Dear Noah

Dear Noah - opening a belated gift from a good friend!

2012-01-30T15:22:00.003-05:00

We got a package from a very good friend of ours in Florida the other week and you opened it and found this inside...a very cool monster truck toy..which you loved playing with. In fact..you actually TURNED OFF your computer to play with this ...and I even played it with you. We had fun...I must admit it is fun to play with.

Hard to believe January is almost over. We have been very fortunate thus far as far as winter goes...with very little snow. A dusting here and there....more unseasonably mild temps than normal....some rain. We even had THUNDER during some storms this month. I do not think I have ever heard thunder in January before! I think the most we have gotten so far has been about 4-6 inches ....and otherwise it is nice dustings and then they blow or melt away...it sure does look pretty to see it snow though. (and this is the year I bought you actual snow boots!) lol.

Speech therapy is back on....I have revamped it now so you are only receiving actual SPEECH THERAPY and no more social scenarios they were trying to keep interjecting in your speech therapy time. You are doing fine socially and I have no worries there...they need to spend more time on the speech therapy part. So that is finally happening and maybe you will be able to make some faster progress this way. After all, it has been like 10 years that you have been in speech therapy now!

School is going well...you are really making heads and tails out of your math which excites both you and me. It is like the lightbulb finally went off in your brain and you just GET IT. I get the luxury of refresher courses on the way in all subjects as I teach you..or I even learn things I never knew before. MANY times you know an answer when I DO NOT! However, getting you to break away from your computer to do school remains a huge challenge. In fact...getting you away from it for much of anything is a challenge. BUT you have been that way for years. You do not seem to need anyone as far as much of anything...and I realize that is the autistic parts of you....and I too am very much okay being by myself a lot of the time...but I did remind you that you will have to be around people some of the time...and asked you if you could or even wanted to do anything with people...you said ONLINE..I asked about real life..you said "with a girl." haha...so I guess in the end you will be fine.

I saw this sign the other day posted online on Facebook and I was telling you about it. You just smiled...but when I got to the part about being 50 years you immediately stopped me cold and said, "well I don't have to worry about that stage because YOU WILL BE DEAD by then!" I proceeded to tell you that would only be less than 40 years away and I COULD VERY WELL still be VERY MUCH ALIVE thank you very much!

Well...I need to get your school time in for today..the day is fading fast and I have house cleaning to finish as well.

OH..you have been staying up like WAY TOO LATE...and that has to change!

Love you lots,

mom
x0x0x0x

Dear Noah....your visit over Christmas with your dad...

2012-01-18T17:33:00.003-05:00

I just realized I forgot to upload photos here about your visit with your dad over Christmas break. He flew in from Colorado to spend a few days with us...and you had a great time visiting with him. This was the first time in 3 years since you had seen him last. You 2 played videogames together and trains...we opened presents...went out to eat....and just had a very nice visit. I know you have missed him a lot since he went back to Colorado. I still sometimes think maybe we should be living closer together so you could see him more often, especially as you are entering those teen years!

Here is a picture of the 2 of you I took at the Asian Buffet restaurant.

I love you Noah. Hard to believe you are now 13 years old! I think I forgot to post pics and anything about that too..your birthday on December 29th! See I was on vacation from work for over 2 weeks and I did not keep up online with posts I guess.

You are officially a teenager now....wow. So hard to believe. I will include just a couple of pics from your BD now too. We made up a Shutterfly photo book for your dad as a gift and 1 for us to keep with pics from his trip and the holidays. It turned out nice and he loved it.

I love you lots....

Mommy...mom.....
XOXOXOX

Happy New Year blessings to you and yours!

2012-01-03T12:54:00.002-05:00

Noah and I are wishing you all a very blessed and happy, healthy, prosperous, abundant, joyful, and peaceful new year!

Entertrainment Junction - Noah and I took a trip!

2011-12-31T18:33:00.001-05:00

We went to Entertrainment Junction...an amazing train place...so much to see and do! So many model RR displays....it is an awesome place if you love trains! Here are a few pics and video clips from our trip!

Make your own slideshow

Dear Noah: Robin Spielberg piano concert

2011-12-12T20:51:00.005-05:00

When you were little...I introduced you to piano music played by Robin Spielberg. You fell in love with her music just like I did...and listened to it a lot. During our trips from Colorado to Ohio it was a popular choice of CDs to listen to during the long drive...especially if we wanted you to relax and go to sleep. When you were little and riding in the car you seldom slept...I guess afraid you would miss seeing something. You were the best little traveler I have ever known though...and loved going for drives and trips in the car. You STILL DO! You never tire of it. But Robin's music became something you really enjoyed. Here is a clip of you when you first began listening to her music...this song was one of your favorites....it is called "BUTTERFLY" from Robin's "IN THE ARMS OF THE WIND" CD

Well..Robin Spielberg came to our city of Greenville, Ohio to play at our local Memorial Hall and I bought us tickets to go see her...you were SOOOOO excited to find this out and to go see her in concert. I only took a couple of pics and they did not turn out great.

Arriving for the show....Memorial Hall in Greenville is beautiful!

When we got there...there were a lot of very "formally" dressed people...and a lot of older people. You made remarks about this several times. You said, "Wow there are a lot of elders here tonight." Pretty soon you leaned over the balcony railing where we sat in the front row and said, "Wow there are even MORE elderlies down there!" and "I think I am the youngest person here tonight!" followed by "I think the entire retirement home is here tonight!!"

There were a lot of "elderlies" there as I am sure they like Robin's music too. It is sooo peaceful and relaxing. If you ever cannot sleep her CD is a good way to relax and wind down. Robin even talked about that herself during the concert...about how if we noticed a person sitting beside us nodding off to just gently nudge them awake again.

This is pretty poor quality because while ROBIN said it was okay to take pics or movie clips the "elderlies" around us seemed very irritated when I got my camera out, even though I did not use a flash but I wiggled my hand and the pic turned out crappy. Next time I won't care what they think and do a good job!

You almost dozed off twice and I was tired myself. We have been busy reorganizing and cleaning the house. Your dad is coming in from Colorado for a visit and that finally lit a fire under me to get things in order around here.

I asked if you would be able to sit through the second half of the show after intermission but you started to think maybe you could not. You were tired and hungry. So we left a little early. I asked if you wanted to meet Robin in person but you said, "NOOOOOOO!" to that idea and out the door you went.

I know when she first came on stage you looked at me and told me,"I am going to use the hood of my coat and hide my smile on my face when she comes out" because you were certainly grinning.....A LOT! A BIG, HUGE grin!

Well...after the concert we went to pizza hut and I treated you to pizza...then home to crash.

You have been staying up way too late again at night....and sleeping in then very late to make up for it. While this works out well, as I can work during the time you sleep...it really is not a great habit for you to get into.

Today you had to do a benchmark test to see if you have improved in math and reading to prepare you for the Ohio State Achievement testing in late spring. You got a perfect score last time in Reading and a good enough score to pass the test in math as well. This time I hoped you would continue to show improvement in math and you did! You beat your first score by almost an additional 50 points and scored perfect on the algebra section. And you think you don't like algebra!

We are getting ready for Christmas. We have totally redone your room and wow it is looking great! I will have to post pics on another post.

I love you Noah. You sure are growing up so fast!

Mommy
XOXOXOX

Dear Noah...you are growing up so fast!

2011-09-18T13:32:00.003-04:00

The other day my knee came out of joint again or whatever it tends to do...(holding off on a knee replacement as long as I can)...and I could barely walk. When it came time for bed...you had to help me get my leg into bed as I still had not been able to pop it back into place...wow did it smart!

Anyway..you had a sleepover in my room...and we got to talking. It became a very deep/long conversation. In fact I ended up only getting about 1-1/2 hours of sleep before I had to get up at 3:50 a.m. for work.

It was worth being sleep deprived though as I know these conversations are a once-in-a-lifetime type of deal and only come along every so often. I truly do try to LIVE IN THE MOMENT and appreciate even disruptions like this in my sleep time because you never know when they may be your last time to soak it all up.

So you began talking about growing up...and wanting to be an architect. You wondered if that was a field that would be in demand by the time you grew up since the market now for new building has slowed down tremendously due to the economy. I told you, you could always design unique homes for richer people or go into commercial building architecture which was actually something you had wanted to do as well. You seemed pretty pleased with that and felt reassured you could have a job doing something you enjoyed one day...you talked about some of the houses you have designed recently and even ONE you said I COULD LIVE IN....but it has some quirks that needed to be worked out yet. I guess part of you is afraid I will end up in some retirement home because of my health issues...and I explained to you that was usually reserved for MUCH OLDER people and only when even they could AFFORD TO actually retire and live on whatever money was going to be coming into them from any outside sources besides any they have put aside for themself. I also reassured you I had no plans of going to any retirement center and was not planning on ever leaving you high and dry so to speak..and you said you knew this.

You talked about also wanting to be a "writer" and create stories for your favorite Sonic comics...which I think is also a great idea. In fact...you said your heart "became so lightened" by this idea you were super excited to get started and the next night you wrote an amazing storyline idea several pages long. You used some pretty big words and I happened to notice one in particular we had just learned this past week in vocabulary, "retort" and you used it correctly! I asked you if you purposefully thought about using any of those words or if that word just came to you..and you said it just came to you! WOW..this means not only are you learning the words but you are RETAINING the words! I was impressed.

The way you "write/type" for something you are interested in compared to assignments for school, however, is the difference between night and day. WOW...almost looks like it is written by two different people. You write much better for something you are interested in and much more advanced...expressing yourself pretty well. It is like pulling teeth to try to get you to compile anything making much sense for school. So we will be working on that. I think you just need to have more confidence in yourself really.

You then said you were going to start trying some new foods....and wanted to learn to cook and use a cookbook to make new dishes to try. You said that was something maybe we could even do together. I thought it was a great idea. You wanted me to teach you to do laundry. I told you that yes...I had plans to teach you all these life skills.

You confided your fears that you thought you would do poorly when it came to money. I tried to reassure you I felt you would do fine as long as you avoided credit cards and paid yourself a little first and then your bills. I said we would get you a checking account or savings account and start teaching you about money.

I asked you why the sudden/rush of interest to learn all these things that I had said to you often ybefore that you would need to learn so you could be out on your own one day? You said because you wanted to start getting ready to be out on your own one day.

Let's see...you will be 13 in December...I think you have a little time...but then again...it is never too early to learn life skills and start using them.

What impressed me even more than anything...was the ending of the conversation. You said after all of this you wanted me to teach you how to "have a simple life." I love that. I try very hard to keep our life simple now...and I am pretty sure that is what you meant...keeping your life simple so you can avoid the stress and situations that used to just send you over the edge. Not getting so hung up in all the things a lot of others do....etc.

Suddenly without any warning you said, "Okay that is enough talking, it is time to go to sleep now!" and that was it! Conversation over...finished...done.

I am so amazed at how far you have come and continue to go. We both looked back over videos of you from a long time ago...and back then I thought I could understand your language you used pretty well as you really did not talk so much as make sounds and added a few intelligible words here and there. BOTH of us could barely understand what you were saying looking back now. You have improved so much with your speech and talking and using words.

Another thing I noticed was how you are finally able to actually SIT and be still and more focused now for school....and other things. You are MUCH MORE relaxed and not literally bouncing off the walls or chair. IN prior videoclips it shows you not even being able to sit for school...here at home or in the public school...you had to stand and move constantly..holding something in your hands all the time to fidget with it...moving your head around and making sounds...eyes all over the place....just on overload all the time.

You have come a long way and I know you still have a long way to go but I feel really blessed at the progress you have made and continue to make each day. I thank God for you Noah as you have been the biggest blessing to my life.

I will love you forever....

Mom
XOXOXOXOX

Oh..you told me the other day while patting my hair on the top of my head you sort of like my GRAY hair now. Yes I have not been putting any henna rinses on it for a while and the hairs around my face and top of my head are getting gray. Before you had told me I was not allowed to let any gray hair show ever till I was at least 65 years old! BUT you patted it and said now you sort of liked it. You said I sorta matched your dad's hair now...and we would make a good pair...(no we are not getting back together for any family reading this)...but it was cute the gestures you used and the comments you made.

AlSO we have been watching WHOSE LINE IS IT ANYWAY together at night...your sense of humor has just developed leaps and bounds! You laugh hysterically now at things that are really funny and UNDERSTAND what they mean...whereas before you did not have a clue. So we are really enjoying that time together.

I have my work cut out for me. I need to make sure you are successful in your education and schoolwork...and in life...and get myself prepared to be on my own probably one day without you living right here with me each day and minute which is a lifestyle I have known now for 12-1/2 years..and reduced income one day as no more child support or benefits for you will be coming in. That is fine and I know all that will more than work out ...I am more focused on getting you where you need to be one day.

