is very good at pushing my buttons and can rub that last nerve of mine off the scale. And besides, no coyote in his right mind would go after Mabel. Ewww - Mabel germs. So, after telling them that I would indeed retrieve her after work I hung up.

When I got to Animal Control I heard no barking - so that would mean that Mabel was ALL alone. "Good," I thought, "maybe she will have learned her lesson if she didn't have fun this time, playing with all the other doggies."

Oh, what we Americans do when we give a little power AND a badge to a teenager. This monster size, pimply faced man cub let me in and showed me Mabel's "file". Yes, Mabel has a rap sheet AND a mug shot. Seriously - they have a picture of her and all thees papers of the times when they have caught her. Again, I get the dripping water on the head and the light bulb in my eyes about how Mabel keeps getting out. I would have LOVED to confess that I am so attracted to this little man child that I keep letting the dog out just so I can rondevu with him. :-) Let's get a little perspective here, Sparkie - she's a dog - a beagle at that and they are best known for letting their noses get the best of them. So I hung my head and played all sorry like and picked up Mabel and lectured her all the way home.

Of course I got the eyes this morning - you know those eyes from a dog laying in your bed that say "I'm SO tired, I just want to sleep here all day, I won't make a mess or destroy the house, I'll be good - I'll just sleep in this bed all day. You don't need to put me in the cage." Oh, she's good at the eyes. If only she'd use her power for good instead of evil.

Mike Gooding Benefit

www.mikegooding.com

Date: Saturday, 27 February 2010
Time: 2:00 - 10:00
Location: Southeastern Elementary School - Bowen IL


Description: My brother-in-law, Mike worked for Alexander Lumber Co for 38 years. Last May he fell from his roof and is now paralyzed from the chest down. Mike and his wife, Jill (my sister) live in rural LaPrarie.

A meal will begin at 2 pm to include soups, sandwiches, deserts and drinks for a Free Will Offering. There will be a 50/50 drawing and three raffle items to include a 50" flat screen plasma TV, a $500 gift card from Game Masters in Quincy and a Nintendo Wii. You need not be present to win.

Tickets are available for $1.00 each or $5.00 for six. The Hancock County Piecemakers Quitling Guild are now selling tickets and will be on hand that day to raffle off a handmade quilt. There will be an auction beginning at 4 pm and music throughout the day by DJ Danny Veach.

For questions or to hlep with donating auction or raffle items, please call Teresa Wood at (217) 842-5884 or Anita Marlow at (217) 392-2323. Matching funds from the benefit will be provided by Thrivent Financial Lutherans Chapter 30630.

4 Daves: Mike Gooding Benefit!

4 Daves: Mike Gooding Benefit!

Mike Gooding Benefit!

Type: Causes - Fundraiser

Date: Saturday, 27 February 2010
Time: 2:00 - 10:00
Location: Southeastern Elementary School - Bowen IL

Description My brother-in-law, Mike worked for Alexander Lumber Co for 38 years. Last May he fell from his roof and is now paralyzed from the chest down. Mike and his wife, Jill (my sister) live in rural LaPrarie.

A meal will begin at 2 pm to include soups, sandwiches, deserts and drinks for a Free Will Offering. There will be a 50/50 drawing and three raffle items to include a 50" flat screen plasma TV, a $500 gift card from Game Masters in Quincy and a Nintendo Wii. You need not be present to win.

Tickets are available for $1.00 each or $5.00 for six. The Hancock County Piecemakers Quilting Guild are now selling tickets and will be on hand that day to raffle off a handmade quilt. There will be an auction beginning at 4 pm and music throughout the day by DJ Danny Veach.

For questions or to help with donating auction or raffle items, please call Teresa Wood at (217) 842-5884 or Anita Marlow at (217) 392-2323. Matching funds from the benefit will be provided by Thrivent Financial Lutherans Chapter 30630.

If you would like to send a donation, please make check payable to The Mike Gooding Benefit, c/ Marine Bank and Trust - PO Box 216, August IL 62311.

