The Morton Crew

Challenge Air

2009-03-07T18:46:00.000-08:00

I was incredibily nervous about today's field trip. We signed Merritt up for a flight with Challenge Air -- a nonprofit organization who has volunteers donate their time and small engine planes to take special needs kids and adults for flights.

What made me so nervous?

Well, for one, I'm not a very good flyer. I usually have prescriptin medication to lessen the anxiety and possibility of puking. It's not fun to fly with me -- just ask Sam.

Secondly, Merritt's an obsessive button pusher. What if he pushed a very important button and we fell from the sky -- this goes back to my irrational fear of flying.

Third, what if we got 30,000 feet in the air and Merritt completely flipped out? How quickly could we get back to the ground?

I found myself hoping for rain; wondering if Merritt's runny nose meant he shouldn't go; anything that might get me out of stepping onto that bird of terror, as I so affectionately call it.

But, there was no rain, no illness, no sign from above that we shouldn't go. So I downed some Dramamine, and off we went! The set up was great -- bounce houses, face painting, gymnastics equipment -- plenty to keep the kids busy while we waited.

Merritt even found a cute blonde volunteer to love on -- the boy loves blondes!

As we piled into the smallest plane at the hanger with puke bag in hand, I couldn't help but be excited for Merritt.

Merritt absolutely loved it. His favorite part was the take-off and every time the plane dropped/bumped a little (it was a windy day), he would crack up laughing. He pointed out every bridge (another obsession) and the Trinity River as we flew over it. I think he could have stayed up there all day.

I wish I could bottle his laughter and smile from today. It was contagious and heartwarming. I am so glad he was able to experience this and so thankful for the amazing people who put this together!

"Snow" Day

2009-02-03T12:09:00.000-08:00

Last Wednesday we were "iced in" and school was cancelled. Many were rejoicing all over the city, but all I could think about was, "What am I going to do with three kids all day?"

I decided to make a photo journal of the day for you...

The day started at 6:15. That's right, 6:15. Every other day of the week, my kids will sleep until at least 7. Not today! Madelyn and Mitchell were up early to enjoy every possible moment with Mommy. Merritt knows how to enjoy a day off and he slept until 8:30.

After getting Madelyn and Mitchell dressed and hearing, "I'm hun-gary!" about 120 times, I sat them at the table so I could make breakfast. In the meantime, I hear them cracking up with laughter and go to find this, which looks like an ordinary picture. But oh no, this is no ordinary picture. This is their train... they took turns strapping each other into the "train" seat (safety first!) and taking "rides". I smiled and thought, "At least they will be able to entertain themselves today."

Finally, Merritt woke up and we enjoyed a little time learning Spanish skills from Dora and dancing skills from The Backyardigans. Thank goodness for cartoons!

I then decided to brave the 24 degree temperatures. I bundled them up and thought to myself, "This will be good. It will get them out of the house; they'll like playing in the "snow"." I was partially right. Madelyn and Mitchell were fascinated by it, but Merritt, as you can tell by his face, wanted NO part of it and kept asking to come inside to play on the computer. I tortured him for about 10 minutes of picture taking and then he won. Madelyn and Mitchell grumbled while coming in and continued to grumble as they de-bundled. Now what?

We spent the rest of the morning (It's not even lunch time yet!) playing games, coloring, and playing on the computer. These were all hits, but coloring was great because they weren't at each other's throats trying to steal what the other had! A few moments of peace and quiet.

Finally, it was lunch and nap time and don't think I didn't take advantage of this. I curled up right next to Madelyn (who now thinks naps are ALWAYS in Mommy and Daddy's bed) and slept. Not just rested, but slept!

When they woke up, the ice was gone so I loaded them up and headed to Grapevine for Merritt's therapy session. We were a bit early so we donned our coats again and played at the park for awhile. After therapy, we met Daddy for dinner and headed home for baths and bedtime.

All in all, it was a successful day. There were a few moments when I thought I would pull my hair out, but overall we had fun!

Princess Madelyn

2009-02-03T11:53:00.000-08:00

Last weekend, Madelyn went to a tea party birthday party.

She was definitely in her element... they changed into princess dresses, had their nails painted and makeup done and sat down to tea cakes and individual tea pots. It was really cute. I never thought I'd say that especially since I swore my daughter would never wear pink!

She had a great time with all of her "school" friends! I loved watching her play and interact with the other girls. She definitely knows who she likes and who she doesn't, but she was still polite to everyone, thank goodness! Watching her grow up is amazing!

Inspiration

2009-01-20T12:05:00.001-08:00

My inspiration comes on the same day many in this country are inspired by our new president, but today my inspiration actually comes from Madelyn's day care teacher, Ms. Jackie. Ms. Jackie is an amazing woman with an incredible background in succeeding with the hand you're dealt. She manages to get Madelyn to sit, without screaming her head off like she does for me, for hair brushing and french braiding and is constantly telling me to settle down and not worry about what everyone else thinks of Merritt's behavior (he goes with us every day to drop off Madelyn and Mitchell). She's patient, loving, kind, funny, and is always willing to teach the kids how to treat others and be strong for themselves.

On Sunday, I was feeling lost about how to approach Merritt's education, medication, behavior... everything. I'm not often lost. I know what I want for him and if I don't know how to get it, I always find a way. But, I must admit for these past few weeks I didn't know in which direction we were going. So, I prayed and prayed and prayed some more.

It didn't take long before I was once again face to face with Madelyn's teacher and the answer to my prayer. We always talk quite a bit when I pick up or drop off the kids and this time she was talking about a school for special needs kids that she worked for in California. An amazing school who allowed these kids to reach their potential by giving them exactly what they needed.

Of course my "poor me" mind thought, "Why don't we have that here in Arlington? That would be great for Merritt. Everything he needs is so far away."

Then I realized that this was the road I needed to head down. I needed to bring this school to Merritt and all the kids in Arlington.

My first goal is to start a non-profit to raise funds for my dream school, but there is only one problem... I have no idea where to start! Once I figure it out though, I can assure you, I'll be hitting you up for money so keep those checkbooks handy!!

It is definitely a Monday

2009-01-12T10:58:00.000-08:00

Last night, I realized that Madelyn didn't have any pants to wear (Merritt's sitter usually does laundry sometime during the week and Madelyn only has about 6 pairs of pants. I need to shop!) So, around 8 I throw on a load of clothes, sit down and start grading the mounds of papers that only an English teacher can collect. At 10 I finally put my gradebook away, walk into the laundry room, and step onto a floor cover in water and muck... that's right muck is the best word I can think of without using foul language.

I don't blame the washer. We've had issues with the plumbing in that room since we moved in because the people before us decided to install a sink but didn't bother to do the plumbing right. So the washer, when emptying, always backs up into the sink and then drains from there.

Last night the sink decided it had had enough and spewed water and gunk from the plumbing line EVERYWHERE. So with soaking clothes and water still standing in the washer and sink, I start cleaning up. Have you ever cleaned behind your washer and dryer? It's DISGUSTING and even more so when its wet! Sam tried to plunge it, but it's still FULL of water this morning. We wrung out the clothes, threw them sopping wet into the dryer and cleaned up as best we could -- three rounds of mopping and it's still dirty.

Got up this morning, turned the dryer on again just to make sure the clothes were dry and started about my day. When I went to get MJ some clothes out of the dryer, I noticed that everything had a blue tint to it! Something had faded and ruined two of her shirts and two pairs of khakis. Now it's really time to go shopping!