It will exciting to see all the doors that will surely open for you one day in the future Noah.

ALL MY LOVE!
Mom
XOXOX

Asperger's Syndrome - Clay Marzo: Just Add Water

2011-08-17T14:05:00.001-04:00

This explains so much in such a short time and so very well.....

Dear Noah.......

2011-08-15T07:59:00.001-04:00

I've made mistakes being a Mom, sometimes more than I'd like to admit. But I will always be there for you, to hear you, cheer for you, to laugh or cry with you, to protect you with my life and sometimes tell you things you don't want to hear. I will love you for eternity. No one (but God) will ever love you more than I do, because I am your Mom.

Dear Noah....we have had an easy, breezy summer so far....

2011-07-25T11:51:00.004-04:00

and glancing at the calendar I realize how fast it is going and school will be starting soon! YIKES! Where has the time gone??

You are still in that period of natural transition....being 12 years old and almost a teenager....you are ready to go through all the stuff in your room to clean it up and move stuff out to make room for newer things...things you are interested in now.....so that will be a big project but I would certainly like to get it started and completed before school starts...same for my office/schoolroom area. SO I guess we will need to crack the whip!

We took grandma C. to the Chinese restaurant for lunch the other Sunday...she loves Chinese. You like fried rice....

when passing through my parents' town the other week you wanted me to stop and take a picture of all these vending machines lined up...I had never seen a PRINGLES vending machine before!

Of course you have spent some time with your cousin Audrey too this summer...and you always enjoy that.

Your grandma and grandpa Lincoln got a new dog but we have not made it over yet to see it....

It has been SUPER HOT these last couple of weeks...with the heat index ranging between 105 and 115 degrees! We have needless to say stayed indoors a lot. We did venture out to see the latest Harry Potter movie in 3D..that was fun and a good movie....and I loved the previews coming out for new movies....some of them look amazing.

Anyway...you got your test scores back for the state.....did okay there...but could have done better on the math I think...I think you freeze up on tests personally...you get so stressed out about them.

Well...off for now...lots to do today. It is noon and you are still asleep! You are going to have to start going to bed a little earlier!

I love you!

Mom
XOXOXO

Dear Noah....one of our best days ever!!

2011-06-26T17:54:00.012-04:00

or at least I thought so! I only had to work half day on Saturday...and the weather was absolutely gorgeous. Only low 70s...lots of big fluffy clouds in the sky.....cool breeze blowing...my perfect kind of weather for summer! We decided to go to Idle Hour Ranch in Troy, Ohio for a visit. It was an awesome place....where you can get up close and personal with many animals.....even feed them. It was a wonderful outing...and I am sure we will go back again! YOUR favorite part was mining for gems....where you could play around in the water...in fact..you liked this so much...you want me to build one just like it in our backyard.

We saw elephants, kangaroos, parrots, horses, giraffe, camels, a yak, goats, llamas, pigs, coyote, cougar (forgot to snap a pic of him), elk, ostrich, tortoise, fish, owl, prairie dog, fox, dogs, just a lot of wonderful animals! You could feed them too if you wanted. They were giving elephant rides this weekend...the elephants were actually here for 3 weekends only visiting in between other shows they do somewhere else for another touring group.....soon some tigers will be stopping by the ranch for a visit...

here is a link to the ranch...

IDLE HOUR RANCH

After we left the ranch we went to CiCi's Pizza....you have been wanting to go there for a long time and a new one had opened in Huber Heights...it was fantastic food and wonderful restaurant. The pizza was excellent and they had some new kinds of pizza to try! I like the thin crust authentic Italian and macaroni and cheese ones the best! You liked sausage and sausage and ham pizzas the best. You were in heaven!

Then we drove down to hit up the Covered Wagon Farmer's Market in Union, Ohio.....wow...they had some amazing things there....anything from soaps, candles, candies, fresh homemade Amish baked goods and canned goods.....fresh vegetables...dried goods....etc....and flowers and plants outside.

While looking inside we saw a beautiful buttefly or moth that had gotten trapped down in a bin between some packages of crackers. I thought it was fake at first....looked almost like wood lying there...but you said no and touched it and he began to move around. I told him if he wanted to live he better get on my finger so I could take him outside..and HE DID! I had you open a side door inside the store and the moth/butterfly turned around and looked at me..and I said to "GO....GO...you can go you are free!" and it turned around the other direction and flew away towards the flowers. He looked like this...sort of....

I bought some peanut butter fudge, banana bread and pumpkin bread among other things...and even though I do not need another candle..they had some clearance hot buttered popcorn candles on sale and that is a discontinued scent and smells so yummy...I got one!

link to Covered Wagon Farm Market

Covered Wagon Farm Market

We saw my cousin and husband in the store while there and they invited us over to see their house down the road when we were done shopping...so next up was a drive over there....then we drove to Arcanum to see grandma C....had a wonderful visit with her as well....

you went outside to catch lightning bugs before we left....

The weather was gorgeous.....the night was just beginning...so we rolled all the windows down in the car/truck and drove around..the lightning bugs sparkled in the fields...it was almost like being in a convertible and you and I loved it! You want to do it again...and we will...cause I loved it too!

We had an awesome day...and it was even better for me cause I got to share all that with you! I have decided no matter how I may look or feel...this is our life NOW...and we better live it now while we can and not wait around until everything is just right to do something. I hope you had as much fun as I did! You have been busy working on Sonic chatroom movies to load onto You Tube. You have become very creative with your storyline and now have included and designed your own Sonic characters to have different mouths and eyes so they show EMOTION when you load still pics to your movie...it is great...cause when the movie still shots move in the slide show..it does make it look like the characters are MOVING and SHOWING EMOTION! ALL this is huge for you besides the creativity factor....because you really do understand emotions now and even how those emotions look on a face and in words. It is amazing.

We went a lot of places yesterday....ate at the park too...drove around our city.....went visiting....stopped at our local library...you got to play with my cousin's dog....we just had an awesome time. I cannot say that enough.

I love you Noah...thanks for the wonderful memories. Hope you will always remember today too!

Mommy
XOXOXOX

oh P.S....we went to see Cars 2 at our local theater on Friday...and it was also awesome! You loved it so much...laughed and giggled..said it was your favorite one ever....

Dear Noah.....a disagreement....

2011-06-06T21:48:00.003-04:00

(Message reads..."Until you say you're sorry AND go to CiCi's pizza within 2 weeks, I'm not even going to talk to you till then. If the 2 weeks are up, I'm leaving...so goodbye mom...cause I know you won't go till then"

You have been in a very argumentative stage recently...probably due a lot to your tween years....you will be 13 in December. However...you seem to want to argue with your mother about a lot of things. Now sometimes you are correct....but regardless of who is right or wrong...I am trying to teach you...you don't argue with your mother...

Today we had thought about going to CiCi's pizza as a treat .....but before leaving you and I got into a disagreement....you started arguing with me again...and I said that was it....forget it...we would not go to CiCi's pizza. I was sick and tired of your attitude...thinking you knew everything and was always right about everything and this was clearly something I was right about...as it pertained to a setting on our computers....long story..but basically you got very upset.....you did apologize and start to cry..but I told you it would not matter anyway. You still did not deserve to go to CiCi's pizza today. I did not raise you to be disrespectful to me your mom...or your dad...or any of your elder relatives...etc. I told you your behavior would never get you anywhere in life with a parent, grandparent, future boss or girlfriend/wife. DEMANDING things and being argumentative was never a positive and usually you ended up with zip. AND the biggest lesson..there are always consequences for your actions and choices. Your consequence for being so disrespectful to me and then sending me this ultimatum message was not going to CiCi's pizza.

You tried to squeeze in how I am the WORLD'S BEST MOM...but, "YOU HAVE REALLY CRAPPY LECTURES!!" and you apparently hate them....and you started crying all over again. I am thankful you handle getting upset SOOOO much better than you used to. You have learned over time to keep yourself and emotions in pretty good check...to control any physicality and to USE YOUR WORDS to express how you are feeling and what your needs are. I praised you for that. I told you...you did the right thing by keeping it in check..and going to your computer to type out your anger to me in words....but....how your ultimatum and threats were not a good choice...and again how all this was just so disrespectful to me.

I know notes like this will come ...hopefully not often...but they are always hurtful..even from you at 12 years of age or maybe if you are 50. Wait..if you would be 50 I would be 90 and I doubt I would give a crap then..lol...NO ..I still would if I have my sanity intact. Words can be a positive or negative to anyone....we are to use our words to BUILD EACH OTHER UP...not tear each other down. I grew up in a verbally abusive ( and sometimes even physically abusive) time and I do my best to never subject you to a life like that.

BUT...after reading the note where you say you will leave.. I try to tell you a kid just up and leaving or trying to run away would be the worst thing you could ever do....there are perverts all over the world just waiting to get their hands on kids like you....to do all sorts of horrific things to...if not ending up and even murdering you. You say you would go to your dad. I ask you HOW...you said he would come pick you up. I then tell you we will call your dad...because your dad would have not only said the same things I did...he would have done the same thing.

We did call...your dad did say he would do the same thing...and that you had to learn there are consequences for your actions..and when you are being disrespectful, etc....you did not deserve a "treat"...

So all in all we talked more...oh sorry...LECTURED some more.....no we actually talked....I asked you if you understood everything and how you felt about things....and I wanted to hear your feelings and how you felt....and we went over everything again. AND finally got it all worked out...and no...we did not today....go to CiCi's pizza. That will be another day.....

I still love you...even if I have crappy lectures.

Mom
XOXOXO

Dear Noah.....your mom singing to songs she JAMMED to in high school...

2011-06-03T19:54:00.001-04:00

yeah...that song came on the car radio....and it took me back...I wanted to go CRUISING....with the windows down...and sing along with the song.

You just wanted to turn it off...and get out of the car as fast as you could...

love you anyway...

cause...

you're some kind of wonderful!

mommy
xoxoxox

Dear Noah.....saving your words...

2011-06-03T19:27:00.002-04:00

You have been really emotional lately..not wanting to go anywhere....just holing up in your bedroom...your sanctuary....watching videos on your computer or reading online comics....drawing comics in PAINT on your computer....

Last night when you went to bed we got to talking. You started crying...you have been crying at the drop of a hat this week. Anyway...you started to tell me you had a NEW SONIC character you had come up with to make a new movie but you were having trouble DRAWING her in PAINT on your computer. You have drawn characters before and I have always thought you did a good job considering you only have a mouse to use with your Paint program. That is hard to draw anything using a mouse.

Anyway...you wanted to draw this girl character....but you could only do the front. You said you could not do the sides..and you became so frustrated in the room...you finally gave up. You let me know that your art program this year in school did not show you how to do such things or show you how to SHADE characters you did draw.

I told you ...you had never told me these things before...and I asked you why you never tell me things? I mean I will never know what is bothering you or what you might need unless you tell me. You said you were kind of following what you heard the average man does....only speaking about 2000 to 4000 words per day.

I about busted a gut on that one. I asked you, "WHAT???" and you proceeded to explain to me how you had read somewhere back in 2008 online that a man usually only speaks about 2000 to 4000 words per day and you were apparently trying to make sure to only do that...or thought you had to do that in order to be a man?

I told you most women yes speak MANY more words than you guys ever would..BUT..we also would LOVE it if you guys would open up your mouths more and let us know more about what you are thinking and how you are feeling and that in the future your future girlfriend would appreciate that from you too.

So I informed you..you do come from a family of artists and creative people and if you wanted to learn to draw better it should be easy to do...and I could help teach you over the summer how to draw your comic characters better or even your grandpa or uncle...etc. We have many artists in the family and some taught art.

You are going to show me your special character tonight and we are going to start working on drawing her.

Saving your words.....what will you tell me next?

I love you....wordless or not.

Mom
XOXOXOXO

Dear Noah....you have a weird red ring/rash/sunburn around your right eye

2011-05-30T17:13:00.002-04:00

It is only one side....at first it almost looked like you got socked in the eye. It is not hot to touch...does not burn, itch or feel hot. Part of it almost looks bruised...weird. Not sure but wonder if you had your head turned in a strange direction in the pool or if something reflected up on you just on that side.....

Dear Noah....extreme weather recently.....

2011-05-30T12:46:00.003-04:00

GIANT tree down the road from us that just got sucked up out of the ground and tossed over....

Hailstones in Brookville, Ohio from my sister's backyard....

More hailstones from Brookville, Ohio

Hailstones from Miamisburg, OHio

More from Miamisburg, Ohio

Centerville, Ohio hailstone...

Parking lot filling up with hailstones in Centerville, Ohio...