Sigh

Bill and I are weird. We've decided this after watching a Special Needs basketball game where parents - mind you parents who have to help their child get dressed - yell at refs and coaches!!!!! LET'S GET SOME PERSPECTIVE PEOPLE!!!!!! Seriously - you have to zip your child's coat - a child who is at leas 10 years of age and you think that it's really worth your energy to yell at a coach for not playing your child more???

Bill and I also cheer for both teams - it's not like we made a pact or something - it just happens. If you really watch the game and see the intensity in their faces - that just running up and down the court is a BIG deal to them - you HAVE to cheer! I wonder - where is the compassion? Where is the camaraderie? I mean - we, as parents are all in this together. Aren't we THRILLED that there IS a Special Needs basketball team? Bill and I are. We're THRILLED with the coaches - who are young adults who could be doing a LOT of things on a Sat afternoon than this. Sure, they get paid - but you know it's not NEAR what the effort demands.

I'm embarrassed. A LOT. I'm embarrassed to be a Special Needs parent - and it's not the kids that embarrass me - it's the adults and I feel ashamed for their actions. Quite the same way I feel ashamed to be a Christian when Pat Roberts opens his mouth and has the audacity to give REASON to a HUGE tragedy the way he did.

The crazy thing is - a Special Needs person would no more yell at a Ref or a coach than Christ would blame God for Haiti. I question? Where are the camera's? I mean, we're surely on Candid Camera or Punked - right??? I mean - it's CRAZY what goes on in day to day life.

So Bill and I laughed our "we're sorry you're so pathetic" laugh that we share a lot lately. We cheered for our little "Brick" who stands - and I mean STANDS near the top of the key and waves to the crowd or tells the others what they should do. We cheer for the other team and tell the people in front of us how cute their son's smile is. We stand as the cheerleaders from the other team - one who is in a wheel-chair, get up and do a cheer for the other team. We joke with the coaches afterwards and tell them to do a shot for us - cause you KNOW after dealing with those parents they HAVE to unwind somehow. We shake our heads on the way home and try and teach Jack how very lucky he is to have a body that works correctly with his brain and how proud we are of him because he helped Sally during practice. And mostly we wonder if the world has gone mad. We wonder how it is that we have come through all this with the humor we possess and then we keep keeping on.

Life is hard enough with Sal (and Jack) to carry all that ANGER. My back isn't strong enough. But I have to admit to feelings of wanting to cross the court - call time out - and shake the CRAP out of the parents that are IDIOTS! The restraint I've shown is amazing. :-)

Some More Time

Things have really been speeding along lately. Sal has swim club on Monday night, Jack has basketball practice on Tuesday night, Sal has Social Club and basketball games on Saturday and Jack has basketball games on Sunday. In between we have the usual homework and working on mult tables and subtraction and Sal's general upkeep.
:-)

Swim club is SO funny. I have NEVER seen anyone kick SO hard and really go no where - I really mean that - she travels no where. But she's smiling ALL the time! It is SO cute. Those squinty eyes all squished into her goggles, her little hands coming out of the water every so often as if doing a high five and her legs making a HUGE wake. :-) Her coaches love her so much. They all come up and talk to her before and after. I love the Park District staff. I know it's crazy but I always fear loosing such good people. I'm as hateful of change as Sal is.

Sally went to the dance at Humphrey last Friday. She had a GREAT time. As she was getting in the truck she told me "I threw pies". What???? My first question was "were you supposed to?" :-) I guess there were games there too and one of them was throwing pies at the Principal. She hit him twice, she said. :-)

Jack is becoming more and more vocal (nastily) with Sal and his tolerance is VERY low. I'm hoping it's because we haven't been outside playing lately. We decided he needs to be limited on the computer and his DS.

My sister is still going one step forward and 5 back. She has to force feed Mike and make sure he's drinking enough (or he'll end up in the hosp again). She says he's so mixed up sometimes. Last weekend as she quizzed him about the name of his sons and their wives and kids he replied "Jack" many many times. :-) Like I've always said "It's all Jack, all the time" :-) It's hard to hear on the phone. You just want to take it all away from them.

New Year!!!?????

