100 Things I'm Thankful For

The challenge was thrown out by a friend, so here is my list of 100 things I'm thankful for... in no particular order:  

1. for a godly husband who loves me well
2. Christian parents who raised me well
3. my 3 children who are stretching me into a better person
4. good friends who affirm and support 
5. my brothers, who made sure I was thoroughly educated on males before I got married
6. flowers so beautiful they beg to be admired -I consider these to be roses, lilacs, stargazer lilies, hyacinths, lily-of-the-valley, hydrangeas, peonies...
7. a never-ending supply of good books to read  Thank God for authors! :)
8. technology- the internet (so much useful info at my fingertips), email (keeping in touch with family & friends around the world), cell phones (a safety measure when I'm out and about), etc.
9. just enough cell phone service indoors to be able to text
10. a stable income
11. a heritage of solid financial management
12. God's Word -it never gets old; a wealth of inspiration and encouragement.
13. the privilege of owning our own business
14. trust-worthy employee(s)
15. over a million miles without a single serious accident
16. the love that produced my soulmate, and raised him to be my perfect match
17. deep roots in our church (we might be struggling, but we're committed. Our circumstances in a community with more church options I'm convinced would result in walking away rather than fighting for life.)
18. recipes -I'm not a natural at cooking, I need good directions
19. chick flicks and family movies -love a good, clean plot!
20. laughter  
21. modern medicine and medical knowledge
22. romance 
23. warm sunny days
24. the smell of rain
25. the ping-ing sound of canning jars sealing
26. line-dried laundry
27. the gift of words... and good communication skills in my family
28. a clean, organized house (in my case, rare but delightful)
29. DQ mushroom & swiss burgers
30. chocolate, especially dark 
31. our local library -we're on a first name basis with nearly all the librarians
32. the courage to pray for wisdom to see the beam in my own eye before the splinter in someone else's
33. my new bread recipe that turns out perfect every time
34. a glass of iced garden tea
35. Arby's Jamocha shakes
36. Snuggle creme fabric softener
37. stress-relieving hobbies like scrapbooking and crocheting
38. Sunday dinner invitations
39. music that moves me (occasionally lyrics or talented singers move me to tears)
40. the hope of "a place prepared for me"
41. sleeping in / lounging in bed
42. the invention of cereal so I don't have to cook breakfast for my family
43. summer vacation -freedom from Bible Memory, packing lunches & scheduled mornings! 
44. thrift store finds that stretch our clothing budget
45. audio books to pass the time while doing housework I don't enjoy
46. living in a location that has changing seasons
47. Walmart (a controversial one, I know; you don't have to agree with me)
48. my Bernina sewing machine
49. my digital camera
50. can-I-borrow-a-cup-of-sugar neighbors
51. hanging out with Hillcrest friends and having our children enjoy it as much as we do
52. my big oval bathtub
53. uninterrupted bubble baths, and other moments of solitude
54. a husband who provides security
55. weddings -just simply love weddings! 
56. the rich topsoil being spread on our garden
57. a Sunday afternoon nap after an insanely busy week
58. the guilty pleasure of sneaking a snack after the children are in bed 
59. candles lit on a cold winter evening
60. fresh strawberries (any fresh produce really, but strawberries are special because they're ready first)
61. coming home after a trip
62. when I'm uninspired over what to make for supper and one of the children suggests something super-simple like soup & grilled cheese
63. beautiful sunsets
64. Mom M's or sister-in-law R's cinnamon rolls -the softest & best I've ever had! 
65. a husband who takes me to Red Lobster even though he's allergic to shellfish
66. the white wicker swing on our front porch
67. that I've never gotten a speeding ticket in my life
68. the gift of giving -love being able to help people financially
69. electricity & running water Refer to this post 
70. relaxing family vacations; the ability to travel
71. A's eagerness to learn homemaking skills
72. the grace to let work go sometimes to invest in relationships, particularly with my children 
73. bonding with 2nd son via hunting 
74. listening to/watching the world wake up during hunting season (about the only time I'm up early enough to experience it!) 
75. my oldest son's natural gift with animals
76. our anniversary get-aways
77. watching deer from my kitchen window
78. white sandy beaches
79. glimpses of God's sense of humor
80. unblemished snow, especially in sufficient quantity to be snowed in! 
81. s'mores around a campfire
82. the first daffodils of spring
83. hard things in life -because they refine me. JR's disorders, my depression and various strained relationships top that list. 
84. the sense of accomplishment when I have all the laundry and ironing finished and put away
85. our house, remodeled just the way we want it
86. the luxury of central air -and our electric bill hardly went up! How cool is that?! (no pun intended)
87. the comics and coupons that come with the Sunday paper
88. the pride of seeing my children awarded for an accomplishment (think Track & Field, school awards)
89. the pleasure of watching others enjoy my homemade soft pretzels
90. cheesecakes that don't crack
91. the Holy Spirit's prompting 
92. rest in the midst of turmoil
93. my beautifully refinished dining room table
94. my walk-in pantry 
95. the everlasting arms underneath me
96. ability to get my thoughts on paper
97. freshly manicured lawns and landscaping (not that I have it right now)    
98. open Sunday evenings when we can stay home!
99. Bath & Body Works Coconut Lime Verbena lotion
100. happy childhood memories