I get the kids dressed (in their blue tinted clothes) and we head out the door sans backpacks for MJ and ML because they were on the floor when the sink spewed -- pray that no one has an accident today because they don't have an extra change of clothes at school -- pull into the parking lot at school, get the kids out and Mitchell has on only ONE sock and Madelyn doesn't have on any. How is this possible?

I then take Merritt to school and realize that we don't have his notebook that his teacher and I communicate in. I think he's hidden it from me so he can open and close, open and close, open and close it without me taking it from him. Sneaky little boy!

What a day!!

Breathe

2009-01-08T19:05:00.000-08:00

I wish I could write like this woman...
http://spectrumpublications.com/myblog/for-kelly-preston.html

She has a way with words and what she says is true. I've had all these same thoughts and wonder if I will ever be blamed for trying to help Merritt. And, unfortunately, the answer is yes. Someone will question; someone will assume; someone will judge. Ironically, these are all things Merritt's disability has taught me to avoid.

One of my favorite times with Merritt is sleeping next to him simply because I know he's safe. I can hear him breathing and I know that at that moment nothing can hurt him. At that moment, he's not going to run into the street; he's not going to eat something harmful; he's not going to be persuaded by a stranger to leave my side. He's safe and if I could keep him there, I would. Wouldn't we all? But instead, I have faith... faith that God will keep him safe and I pray that no one will judge our family for trying to give him the best life.

The One

2008-11-13T18:18:00.000-08:00

The perfect family Christmas picture... in our house, it's as elusive as Bigfoot. I wonder if everyone else goes through 500 pictures before they're able to get the kids to sit, look, and smile at the same time? Maybe it's easier for those families with only one kiddo, but it may not be as fun!

Here's are the ones that didn't make the cut for the "perfect Christmas card picture".

As for "the one" you'll just have to wait for it to come in the mail!

Baseball Star

2008-11-04T13:15:00.000-08:00

Merritt's Miracle League season is over and he soared to the top of the team list! He may not be quite ready for the major leagues, but he's definitely getting the hang of this baseball thing!

Uncle Jim buddied with Sam this year -- I thought I'd share a few pictures of the two of them. Sam was a great match up for Jim and gave him a run for his money on more than one occasion!

And, as always, Merritt's loyal fans were cheering him on... well most of the time. They were a little distracted by Miss Rachel's dog, Riley. Who could blame them? He's really cute! (Sorry, he wasn't up for photos!)

Gold Medalist

2008-11-04T13:07:00.000-08:00

This is where it all begins...

Future Mechanic

2008-11-04T12:59:00.000-08:00

Let's see... first I need to remove this piece from the main frame and then if I use this leaf to connect the belt to the motor, surely it will work! All I need is lots of concentration and maybe, just maybe, sticking my tongue out the whole time will help seal it all together!

This is a piece of cake. Just take a look at my previous project... what a ride!

Trick or Treat, Smell my Feet

2008-11-04T12:41:00.000-08:00

This year for Halloween we had Batman...A fairy...

And Superman, who wouldn't wear his cape and refused to take his Nascar hat off!

We also had a red Power Ranger and Mickey Mouse join us.

Mitchell was not too thrilled with Zachary's mask and ended up moving to the other side for the picture!

2008-09-29T19:13:00.001-07:00

Here's a picture from Mitchell's two year photo shoot!

Some days it's hard to remember that he's just two... he's as big as Madelyn and does more than most two year olds... probably because he wants to do everything his older sister and brother do.

He's already a little daredevil and has every woman he meets in the palm of his hand... he's going to be a mess when he gets older!

The "R" Word

2008-08-17T18:22:00.000-07:00

The "r" word -- retard. It's offensive. It's as offensive to me as any racial slur. It makes me cringe to hear it because I can't help but think of how many times Merritt will be on the receiving end of it.

The creators, actors and producers involved with Tropic Thunder don't agree with me. Instead, they've chosen to parade the "r" word throughout their movie. A movie that's targeted to young, immature, boys who will then turn around and use it because it's been imbedded in their minds as acceptable.

Unless they are like this young man...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CoqaNG0Ozqc

I would have been the one teacher standing in that auditorium because the "r" word is NEVER allowed in my class. My students know from day one that it's offensive and when it slips from someone, I don't have to say a word about it. Their peers bash them for me.

How many young kids are like this today? Not enough!

Have I made the same mistakes many people make today ? Absolutely, with an amazing amount of guilt and regret.

Would I have been brave enough to stop someone mid-sentence six years ago and tell them that it's wrong? No.

But, I am now.

Help me spread the word that the days of accepting the word retard are long gone.

Here are some options:

"You know my sister, friend, coworker, etc, has an autistic son and that word is really offensive to her."

"Please don't use that word around me. I find it offensive."

"Do you know any? I didn't think so -- they prefer mentally challenged!"

"No one ever called Beethoven, Einstein, Mozart, and Van Gogh a retard." (this one will make them think and probably look up the fact that they all had "retarded" traits!)

"Um, hello... you can't use that word anymore!" (in your best valley-girl voice!)

You get the idea.

Stand up for Merritt. I don't want anyone calling him a retard. He's too brilliant, loving, and capable to be considered anything less.

One for the record books!

2008-08-14T17:48:00.000-07:00

7 days of vacation, 6 people in the van, 5 days in a pool, 4 kids (including Sam), 3 cities, 2 grandparents, 1 sister-in-law, and ZERO moments of wanting to pull my hair out!

Mark it down in the record books!

This year's vacation was a blast! We spent one night with friends Lauren and Paul in Austin, one night with friends Karl and Becky in San Marcos, and four nights at the Hyatt Wild Oak Resort in San Antonio with my parents. We went to Sea World one day, but spent the rest of the time at the resort, which had two pools, two water slides, a lazy river, and a beach area! It certainly helped that the cabana bars were right next to the lazy river and the pools!

Of course, I wanted this vacation to be a learning experience for the kids, so here's what they learned!

1. Sand does not taste good.
2. Papa and daddy's margarita glasses are great for building sand castles and pouring water onto your sister's head.
3. Hats are a must!
4. Guitar Hero is actually fun even though the band members look like monsters.

5. Whales are exciting except when they drench you with 52 degree salt water.
6. Feeding wild animals from the car is a little scary when they get really close to the window! Oh yeah, and the food tastes yucky!

7. When driving, always keep your hands at 10 and 2.

8. Aunt Katie is crazy about giraffes!

9. Sometimes, you just need to be alone.
10. Waterslides are a BLAST! 11. Nana and Papa are always available for whatever I need. 12. Karl has cool fireman buddies who let us crawl all over the trucks!

13. Daddy does not know how to operate a jacuzzi tub with bubble bath!
14. Smores are better if daddy makes them.

15. The lazy river is relaxing.
16. You can always blame your brother. 17. Celebrating Papa and Katie's birthdays is special.
18. Spending time with your family is priceless!

Merritt's Words

2008-08-13T18:24:00.001-07:00

Here's a short video of Merritt saying a few words. Listening to him brings a smile to my face every time. It's been such an uphill battle and we're finally making some headway!

He has great sounds, but struggles with putting them together to make a word. In the video, he says, "see", "please", "mama", and "me" in that order.