Damage done to car in Bellbrook, Ohio...they said the hail had to be falling about 100 MPH straight down for this type of CLEAN HOLE damage to have happened...it was like a bullet being shot!

Bellbrook, Ohio hailstones part 1....

Bellbrook, Ohio hailstones...part 2...

Bellbrook, Ohio hailstones part 3...

I did not take all these photos no....I gathered some from family and the rest from Channel 7 iwitness news buddies online.....

What can I say? We could have had it so much worse..but the rain, wind and hail along with almost continuous tornado warnings recently have been a little stressful! The hail storms we had the other night brought us some of the most damaging winds and hail ever seen in this part of the country ever! Hail that was 2.5 inches here...but 3 to 4 almost 5 inches in other parts of the state. It was just surreal. Here are a few photos of the recent hail....which damaged my sisters' cars....and shredded their screens...broke skylights....just incredible the damage it caused...and the winds...I am very fortunate and thankful it was no worse up here than it was...or anywhere..and we are all okay...and feel blessed we still are intact...in one piece...with our house and roof over our heads!

Noah you handled it all well....even when the worst of the hail came through and we heard sounds we have never heard before in our lives and hope to not hear again....and it was scary....you sat in the hallway with your shoes and would run out to check the news forecast.....we stayed up till about 2:00 a.m. or so that second night of bad weather.....we have had multiple tornado warnings...which now you rather enjoy....and I am just thankful we are all okay.

Love you!

Mommy
XOXOXOXOX

Dear Noah....First swim day of 2011....my sister had a get together/pool party...

2011-05-30T12:14:00.005-04:00

We were invited to an impromptu pool party/Memorial Day/birthday get together at my sister's house on Sunday. You were excited because this meant SWIMMING as the pool at their clubhouse was open for the season. The water was extremely cold but you and cousin Audrey and your aunties and even cousin Alex got in the water and had a good time. You are already waiting on going swimming again.

Meanwhile we will be taking my car/truck back to the shop again tomorrow...because we are still having the same issue with it they reportedly fixed last week. Wonder what car we will get for a rental this next time round?

Dear Noah....your purple/blue chin....

2011-05-22T19:09:00.002-04:00

You came out the other day...and all the little blood vessels under your nose and around your mouth and under your chin were burst...like when someone vomits really hard.....you had what looked like a purplish/blue hue on your beard area...and I could not figure out what you had done. Then all of a sudden the light went on in your head and you remembered what you did...you went to the kitchen and got a snack cup...which you use all the time for snacks....and you brought it back in and demonstrated to me....saying..."I guess I did this too much!"

and here is what I saw....

you are a stinker....and I do recall seeing you all the time sitting around with these cups sucked up to your face. SO I told you ..you should probably stop doing that ..and find something else to do ...cause you are bruising your face!

I love you Noah...you crack me up sometimes.

Mommy
xoxoxo

Dear Noah.....a stormy, windy night

2011-04-28T18:39:00.002-04:00

Well you and I both love storms...and you always talk about tornadoes and wanting to be a storm chaser....but you really only like to look at these from a distance I found out early this morning/late last night. I stayed up till almost 2:00 a.m. and let you as well because the weather conditions in our area was pretty weird and tornado watches and some warnings were out...and I wanted to make sure I was awake if we needed to take cover...etc. I do admit I dozed off and on while watching the onslaught of forecasts....but...finally when the watches and warnings had been lifted I went to bed. So did you. I woke up about 2:40 to find you standing at my bedroom window looking out and crying. I asked you what was wrong. You said you were really scared...afraid of the winds...afraid we were going to have a tornado. I told you the warnings and watches had been lifted..it was only the wind...and we had a wind advisory till 7:00 a.m. You still cried. I asked you how long you had been up...and you said about 20 minutes. You apparently had gone out in the living room and turned on the weather channel...and then came back into my bedroom and stood looking out at the clouds in the dark. Afraid we would have a tornado in the dark.

I let you get into my bed. You were actually shaking you were so scared. I have never seen you like this before. You cried...I told you everything was fine. You were afraid the wind was going to break your bedroom windows and suck everything out of your room. I told you I thought you always liked tornadoes and wanted to be a storm chaser..but you finally admitted you liked looking at those from a distance...not being IN one...

I got my phone and we got online and looked at the weather forecast. It said what I had said....that we had a wind advisory and flash flood watch. You felt better after seeing that..and were ready to drift off to sleep. This was almost 3:00 a.m. My phone tone went off 1-1/2 hours later for me to get up for work.

I love you Noah. You still have not learned to wake someone up when you are in need of something. I wish you would have woke me up sooner and let me know you were that upset. I love you very much! Right now we have tons more rain and some hail. We are enjoying this storm together.

Love you,

Mommy
XOXOXOXO

Dear Noah....Easter eggs....

2011-04-22T17:29:00.003-04:00

well...what can I say? You spent maybe all of 5 minutes on this....lol...the RINGS on these eggs came this way...once they were dyed the rings appeared all by themselves. My mom had eggs that did this one year too...so Noah did not really have to do much to them I guess.

Dear Noah...your letter to Burger King about their new style chicken nuggets

2011-04-18T10:26:00.002-04:00

CLICK ON it to enlarge it to read it easier

Dear Noah....I found us some new Ohio State jackets at our Goodwill...

2011-03-30T18:38:00.003-04:00

they are like brand new.....and I was happy to find them and of course the price was super too! School is going...we continue to plug along. You will actually be done with your year pretty soon...much sooner than other students....your state testing comes up in May...so I want to prepare you for that. Guess we will have some time then. Otherwise..today is snowing if you can believe it. We are almost into April....so hard to believe. You are getting more hairs on your body all the time. Won't be long and I imagine you will be taller than me! Where does the time go? I hope I can prepare you to be on your own one day...and send you down the right path. I love you Noah..more than you could possibly know.

Mommy XOXOXOX

a trip to Webb's Antique Mall and flea market....and of course GoodWill....

2011-03-13T16:58:00.001-04:00

Friday Noah and I along with my uncle Sonny ran to Richmond, Indiana for an outing. I had run out of work so was able to flex my time and took some hours off in the daytime to enjoy a nice outing on a gorgeous day weather wise! After making a pit stop for coffees and snacks prior to our departure...haha...our first stop was Webb's Antique Mall in Centerville, Indiana. WOW we had a blast. I got some wonderful things there....I saw a gorgeous cedar chest that would absolutely match my bedroom set....would love to get it...my bedroom currently is so small...but the price is excellent on this waterfall cedar chest...I may have to go back and get it before someone else grabs it up!

My son had been admiring these old retro cars for a long time...so he finally bought the vintage Lincoln...

I found my marbles....normally the price on these old jars with marbles or buttons in them is SUPER expensive...I got these GIANT marbles all very old and wonderful condition in this old jar for under $5.00! This photo does not really show how wonderful they are...or I am just nuts...

I have a thing for SUN faces and moon faces too...but SUNS really draw me. I found this wonderful iron sun face....had to snatch him up...

and this cool retro suitcase....I love this style. I may redo it and gift it or keep it and make it into a cool makeup bag/kit for home...

I am redoing my bedroom to make it look vintage...a retro look....all vintage items when possible...I have been finding some wonderful things for it. I got my entire bedroom dresser sets at Webb's Antique Mall in the past there...a wonderful waterfall set....round mirror...vanity seat. I posted pics of that before. My uncle bought me this cool vintage lamp and picture from our local Goodwill to put in my room...

Then he called me from Goodwill Saturday and told me about a cool old cabinet that would look perfect in my living room....and it does....the price was excellent...had to get it...

but back to Webb's Antique Mall....I got a BUNCH of RETRO/VINTAGE CHRISTMAS ORNAMENTS! Like 2.00 an entire bag!!!! I grabbed them all. I am afraid a couple may have gotten chipped on the way home. They stuck them into a big grocery bag and I think well...they are fragile. The 2.00 a bag was well worth it...I mean some of these are super old...and the little Santa faced ones adorable. Cannot wait to make a vintage tree for my bedroom this year.....and/or a wreath too....I have seen some amazing handmade wreaths using vintage Christmas ornaments...

I found this vintage picture for my bedroom at Webb's....and I will probably GOLD LEAF the frame.....it is the same type of antique/vintage look that my uncle got me with the other pic above....

I was having a great day finding amazing deals..something usually only my Uncle does....I mean most of my items were only a few dollars each!

I got this candle holder at Good Will for 1.49...it actually would look super nice with that pic above if I left the frame black...hum.....have to think about it. OR gold leaf them both....

I love Lassie...always have...always will. I saw this retro pic of a scene from Lassie and I had to get it too....I know I know.....but it is so cool.....takes me back. My mom got me a Lassie book years ago...which I still have....and I loved reading that book....it brings back wonderful memories for me...

When I saw this cake carrier...I instantly thought of my grandma C....as she used to have one very similar to it. I had to get it....It makes me want to make a big double layer chocolate/fudge cake and take to someone's house for a treat!

I found a retro 1936 Mickey Mouse book....

I got these at Goodwill...the hobnail light will go in my kitchen..I like leaving a dim light on at nighttime in the kitchen....and the vase was just gorgeous. I love the glaze...these BOTH were under 2.00.....together!

this is the type of thing I have started to get and stick in little corners or unexpected placed in my house or outside....this will hang...it is so cute...very tiny....

I could not leave without getting some of their wonderful jelly and jam...I actually love blackberry jelly or jam WITH seeds...but seedless is easier on anyone's intestinal tract!

Then I figured after filling my shopping cart I better check out and stop. I did not even spend 75.00 for all my stuff...can you believe it? I got amazing buys....and will use everything I got....everything makes me smile.

We then went back to Richmond to go to Fazoli's for a late lunch/early supper....we had a wonderful meal and visit there....

by this time my uncle and I could barely walk...but we managed to get into the car and drive BEHIND Fazoli's to the flea market!!

AN AMAZING flea market!! I thought it was called Trader's World...but I think it may be Liberty Bell? I have no idea for sure now...but wow....I had never been there before and IT IS FANTASTIC! SO MANY things and SO CHEAP!!!!! We had a ball...and I got another cart...

They had an entire dollar section....found some more vintage stuff there.....vintage table cloth...wish it was material and not plastic....vintage organizers....so cool....

it will go perfectly with this 1.00 wicker lunch basket I got at Goodwill!

I love homemade soaps....I used to order these types of soaps from a woman on Ebay....I found the same types of soaps at the flea market..and they smell amazing....

Noah LOVED this flea market...he found Hot Wheels everywhere...and he had been looking for some Treasure Hunt hot wheels for forever...and guess what? He found a TON of them at the flea market...so he spent some of his birthday and Christmas money and got 5 of them! I know we will be going back a lot...so many amazing things there....prices great!

One of my favs he got was this cute beetle one...

I never thought I would like a yellow car but I even own one...and love it...mine is also yellow and black...well..an SUV/truck more than a car....

well I guess I had cake on my brain...cause I found another vintage cake carrier...had to get it. I just love them....and like them better than Tupperware ones.....and you can use it for more than cake....now I need to bake something..this was super cheap!

this one had latches which I like!

I found this wonderful summery tea light candle holder..will be very nice outside on my patio table this summer...

On our way home we stopped and got an ice cream cone....at the best little hometown ice cream shop....

I forgot to take pics of everything but snapped a lot regardless as you can tell.

And then we hit up Goodwill again before ending the day. It took me a couple days to recover ...my legs/feet that is. I mean I am actually supposed to get a knee replaced...but am trying to hold off as long as I can...so..I was feeling it to say the least...

We had a wonderful day together..so much fun....I could have used a scooter to get around by the end of the day....

Now I have to get back to laundry....take all the stuff off my bed I drug in to snap pics of and find places to put them for now.....and get with it. The day is almost over!!

Dear Noah....teeth cleaning and train trip...

2011-03-02T18:19:00.004-05:00

Well...still plugging along in school. I cannot believe it is March already! In January you got your teeth cleaned. You have made such progress....it is easier for you to handle the cleanings and now you don't mind letting them use the suction tube to suction water out of your mouth. Before you would really break down and cry whenever they even mentioned using it and they had to wipe your mouth out instead with gauze pads. Now you LOVE IT....and thus progress. This has taken about 4 years.

We are talking about taking a train trip. You really want to go back to Colorado for a visit and to see your dad and all the places we used to see on a regular basis when we lived there...and do some fun things. We talked about maybe going by train. You are so excited and want to go NOW...but I would rather wait for a bit. SO I am not sure yet when we might get this all together...so much to plan and plan for....things to take care of..but it looks like we will plan some vacation time this year.