Day number 2 - doesn't seem that different. But then again it does. I've had a realization this week. My sister and I were commiserating on the critics in our lives who, without even being close to us, feel they know better how we should act or what we should say.

We both kind of feel like "when you change your loved one's soiled undies on a daily basis - then you can talk to us", :-) So it got me to thinking.... It's always "family" that feel they can judge us like this. Is it because THEY can't fathom the idea of us being able to handle this? Do we not fit the mold they've made for us? Are we stronger than they've ever given us credit for? See, my theory is that they have placed us in a role (we all do it) and usually it is a role of "much less than" their role and now, suddenly or over time, they can't see us lower than they are - the way they were so comfortable in seeing themselves. Sometimes being around people that *you* feel are *more than you* is uncomfortable because you have to look at yourself and maybe they're not real happy with themselves??? I just say this because I know when I talk to people who have a lot of energy it makes me feel like a slug because I feel like I don't do anything. I think this happens to the older of the siblings. They have placed you in a role of always needing them. Of you never really amounting to much - because you were such a pain in the butt as a kid. I've always said - I could cure cancer tomorrow but I'd always be "Monster" to my siblings - the kid who was always in trouble and got bad grades. :-) And then again - I'm way off and some people are just nasty for the sake of being nasty. :-)

So, Sally said to me yesterday "Do I have to be a teenager?" :-) We were talking about what would be happening this year and such. We also got into a conversation about wishes - and what each kid would wish for. Jack wished for more wishes (big surprise there) but Sal wished that EVERYONE would have a wish! Awww - is that not sweet. :-)

The Holidays have been tough on her. It's an anxious time for all kids but for the Auti's of the world - it's even more crazy and then there's the whole "that was it?" let down that I think we ALL experience.

My brother-in-law has had some set backs. He went to surgery over the holidays and it all went well, BUT he decided he wasn't doing rehab at the hosp so they took him back to the nursing home. He went to the ER over the weekend and at one time it was a very touchy 24 hours. He has recovered and is prob going back to the nursing home on Monday. My sister is really having a rough time! It just seems like one tiny step forward and 4 huge steps back - ALL the time. Seems like she's getting called for all sorts of stupid reasons. His attitude is the WORST. Not that he doesn't deserve to be a butt head - but he had been much better - still a pain in the arse - don't get me wrong - he's still Mike. But this person is SOOOO bad. I wish he'd do therapy at the hosp - I think because *they* work with people like that MUCH more than the N Home they would prob be able to recognize what attitude was "normal" and what was meds, diet, etc. I worry about both of them. It's very hard to be away from everything - but I'm sure it's hard to be there too. You want to just wave a wand and make it all better.

Thank God It's Over

So Merry Christmas is over. It's been a CRAZY week. I worked on Monday and Daddy had the kids. Tues and Wed Daddy was out in a plow and I think we saw him a total of 1 hour. Christmas Eve was VERY hard. Holidays are always hard on typical kids - let alone autie's. Since there has really been no schedule like school since last Friday - Sal has been a basket case. All in all she did well till Christmas Eve and then the whole anxiety of Santa and gifts kind of got the best of her.

We made it till 6pm and then went looking at lights. She did REALLY well with that. We had cookies and coffee and juice and drove around looking at all the lights around town. (one of the perks of having someone working for PW - they know where all the good lights are) :-)

When we got home we opened our new jammies, took a bath, checked NORAD to see where Santa was and hopped into bed.

Mabel woke up around 4am and had to go out. As I left my bedroom to let her out I saw through the darkness two little eyes gleaming back at me. "Santa was here" she said. "I hear him". How can you tell her to go back to bed??? THAT would be a GREAT Christmas memory. :-) So, Sal and I went out to the living room and watched the Christmas Story marathon. :-)

Jack woke up around 6 and we set off a bomb to get Daddy up and they set out tearing open gifts. Grandpa gave Jack a set of Wild West 6-shooter cap guns! (we'll be picking his room at the home soon - he's obviously senile) :-) Granpa said he got a set of those every year when he was a boy and he thought Jack needed a gun. :-) Not to mention several things of caps. :-) Mr Chad had brought over a marsh mellow shooter for each child WITH lots a marshmallows! What is it with people?? :-) Mabel loved the marshmallows that came shooting by but was NOT keen on the cap gun. That sent her under the couch as fast as she could get her fat body under there. :-)

Santa also left an Easy Bake Oven (on both Sal and Jack's list). I can tell you - Santa had a tough time FINDING an EBO! In fact, I have it on good authority that he had elves out the night before trying to find the EBO!