He can also say "yes" and "no".

He only speaks when we prompt him so if any of you are around him, MAKE him talk! That's the only way he's going to get better!

Coming Soon: Tales from Vacation!

2008-08-13T06:02:00.000-07:00

Our Newest Addition

2008-08-13T05:51:00.000-07:00

Calm down!

We are not having a fourth child, but we did adopt another kitty!

Meet Lacy...

She's very sweet, patient (which is a must with our kids), loving, and playful. Since she's been here, Lucy, who's notorious for nibbling on all of us, has kept her bad habit at bay. Lucy loves pouncing on and biting Lacy, in a friendly, big sister kind of way!

And yes, we had to keep with the same first letter tradition. I get rather toungue-tied when calling them and often call them the wrong name, just like I do the kids!

Empathy, or lack thereof

2008-07-24T08:16:00.000-07:00

You may have already heard about the comments by radio host Michael Savage on exactly what autism is. If not, here's how the brilliant fella defined autism...

“I’ll tell you what autism is. In 99 percent of the cases, it’s a brat who hasn’t been told to cut the act out. That’s what autism is. What do you mean they scream and they’re silent? They don’t have a father around to tell them, ‘Don’t act like a moron. You’ll get nowhere in life. Stop acting like a putz. Straighten up. Act like a man. Don’t sit there crying and screaming, idiot.’”
- Michael Savage, radio host

Obviously he, nor anyone in his family, is affected by autism.

I've heard lots of Michael Savage bashing from the autism world, but I particulary love this momma's response...

http://jesswilson.wordpress.com/2008/07/22/can-you-hear-me-now-is-this-thing-on/

I love her spunk and attitude and she's absolutely right -- there needs to be more education for the Michael Savages of the world.

Help me educate the people who may not understant autism. Help me tell Merritt's story. Stand up for those who can't speak for themselves. This is the only weapon we have against idiotic comments and beliefs.

The Alligator and the Moon

2008-07-24T06:15:00.001-07:00

A story by Madelyn

The moon went down, down, down and it was dark in the water and the alligator ate the moon and then the princess...

That's as far as she made it before chasing her brother for stealing chalk. I can't help but wonder if the story was over as in "the alligator ate the moon and the princess." or if the princess was about to save the day "and the princess..." I suppose we'll never know the true ending!

Madelyn has an amazing imagination. She can turn anything into a phone and have actual conversations with people on the other line. She's constantly playing princess and hiding from monsters. Her doll house is full of interesting converstations and actions.

I hope she never loses the desire to create.

Mitchell Lawrence

2008-07-23T08:32:00.000-07:00

Calm. Peaceful. Resilient. Carefree. Patient. Beautiful. Curious. Gentle. Gracious. Charming.

It's been a long day

2008-07-22T09:03:00.000-07:00

Reach down your hand in your pocket

Pull out your hope for me

Its been a long day, always aint that right

And no lord your hand wont stop it

Just keep you trembling

Its been a long day, always aint that right

--Matchbox 20

Merritt has a schedule that would exhaust most adults. He has school for 1/2 a day and then every afternoon but one he has 1-4 hours of therapy. Most days, he tolerates the schedule with ease -- no tantrums, no whining, no complaints.

Yesterday was NOT one of these days. He fell asleep with his chewy tube in his mouth (his chewy tube helps to provide sensory input so he's not constantly putting things in his mouth) on the way to therapy. I knew this was not a good sign of things to come. By the end of his four hour therapy session, he was pissed at the world and took it out on me when I tried to get him in the car. He's 60 pounds now... not easy to pick up and throw into the car.

He apologized in his own way after dinner by curling up next to me and falling asleep. It was a long day. Luckily, he gets a break from therapy for the next couple of days so he can recharge!

Fun in Bed

2008-07-17T06:24:00.001-07:00

Get your mind out of the gutter! :-)

Our kids love playing in bed when Sam gets home -- jumping, wrestling, roughhousing with daddy. It always starts with giggles and squeals and usually ends with someone getting hurt and crying!

We started with a shower for the two little ones -- they are quite obsessed with showers -- no baths for them. Merritt, however, still loves the bath mostly because it's made up of his two favorite things -- being naked and water! I left the bathroom for a minute and came back to find him like this... completely relaxed! I couldn't resist taking his picture!

It then turned into a photo shoot -- everyone wanted their picture taken!

And then the fun started... singing, roughhousing, demonic looks...

And finally, snuggling with momma... no crying tonight!

Merritt's Success

2008-07-17T06:22:00.000-07:00

I'm blogging, trying to maintain my train of thought with my beautiful boy next to me waiting patiently for his turn at the keyboard.

A hand gently rubs my arm and a voice as gentle as the touch says, "Mama".

I turn to look into those dark brown eyes to see him signing, "I want computer, please" with an emphasis on "please" -- so polite or impatient, I'm not sure which one.

That's right! Merritt said "Mama" to get my attention! Unprompted, unsolicited, and undeniably the sweetest sound I've ever heard.

I've dreamed of Merritt talking but never imagined he'd actually do it. I had become quite a pessimist, in fact.

Finally, we found someone to diagnose him with Childhood Apraxia, (read more here) one of the rarest forms of speech disorders, and skilled enough to teach and encourage him to make new sounds.

Merritt officially has one word -- Mama. He unofficially has three words -- see, eat, and Sam (he has no 'd' sound for Daddy). By unofficially I mean that only we would have a clue as to what he said! He has mastered the sounds 'm', 'eee', and 's' and we're working on 'h', 'b', and 'p'. His therapist told me yesterday that her goal is to have him saying 10 words clearly by the end of May. Can you believe it?? I never thought I'd sit across from a speech pathologist who actually thought Merritt would speak.

Ms. Jenny is a blessing from God!

Merritt has had other incredible successes this summer as well. He can finally put on his own shoes, almost get completely dressed without assistance, and has learned to swim!

This has been the most incredible summer for him and I know in my heart that he will conitinue to make great strides!

Weekend Getaway

2008-07-14T08:21:00.000-07:00

Day 1: Disbelief
Are we really getting away from the kids for four days? You mean there will be no "MOMMY!", "I'm Hungry" or constant requests for a game or computer time? This can't possibly be happening!

Day 2: Relaxation
Sleeping in, reading by the pool, no worries except when the waitress will make it around again for my drink order. Ahh, this is the life! I could do this everyday!

Day 3: Boredom
Ok, this is nice and all, but what's next? I have a hard time slowing down to a child-free pace. I am constantly thinking about what's next, where we're going, and who needs what. All this extra time has me a little discombobulated, but nevertheless, I still sleep in and read by the pool trying not to think about all the things I'll need to do when I get home.

Day 4: Can we go home yet?
I miss the kids and can't help but want to hear my name, feed them, and watch Merritt's excitement on the computer. I can tell I won't do well when the empty nest syndrome settles in 16 years from now!

FREEDOM

2008-07-05T21:12:00.001-07:00

To fully appreciate the title, you must say it as William Wallace did in Braveheart! ;-)

I had a little more freedom over the last few days because Sam and Merritt were in Arkansas.

Don't misinterpret that statement!

For those of you who have never spent a day with Merritt, it's tiring. Constantly keeping your eyes on him, constantly being on your toes, constantly fearing a meltdown, inappropriate behavior or him running off, and constantly worrying about what other people are thinking. Many times, I wish I had a big sign that said, "He's autistic -- don't judge us" and then I wouldn't have to give so many strangers go to hell looks! But, I digress. Life with Merritt is interesting, humorous, and TIRING no matter how much fun you're having with him.