Not much else is new news here....You have made progress...I decided I am not doing you any favors by still washing you off and cutting your meat...things like that. I know you have a hard time doing those things because you do not have much strength in your hands still and you are not that coordinated...but...you also will not get more strength or coordination if I do everything for you. I am proud of you...You are now able to wash yourself off...and cut meat with a sharp steak knife! You are learning but able to do it! I think this will just build confidence in you...and you will be able to do more and more all the time with no help from me! You wanted to wait for some reason until you were like 15. I tried to tell you...at 15...you would not want some girl for example to think your mom was still helping you cut your meat with a knife...or pancakes...or washing you off..etc. I asked you if you wanted to be able to be on your own one day and do all these things yourself..and you said you did...so I said you just have to start learning and that your learn by DOING... That is how we all gain skills..just by doing...trying...and continuing to practice until it becomes something we can do easily. So I have decided to continue on teaching you skills....even cooking and doing laundry and keeping a checkbook..but more motor skills too....more physical exercise and activities...that would do us both good. More discipline and trying new things....You will help do chores around the house....learning skills you will one day be able to use on your own if you want to move out on your own. You still need to master tying shoes...and fastening buttons or snaps..you do pretty well with snaps but have not mastered buttons. AND writing. I have decided to have you practicing that again even if you have not masterd it...it will do you well to continue to try.

So anyway....we are okay...life is good...and you are growing up so fast. Holy cow...check out your mustache getting darker on your upper lip all the time!

We have had discussions lately about heaven..and what it is or may be like....and you wondered if I will always be able to look at you when you are an adult (not from heaven but here right now) and see the tiny toddler version of you. I said yes..I think most moms will always be able to look at their adult children and yet still be able to see their little boy or little girl. I can still see you when you were like 2 or 3 or 5 or 7...it all depends on what you are doing at the time.

Where have 12 years gone already...

I love you...forever ...and always I will.

Mommy
XOXOX

Cherokee teacher pleads guilty to duct-taping autistic student | ajc.com

2011-02-25T13:49:00.000-05:00

Cherokee teacher pleads guilty to duct-taping autistic student | ajc.com

Dear Noah.....

2011-02-19T13:35:00.002-05:00

things are going pretty well.....we are plugging along with school although it is a little stressful sometimes with the demands ....this year there is a lot of essay writing and even if you type or have someone write for you....that entire process is just completely overwhelming and daunting...and many times I think we are spending a lot of time on things that you do not really need in the future...and I am not having some time to teach you things I want to teach you. SO I need to sit down and rework my ideas of curriculum into the online school's ideas and see if I can make an acceptable mix.

I have not made an entry here in awhile because things are going well otherwise. I cannot believe it will be March soon. Won't be long and you will be on another summer break from school...and approaching 13. I cannot believe that either!

Remember I always love you....

mommy
xoxoxo

Dear Noah...a Jib Jab Star Wars

2011-01-19T13:46:00.001-05:00

my mom made this JIB JAB STAR WARS movie using Noah as Luke, his cousin Audrey as Princess Leia and a few other cousins and uncle..it is hilarious and I love it!

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

Dear Noah.....a present from Jen!

2011-01-16T20:13:00.002-05:00

We have a fantastic friend who lives in Florida who sent us up a BIG package at Christmas. We held off on opening it until just the other day...and wow were you ever excited and happy to see what was inside for you!

Here is a picture of you with some of your gifts....you were thrilled and I believe you have already read the books! We had no idea there were AVATAR books out....so now you are excited about finding more to read!

I was also given some gifts from Jen....wonderful art journals and pads...books of inspiration. It was such a treat and so nice of her to do this for us both.

Sending a BIG thanks out to you Jenny...we love you and are so thankful to have you in our lives as a friend!

Meanwhile Mr. Noah.....we went to see uncle Sonny's new apartment last night...he has really fixed it up so nice. I made peanut butter fudge and he popped popcorn. Of course you did not eat either of these things. You ate pizza when we got back home. We had a nice visit...his place is just so nice and cozy.

I took the Christmas tree down today. This next week I will spend putting everything back into the garage...sorting a few things..cleaning it up a bit.

SO much to do...but I am thankful you have a day off school tomorrow on my day off! It will be nice.

I love you!

Mommy
XOXOXO

Dear Noah...another trip to Webb's antique mall...

2011-01-12T21:26:00.003-05:00

and we happened across this old wringer washer. You were fascinated with it...and I have to say..it was in EXCELLENT shape and condition for such an old washing machine...and it was clean...and I bet it worked.

I then informed you...I was old enough to remember when WE used to wash our clothes when I was a kid with a wringer washer very similar to this one......sort of.....ours was a lot larger and I believe more stainless steel to it...

wow.....that seem like so long ago!

We have had a lot of snow....been super cold outside....and you are still enjoying all your new Wii games and PC games you got for Christmas and your birthday.

I love you Mr. Noah!

Mommy
XOXOX

Dear Noah....your cousin Wesley....

2011-01-02T10:08:00.002-05:00

has been over a few times this winter break to play with you. He is the same age as you minus only a few months. He will turn 12 in March. You both hit it off really well....and had a great time playing together with your new Wii games and PC games. He had so much fun (as did you) he never wanted to go home! I am so happy you have found someone you really enjoy playing with.....another boy your age...and his grandpa has recently moved into an apartment here in town..so now when he comes to see his grandpa...he will likely come over to spend time with you as well. I rememeber what it is like to have a special cousin/friend and grow up with them...and do things with them and have fun with them. I wish you the same happiness and joy.

I love you Noah....you have done so very well this winter break....this past year....you almost cried last night in the car going through the drive through with Wesley and his grandpa and me....because we had ordered you something slightly different from what you normally get...which is the 6 piece chicken tender kids meal with a Sprite. Wesley wanted 10 pcs...and the regular meal...but they only sell an 8 pc. SO we figured that was a better buy for you both since it was actually cheaper than the kids meal....and you got more. BUT you got very upset...though did not show it...you said you could not eat 8 pcs of chicken and you put your hands over your eyes and you almost started to cry....and you turned your head to the window to look out it. I am sure you did not want to cry in front of Wesley. THEN I realized you had probably wanted the TOY that came with the kids meal...so I asked you and you said yes in between suppressed tears...so I said I could still BUY you that...and you could give 2 of your nuggets to Wesley so he would end up with 10...you with 6...still get the toy but have MORE french fries and larger drink! THIS made you instantly happy and you were able to get past that distressful moment in time.

I am proud of you and how you are learning to deal with disappointments and handling your emotions better. In the past...not all that long ago..this same situation would have likely ended in a major meltdown moment for you.

Anyway...I am happy for you...and only wish you the very best life has to offer you...this year and ever year forever.

I LOVE YOU!!

Mom
XOXOXOX

Dear Noah: Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

2010-12-31T08:43:00.004-05:00

Wow we have been super busy....my head is spinning with how quickly the time is passing. You have been out of school already for winter break 2 weeks and it seems only yesterday it was starting!

Time goes by so fast. We have been busy here at home...doing holiday things...and visting family and friends. We have had sleepovers and play dates...You have really enjoyed yourself and have been so very happy.

Over this break you had time to play with your cousins....which has thrilled YOU..especially since both cousins are very close to your age.

We also celebrated your 12th birthday! SO hard to believe you are already 12 years old and growing up so fast!

We celebrated Grandma C.'s 88th birthday yesterday and now will be welcoming in the new year with my uncle and your cousin. I think.

We have enjoyed ourselves immensely this winter break and all the holidays and joy and family, friends, and loved ones.

Noah and I want to wish you all a very happy, healthy, prosperous, and blessed new year!

Dear Noah....HUGE milestone...you are now 100% officially toilet trained....

2010-12-06T17:51:00.002-05:00

and right before you turn 12 years old. I never thought in a million years it would take this long to get you to this point and to be honest I was starting to wonder if you would ever completely be able to do all your wiping yourself anywhere outside of home. Here at home you are and have been 100% toilet trained since age 9 years. BUT anywhere outside or away from home you still needed my help from time to time. Well..I started working with you the last month on this and telling you...you could do it....and how...and you needed to try because you did not want to go into being a teenager and still having your MOM come into the bathroom to help you wipe up!

I am so PROUD of you and happy because the other day at grandma C's house you came running on the way to the bathroom..asked for the wipes we brought...and ran to the bathroom all by yourself and DID EVERYTHING IN THERE ALL BY YOURSELF!!!!!!!!! No calling for me to come help you...nothing. YOU DID IT. FINALLY! I KNOW you had to be happy and proud too. I praised you up and down....and I just am amazed..once again...in your own time...you finally do something all on your own.

So for all those other parents out there who think their autistic child will never be able to handle all toileting on their own...don't give up hope. IT can be possible.....be patient....do your best with them.....they may just one day surprise you. AND some may need help forever...but I still alwys kept hope in Noah...and I am thankful he finally is able to do this all on his own!

YIPPEEE for you Noah. I love you and am so very proud of you....something everyone else probably takes for granted or has had their kids accomplish at 2 or 3 years of age...you too now have finally succeeded!

ALL MY LOVE always!

Mommy
XOXOXOXO

Dear Noah.....I can tell by the reduced postings that things are going better here!

2010-12-01T18:04:00.002-05:00

School wise I mean ..for sure. The stress level and drama we had with you attending a public school is just not present in our lives anymore. There is still some pressure feelings sometimes when it seems we have a lot of required things to accomplish...but we plug along and get it done. I still sometimes wonder and wish I just homeschooled you by myself straight out like I did in Colorado...picking what I wanted to teach you in the way I WANTED to do it....and not via any online virtual school..and sometimes when we are pressured to get work done I am tempted to try it all that way again...but online school is also good and has many benefits as well as making sure you are taught what you need to learn according to the state's standards. BUT then I have to wonder WHO really determines what you should learn and why...and by doing all these required things I am sometimes not left with enough time on my own to teach you things I WANT you to learn. So I have to come up with a better schedule or something...maybe incorporating both into the day or some on weekends or some solution.

But as far as the daily drama of life in school I do not miss that. You are much happier and less stressed. I am less stressed. I heard some kids about your age in the public library on Monday and they were back in the kid section that is set up for kids to meet in and play games and read, etc...and they were talking so inappropriately. All had come over from school...talking OUT LOUD about being HORNY and "go sit in the corner to get raped" and all this other stuff. I am so THANKFUL you are not being exposed to that crap on a daily basis and to be honest I thought someone in the library should have told those kids to tone it down a bit.

Wow....maybe I am an old fuddy duddy but I don't care. Right is right and appropriate is appropriate and that was not it.

MY SURGERY has been put on hold...I am hoping I won't need it.....time will tell...but I want to go through all options before having a surgery I may not need.

We had a good Thanksgiving....and here it is time to get ready for Christmas already! We will finish decorating the tree this weekend.

Today Opie got stuck under your bed again...he crawled up into the outer cover of the boxspring mattress..there he was stuck in the material but not in any big hurry to get back out once I lifted the mattress up. We have since blocked all areas he could get under your bed again.

Snowing here today...very chilly outside...and very much looking more like winter!

I love you lots.....really do....to the moon and back again Noah..forever.

OH...almost forgot. You have been designing your apartment and houses....I will have to post pics later. You designed a very nice small 1 bedroom place above a 3 car garage you said you could live in...and then designed a slightly larger place....over a 4 car garage. You seem to want to live above a garage one day....and not one necessarily attached to any house I own!

Then you designed a home.....and it is very nice too. I am very amazed when I see all you can do designing homes and making floor plans. I suggested you make a book about this! You said you had not even thought about that before.

So ...I say SO a lot don't I?

LOVE YOU!

Mom
XOXOXOX

Dear Noah...you are missing your dad....

2010-11-06T15:04:00.002-04:00

You woke up today and came out acting very funny...like you either did not feel well or were extremely sad. When I finally went through a complete listing of all your body parts and asking you if they hurt and you replying no..I finally asked you if you were sad. You started to cry and said you were and it was because you really wanted to see your dad. You miss him a lot I will have to have some surgery coming up and I think he is trying to time his next visit with that so he can be here for you during that time to help out which will be great. You are only hoping if that happens he stays longer than a couple of days. You need some serious time with him one-on-one.

We had to travel to Columbus the other day so I could see a surgeon...and on our way back we stopped at a combo KFC/Long John Silvers and they had a special parking place for classic old cars and beside it an old gas station and drive in speakers. We had to take a pic of you. We had a nice day together away from school and work and we actually got a lot accomplished since we began our day so early!

Otherwise Noah I love you so much. Hopefully you will get to see your dad and have a wonderful visit before you know it!

LOVE YOU!

Mommy
XOXOX

Dear Noah.....Dayton PhilharMONSTER concert and TRICK OR TREAT!