Jack got a DSI - a game boy kind of thing that can connect to the Internet. That's all very foreign to me as Santa had Daddy's help on that one.

So after all the wrapping was flung from here to there, cookies and fudge eaten for breakfast and Mom and Dad were near their very last nerve. The kiddies were sent to watch a movie and fall asleep. Sal slept for a couple hours, but she still was a pain in the butt! Question after question about camp (next week) and Dick and Laurena's and even summer. Ugghh. It sounds like no big deal but after you deal with it for a while it really gets on one's nerves.

So it's been a day of playing "In A Pickle" baking cakes in the EBO, dodging marshmallow bullets and watching Mabel squeeze under the couch as fast as possible.

We have 2 more "down" days and I'm not sure who will weather worse - me or Sally. :-)

Christmas, Shristmas

As most of you know, I'm not a fan of the red and green. So much not a fan that I'm seriously considering other traditions - but that's a whole 'nother story.

One thing that sucks about Christmas is the hyperness it creates in ALL kids - let alone my little freak. Sally is FULL of anxiety. The days off of school (ie: schedule disruption), strange things in the house, many social events, I swear they should make anti-anxiety pills just for Christmas.

She has been a busy bee. Last weekend was the trip on the Polar Express to the North Pole. She had a GREAT time and then on Sunday was a birthday party for our neighbor down the street at the pool. She and Jack were WAY over the edge.

We finally got the tree up yesterday and Jack and Sal decorated it. I think another couple years and they could do ALL of the decorating - which would be just FINE with me! :-)

It's been very cold here and Mabel has been allowed to go out back withOUT her chain on. It lasted for about 3 days - then she made a break for it - ended up at the neighbor's across the street. She comes right in and heads for the couch - squeezes her little fat girl body under it (a REAL sight) and stays there till she thinks you're done being mad at her (or she forgets) .

I'm now in the process of making little Chineese take out containers to hold candy for the teachers. Sal has 12 I need to make up and Jack has 2. I really wish I could give Sal's more - they have REALLY surprised me. We heard such horror stories of Jr High and Special Needs that we went in pretty synical. I have to say, we're VERY pleasently surprised. Not by her Cross Cat teacher - I knew from the day we sat in on her class that she and Sal were kindred spirits. I could tell she had a fantastic sense of humor and was really "into" the kids. Not to mention the aides in her room. But I have to admit - ALL of her teachers have been just terrific! Again, we're either babies or fools -isn't that who God takes car of? We sure have been, that's for sure.

"On Holiday"

We left on Thanksgiving morning around 7am. The ride down was pretty good. We got in to Aunt Jill's around 11. She had gotten Uncle Mike from the Nursing Home, Gma and Gpa were there and Gma was peeling potatoes. Uncle Mick was there and being his usual goofy self. But there a couple 4 legged guests missing. Come to find out, Aunt Jill had to put Ottie down on Monday. He had gotten so sick with the cancer that he was barely eating and up all night restless.

The other 4 legged no show was Tiny. We got a call half way through dinner that Tiny was down a ways at a "neighbors" (on the farm a "neighbor" is well over a mile away). So Gpa and Mick loaded into the wheelchair van and went to pick him up. The wild thing about Tiny is that he thinks he's, well, *tiny*. He doesn't like to walk on the wheel chair lift - I think he thinks he'll fall through the lattice. :-) He also won't lay on the floor of the van - he has to sit on the seat. He is too funny. But when he got home he was chained to the tether ball pole and he was NOT happy. Chunk had a look on her face like "I *told* him not to go - but does he listen, no". :-)

After dinner Brad and Becky and kids showed up. Oh my - the house was up for grabs. 4 kids running through like wild men, playing hide and seek in Aunt Jill's closet, in the basement and in the toy room. Gma and Gpa left --- chickens. Sal, Aunt Jill and I took Uncle Mike back to the nursing home. That's no small task. I can't see why my sister isn't a twig from all the work it takes to get him in and out of anywhere.