So, when Sam said he was taking Merritt to Arkansas for the weekend, I felt a little more free. Of course, I also felt a little guilt, but pushed it aside to enjoy the rare moment!

Madelyn, Mitchell, and I spent Friday and Saturday at my sister's house with my parents and Aunt Teresa, a family friend.

Here's our weekend in pictures!

And, for those of you worrying about Sam and Merritt -- they had a blast as well! Hopefully, I'll have some pictures to post once they get home!

Arnold Chiari

2008-07-05T20:53:00.000-07:00

A malformation of the brain. One small difference that no one notices.

We all have them.

I, for example, have thumbs that look like they've been smashed by a hammer. Sam has Fred Flintstone feet. Katie has one nostril that's bigger than the other (I do too, actually!). Madelyn's feet turn in when she walks. Merritt doesn't talk.

Differences bring us together and make us unique.

Thank you, Aunt Teresa, for pointing this out and reminding us that it's ok to not be "normal" :-)

Thick as Thieves

2008-07-04T05:45:00.000-07:00

A typical day at the Morton house is never dull. With three kids, someone's always into something, doing what they've been told a thousand times not to do, timing it just right so my back is turned so I don't see who actually did it! They work together, very slyly, never ratting on each other!

One day this week, I was trying to make dinner, when I heard from behind me a sweet "Uh-oh". This sweet "uh-oh" was coming from Mitchell and when he says "uh-oh" he's usually dropped something, thrown something out of reach, or rolled his ball under the couch and can't quite get to it. So, as I'm turning chicken on the stove, I didn't think much about the sweet "uh-oh" coming from behind me until it became a nervous, worried, "UH-OH!" I turned around to find this...

In his right hand was a red pen so I immediately thought the pen had exploded and began searching his path to see what else found the wrath of the red pen.

No drops behind him.

No drops on the carpet.

"UH-OH!" or something like that came out of my mouth as I saw the open bottle of red finger nail polish on the couch.

Mitchell had managed to gracefully paint his face, hands and legs without getting a drop of it on the couch or carpet. I'm not sure how that happened since he can't even drink from a cup without it spilling.

Here's my guess...

Merritt opened the bottle because he's the only one strong enough. Once he had it opened, he realized, "This is no good... I need to get away from the scene before I get blamed!" and carefully set the nail polish on the coffee table.

Madelyn, seeing the bright red nail polish that I won't let her paint her toes with, looked over her shoulder to make sure I was still in the kitchen. She thought, "I don't want to get blamed with this, but I just can't resist painting something! MITCHELL, come here!"

And, Mitchell, being the dutiful, loyal brother that he is, came running to her rescue and allowed her to practice her painting skills. After she was finished, he realized that it wasn't coming off and came running, innocently, to Mommy for help!

When I asked what happened, no one said a word.

Teamwork.

Loyalty.

Standing their ground.

Three things I will be proud of when they are older!

Marty, this one's for you!

2008-07-03T07:43:00.000-07:00

Update the blog already!

When school finished, I was so excited about all the time I would have at home so I could blog. I had planned to blog every day, uploading cute and adorable pictures of my kids doing cute and adorable things.

Since my last post was in May, obviously I haven't gotten around to blogging at all! Where did all my time go that I was so excited about??

Let's see... there's driving to Dallas two days a week for speech therapy, there's driving to Coppell two days a week (yes, different days!) for ABA therapy, there's taking Madelyn to camp two days a week, there's being home at 12 to get Merritt off the bus from summer school, and then making them all lunch, not to mention breakfast and two healthy snacks somewhere in between. What else... oh yeah, there have been a few days when I actually managed to make it to the gym to get rid of my almost two year old baby gut! And when I do finally have a few minutes to sit down, relax, and let the creative juices flow, Merritt is standing right beside me chomping at the bit to get on NOGGIN! He doesn't have a whole lot of patience, even though right now he's waiting so nicely. Every now and then I get this look... the "Are you done yet??" look. Who would have thought a 6 year old could master that look!

I'm busy, yes. But I wouldn't change any of it. Watching my kids grow and learn is priceless -- they make me laugh every day adding to my already defined crow's feet! Merritt's therapy has been incredible... he's making so much progress... small steps, but steps in the right direction.

I enjoy every day with my kids (ok, I won't lie -- most days!) and I know you guys would like to enjoy those experiences as well! I will do my best to stay up past 9 and spend a few minutes telling you about the great things our family does!

Blackmail Videos

2008-05-04T17:44:00.000-07:00

Someday, these will either be blackmail videos or used as video of their first "singing gig" when they are famous :-)

Brent Woodall Foundation Fundraising

2008-05-04T10:29:00.001-07:00

We're in full fundraising mode already! I hosted a garage sale and so many people donated items for us to sell. We had a great time and raised about $1800!

Here are the before pictures... look at all the stuff! It was amazing how much stuff we had this year.

Here are the after pictures... there's still a lot left, but not nearly as much as when we started!

Easter in East Texas

2008-05-04T10:07:00.001-07:00

We spent Easter with mom's family in East Texas. The kids had a great time playing at the park and hunting Easter eggs. The adults had a great time catching up, playing Easter Bunny and having a few round of ping pong and guitar hero!

Merritt's Birthday

2008-05-04T09:23:00.000-07:00

Merritt's birthday weekend fell on Easter this year so we had a family get together complete with making Easter baskets and hunting for eggs!

Aunt Judy made a fantastic Scotch-a-roo Easter Egg cake which everyone devoured.

They were so anxious to see what the Easter Bunny left for them!

Everyone's baskets were overflowing with goodies!

The next few photos are some of Merritt's 6 year pictures. He was in such a great mood that day and loved posing for me.

March 19, 2002 - 2:07 p.m.

2008-03-19T10:05:00.000-07:00

Today, it's been six years -- in about two hours - since Merritt was born. We were excited, confused, nervous, and worried about whether or not we would be great parents. We didn't want to be any parents... we wanted to be the best (you guys know how competitive we are!).

I don't know if we're the best, but I can say that we've learned a lot... mostly from the best teacher God could have given us... Merritt! He's taught us how to be patient, how not to be judgemental, and what unconditional love is all about. He's shown us how to put our trust in others, how to prioritze the important things, and how to fight with all our strength for what we believe in.

I'm so thankful that God gave us this little boy to learn from.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MERRITT!

We had a lunchtime birthday party for Merritt with just him, Madelyn, Mitchell, and myself. The kids rushed through lunch so they could enjoy their cupcakes!

I told Ms. Dianne, Merritt's speech therapist, that I might cry if he could blow out the candle on his birthday cake this year! She worked very hard with him, even sneaking in a lighter for practice! Her hard work paid off and I actually cried -- tears of joy, excitement, and thankfulness. We are blessed to have so many wonderful people in Merritt's life who truly care about his progress.

There's no sound on the video, but just know that we're singing happy birthday to him!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MERRITT! WE LOVE YOU!