2010-10-31T18:57:00.004-04:00

SO Saturday I took you to the Dayton Schuster Center for the first time to attend the Dayton Philharmonic concert they put on for Halloween...the PHILHARMONSTER concert. I got us seats in the front row! You could actually lean on the stage we were so close. The place was so beautiful....and we will definitely be going back for other concerts or shows. There were many levels of balconies...and the very top of the ceiling led to an open area that looked as if you were gazing out onto the stars. SO beautiful!

You went trick-or-treating with your cousin Audrey that evening ....you went as Avatar the Last Airbender from the cartoon series...and she has a Victorian dead bride......you had a good time but everyone tired out fast this year.

We eventually got back here to finish watching the Ohio State football game....where they beat Minnesota 52 to 10!

Lots to do...so I am keeping this short. I love you...tonight you want to make it movie night! I think you said you wanted to watch Polar Express because it was the time of year you wanted to start watching Christmas movies!

LOVE YOU NOAH!

Mommy XOXOXOX

Dear Noah....our hometown DID have a tornado confirmed...

2010-10-29T09:03:00.001-04:00

no wonder we felt such hard winds driving home....and rain....we were probably driving on the outskirts of it all like you thought.

Dear Noah: Your stress test was normal!

2010-10-27T20:59:00.004-04:00

THESE photos do not do the clouds and black skies justice. They skies were very black at one point..something you only see in movies....eerie and scary!

(excerpt from our day)

We had to go to Children's Medical Center today for Noah to have some tests done. I did not want to go knowing it was supposed to be bad weather...even before we left the conditions were perfect for tornadoes...very warm and windy...our skies up here were almost black when we left but cleared in the Dayton area. Then coming back I wanted to come straight home to beat the storm but Noah was hungry. We stopped in Englewood at Perkins...it was not bad there BUT the farther we drove the worst it got. We hit approached our exit to take us the next 20 plus miles home and it was BLACK skies with unbelievable clouds and rain was starting and the winds! We turned on WHIO radio and tornado warnings were all around us. We did not know what to do. I called dad...he was just waking up from a nap so did not even know the conditions...I wanted to ask him if our area was bad and if so I figured we would make a pit stop at their house...but he had not heard. I kept listening to the radio and we decided to try going on North. BIG MISTAKE...the winds about blew me off the road numerous times...the rain was blowing across the road and car in WAVES...WAVES I tell you WAVES......it looked like we were riding on an ocean....and it sounded like something under my car was grinding. Noah took videoclips till he got too scared....the inside of the car sounded so loud.....the wind was unbelievable. We were almost near another small town and I decided we better pull off. A semi had almost hit us coming into our lane...no one could see.....I reached a little dairy bar restaurant right before you go into town....everyone was pulling off there....and I should have recorded that...the wind blew the car all around....the wind...I cannot say enough about the sound and the rain....and poor Noah crying and crying saying he did not want to die.....he just wanted to go home...etc...it was sooooooo nerve wracking. I kept the radio on....it seemed to chill a bit....and we started to leave...passed police cars and ambulance.....and the TORNADO SIREN RIGHT THERE BESIDE US WENT OFF......Noah was really scared then. I had no where to go take shelter.....and thought about a few places....but it looked a little clearer closer to our hometown area so we kept going....we were both praying...just wanted to not break down or have to get in a ditch off the St. Rt we were on.....almost to the town before our exit. Thought about going to my grandma's ...all the power seemed out up there....and there appeared to be a funnel cloud...so we kept heading North even though our town also had a tornado warning too.....so scary....SO scary.....I told Noah I did not know how he would ever be a storm chaser if he got that scared and cried....he said he would not mind if but from a SAFE distance. We were in the middle surrounded by tornado warnings to each direction we drove or came from...and again...the winds...sound of the wind and the rain....unbelievable. I told Noah next time he had to listen to me and when I said we were coming HOME we were coming straight HOME to beat a storm and not go through this again!

LOTS of damage in our area and many other cities around us. They have so far confirmed 6 tornado touch downs in surrounding areas....it was a very active weather day!

Noah and I were so thankful to be home. He was so afraid he was going to die. He was crying so much and was so very upset in the car. He kept telling me all the facts about fall tornadoes and how dangerous they are...and how they are rain wrapped like these were and you could not see them...until they were on top of you...and we needed to be taking shelter immediately. We had no where to take shelter...so I kept driving. Once home he was upset because our closet in the hallway is not accessible at the present time...our tornado safe zone. I told him I would clear it out fast or we could sit in the hallway. What a hectic day and evening.

Today the winds were still blowing but NOTHING like yesterday. I am thankful we could stay home today and chill.....we both needed to recover from that nerve wracking event!

Giving thanks we made it home and all was okay with us and my family and friends and others in the surrounding areas were not injured.

I love you Noah!

I was proud of your efforts on the stress test. You did much better than I thought you could do!

Mommy
XOXOXOX

Dear Noah......License to Wed???

2010-10-24T19:52:00.003-04:00

I fell asleep on the sofa the other night with the TV on and woke up finding you on the love seat watching a movie...when I asked you what it was it was called LICENSE TO WED...with Robin Williams in it...and you were enthralled...told me you had already gotten up and checked it out on Wikipedia. I was stunned...you seemed to not only like the movie but were intent on it and stayed up to watch the entire movie.

You are all about girls and love and things to do with love right now..so sweet.

You were looking at yourself in the full length mirror the other night after getting washed off and into some pajamas...you were sliding your hands up and down your belly and said it looked like waves.....rolling in and out...like a Tsunami! I about lost it laughing so hard...you did too.

Your personality and humor is really growing...as are YOU physically...you are really shooting up right now. I told you we both need to start working out together for exercise to tone up........get your coordination improved and muscles developing.

I love you a lot...we have had a lot of fun together recently....and today we went to mom and dad's for a birthday celebration.

LOVE YOU TO THE MOON AND BACK AGAIN....and again and again..forever I will!

Mommy
XOXOXOXO

Dear Noah...a song dedicated to you ...

2010-10-15T13:23:00.001-04:00

Since you are all about IN MY ROOM lately for everything and it is all I can do to get you OUT of your room..I dedicate a song to you....

I LOVE you Noah.....in or out of your room.....

Mommy
XOXOXO

Dear Noah....you designed a Sonic Chatroom movie

2010-10-08T19:13:00.002-04:00

it is actually a pretty cool storyline and you came up with the words and ideas all on your own. I think you had seen some similar things on You Tube and decided to make your own. I am pretty impressed with all the work you did and the text you added and pics you added all on your own and the flow of it all. Great job for your first one....you told me you included a LOVE triangle which I thought was pretty cute...I asked you if you KNEW what a LOVE TRIANGLE was and you very clearly and matter-of-factly told me!

We watched old Supermarket Sweep episodes on You Tube together in your room last night....had a ball. We both miss that show. You pronounced bologna BOW-LOG-NA instead of BALONEY which I found so funny....we busted out laughing big time on that!

Anyway...here is the movie you made!

I LOVE YOU!

Mommy
XOXOX

Dear Noah....you and I both love scientific notations!

2010-09-29T17:44:00.008-04:00

We have been working in math and pre-algebra.....order of operations...and scientific notations...some very long math problems at times...and today we had such fun working out scientific notations and order of operation problems! I actually asked you if you ever thought you would have been working on such long math problems like that one day and not only working on them but KNOWING how to figure out the answers!?? You shook your head no.....but we laughed and WANTED to keep going and figuring out the answers to the problems! I am so thankful!

You are also doing so much better with comprehension of things you read...inferences....etc. I am so impressed with how much you know...and some of the answers on language arts and literature you disagreed with me and YOU GOT THEM CORRECT! HA! How about that! You are doing very well and I love you very much Noah Wesley!

I can't wait to see what tomorrow holds for us both!

I love you!

Mommy

xoxoxo

Dear Noah....trip to the new ER last night....

2010-09-27T17:38:00.002-04:00

well you were talking online to your dad last night....and came out crying saying you had something weird happen...a bad pain in your head.....felt like a blood vessel burst you said. You were afraid you had "brain damage" or a "brain tumor." WHERE you have even heard those things or come up with those ideas is beyond me. ANYWAY....because of the way you described it and the fact you have never had pain like this before...I ended up taking you to the ER. They think (like I did) that it may be related to being on the computer TOO MUCH at one time and your eyes...etc....so we need to take you next to an eye doctor. You passed your vision test fine last night...but I know you have issues with the muscles in your eyes. So that will be next up on your list.

I had my routine annual physical today so you stayed with your grandma and grandpa L while I was gone...when I got back you came running out and hugged me and said, "I missed you!" That made me feel good because to be honest I did not really think you would miss me. BUT this was the FIRST TIME you have really stayed somewhere like that for a couple of hours without me being around....or you with your cousin...etc. You played on the Wii and visited with grandpa and grandma...we then stopped at grandma C's house on our way back home.

I had your 3-year meeting today with your teachers to determine your current needs pertaining to your IEP coming up in October/November. That went well. We think we will be able to drop the OT from your list this year and just continue the ST and I will work on things here at home.

It is rainy outside today and very very chilly....since you were in the ER last night and we had to get up early today you only had 6-1/2 hours of sleep and are super super tired. You will hit the bed early tonight!

I LOVE YOU NOAH and am proud of all the work you have been doing in school and just how you are personally as a young man. You lost a tooth today which is good...it is one you have been working on for awhile now.

Today you had Chick-Fil-A for lunch....McDonalds for breakfast...I guess an official "eat out day" for you! Those tear my intestinal system up...I can't do it...which is actually a good thing.

Well...more later...you are doing great...you scored MUCH HIGHER on your Scantron tests recently....so you are improving on reading and math...and in fact...were ABOVE the state/district levels for both!

I LOVE YOU TO THE MOON AND BACK AGAIN AND FOREVER NOAH WESLEY!

Mommy xoxoxoxo

Dear Noah....school is going....

2010-09-13T17:52:00.001-04:00

We are plugging along in school this year. Not much new news to report. Last night we stayed up until 3:00 a.m. watching movies..way too late.

I love you...you are growing up fast.

Mommy
XOXOXOX

Dear Noah....The Great Darke County Fair....

2010-08-23T13:51:00.003-04:00

well we decided to go to the county fair yesterday afternoon and early evening. We had a great time...did a lot of walking though and it was a little hotter than you thought it would be...you got super hot and tired pretty fast. We scoped out where everything was to be prepared next time we go back. We saw SOME of the animals and exhibits....still need to see the chicken house.....and rabbits....and rest of the pigs. You saw a cute and very friendly cat in the horse barn. He was a sweetie...and must belong to someone there because he had a collar on. We will be going back and forth a few times during fair week. School officially starts for you on Wednesday too...so it will be weird this week I think for both of us.

I love you.....hope my knee and back holds out for walking some more!

Mommy

XOXOXO

Dear Noah.....new Tupperware snack containers.....

2010-08-18T16:53:00.004-04:00

We ran some errands on Monday...and I had taken a small old-style Tupperware snack container with us with a few M&Ms in it for you to snack on until we picked up something for you to eat for lunch. AFTER we ordered the food at the drive-thru at Chik-Fil-A I had tucked that empty container into one of the snacks that held the food. I never usually do that and told myself while doing it I would have to remember to REMOVE the item before we tossed the sacks into the trash.

You had been playing with the empty container sticking it onto your elbow and making a sucking sound...and later on that day (long after we were on our way home and the trash was in the trash can back at a Walmart many miles away)...you suddenly asked where that container was. It was THEN I realized I had probably accidentally tossed it. You cried and got so sad about this. I have to admit I am the same way when accidentally tossing anything...and if it had not been that far away yes I would have turned around and retrieved an item that belonged to us...as I am just weird like that and want our things belonging to us to be with us and not in the trash. Gee I have probably spread my weirdness onto you in some small ways.

Anyway...I reminded you we have FOUR of those snack containers but the remaining THREE for some reason did not seem to be enough for you...you were suddenly worried you may never have them again and wanted to find out if we could get more. When you find something you like...you tend to want to stock up or get MANY of that same item so you will always have it. Holy cow you do get that from me!

SO once home I did manage to get online at Tupperware's website and found they DO still sell those snack containers and I ordered another set of 4....this time with all yellow lids...but no matter you said....you felt reassured you would again have ENOUGH no matter what. End of story except those little containers were almost 20.00 by the time I added on shipping and tax! It would probably have been cheaper to turn the car around and go back and fetch the one from the trash!

So...all is well in your world again...and I am thankful....

I love you....school will be starting full time for you soon. We have already been working on finishing up American History.