Mick entertained us with his version of him being the "bad son" and Brad being the "good son". It was too funny. SO much good food. Turkey, potatoes, gravy, noodles, dressing, dirty pudding, broc casserole, rolls, and all kinds of pies and apple cake. We ate left overs for a couple of days.

On Friday (black Friday) we did nothing. The kids played outside and we took naps and ate. :-) We went into Golden to see Gma and Gpa and Gma took us to the Windmill to show us the Christmas stuff.

Gma has THE chair that used to be in THE Dr's office in Golden. There was no examination table - it was a chair - complete with stirrups. AND with the chair came the Drs bag AND his record book. Jack Beckett was recorded in the book twice. Once for a cough and once for a cut. Total of $1.75. I figure he was more trouble to Gma than he was worth. :-) It's all very interesting. I love all that old history stuff.

So Saturday rolled around and we took all 6 kids bowling, out to eat pizza and then to see lights in Moorman park. (the picture at the top) We were ALL tired by the time we dropped Uncle Mike off at the Nursing Home.

We all truckstered home to Bbk on Sunday. Those weekends are always too short.

Nutcracker was a ball-buster

Full weekend for Sal. Friday night she went to the Pilgrim Dance with all her special needs friends from all over the area. She had a good time and reported that she had danced to "Who Let the Dogs Out" and "YMCA". :-) She didn't get home till 10 and then up early on Saturday and off to the Arboretum for Social Club.

We went as a family to the Nutcracker on Sunday and she was very good - for the first half. In the 2nd act she kept talking - loud and we threatened to take her out. She still didn't settle down too well. I've never been so glad to see the end of something. I'm seriously considering the trip to be just Me and Jack thing - or just me.

I hate when the autism comes roaring in like that. It just seemed like 2 steps forward and 3 back. :-( Bill keeps saying that next year will be better. I don't know. I guess it's my fault because I put importance on it because *I* love the ballet SO much. I want her to share that love - but I need to forget that. I just don't think she gets it.

Sal and several friends were in the paper this week. Honor Roll lists came out. There were a lot from her Cross Cat class and from her 6th grade in general. I've always felt that class was an extra good one. She really enjoyed seeing her name and then looking up all her friends.

We awoke yesterday to find pink flamingos in our yard. It's a fundraiser by the Girl Scouts. There were about 12 pink beasts staked in the yard, along with a sign that read "You've Been Flocked by Girl Scout Troop 370". It was so cute. And what a GREAT idea. There was a bag attached to the door with a form to fill out if you wanted to make a donation and have the flock sent somewhere. As I was asking Bill for ideas of who to send them to that we knew would not only donate but send them along Jack piped up with "Grandpa would". :-) Yes, he would - but he's a *little* out of the flight pattern. :-) We decided to send them westerly - around Denver Drive area. :-)

Sal woke up today and wanted to know where the flamingos had gone. A little difficult to explain "fundraiser". :-)

We pack tomorrow and head out Thurs morning bright and early. Hoping for a nice weekend and lots of time for *them* to play outside. :-)

Jr High

Jr High seems to be going as well as grade school, so far. We got an envelope in the mail yesterday with a bumper sticker in it that says "My HHH Honor Roll student makes me proud". :-) Sal seemed to be very proud.

She's been a little on the "willy" side. Talks back a lot - not following directions - kind of "cagie". School reports the same thing on some days and in some classes. Doesn't seem to be a rhyme or reason as to a particular day or class or before or after eating certain things. ughh. Such is life, I guess. I'm chalking it up to tweeness and weather change and being a little off schedule at home lately.