Hey, batter, batter, batter

2008-03-16T19:44:00.000-07:00

The weather today was absolutely perfect -- light breeze, no clouds, temps in the low 70's. Sam and I couldn't stand to stay inside one more minute so we packed up the kids and headed to watch a UTA baseball game. Armed with some candy and drinks, we were ready for anything. The kids loved it... all three of them had a blast climbing up and down the stairs and Sam and I did our best to keep them from climbing over the bleachers so they wouldn't end up with bloody noses!

Madelyn couldn't understand why Merritt wasn't out there playing and she kept asking, "When's it Mimi's turn?" And Merritt kept signing, "I want baseball!" I guess they're both ready for the Miracle League Games which start in a few weeks!

All I want for Christmas are my two front teeth!

2008-03-16T19:42:00.000-07:00

The day finally arrived when Merritt lost the other front tooth! He looks so silly and has a hard time biting into anything! It's a little funny to watch him try to eat pizza!

Chicken Pox - Part 3

2008-03-16T19:35:00.000-07:00

Here's Madelyn with full blown chicken pox! She had a worse case than Mitchell and itched a lot more! As you can see, that didn't stop her from playing with her best friend, her baby brother!

Chicken Pox - Part 2

2008-03-03T14:47:00.000-08:00

Here are a few more pictures I took of Mitchell! As you can tell, it really hasn't bothered him much!

And, yes, I think Madelyn will be covered in them before too much longer. Here's a picture from last night... notice no pox on her face.

Here she is today with some on her face and back!

CHICKEN POX!

2008-03-02T07:20:00.000-08:00

Yep! Mitchell has chicken pox and in case you're wondering what they look like, here are some great pictures. Madelyn only has two right behind her ear so I don't know if she's going to be covered like her little brother or not!

Snaggle Tooth

2008-03-02T07:18:00.001-08:00

Merritt is losing teeth left and right! Pretty soon, the other front tooth will be out and then we'll be singing, "All I want for Christmas are my two front teeth!"

A Day at the Park

2008-03-02T07:12:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago, the weather was beautiful so we decided to have a picnic at the park. The kids had so much fun and were completely worn out by the time we left!

New Year's Eve Celebration!

2008-02-03T09:29:00.000-08:00

For New Year's Eve, we were in Lemmville! We started early by playing and setting up for the night.

We had a great fire for a weeny roast and made lots of smores!

Uncle David helped everyone shoot Roman Candles! Madelyn and Mitchell were terrified of the fireworks and ended up on our laps most of the night!

We went for a hayride in the dark which was so much fun! Thank you, Papa!

And, we enjoyed being with each other!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Christmas with the Lemms

2008-02-03T09:02:00.001-08:00

Christmas with my family was so much fun. There are seven grandkids who love playing with each other and are easily frustrated by each other! While we were home, we...

Opened gifts,

Played with the stroller,

Colored on the sidewalk,

Sat with Papa,

Played with snowmen (or angels... I don't remember what they were!),

Played baseball,
Swang,
Played soccer,
Posed for photos,
Ate, ate, and ate some more,

Played with Aunt Kim's DVD player,
Make cookies with Aunt Kim,

Read stories with Nana,
Rescued frisbies from the top of the barn,

Went on hay rides,

Played Twister,

Talked to Papa,
Slid,

Went for walks,
And finally, fell asleep standing up because we were so tired!
What a great holiday full of lasting memories!

Christmas with the Mortons

2008-02-02T19:29:00.000-08:00

Christmas with the Mortons was great! The kids enjoyed opening all their gifts and the adults enjoyed getting to spend time with each other!

Merritt loved (and still loves!) his Elmo video game. He's slowly learning to actually play it! Madelyn was incredibly excited about her Candy Land game and Mitchell's favorite was the broom and mop!

Boots were the gift of the year!

The aftermath! What a mess!

Merritt can BLOW!

2007-12-12T07:24:00.001-08:00

This may not seem like much to some of you, but it is a HUGE deal to us!

Merritt learned how to blow this week. That's right... he's five and has never blown out his birthday candles, he has never blown bubbles, nor has he ever blown a dandelion. BUT, we're hoping that with this new progress he'll be able to blow out the candles on his 6th birthday cake!!

It's not much and it actually looks more like a giant sigh, but this is more than he's ever attempted to do!

And, as you can see from the video, he is very proud of himself!

Here comes Santa Claus...

2007-12-09T18:59:00.000-08:00

Last year, we avoided Santa simply because it's too difficult to take Merritt to the mall and stand in the hour long lines. This year, we were fortunate to have Santa come to a smaller setting. My OB/GYN dressed as Santa and invited his patients to take pictures in his office.

I jumped on the idea and hoped there would be no crowds, no escalators, and no long lines!

I was right! Merritt and I only had to wait a few minutes. Sam, Madelyn, and Mitchell waited a little longer. I had a "blonde moment" and left the camera at home, even though I knew we were going to take pictures with Santa! So, Merritt and I raced home to get the camera only to find the batteries dead and my gas light on! We had to stop for gas and batteries and by the time we made it back to the office, it was our turn! It worked out perfectly!

Well, almost perfectly...

Madelyn and Mitchell were TERRIFIED of Santa. I can't describe the blood curdling screams of Madelyn or the convulsive shaking of Mitchell as we tried to put them in Santa's lap!

Being the determined person that I am, I was not leaving without pictures of them in Santa's lap. So I threw them down, pried their hands away, and took a quick picture!

Merritt was a completely different story. He climbed up in Santa Seligman's lap like he was an old friend and posed so nicely for the camera!

Don't worry -- they weren't traumatized. We took this picture right outside the office... candy makes everything better :-)

Hopefully, Santa will understand and will still bring lots of presents for three children who are good at heart!

Crewcut? Mullet? Mohawk?

2007-11-19T19:42:00.000-08:00

This past weekend, we took all the kids for haircuts. They waited patiently while Ana finished with her other client...

Merritt is, of course, an old pro at hair cuts -- he HATES them, but at least he's learned to sit in the chair by himself and to control his frustration!

Well, sort of control his frustration -- at least he didn't hit Ana!

Candy made things much better...

The end result... a very handsome little boy.

This was Madelyn's first real haircut. I trimmed a long strand a few months ago, but this was the real deal. She loved it and didn't even cry when Ana combed her hair! I must admit, I was a little jealous and tried to find out what the secret was... apparently, I need the cool chair, mirror, and lights at the house and I can do whatever I want to Madelyn's hair!

No story here -- just a calm little girl enjoying her haircut. She must have thought she was a princess because we couldn't leave the house without her princess shoes, shirt, and sash on.

Yes, according to Madelyn, this t-shirt is a princess shirt!

The end result... a beautiful princess (with snot running out of her nose and a dum-dum hanging from her mouth!).

Mitchell was the reason everyone went to get a haircut. His hair was out of control!! It used to be so cute and curly, but it has straightened out quite a bit as it has grown. We were tired of people thinking he was a girl!

Exhibit A

Exhibit B

He was a little nervous about sitting in the chair by himself so I held him.

Clinging for dear life!

He never once cried! What a big boy!!

The end result... no longer a baby... all my babies are gone!

The Healing Power of Animals

2007-11-07T08:58:00.000-08:00

Merritt loves our new cat, Kiki.

For Merritt, this is a little strange.

He was never once interested in our giant dogs, not even from the time he was little. He simply ignored them... it was almost as if they didn't exist in Merritt's world. In fact, he's never been interested in any real animal.

Now we have this cat... this cat that I didn't want... this cat that drives me insane on a daily basis.