Life With Aspergers

April is Autism Awareness Month, so it seems like an appropriate time to write a post on JR's disorder- Asperger's. Asperger's Syndrome is in the Autism Spectrum of disorders; it is sometimes referred to as High-Functioning Autism. Until about 6 months ago, JR was misdiagnosed with OCD (which is reportedly quite common). We are glad to be on the right track now, in trying to understand him and helping him adapt to the "real world".

Asperger's is a developmental disability that hinders a person's ability to socialize and communicate effectively, and typically exhibit an all-absorbing interest in specific topics.
These signs & symptoms might be present in children/teens with AS:

• Not pick up on social cues and may lack inborn social skills, such as being able to read others' body language, start or maintain a conversation, and take turns talking.
• Dislike any changes in routines.
• Appear to lack empathy.
• Unable to recognize subtle differences in speech tone, pitch, and accent that alter the meaning of others’ speech. Thus, your child may not understand a joke or may take a sarcastic comment literally. Cannot read body language.
• Avoid eye contact or stare at others.
• Have unusual facial expressions, odd behavior or mannerisms.
• Lack “common sense”.
• Preoccupied with only one or few interests, which he or she may be very knowledgeable about. Many children with Asperger's syndrome are overly interested in unusual activities, such as designing houses, drawing highly detailed scenes, or studying astronomy; they may show an unusual interest in certain topics such as snakes, names of stars, or dinosaurs.
• Talk a lot, usually about a favorite subject. One-sided conversations are common. Internal thoughts are often verbalized.
• Have poor fine motor skills and/or are clumsy. May have an awkward walk. Handwriting is often poor.
• Have heightened sensitivity and become overstimulated by loud noises, lights, or strong tastes or textures. For more information about these symptoms, see sensory integration dysfunction.

To sum it up in my own terms, something in their brain is not wired right; it misfires when attempting to send messages. I wonder how well you & I could fit into society with a brain that misfires constantly. When the engine in our vehicle does that, we either get it tuned or replace it. Not an option for these children. At this time, the cause of Aspergers is unknown, hampering the finding of a solution/cure.

From our research into Aspergers, we have discovered it is quite common for parents of these children to face criticism and accusations of bad parenting. Painfully familiar. We're well aware that on the surface Aspergers does look like a spoiled brat that just needs some firm discipline, however, the reality of life with Aspergers is different than what you see on the surface. Can't help but love paragraphs from medical articles like this: "Asperger's symptoms often lead people to dismiss Asperger kids as ill-mannered, badly behaved, and rude. From this assumption, it's only a quick jump to the most popular of games: Blame The Parents. Bad parenting does not caused Asperger's syndrome. If bad parenting, how to explain families that include both Aspies and "neurotypical" siblings? If bad parenting causes Asperger's syndrome, why would one child be affected and not the other?" Our plea is that you hold your judgments in check when you meet a "quirky" kid.

Thank God another statistic is one we cannot relate to- that the divorce rate among Aspie parents is a whopping 75%! If anything, Aspergers has strengthened our relationship, although we certainly can understand where the stress could tear a marriage apart.

It puzzles me how people can smile sympathetically and proclaim children with obvious disabilities, such as Downs, as sweet and their parents as heroes while cutting no slack for those with hidden disabilities. If you can't see it, it's not real??

JR is currently doing Equine Assisted Psychotherapy. A fancy name for therapy with horses. It's early yet to tell what the benefits will be in our situation, but the loads of research on it's effectiveness is promising. Since he loves animals, we're optimistic. He is very near to completing his 50 hours of driving and being able to take the test for a drivers license. His driving instructor proclaimed him "a very safe driver and a joy to work with" -a relief to us. We are still praying for a job for him. We think he would do well working for a vet or in a pet shop, or something with computers, but those jobs are hard to get without a diploma. (We're waiting for his Achievement test scores before deciding whether to give him a HS diploma.) Thus we wait on God. God is good, all the time.