OH...today I went into your room looking for something and you really are to the point where you do not want me messing with anything on your desk...which looks messy to me and filled but you have apparently in some semblance of order in your head and you don't want it messed with. I reminded you once we clean your room and reorganize it...it will be likely your desk top will be cleaned off....(I am sure only to be covered again one day by the masses of little happy meal toys and cars and such you seem to collect all the time and stack up all around you). BUT this greatly upset you...me just even touching those items really bothered you. YOU did not want anything disturbed or moved...you followed me around putting everything back just like it had been. Yeah.....rearranging your room will be interesting.

The neighbors have been moving stuff into a truck and coming and going all day. You came out crying worried they were moving and you might not ever get to see Emma and Brianna ever again....I have no idea yet what exactly is going on....hopefully they will be staying though and all will be well.

All my love forever,

Mommy
XOXOXOX

Dear Noah........summer is almost over......school is about to start

2010-08-13T11:10:00.002-04:00

We have 1 more unit to finish in American History before school officially starts for you this year and we will be able to do that easily. I am hopeful and prayerful that this year will go smoothly and be easy for you and as stressfree as possible.

A couple of weeks ago after coming back from the store and running errands once we got home instead of helping me bring in sacks of groceries or at least opening the door for me in between my trips carrying stuff in (which I am trying to teach you to do) you ran off as usual to your room leaving me in your dust. I got angry and raised my voice to you (which I know does not work well with you but I lost it a bit anyway) and you of course reacted very poorly to that. You came out crying and practically screaming yourself. In fact...you did SCREAM a loud ear piercing scream as you came at me trying to hit me. When I held back your hands you then tried to kick me in the stomach. WOW...you have not had any episodes like this in years but it was amazing how quickly I remembered trying times like this for you in the past.

I finally got you calmed down...I calmed down....you were so upset...so was I. You ran and grabbed a note pad and pencil and wrote me a long apology. This is what the note said:

HUGE APOLOGY. I am sorry about what I done. I never meant for that to happen. It just slipped out of me. Forgive me pretty pretty please. I AM SO SORRY!!!!!!

Well we had a long talk. I explained what I was trying to teach you and the fact that you are approaching 12 years of age and are more than old enough to start helping me with some things around here such as bringing in groceries or opening the door and closing it behind me so I can carry in armfuls of stuff. You were crying still...and I think were afraid I was mad or did not love you anymore or something. I explained how you cannot act the way you did....not to that extent..and especially not try to hit someone when angry. AND all the whys....and reminded you how you normally work through things...and calm down first and use words now to express your issues. I also apologized for raising my voice to you but also said I should not have to yell to get you to listen to me and to help...etc. We both apologized....worked through the entire episode.

You then told me you had written down some of your "thoughts" on the back of the apology note. When I turned it over it said:

P.S. Also, I am sorry for acting like Shadow the Hedgehog. He loses his temper as much as I did.

and under that was this disturbing statement:

Thoughts I'm gonna commit suicide.

WHAT???????? Where did that come from? I asked you why you felt that way? You said you were so ashamed of how you acted and were afraid I guess I would no longer love you because of your behavior so that made you not want to live. I told you I would love you no matter what. I may not like things you do sometimes in your life but I still love you...you are my son....so many people would miss you if you did anything to hurt yourself...how much we all love you...etc. I also said I love you like God loves us...we mess up all the time but ask for forgiveness and forgive and forget and go on....so we can move forward. That this is how we sometimes learn important lessons in life..etc. I felt HORRIBLE that you felt so badly about things and how you had acted and really wanted you to know it was okay you messed up. I reminded you I messed up as well by losing my temper too. What a mess. I also pointed out how your life is a GIFT from GOD and you should never try to end it...especially if you want to get to heaven one day.

We had such a long talk....you cried a lot...got a horrible headache...and I felt like a really crappy mom for a long time.

BUT we worked through it all. You said there were TWO times in your life that were horrible that you would remember forever...one was this night..and the other a night where you apparently told me you would kill me if I did not quit acting the way I was about correcting (YELLING) at OPIE our cat. AGAIN because it upset you so much and so fast and you did not know how to contain all your anxiousness and express your feelings fast enough. I told you I really did not even remember that statement anymore...and I really don't. KIND of do but not really....hopefully also like GOD will do for us....I am not keeping any running tally of our mistakes Noah....yours or mine. We have to both try to forgive ourselves as well as each other when we mess up.

We are less than perfect...but we can continue to try to be the best we can be for each other. We are a team. We are in this together for the long haul...we have to work together to make this a success.

sigh........tensions....anxiety......hopefully relieved. I have allowed you some extra sleepovers in my room for reassurance. You are spending so much time in your room these last days of summer. Trying to get you OUT of the room is almost impossible unless we go somewhere.

BUT I LOVE YOU...so very much. Always have...always will....

mom
XOXOXO

Dear Noah......young love...

2010-08-01T14:00:00.002-04:00

when I was talking to the neighbor the other day (where those 2 little girls used to live that you liked to play with so well...Emma and Brianna)...I found out the woman who lives there is THEIR GRANDMOTHER! When I came in later and told you this...you were so happy you nearly cried. You loved Brianna and Emma so much and missed them when they were moving away a couple of years ago...and you had no idea where they moved to so lost touch. You were SHOCKED you said and so happy....you could not wait until they came back over to visit their grandma so you could once again see Brianna! You said you would probably CRY when you saw her you were going to be so happy to see her again and you had missed her so much...and now you are thinking you might tell her you LOVE HER...that she was your ONE TRUE LOVE.....

I hope and pray all that goes well...for you...your tender heart does not ever deserve to be hurt or broken. Here the 2 little girls over playing with the neighbor boy that one night WAS EMMA and BRIANNA! We just did not know it and you and I were inside and had gone to the drive in that night I think. So you missed them! You had even said earlier to me you thought you heard their voices...but you often hear little girl voices and think it is them. Here this time IT WAS them!

So you are anxiously awaiting a day when they come back to visit...or are hoping they come back to visit...so you can pop over by the fence and talk and visit and maybe even play with them!

You are sweet. The other morning when you woke up....I always ask you if you had any dreams. YOu said you did but were afraid to tell me. You said you had a dream ABOUT BRIANNA! AND you were MAKING OUT WITH HER! (JUST KISSING)...but...you giggled like a schoolgirl! hahaha....

oh my....life and all it holds is truly opening up for you and only just beginning.

I love you so much Noah! School will be starting in like 3 weeks!

Mommy
XOXOXOXO

Dear Noah....DENTIST day!

2010-07-26T20:46:00.002-04:00

You had your 6-month check up today. Your 12-year molars are all coming in. Two are pretty much in all the way just about. You only have 4 baby teeth remaining to come out yet...and 2 of those are nearly out. You still have ZERO cavities which is great! You are doing so much better with seeing the dentist and handling cleanings and everything. I really want to thank the Children's Medical Center's dentist department for just taking so much extra time with you to make sure you are able to handle things well and have a good experience. Your teeth look super nice after the cleaning too!

On the way home we stopped by to see Grandma C. We have not seen her for over 3 weeks as she has been away staying with my cousin after her final surgery following breast cancer. It was good to see her. We really missed her.

Today was a good day. We had lunch at Cracker Barrel. The weather was much nicer today. Not nearly as muggy or hot. It would be a great night for the drive in! BUT I work in the morning and while there is a movie I would like to see...it is not really for you.

Well...I don't have any pics from today. I did not take my camera. YOU DID take your camera and filmed the elevators and bathrooms at the hospital.

I love you lots Noah! I am proud of you and how well you did at the dentist office. I am also so happy you have had ZERO cavities! So when you get that gunk on your teeth...even though it might look bad...it really does protect your teeth from cavities!

LOVE YOU LOTS!

Mommy
XOXOXOX

Dragons Delight!

2010-07-24T19:25:00.003-04:00

My sister invited us all to go to a Dayton Dragons game and watch it up on the Club Deck in a SUITE room. WOW...that is the way to go and watch a game! We had 10 seats outside the suite room with ceiling fans overhead....and an entire room with television, bar and 3 stools, a couch and 2 rocker recliners and fridge inside. Sink, towels, snacks. It was a great night and even though the Dragons lost you had a great time visiting too with family and your cousins!

I cannot believe August is just around the corner. It won't be long and school will be back in session and our routines will begin again!

I love you! I am so glad we got to go to the game Thursday night and we had such a great time!

Mommy
XOXOXO

Dear Noah...Pow Wow, the Great Wolf Lodge, 4th of July and birthdays

2010-07-06T20:59:00.008-04:00

We went to a Pow Wow on June 19 at Sun Watch Village. It was really hot that day and you got overheated but we managed. It was interesting but not nearly as large as we had expected it to be or what we are used to seeing in Colorado.

We were invited by my sister Becky to go on a trip with her and my other sister and her daughter and my nephew to the Great Wolf Lodge to celebrate her retirement! She is retiring super young. We went...and the Great Wolf Lodge is all it brags itself up to be! You had a great time in the wave pool in their inside water park! You spent all your time there except when sleeping or getting ready to eat or use the bathroom! We found a cool Christmas shop on the way and bought some amazing ornaments!

AND of course a big highlight for you was the ability to ride the elevator since we had a 4th floor room and to check out all their bathrooms and film them!

This past weekend we spent the 4th of July at my parents to celebrate the 4th as well as my birthday along with a belated birthday celebration for my sister Melissa. We had such fun. You got a Wendy's kid's meal and it had jokes and these crazy nose glasses inside. Of course we all had to try them on for size and have our pics taken. You looked so cute....like a little bug!

We have been busy having fun this summer and you have been spending a lot of time reading in your room and playing games. We are squeezing in a little bit of school as well to keep things fresh for this coming fall. I can only hope I am helping you to make some wonderful memories to recall when you get older. I love you so very much Noah!

Mommy
XOXOXOX

Dear Noah......another visit to the Drive-In!

2010-06-30T08:13:00.002-04:00

We went to the drive-in last night. WOW the weather was perfect for it. It was in the high 60s.....NO humidity! JUST PERFECT clear beautiful night! Stars in the sky overhead....

We saw Toy Story 3..and it was really good. I love how you really get into the movies now and laugh and giggle at the funny parts. You can sit very well now for the most part for an entire movie. We had a great time. Of course your highlight would have been if I allowed you to go FILM the toilets in the bathroom....but we did not even go to the bathroom at the Drive-In last night.

My birthday is fast approaching along with the 4th of July. We have some summertime activities planned and I guess we better get BUSY doing them....not much summer left! It is going by so quickly!

I love you Noah..so much. Thanks for going to the Drive-In with me and enjoying it as much as I do! We also saw some amazing trailers for upcoming movies...such as Legend of the Guardians and Smurf'd! They look awesome! Especially that first one!

Well..I need to get back to work!

LOVE YOU LOTS!

Mommy

Dear Noah.......summertime.......

2010-06-21T20:00:00.002-04:00

What can I say? We have been busy....I am reorganizing the house....getting ready to paint soon. You are spending lots of time on the computer and we have been taking trips. You are wanting to go swimming but so far it has been a super muggy and stormy start to summer!

This past weekend we had a Father's Day celebration along with your aunt's birthday celebration combined....we had a great visit and enjoyed the visit. Today we saw grandma C...also enjoyed that visit.

We are finishing up some American History in school....and I cannot believe July is almost here already!

Not much else to report for now. I love you!

Mommy

Dear Noah.....hair cut time

2010-05-26T13:17:00.004-04:00

We decided you were ready for a hair cut. You even decided that you would be willing to go to our local GREAT CLIPS to get a trim...since your hair was soooo long and needed to be professionally brought up to date...as far as length goes. You look good with long or short hair but too short and you look a little sick. SO the professionals can do a better job than I can at cutting your hair just right.

Here is how you look now!

Meanwhile we are finishing up your school year. I just got the results of your Scantron test in the spring. NOT the state testing scores yet...but to see how you were progressing. You are above the advanced for reading and above target for math...so this is all good news. You have shown appropriate progress improving in both math and reading since the fall of last year. This also means I am doing my job as your teacher.

Anyway...you have a conference today with OVHA teachers...last one for this year. Need to make you some lunch first.

I LOVE YOU!

Mommy

Dear Noah...you and I had a great weekend!

2010-05-24T12:39:00.002-04:00

You had cousin Audrey come spend the night Saturday. We ended up going to see Shrek and Iron Man 2 at the Drive In. I treated you and Audrey to spending the night in a motel. To be honest if it were your choice...that probably would have been all you wanted to do. You cried about leaving the hotel...cried the next day wanting to go back to the hotel....that was all I heard over and over till last night.

BUT we had a great time. You and Audrey played at a couple of McDonald's play areas...as it seemed that was all you both wanted to eat. YUCKO for me and my taste.