But, for some reason, this cat has made a connection with Merritt. Merritt not only notices her, but likes her and his eyes light up and his smile is genuine when they play.

I don't understand how this cat managed to weasel her way into Merritt's world, but I must admit, I love that she did and I think we'll keep her around!

Angels in the Outfield

2007-11-03T14:59:00.000-07:00

Watching a Miracle Legaue T-Ball game is one of the most humbling experiences. Here, kids with a million reasons not to play baseball are experiencing something they would never be able to experience. It certainly isn't about who had the best hit or who made the best play, but it is about who learned to run the bases or who was able to hit the ball without needing help or who was able to pick up a ball and throw it for the first time!

Our team -- the Athletics

Every Saturday, miracles happen on that baseball field; angels support and love every child; spirits are raised and cheering is contagious.

Even though I was dreading it, Merritt had a fantastic season! He learned to wait patiently on the bases, to run the bases in order, to field a ball and throw it back (sort of!) and to put the ball on the T and attempt to swing the bat. He kept his hat and glove on during every game and by this last game we didn't need m&m's on the field and a gatorade back in the dug out as bribery!
Putting the ball on the T and swinging!
Staying on base with no help!

Running home without holding anyone's hand!

Getting ready to field a ball!

Of course, there were a few moments to relax!

But, Merritt had his loyal fans to cheer him back into action!

After the game, he took a well deserved break!
Today was trophy day!

Merritt waited patiently for his trophy from Coach Joe!
Thank goodness for Ms. Rachel! Our kids love her!

They love her so much that they wanted to hold her hand on the way to the car instead of Momma's hand!

We just want to say a big thanks to Coach Joe, Ms. Rachel, and all the volunteers who make this possible for so many kids! You guys are our angels!

We can't wait for next season!

My little make-up artist...

2007-11-03T14:41:00.000-07:00

Madelyn discovered the art of highlighter lipstick! When I found her with the highlighter, she immediately handed me the highlighter and said, "Here Mommy!" just as sweet as possible because she knows she's not allowed to play with highlighters or pens. When I took a closer look at her and she said, again so sweetly, "Look at my lipstick!" I couldn't help but smile.

She knew she was in the clear and continued to confess her crimes by saying, "Mitchell's lipstick!" and pointed to her poor brother!

I'm sure this will not be the first time he's forced to play a role in her make-up artistry!

Lions,Tigers, & Bears -- Oh my!

2007-11-03T13:35:00.000-07:00

This past Friday, we introduced Madelyn and Mitchell to the zoo (Don't worry, Merritt was in school -- we didn't just leave him at home!).

Mitchell wasn't sure about it -- he just wanted to hang out in the stroller or in someone's arms and only showed emotion toward the animals when we were around the gorillas. He was not having any part of them and clung to me like his life depended on it. In my mind, he saw them as huge dogs, since he's terrified of dogs.

Madelyn was a different story. She soaked in every moment. It was so fun to see a typical kid react to seeing the animals she's only seen in books and on TV. Merritt has been several times, but he's only interested in climbing any set of stairs he comes to. He's never once showed any interest in the animals. This was our first time to experience the childhood excitement of seeing a real live bear or lion and pairing the moment with the "roar" that they make! This was Madelyn's typical "I see an animal" stance!

We saw deer... (Dad, I took this so you could see what a nice buck they have at the zoo!)

A jaguar...

Giraffe...

An eagle...

We fed the parakeets, which I thought my kids would be too afraid, but they both loved it!

We took our picture with the Komodo Dragon, which took some coaxng to get Mitchell to sit on it!

And we had lots of fun hanging out with Momma...

and GaGa and Great GaGa!!

We had a GREAT day!!

Happy Halloween!

2007-11-03T13:03:00.000-07:00

I am such a party pooper when it comes to Halloween... I hate buying expensive costumes the kids will only wear once and having all the candy around for days after (yep, it only takes a few days for Sam and me to consume it all) makes me ill - literally!

But every year, I give in so when my kids are grown and asking to see pictures from when they were little, I'll be able to show them something!

For Halloween 2007, they'll see that their mom put them in non-traditional three musketeers costumes. I ordered t-shirts that simply had the three musketeers candy wrapper on the front and their names on the back. The shirts are really adorable!

However, unless the three were standing together, which didn't happen very often, no one really knew what they were. But, thank goodness, they're all still young and don't understand the concept of "costumes" for Halloween. The fact that no one "got" their costume didn't seem to stop them from collecting all that candy that is now sitting at my waist line!

I'm sure Halloween 2008 will be quite different and I will be forced, by my daughter, to buy actual costumes. Jeans and t-shirts will not suffice unless I can talk Madelyn into dressing like 50s kids!

We spent the evening trick or treating with cousins Joe and Avery and our good friend, Jamie. As you can see, their parents believe in actual costumes! Joe is a power ranger, Avery is Minnie Mouse, and Jamie is a golfer!

I took three pictures walking away from our house heading toward the trick or treat trail and then my camera batteries died. These are the few pictures my grown kids will get to see from Halloween 2007!

2007-10-25T08:39:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend, we went to visit my parents and introduced the kids to the beach. I know, I know... Galveston can't really be called a beach, but the kids didn't seem to mind!

Merritt absolutely loved the water. He wanted to go out as far as possible, which made me super nervous so Sam had to take him most of the time.

Madelyn was afraid of the water, but she loved playing in the giant sand box!

Mitchell was interested in the water until he fell face first into it. He then decided hanging out with his sister and playing in the sand wasn't such a bad idea!

I took a ton of great pictures, but I can't post them all. Here are a few of our day playing at the beach!

Pun-kin Patch

2007-10-24T12:36:00.000-07:00

Here we are at the pun-kin (as Madelyn says) patch with Nana and Papa. The kids had a great time! We rode the train, played in the bounce houses and picked the most perfect pumpkins!

Nana, Papa, and four of their grandbabies!!

Waiting in line for the train! Madelyn loved posing with her big brother and her cousin, Travis.

Finally, we get to ride the train!

Papa held Mitchell for the train ride and I just couldn't resist this photo of Mitchell's crazy hair!

"I am the strongest baby in the world!!"

"Why, exactly, are they making us sit on these pumpkins?"

Nothing better than a ride in the wagon!

"Do we really have to take more pictures?"

Time to go!

Wrestling Mania

2007-10-14T18:48:00.000-07:00

One of Madelyn's most favorite things is to wrestle with Merritt!

It usually starts out innocent... and then Madelyn gets Merritt in a neck hold... and then it's no holds barred!

This particular time, it didn't end with Madelyn crying.

Many times it does, which reminds me of the days when I thought I could take my older brother!

Go Cowboys!

2007-10-14T18:42:00.000-07:00

Every Cowboy Game Day starts the same way -- Sam saying, "Don't forget to put the kids in their Cowboy Shirts!" Today was no different...

GO COWBOYS!

Merritt's Good Day

2007-10-14T18:28:00.000-07:00

After about a week of Merritt being "off", he finally had a great day!

We started the day with his horse riding lesson. He worked so hard, tried several new things and didn't tantrum -- not once -- until it was time to leave! Whoohoo! What an accomplishment for him!

We spent the rest of the day playing in the back yard, swinging (his favorite!) and hanging out with GaGa and PaPa.

Today, he was the boy I love so much... he was happy and silly! I think these pictures say it all!