We've had the "sickness" run through the house. Seems like when I'm feeling better - I get worse again. :-/ Of course, little Miss Sally, the carrier, was sick for one day. Threw her guts up till there was nothing left and then - presto - she's fine. I mean - not tired - nothing. Kind of like "I done with being sick". :-)

She has discovered that after certain shows (Sprout)they say "Don't go away" - which she takes literally, of course, and now asks me every time if she can indeed go away and then why do they say that. :-) It's kind of funny.

She has been FULL of more and more questions lately. Annoying questions - stuff I know she knows - just seems she needs to hear herself talk. We've taken to calling her "the quiz Master". :-)

Sally has also been talking a LOT more about when she grows up. That she will have kids, that she will drive, that she will have a house. That's new. Even though she's talked before about what she will do when she grows up she has never talked about family or living arrangements. I just listen like you would to any child. Oh, what an adventure the future will be. (like the ride hasn't been crazy so far)
:-)

She started basketball last week. She loves it. The only thing is she refuses to shoot a basket. I think we need to work on those arm muscles. I even thought it might be prudent to teach her how to throw it from between her legs (think old time free throws). They've commented at swimming also that her arms don't seem to go all the way around.

We recently purchased a label maker for her. It's a very small type-writer looking thing - spits out a line of your words on a sticky label. We've used it to do homework - fill in the blank. We've also used it to write birthday cards and address the envelope. Why the heck didn't I think of this before????? I need to tell my most favorite aides about this too. :-)

So we leave for Aunt Jill's next Thurs morning - IF there's nothing going on with Uncle Mike. Seems Aunt Jill's life is pretty much up in the air - yeah, you plan but you're constantly aware that the plans may have to be cancelled at the last minute. They've also scheduled the benefit for February. I've heard from MANY people "down there" that it will surely be the event of the year! Sooooo - now we plan a trip "south" in Feb (usually the snowiest month of them all) :-)

Tiny is a STAR!

Tiny was featured on KHQA (tv station) in Quincy last week. Write up in the paper to follow.

Sunday, October 18, 2009 at 6:36 p.m.
Golden, IL -- His name may be Tiny...but his heart and his size are quite the opposite.
Meet Tiny, a five year old St. Bernard from LaPrarie Illinois who is proving why dogs are definitely man's best friend.
His owner Mike Gooding fell off his roof earlier this year.
The fall broke Gooding's neck, paralyzing him from the chest down.
Since then Gooding has been staying and being cared for at Golden Good Shepherd Home.
But Tiny couldn't take being away from his owner...so Tiny decided one day to sniff out Gooding...which he eventually did.
But it was no easy task...Their home in LaPrarie is about a seven mile treck to the Good Shepherd Home in Golden.
"It was very amazing to me and stuff and and very refreshing to have him find me out because he had never been to Golden down to the nursing home and it's just amazing that he found me," said Gooding.
By the way Gooding says Tiny has had no special training.
The sad part of this story is Gooding told us Tiny always travels with their cat...Miss Kitty.
But since that day Tiny went looking for Gooding...Miss Kitty has been missing.
They feel she may have gotten lost during the journey.

Fall Colors - 10/24/09

I love fall. I LOVE all the neat colors that nature makes. Sal and I go for a walk every day after she gets off the bus from school. We take Mabel and talk about her day and kind of "waste time" till Jack gets home. I'm always pointing out the pretty colors of the trees and she always picks up leaves and then re-distributes them to other houses. :-)


I traveled south this weekend. Jack, Mabel and I went to Aunt Jill's and stayed the weekend so we could celebrate Gma and Gpa's 60th wedding anniversary. Mick's kids came over and stayed the night. Aunt Jill is also Gma Gooding. :-) They all get along well.

We went to get Mike and loaded him up (no small task) and went to Liberty for dinner. It was a really nice outing and GREAT food! Jack and I then loaded up and drove home as we listened to the Bear's game.