Otherwise....we are moving into your last week of school already! HARD to believe! We have worked really hard to wrap things up for the end of the year but I do have a few things planned for us to continue to work on through the summer to keep things fresh in your mind.

This should be a good week.....love you lots my little young man!

Mommy

Dear Noah.....Busy busy days of May!

2010-05-16T10:41:00.004-04:00

Wow I seem to be forgetting to log into Blogger these days and make updates to this diary. I apologize. We have been so busy! The school year is rapidly winding down and I am trying to get all your loose ends tied up so we will only have 1 main subject to play catch up on over the summer along with me continuing to work with you on handwriting skills and typing skills and some other things I have planned. AND continued field trips. I plan to make this next year for you one of the better ones with school and I hope and pray it goes well for you.

We made it to the state mandated testing and the site was the best one we have been to yet. We will definitely choose that again in future years! You think you did pretty well...saying you felt you did an A or B or 85 to 95% on each subject tested on. I won't know the scores until probably right before school is out or shortly thereafter.

We had a cookout for Mother's Day and invited all the moms and grandmas over along with your aunties and cousins and uncles. You really had a great time! You were a big ham and liked to pose for anyone wanting to take your picture! It was that day I realized how much you are growing up!

Later that same night we decided to go to the drive in. Iron Man 2 and How To Train Your Dragon were playing. We both really enjoyed the movies and it was then I realized you understand so much more about even hidden innuendos and meanings in some of the things people say like in the movies. You laughed a LOT during both movies and found many APPROPRIATE things funny that were yes...meant to be funny! It dawned on me then that you are finally GETTING it in many areas of life where you had a struggle before! This was a HUGE moment for me. I also really enjoy being in your company and doing things with you. I love going places with you and enjoy all the things we talk about. I can only hope and pray you never grow tired of me! I know sometimes you lose patience with me already.

I read a story to you by Steven Hawking on time travel that you found fascinating. You still want to build a time machine.

Summer is almost here and we are thinking about putting up a bigger pool this year. It may be silly cause I don't think you used the one we had last year all that much. BUT I am thinking about it. I may save the money though and use it instead for something else.

We BOUGHT the house we have been living in for the last 4 years. The landlord gave us a great deal on a land contract. So we are planning on making a few changes around here over time. You are very excited about Opie being allowed to be in the house now.

Anyway...I need to get off here. Lots to do. It is Sunday and I am sure we will want to do a lot before the day is over.

I LOVE YOU NOAH!

Mommy
XOXOXOX

P.S. The Mother's Day card you gave me that you picked out yourself made me cry it was so nice and then even nicer to read the personalized message you put at the bottom about how you really do love me. That made my year. SMOOCHES!

CHILDREN's TYLENOL, MOTRIN, ZYRTEC and BENADRYL being recalled....

2010-05-01T10:55:00.003-04:00

you can go here to check the sections for each...click on the category you want...and read the lists....you will see LOT NUMBERS to the right of each list of each item recalled.

MED RECALL DETAILS

Dear Noah....state mandated tests.....and used book store shopping!

2010-04-21T19:01:00.002-04:00

This week is state mandated testing.....for reading, math and science. You have reading and math done...Friday will be science. You feel you have done really well so far. Today on math it did not even take you 1 hour to answer all the questions. I think you came out in like 45 minutes or so...and there were like 46 questions. So you did pretty well I think.

The weather has been super nice. Monday after testing we went to Cracker Barrel to eat. You had breakfast and must have been super hungry as you had almost 2 pancakes, 1 bowl of cheerios and some of my chicken! You have been trying some new things recently....and have discovered you like them! SO slowly you are broadening what you can eat...or are at least more willing to give something new a try!

We have been super busy here. We are in the process now of probably buying the house we have been renting for the past 4 years. We have had an oven/fire and water heater leak and they have all been replaced now. We have had some new piping put in for the water heater. NOW your school computer is not working so they are sending out a new one and we will be returning this one. To say that things have been a little hectic around here is an understatement!

You are growing up. You have been so very helpful lately and I appreciate that. Today we stopped by the secondhand book store on our way home in town. You have been anxiously awaiting a trip back there...why? Because you love to go to the ROMANCE novel section and in private (meaning you want me OUT of that same room)...you like to pull the books out one by one off the shelf to see the covers! Yes...you are liking the women more and more all the time!

You are so funny...and have developed quite a sense of humor and are really understanding more and more innuendos all the time. I am looking forward to finishing this year out in school with you...and finishing organizing the house and having an even better year with you for school next year!

We have some exciting things planned this summer. We have been and will continue to be pretty busy!

I love you my little YOUNG man!

Mommy
XOXOX

Dear Noah...oven on fire and Easter approaching!

2010-04-02T19:34:00.002-04:00

Well last Saturday morning we had a fire ...the oven caught on fire while I was trying to make you party mix before you woke up. You had specifically requested I make it before you got up so you could have some for breakfast. TO make a very long story short...the oven malfunctioned and caught fire....I had to actually call the fire department out to put the fire out...and carry the oven outside. Needless to say I got you outside right away...and your party mix was ruined. We are still waiting on our replacement oven...it is supposed to be delivered on Monday. I am so thankful the fire did not get any worse than just the oven and part of the wall behind the oven had a little smoke damage. Otherwise the smoke in the house was thick and smelled really bad..but it also did not leave any damage. We are very fortunate!

You had been working on your tooth that was stuck and jammed that the dentist wanted to do surgery on. You got it OUT the other night..you were so excited about it. I am so thankful! You were more excited to see the next morning what the tooth fairy left you...a Hot Wheels collectors book you had been wanting and a note! We are all happy about these teeth coming out..it will save you a lot trauma going under anesthetic and surgery in the hospital for 3 teeth...2 of which you have since removed on your own. You have always been this way....we just have to give you a little extra time and you end up doing things like this on your own.

Now you are excited about upcoming Easter and seeing your cousin Audrey again. We went to her house on Tuesday evening to follow her over to her school to listen to her play in a recorder concert she was in. I was impressed with how you are growing up and behaved so much better than you would have in the past. You can now sit pretty well for a good 1/2 hour to 1 hour. You did something similar in church on Christmas Eve.

Well..I have lots to do. Grandma C. is letting us borrow a toaster oven and electric skillet or we would not really be able to cook at all!

I LOVE YOU NOAH WESLEY!!!!!!!!!

Mommy
XOXOXOX

p.s...we have discovered you can give excellent POUNDING back massages with your clenched fists. Wow...your hands are just the right size and you can really lay into my back and shoulders. It feels so wonderful..haha

We hope you all have a wonderful and blessed Easter!

some happy thoughts today.......

2010-03-26T10:40:00.002-04:00

Sunday I wanted to attend the viewing of my parents' neighbor who had passed away and I had known pretty much my entire life. While this was sad..it did bring me to spend the day with my sister, her daughter, and my mom and dad. It caused me to think back on a lot of old memories of days gone by with my family and all I was thankful for. It made me value time and being alive even more than I have been.

We had a very nice visit. Noah was with me. The weather ended up being much nicer than the forecast had predicted and we got invited to stay for a cookout for supper. We had so much fun....and a very nice visit. The kids and I did some sidewalk chalk......and just being together, remembering memories and creating new ones....besides the fabulous food we ate and the fun doing all the sidewalk chalk art....it all made me incredibly happy.

Noah has lost one of the 3 teeth he needs to...and is working on that one that is really stuck. It is about ready to come out which is great news so he can avoid surgery and being put under anesthetic and having a lot of things done to his mouth that would also be costly and probably not really necessary.

Noah is VERY excited because his cousin Audrey and his aunt Melissa are to come spend the day Sunday with us. Spring break is next week already...state testing is coming up in April...and it wont' be long and school will be out for summer again already! SO hard to believe how fast time is passing by.

We had some incredibly nice days for awhile..but the ice and snow came back last night...not too much but enough to cause the local schools to close. Today will be an easy day of school for us here at home.

I love you Noah! You make me very happy!

Mommy
XOXOXOX

Dear Noah........school on the go......

2010-03-10T13:28:00.002-05:00

Yesterday since it was so nice outside and I got my work done on time for a change I decided to load us up in the car, drive to Union City, Indiana and park and work on schoolwork while we waited for trains to come through town. We had some time before your speech therapy appointment and I figured what a better way to sit and do school work, enjoy the outdoors and take you railfanning all at the same time. We got to see 2 trains in less than 30 minutes.....one was really short...the other really long.

Needless to say you were thrilled and of course you are ready to do it all again!

I love you....

Mommy
xoxox

SHORT TRAIN

The REALLY LONG ONE!

Movie clip of those train sets inside luggage....

2010-03-08T17:34:00.002-05:00

Dear Noah.........fun at the train show and birthday party....

2010-03-08T16:16:00.009-05:00

Sunday morning you and I got up at a decent time...had breakfast from McDonalds and then went to the model train show over at the fairgrounds. This is something we do every year though we missed last year. We had a great time this year and you were specifically looking for a specific train engine to buy and sure enough the last table of trains we looked at...had the train engine you wanted. AND a car to go with it. The man selling them marked them down for us...giving us BOTH for only 25.00. You were thrilled.

I am always on the lookout for something off the norm...unique....new. While there I came across a display of "N" scale train displays where a man from Englewood takes guitar cases and old luggage, guts them out and then puts very elaborate train displays INSIDE the cases! WOW...these were amazing and so unique. They take up a small space, are quick to set up and play with or look at, and are portable! AND use recycled items! I had a long talk with the elderly gentleman about that....and he got out a photo album showing me how he made these sets. A most amazing story. Here are some of his displays. The guitar case one was my favorite...having an old 50s style theme including Jukebox...and the restaurant inside featured dancers inside the restaurant that were actually moving around and dancing to the music. It was just amazing. I asked for his business card...asked if he made any of these for custom orders...but he prefers sticking to this for a hobby. GREAT new innovative idea however, and great money maker and someone doing this would be in business forever!

Here the man I spoke with (noted above) was the PRESIDENT of Dayton N Track, Don Kriegbaum and he has many things he is involved in....here is a link to one of his websites:

Dayton NTRACK

Then we went to pick up grandma C. to take her with us to your other grandma and grandpa's house for a double birthday party..one for your cousin Audrey and one for your aunt Becky. We had a great time there...a very nice visit. I made your aunt a unique gift this year. I had always wanted to make her an 'activity box" as when she was little and then got older she said one of her best gifts was always those activity boxes you would give to kids or rainy day boxes. I figured I could make a unique one for her...and finally decided to do it. I went to Webb's Antique Mall and found an old small overnight antique luggage box...and then decoupaged old photos of Becky and the family and special memories on the outside and inside of the case and then filled it with old kid toys, antiques, and some gifts for her today. I think she liked it...I had fun making it.

THINK this was a forced smile here.....haha

Audrey's Cake

Becky's cookie

Mom slaving away in the kitchen making spaghetti

The TWILIGHT theme for the party

One of the items inside Becky's luggage...this reminded me of the fish you win in those bags at the county fair.

I also made a very special Twilight Diary for Miss Audrey.....where I took a regular lock and key diary and altered it.....adding in pics from the movie Twilight to it..especially Edward Cullen as she loves him.....and I forgot to actually take pics of the actual results. It was pretty cool...nearly every page had photos glued into it...with room left for writing. I also added quotes, trinkets, keys, special items for different holidays and days...leaving room for her to add more. I had fun making it and think I have a couple of others who are interested in getting something similar.

I wish I had a picture of it...or a few...but I forgot to snap some of it for some weird reason. Maybe Audrey and her mom can snap a few. I do have one of her opening it and smiling so big. THAT was what I had hoped for. She loved it and then actually wrote in it before I left that day...locked it and HID it she said. I am happy.....that was the exact reaction I was hoping for.

Anyway....cake and ice cream were good. Becky had a big decorated chocolate chip cookie for her birthday instead of a cake. You just had 2 helpings of strawberry ice cream.

Then we stopped and visited with grandma C. for a bit before coming home. All in all we had a great day. The weather has been super nice too.....sunny and much warmer. We are all getting antsy for spring now.

Today I want to take a drive...it is too nice to stay inside....but you are talking with your dad and aunt Mary on the computer for a bit. SO we will have to go later or another day. I thought we could buzz over to Versailles, OH and catch some trains zipping through town!

I love you lots Noah!

Mommy
XOXOXOX

Noah's review of a Wii game

2010-03-04T15:14:00.001-05:00

Dear Noah.........reflecting on the status of things.....

2010-03-04T12:16:00.002-05:00

I have realized recently I am not posting here as often as I had been. That is partly due to being a bit busy, but also partly because things are flowing pretty steady with us now at home, doing school at home, and therapies locally, etc.

I find our stress levels have dropped tremendously......all that turmoil and crap basically we used to have to deal with on a DAILY basis via the public school system is gone.