Madelyn's New Dress...

2007-10-13T15:07:00.000-07:00

Madelyn was so excited when her new dress arrived today. She immediately wanted to put it on and even though I tried to explain that it was for Christmas pictures and that I really didn't want her to ruin it, she refused to take it off, which of course, ended with her crying and me being the bad guy!!

Brimming with excitement over this dress!

Soaking in the fact that I told her she'd have to take it off...

And finally, trying the "sad face" to see if I would fall for it!

Ladies' Man

2007-10-10T08:04:00.000-07:00

Perhaps these will make up for the barrette pictures!

Today was the first day it has been cool enough to wear jeans and Mitchell looks absolutely adorable in them!

Am I cute, or what?

Someone, just tell me why...

2007-10-07T19:23:00.000-07:00

Why can't someone just tell me why...

tell me why Merritt hasn't said one word in five years;
tell me why Madelyn has a better pencil grip than Merritt does;
tell me why Merritt tantrums when he can't have a file folder;
tell me why Merritt can't blow bubbles, can't pucker his lips, can't ride a bike.

I want to know what's medically going on inside my son's brain, but I also want to know what he's thinking, what he likes, what happened at school today and what's so cool about file folders.

I want answers and I want them now.

I want someone to explain why we don't have more choices for medications; why no one seems to have a clue what is causing this; and why there isn't a bigger push to prevent this generation of babies from being totalling affected by autism.

I am tired of ego filled doctors looking at me with pity, shaking their head, crossing their arms, and saying, "I don't know."

"I don't know" IS NOT acceptable to me.

"I don't know" CAN'T exist in my vocabulary.

"I don't know" IS NOT AN OPTION for Merritt.

I want answers; I want explanations; I want a prognosis and suggestions and recommendations. I want someone to take a stand.

I just want someone to give me some answers, legitimate answers...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TRAVIS!!

2007-10-04T20:07:00.000-07:00

Dear Travis,

We hope you have the best birthday ever!

We are so sad that we can't be there to help you celebrate!

We love you very much and can't wait to see you in a few weeks!

Here's a special Happy Birthday Song complete with a "birthday cake" from Madelyn!!

Love you,

Uncle Sam, Aunt Valerie, Merritt, Madelyn, and Mitchell

Blackmail Pictures

2007-10-04T20:00:00.000-07:00

These are the pictures Mitchell will groan over when he's in high school... perhaps, I will choose this one to place next to the one of him in his cap and gown in the senior memory page :-).

I think it may be time for Mitchell's first hair cut...

Madelyn was very upset upon coming downstairs from her nap to discover Mitchell had her barrette in his hair!

Black and Whites

2007-10-01T09:21:00.000-07:00

You guys know I love black and white photos!

Merritt Thomas

Madelyn Jane

Mitchell Lawrence

Take me out to the ballgame!

2007-10-01T07:57:00.000-07:00

Last Spring, Merritt played his first season of baseball with the help of the YMCA Miracle League. It was a disaster. He hated standing in the field, didn't want to wait on the bases for others to bat, and saw no purpose in fielding a ball. I refused to torture him again, but Sam said he had to play at least one more season.

So, here he is... Miracle League A's Fall 2007...

He had his first game this past Saturday. Armed with Rachel (his former teacher) as his buddy, lots of patience, and some M&M's as bribes, he was successful! He still didn't see the purpose in fielding balls or batting, but there were no overblown tantrums, he actually stayed on the bases, and waited calmly in the dug out to hear, "Merritt, you're up!"

I'm sure the season will only get better and hopefully, by the last game, he'll see the fun in playing ball!

Merritt's 2nd first day of school!

2007-10-01T07:45:00.000-07:00

Yep, that's right. I said Merritt's 2nd first day of school. Merritt started a new school today after a frustrating struggle with the school district to place him in the most appropriate setting. His new teacher is incredibly knowledgeable, prepared, and already smitten with MT's charm! I know he's in good hands and will, in no time, catch up on everything he's missed over the last six weeks!

"Come on, Mom! Do I really have to carry this bag of school supplies and pose for a picture?"

Ms. Lynn explaining to Merritt that he can't play with the file folders! I wonder how many times she will say this today ;-)

Ms. Lynn helping Merritt get his backpack in his locker!

Ms. Lynn patiently posing with my baby!

Daddy Golf School

2007-09-28T19:44:00.000-07:00

Passing on the love of the game...

Brent Woodall Walkabout for Autism

2007-09-24T19:38:00.001-07:00

On September 15th, the Brent Woodall Foundation held its third annual walkabout for autism! We were so excited to be a part of it this year, but unfortunately, I was only able to take three pictures before my camera batteries died!!

We had a great time and the kids were so well behaved. This event was just another example of something we wouldn't have been able to do with Merritt (successfully!) six months ago!

A BIG THANK YOU to everyone at the Brent Woodall Foundation who has helped shape Merritt so that we can experience these every day events as a family!!

Madelyn's first day of Mother's Day Out

2007-09-24T19:24:00.001-07:00

Here's Madelyn at home before her first day of Mother's Day Out... do you think she was sad about going? Heck no! She couldn't wait to get out that door and go to "scoo"!

Once she actually got to "scoo", she was a little more unsure of herself...

But, she quickly warmed up to her teacher, Ms. Page.

Now, she belts out Jesus Loves Me with no shame and is little miss social butterfly! We will have our hands full once she's in middle "scoo"!

Spirit Horse Riding Therapy

2007-09-24T18:56:00.000-07:00

Merritt loves being on a horse. There is something about being planted in a saddle that soothes him and makes him more content than I've ever seen.

We are fortunate to be a part of Spirit Horse Therapeutic Riding in Corinth, Texas, which is a non-profit organization whose sole purpose is to provide children with special needs the opportunity to be successful, to have confidence, and to reach their full potential.

Merritt goes every Sunday and just had his third session. During this last session, he did amazingly well. In the beginning of our sessions, he became frustrated by the fact that he had to get the horse ready to ride -- everything from brushing, buckling the girth and getting the saddle -- and couldn't just jump on and ride. This past Sunday, he walked through every aspect of getting the horse ready with patience I've never seen in him! This is a HUGE feat for him because he doesn't have an ounce of patience in his little body!

Once we were riding, he was super excited to see a bright yellow butterfly, for which he said "bah" -- his standard answer any time we say "Merritt, say ____". Then we saw a dove and again we heard "bah". As we continued on the trail, we saw a bunny. Julie, his instructor, and I excitedly asked him to say "bunny". I almost fell over my feet when I heard, "bah - eee"! Of course, he wouldn't say it again, but I truly believe he was trying his best to say bunny!

The worst part about riding Candy is when Merritt's time is finished! He would stay on that horse all day if we let him! I wish he could ride every day so I could see the joy and contentment that fills his soul!

Texas Ranger Game

2007-09-09T18:28:00.000-07:00

When Sam called on Friday to ask if I wanted to take the kids to the Rangers Game on Sunday (his boss had given him tickets to the CBS suite), my initial thought was, "NO WAY! I am not going to torture myself by taking Merritt to another place that is unknown because there's no way to know how he will react." I quickly rethought the idea and realized how incredibly selfish I was being. How could I not expose my kids to what might be a great experience all because I was a little apprehensive (ok, ALOT) about the unknown??