Mabel slept the whole way. All that running and sniffing in the country wears a girl out. :-)

Some Spec Need Parents SUCK

Ughhh. I've had run ins with this specific person before and it's always her whining about people that VOLUNTEER and how they don't do well by her kid. I've never seen HER volunteer for anything and she does nothing but complain. Her latest is that she was told that people at a VOLUNTEER after-school tutoring place can't really help her kid. (personally I believe that her kid is NOT autistic as much as a brat) (and yes, I know, I HATE that word) The real reason autism is on the rise is because of people like her and my favorite friend "Vicky". They want someone else to combat the bad parenting they've done and they want the attention spec needs brings so they can have pity but they don't want to do what' required to be a spec need parent.
You don't just wake up and send your kid to school and poof - when they graduate they come out all ready to have a job and live on their own. It's the same as any other kid (only harder to teach) - YOU teach them to make mac-n-cheese, clean the toilet, put on their coat....... And yes, there are some places that Sal can't go. Well, it's not that she "can't" she shouldn't.

For instance: Sal can't ride a bike - so a bike ride event would NOT be a good idea. She can't read to grade level so a book club for her age group - prob not the best idea. Some parents loose their minds (or they don't have any to begin with) when their kid is diagnosed. They get that "least restricted law stuck in their head and it becomes their mantra. My kid can NOT be refused - no matter what and it's society's responsibility to see to it. NO it's YOUR responsibility. Like any other child - just because you're special needs does NOT mean it's any more acceptable for you to yell fire in an elevator.

So special needs parenting is just like other parenting - in the fact that you run into horrible parents there too. :-) But what really ticks me off is that the people that are *trying* to do good - they get complained about and then why would you volunteer again? It's just a shame. There's SOOO many people that go out of their way to raise money and awareness for special needs people that I hate to see them critiqued in any way.

Ok - I'm done now. :-)

Project Choices

"You drop that people or I hit you" Sally screamed at Mabel
"Sally, we don't hit" I reminded her.
"I do!!!" She yelled back.
Sally calmly walked into the living room and announced "I lock her in my room".


Ugghhh. I swear Mabel knows all about sibling bickering - because she is a CONSTANT thorn in Sal's side. She hides in the shadows till she sees a chance to steal a stuffed animal or a Little People, then she RUNS like a bat our of hell through the halls and I swear she's smiling. :-)

We went to the Project Choices conference today. I was asked to speak about Sally's experience in public school. I was scheduled to speak after lunch but we got there at 9 and sat through the rest of the presentations. Talk about inspiring! I have come home with a whole new excitement for the possibilities for Sal.

Sally did SOOOO well. She sat quietly the whole time. We got there about 8:45 and left around 1:30. We had a little breakfast snack and lunch and then we basically sat and listened to speakers and Sally was quiet and colored the whole time. I'm SO proud of her.

We went to get Jack's hair cut tonight. Sal and I stopped by the $ store first and when we came in Jack was in the chair and was being shaved. The lady asked if we liked it and I said it was whatever Jack wanted. He said he wanted shorter so she basically shaved him. As the lady was asking if Jack liked his hair Sal turns to me and says "That's ok because my hair looks good." :-) I thought I was going to fall on the floor!

Lately Sally has been doing this thing that when she asks a question and I reply she'll say "Ohhhh, I get you". So I've been responding with "Are you feeling me sister? ; Are you picking up what I'm putting down? Are you buying what I'm selling?" So tonight when she asked me something I responded and then said "Do you understand?" Without missing a beat she said "I'm feeling you sister" DANG! That girl is SO funny sometimes. It's the way she delivers the line too. Just cracks me up.

Talked to my Dad tonight. Seems Tiny was on the prowl again. He went down the highway a ways. He started chasing the peoples' chickens. They yelled at him and told him to stop and he did. I guess they recognised him and gave him a ride home. Is that not funny, or what?! My sister has the craziest farm! ;-)

Swim Team

Sal has joined the special needs (JBSRA) swim team. Every Monday night she goes to practice. They swim back and forth across the pool. She is SO funny. They asked that she get and wear goggles, so we did. She is a vision. Her eyes all squinty in these goggles - because she insists on having them tight. But she paddles back and forth and back and forth.

She actually put her whole face in the water tonight. She is finally getting the idea of shutting her mouth when she goes in. It is so funny to watch her.