I reluctanly said yes and resigned myself to the fact that it would be a disaster and that we would probably only make it a few minutes... 30 at the most.

Below are pictures of one of the best days with my kids!! Merritt was incredibly well behaved and Madelyn and Mitchell soaked in EVERY moment of the three hours we were there! Yep, that's right - I said THREE hours!

I couldn't have been more wrong in my initial thought process and I am so glad that I didn't let myself chicken out of an incredible day of memories!

Here we are at the beginning of the game. We went with Grandpa Ken, Grandma Ellen, Aunt Katie, Aunt Judy, cousins AJ, Jenny, Joe, and Avery, Uncle Jim, and our friend, Rachel.

More pictures of everyone enjoying the suite while everyone else in the stadium was getting soaked!

Our kiddos having a great time! Merritt loved seeing all the flags and stairs, Madelyn loved cheering on the "Rang-chers", and Mitchell was, of course, happy with all of it!

Momma and her babies!

Gaga and Madelyn, Papa and Merritt, and Rachel and Merritt.

This is what too much sugar looks like! Madelyn loved playing with Joe and wanted to do EVERYTHING he was doing!

Unlce Jim probably had more babysitting time during the game than he's ever had in his life! Yeah, Uncle Jim!!

Here we are at the end of our stay. All the kids are exhausted and as Sam said, "It's not a great game until a kid throws up!" I didn't get a picture of the moment when Merritt threw up, but here's one after Jenny tried to wash the puke off the concrete!! Thanks Jenny!!

Brent Woodall Garage Sale

2007-09-09T18:11:00.000-07:00

This past weekend, we hosted a fundraising garage sale for the Brent Woodall Foundation, which is where Merritt goes to therapy. They have worked countless hours helping Merritt improve and most importantly, they love Merritt unconditionally.

The Brent Woodall Foundation empowers parents of children with autism through education, advocacy and resources to understand how ABA can change their families’ lives! They provide a ray of hope for everyone who walks through their door! You can find out more about the foundation at http://www.woodallkids.org/!

Because they are a nonprofit organization and believe more in the services provided than in the cost involved, they are always in need of donations. We are proud to present them with a check for $1533 from the garage sale proceeds!

Below are two pictures from the garage sale. The first two are the before pictures and then you will see what little we had left in the garage once it was all over. I want to thank everyone who donated items and volunteered their time during the sale. There's no way we could have been this successful without all of you!!

Our Spur of the Moment Vacation

2007-09-04T17:50:00.000-07:00

Around noon on Friday, Sam and I decided to take an impromptu trip to Austin. We called all our friends in the area, packed our bags, and left for the unknown (with three kids, anything unplanned is unknown)!

Three hours into the trip, we should have been pulling into Austin, but because traffic was HORRIFIC, we were only in Temple and decided to stay the night. This was the kids' first experience in a hotel room and our first time to sleep with three, rather restless and noisy, kids in the same room.

Saturday we woke and had a continnental breakfast picnic on the floor of the room and then set off to scope out Austin and the surrounding towns. We love the Hill Country and would love to move there someday! While we were driving around, we came across a great park and stopped to let the kids stretch their legs.

After lunch, we decided to go swimming at Hamilton Pool something or other, which we found by googling public swimming on Sam's blackberry. After driving 30 minutes out into the middle of nowhere, we saw a sign that read, "Hamilton Pool closed due to high levels of bacteria." This is after we already told the kids we were going swimming! Needless to say, they weren't thrilled that we were turning around and heading in the opposite direction.

We decided to drive on to Canyon Lake where we were staying with our friends, Mike and Lori, hoping to find somewhere for our babies to swim! Luckily, we came across the Blanco River State Park, which has public swimming in the river. Once we parked and gathered all our swimsuits to change, I realized my swimsuit bottoms hadn't made the trip! Let me tell you, I looked great in my swimsuit top and capri pants!!

Madelyn was terrified of the waterfall noise, but Merritt and Mitchell loved it. Besides falling and slipping on the algae covered rocks, needing help from perfect strangers to get our kids down the rocks and into the water, and sitting Madelyn in an ant pile, it was a great time! Ha ha! I promise, we really did have fun!

After it started thundering, we dried off, had a picnic snack, and headed on to Canyon Lake just before it started raining. We met Mike, Lori and their adorable new baby at their house, which is on six, typical Hill Country acres, and then went into "town" for pizza! Once we returned home, Mike informed us that we should definitely check our bed and pillows for scorpions! Lori assured us that they hadn't seen any in awhile, but I was still a little apprehensive as I was crawling into bed that night!

We left their house to meet Karl at his (and Becky's) new homesite just outside of San Marcos, which is beautiful (I'm partial to the Hill Country!). Karl then offered to entertain us by taking us to McDonald's, playing with the kids in the play area, and venturing into Walmart for diapers and wipes.

We then headed back to Austin to meet up with our friends Lauren and Paul at an outdoor concert for kids. This was a huge mistake! Merritt couldn't handle the noise of the concert and went into full blown tantrum mode! We quickly left, met Karl and Becky for dinner, and headed home.

Even though we had no plans, didn't know where we were staying from night to night, and spent a lot (probably too much) time in the car, the kids were amazing! They laughed and played hard and Sam and I enjoyed watching them as they experienced new things.

Lessons learned from our first family vacation:

Perhaps leaving at 5 for Austin on a holiday/UT game weekend is not a good idea!
When a hotel has no elevator, it's smart to get a room on the first floor!
Check to make sure pool areas are acutally open before driving 30 minutes out of the way
In five years, there's no way this will pass as a "vacation" according to our kids
Enjoy not having plans and going with the flow (which is really hard for me!)
Love every minute of it because it won't last forever and soon you'll be back to work, school, and everyday life!

Whew - what a vacation!!

Blessed are you...

2007-08-30T08:55:00.001-07:00

Sam's little sister, Katie, found this poem and sent it to me today. I just wanted to share it with everyone!

Blessed are you who take the time to listen to difficult speech, for you help me know that if I persevere I can be understood.

Blessed are you who never bid me to "hurry up" and take my tasks from me and do them for me, for often I need time rather than help.

Blessed are you who stand beside me as I enter new and untried ventures, for my failures will be outweighed by the time I surprise myself and you.

Blessed are you who ask for my help, for my greatest need is to be needed.

Blessed are you who understand that it is difficult for me to put my thoughts into words.

Blessed are you who with a smile encourage me to try once more.

Blessed are you who never remind me that today I asked the same questions two times.

Blessed are you who respect me and love me as I am just as I am, and not like you wish I were.

Thankful for My Babies

2007-08-28T12:34:00.001-07:00

I have three beautiful, amazingly different, yet strangely similar children. It brings me incredible joy to watch them become enthralled with new experiences, to watch them use their imagination to create something new out of nothing, and to watch them love each other in their own, unique ways.

I am blessed beyond words with their laughter, curiousity, and independence and I can't imagine my life without them.

Mitchell's First Birthday

2007-08-27T18:23:00.000-07:00

Mitchell turned one on August 25th and we celebrated by swimming and eating hamburgers -- just like we did the night I went into labor!!

The First Day of School

2007-08-27T18:17:00.001-07:00

Today was Merritt's first day of "kindergarden". He'll be in a class with six other autistic children and will be pulled out into a regular kindergarden class for a little bit every day. He was thrilled to walk back into the school building -- the boy loves to learn!!