Mark is on the team too. Man, is he good. Dang. He is really an inspiration to anyone that thinks their life is tough. :-)

So Sal and I have been asked to share her story about her journey in the public school system. Project Choices contacted me and asked if I would give a little talk at their next seminar, which is Wednesday, in Lombard.

I told Sal about it today - that she wouldn't be going to school on Wednesday. I try and wait till the last minute for these things - because of the anxious questions over and over and over, but I'll have to inform her bus driver tomorrow so I thought I better clue her in. :-)

She was pretty good with the information. There were a few tense moments when we talked about her missing school, but I told her I had cleared it with Mrs K and that we kind of "owed" it to other Mommy's with kids like she was that need some support. Mrs Atherton was the one that pretty much forced our hand and talked us into public school, I can't thank her enough so this is kind of my way to "give back".

Jack has basketball clinic at the same time as Sal's swim practice. Tonight Jack brought money for him and Sally to get something from the vending machine. It's so neat to watch him make her do things. He made her push the button for what she wanted. He seems to have more patience and skill for that than I do. Instead of just taking over he does a pretty good job of making her do what she can and he does it with such ease that it's like he's not even doing it. He's a quandary, that boy.

Full, Full Weeks

We're off to a great start this fall. Jack has basketball clinic and Sal has swim team on Mondays, Jack has baseball practice on Tuesdays, NOTHING on Wednesdays, Sal has bowling and Jack has baseball practice on Thursdays, Fridays are free and then baseball games on Saturdays. I LOVE when schedules work out!!! :-)



Baseball is going well for Jack. He's really progressing. He still gives me the 'I don't wanna go' thing when it's time to stop doing whatever and get ready for baseball, but seems he needs to give an opinion on EVERY little thing. :-)



Sal's doing well at school and really loving swimming. She really works her but off in the water. We're going for goggles today. :-)



Jack has a new friend, Anthony. But Sal insists on calling him Matthew. :-) He came over after school and they did their homework together and now he stops in the morning so they can ride to school together on their bikes. He's a handsy kid and actually picked up my camera yesterday and took a picture! I was appalled at how brazen he was! Jack got an earful about how HE better NEVER do stuff like that at other's house. :-)

What a Weekend!

It's been a fun weekend. Sal turned 12 on the 14th and we "partied" on Saturday, after Jack's baseball game. Aunt Jill came up on Friday afternoon and brought Ottie. Mabel showed him all around (as far as her chain would reach) :-)

We all went to watch Jack's Fall Ball game (basically a scrimmage) on Sat morning and then at 12 the bouncy castle was put up and there were children in it till it was taken down at 7 pm that night. :-) We had hot dogs and chips and ice-cream and cake (Sal's very favorites). People from the neighborhood came and went and the kids played ALL day. It's so nice to have kids in the neighborhood that accept Sal and treat her as one of them and not a step below.

We garage saled on Sunday - another favorite of Sal's. SHE was just one big smile ALL weekend!

Uncle Mike is doing well. Aunt Jill gave us the scoop - he had a bedsore and a UT infection so they have to wait for all that to clear up before his next surgery. It's all cleared up now, so they go for a consultation this week for the surgery. I'm not exactly sure what the surgery will do.

Aunt Jill is weary of all the back and forth with the Dr's. I'll tell ya - if you don't think we need insurance reform - maybe you should spend a day in her shoes. It's just UNBELIEVABLE what it's like.

Aunt Jill got home ok last night and was even greeted by Tiny. He's taken to traveling again - with the weather being cooler. He can't stand the heat. :-) He and Miss Kitty ended up in Golden last week (a good 7-10 mile hike). Grandpa loaded Tiny up in the truck and took him back home. I guess he rides with his head in the wind like he's in a parade or something. Poor Miss Kitty rarely gets rides home because she's usually out of site. :-) Wouldn't you LOVE to see video of THOSE travels. :-)

We do the swim team (Sal) and basketball clinic (Jack) tonight. Sally is really loving being involved in this team. Things are going amazingly well with them and their schedules. I even have daycare lined up for them just for tax season. Gotta love my neighbors! :-)

So, for this week, life is good. :-) That could all change in an hour. :-)