Today I am just very thankful we do continue to homeschool. For so many reasons...but mostly because you are handling things so much better in your life, in general and with school. We eliminated a huge source of troubling issues when we started homeschooling again...and we will continue on with no regrets.

I do have something funny to share. A week or so ago I had you change out of your clothes to put some clean clothes on. Actually I think you had gotten out of your pajamas to get dressed. I said I would bring you some clothes. I got sidetracked and a couple of hours I think had gone by. I finally called you into my office area for something and I looked and there you stood NAKED! When I asked you WHY you were standing there naked you told me, "Mom, you never brought me any clothes!"

This is one of the times I am reminded you have autism.....because that is very typical of something you would never think of coming to say to me on your own...like, "Hey mom I need some clothes!" You were perfectly fine being naked. I asked you, "Didn't you get cold?" and you said no. I felt horrible, but it was also sort of funny to you and me both. We both ended up laughing and I got you some clothes to put on.

There are still times when you cannot distinguish between a man and woman, often calling a female "him" and a male "her" and not recognizing the difference at all...even when it is obvious what their gender is.

At night if I am asleep you will not verbally say anything to wake me or shake me even if you need something.

Those are the kinds of reminders I get now that you still have a few little issues...and still need some prompting and redirecting. Or when you say something in a public place way too loud about someone and they can hear you.

BUT otherwise......we are sailing along...and we are pretty happy...and enjoy our time together.

You are still working on your time machine ideas......and now also love to watch Tom and Jerry cartoons.

You are doing very well in school and math you are ahead of the class...same for reading. So you are making it...you are coming along...and I am very proud of you.

I also love you a lot!

Mommy
XOXOX

Dear Noah.....

2010-02-15T22:22:00.004-05:00

I was in your room today and happened to look down and saw these.....

then looked over and saw these.......

I had been hearing this funny sound you had been making for hours on end. I went in your room to find out what you were doing to make that sound and why. You told me you made that sound over and over cause you liked how it sounded and it excited you. I clocked you...you made the sound on average like 37 times in 5 minutes during a video. You like to make the sound when playing PC games or watching videos. So this means on average per hour you make the sound about 444 times. You said if you make the sound too many times it makes your head hurt. I actually thought it sounded sorta cute...but could see where it would probably make your head hurt after awhile. I guess it is like a vocal tic....because you don't really have any control over it....it is just something you have to do...over and over.

Anyway......here is a clip of the sound and us talking about it.

I love you too the moon and back again Noah...forever and ever and ever I will!!

Mommy
XOXOX

we have gotten a lot of snow......with more on the way tomorrow!

2010-02-08T13:18:00.000-05:00

I love winter...I love snow....we have been getting a lot lately and more will be following soon! We were on a level 3 snow emergency until yesterday so even if we wanted to go anywhere we would not have been able to. Today we are down to a level 1...just in time to stock up on a few more supplies and run a few errands. Here is some pics of the snow we have now......after shoveling out.

Road Trip........

2010-01-31T01:47:00.001-05:00

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Dear Noah.......stress

2010-01-21T14:08:00.003-05:00

I cannot believe it has been this long in between posts. BUT it has. We have had a lot going on around here lately and there will be more to come. Needless to say this has created a bit of stress periodically in the house. Sometimes we both handle it well and sometimes not as well as we'd like.

You are going pretty well ...but do have your moments. A couple of times when you got frustated trying to tell me something....you got very upset and turned pretty red, and put your thumb in your mouth and bit down..hard enough to almost cut through the skin. You were also shaking at this time. AFTERwards we talked about it...how you handled that particular situation...how you could handle it perhaps better the next time round...and the unfortunate consequences of biting down on one's own body parts when angry. I sort of doubt you will do that again. I am thankful you did not come at me when you were angry.

Anyway....we have some loose teeth to get out of your mouth or the dentist will want to do SURGERY putting you under sedation to remove them. I am all for trying to do this ourselves and having you again avoid any surgery and sedation. SO we are working on the teeth.

You are really into Tom and Jerry right now.

Christmas was good and you handled your dentist and cardiology appointments well.

You have enjoyed your Wii so far.

I love you....I am hoping and praying I can keep this job or get an even better one and make your life as stress free and loving as possible.

Mommy
XOXOXOX

Dear Noah....Jan. 4, 2010 - dentist and cardiology day........

2010-01-04T19:35:00.003-05:00

Well we made it through the holidays. You had a wonderful Christmas and birthday. You got many nice presents......including a new HO scale train set from Santa and books, movies, gift certificates, and games. You got movies on Twisters and books on space and tornadoes. You got a Magic 8 Ball and Monopoly City, Diamond Scrabble and Yahtzee. You also got enough money on your birthday to order yourself a Wii!! That should be coming this week.

You did so well when it came time for everyone to sing to you on your birthday. IN fact....you have done well overall with all gatherings recently.

Today you had to go back to the dentist for a followup and cleaning. ZERO cavities and they look so nice again! However....you do have one baby tooth that came out partway and got jammed between the new tooth and the gum that we cannot get out. The dentist said it would have to be surgically removed and knowing you..laughing gas would not help you as you would still be awake and get too worked up probably to handle a shot in the gum to numb it. SO....he suggested sending you to the OR (operating room) to be put under and they can do everything to your mouth at one time. I guess there are also 2 upper teeth trying to do the same thing. He thinks and I agree, that those will probably come out on their own with your help. BUT so far we cannot budge that other tooth. SO you may be facing surgery for all that if we cannot get them out ourselves in the next few months. I would like to avoid any surgery for you if possible....so I am going to try to work on that bottom tooth and you are already working on the upper teeth.

Cardiology visit went better than last time as far as you handling the ultrasound of your heart. However, the doctor this time actually HEARD the aortic valve regurgitation and stenosis and is concerned if it continues on without any intervention....your left ventricle will eventually be affected as the back flow of blood goes there..so blood comes out from there but also some leaks back. Your aortic valve has narrowed a bit so she can hear things there now she could not before. Anyway....to make a long story short..the goal is to try to postpone any surgery for you as long as possible. SOME cardiologists do nothing for kids born with a bicuspid aortic valve and even if you develop aortic stenosis and aortic regurgitation if not too bad, they just let it take its course. Some live normal lives and never have problems...most eventually one day face some sort of surgery to try to repair the valve or replace it. SINCE this is all open heart surgery so far to in most cases.....we are trying to postpone this as long as possible.

ONE way (if things slowly worsen) is to place you on an ACE inhibitor to lower the blood pressure (yours is NOT high)....which in turn reduces how hard your heart has to work to make up for the leaky valve....and the rate of pressure your blood is being pumped through the heart. SOMEtimes kids on ACE inhibitors ventricles improve and almost normalize..sometimes it appears it really does nothing. So some docs say to try something like medicine to see if you can HELP postpone the inevitable..some say it makes no difference. We are going to wait another 6 months...have you go back again for another ultrasound of the heart.....and then see how things are at that point. Each time things have changed a bit.....and she hears more or they see more leaking and things on the ultrasound images. She said in 6 months if things have again worsened even a little bit....she would recommend trying some sort of medicine. SO we will see. The problem with putting you on an ACE inhibitor when you don't really need it.....is we would have to monitor your blood pressure really closely until we got it regulated....since you are normal already....we would not want it to drop too low. I also want to do my own research on this and see if it really makes much difference in the inevitable outcome. If not......we may just let nature take its course and only act if things got really bad over time.

Regardless you made it through the day. I took you to Hallmark to buy you the newest Diary of a Wimpy Kid you had seen there before Christmas for a present for being so good today. You are still in your room reading.

I love you Noah. God will help us get through all these things together!

Mommy
XOXOXOX

Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays!

2009-12-23T18:20:00.002-05:00

From our house to yours Noah and I wanted to wish you all a very blessed holiday season!

Dear Noah......you have been very emotional lately....

2009-12-21T09:57:00.003-05:00

I forgot that this time of year can be really hard on you. There are so many things going on and you get so excited.

We went to get you Domino's Pizza the other night to last you over the holidays and we noticed they have changed their pizza crust, sauce and cheese topping. One pizza was made the old way.....1 was made the new way. I am not sure if this is a new pizza from here on out or if they can still make them the old way. BUT yesterday morning you told me you were crying the night before after I tucked you in...and when I asked "why" you told me because you were afraid this was the way Domino's was going to make all of their pizzas from here on out and you did not care for the garlic crust and the red pepper spicier sauce as both burned your tongue and throat. Oh I do hope and pray this is a temp thing or I can still order one the old way. You cried about it again yesterday while I tried to convince you that trying a pizza from another pizza place might be a good thing for you to try again one day soon! We have a Papa Johns in town AND a Pizza Hut and I reminded you that you used to eat and love both at one time in the past.

You also want a sleep over with your cousin Audrey so badly right now.

You have been thinking a lot about your dad and some of the problems he had a few years back. You had a bad dream about him the other night too. Almost every little thing makes you want to cry...I mean real tears where you are very upset.

You DO snap back out of it quicker which is improvement, but I feel badly for you. Hopefully you will be fine once we get these holidays on the road!

Yesterday I washed all the sheets, and blankets, and afghans in the house and decided we needed to move some of your stuffed animals OFF your bed as they were taking up over HALF of the bed and it looked too cluttered. THIS

is how we rearranged them and I also have stuck some on your bookshelves which you cannot see in this photo. This is much easier and more doable for impromptu sleep overs for greater ease with getting IN the bed without it taking 30-45 minutes prep time removing all the plushies!

Anyway.....we need to send your letter off to Santa today.

I love you so very much Noah.

Mommy
XOXOXO

Dear Noah..........you lost another tooth.........

2009-12-13T23:38:00.003-05:00

You have 2 more teeth to hopefully get out of your mouth before your dental visit in January. One I don't think is connected to anything anymore, but it is jammed down and wedged tight to the gum line.

We have been busy getting ready for Christmas and finishing up school for 2009. Time is going by so quickly!

I am going to keep this short. Sorry for lack of entries recently but we are just really busy this time of year. Today we went to see Grandma C. You had a new puzzle book you wanted to work some puzzles with her. We ended up staying for supper.

Love you much!

Mommy
XOXOXOX

Dear Noah..........that might "foil" our plans.......

2009-12-06T12:41:00.002-05:00

OUR TREE this year......

We had talked about eating breakfast Monday at Cracker Barrel since we have not been there awhile and then railfanning (going to watch some trains nearby and videotaping them).

When you woke up today I told you starting tomorrow it may snow this coming week off and on...tomorrow's chance of snow was 50%.

You said "oh no....that may foil our plans to go to Cracker Barrel!" You sometimes amuse me with the words you choose to use in a very complete sentence that sounds so very grown up. When I asked you if you knew what FOIL our plans meant you said, "yeah..it means cancel them!" haha

you are something else. I love you......but I doubt it will snow so much it will foil our plans. BUT you never know!

adorably cute playful kitten

2009-11-29T21:52:00.001-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

2009-11-24T09:35:00.002-05:00

Scientific link to autism identified....interesting read

2009-11-18T12:01:00.001-05:00

During its research into the application of neuroscience in business, a New Jersey based think tank, The Center for Modeling Optimal Outcomes®, LLC (The Center) made an inadvertent and amazing discovery.

The Center examined the neuroscientific dynamics of logic and emotion in decision making while researching neuroscience in business. They found unique corollary relationships between various brain chemicals (neurohormones, neurotransmitters, etc.). This apparent pattern led to a new path of research for the team outside of business. By looking at extensive scientific literature they discovered a cascade of hormones that emanate from the brain (hypothalamus). This same pattern of correlations was again apparent throughout the cascade. The group added a research biologist and started to test the pattern on genes (proteins). It remained consistent. The Center then called upon advisors from chemistry and physics to see if the pattern would apply in physical sciences.

To the amazement of the group, it became apparent that this pattern of corollary relationships could be applied to scientific processes for maintaining equilibrium (homeostatic relationships) throughout all of science; from subatomic particles to chemistry as well as between biological substances.

While the entire scientific community knows that homeostasis exists, this tacit knowledge has not been converted into a step-by-step, replicable model. The Center identified precisely such an explicit process.

Challenged by several of The Center's advisors, members of the team decided to test the efficacy of the model to determine if the disruptions that cause autism could be identified.

After careful review of countless scientific studies, meeting with several renowned scientists to discuss their findings, and then applying the modeling process to numerous hypotheses, The Center's Life Sciences group was able to formulate a scientifically verifiable model for the highly probable causal path of autism. Through the application of their model, it became apparent that autism is an outcome of several variables that, when the homeostatic relationship of each one is disrupted, a "perfect storm" scenario results in autism. The application of the model identified several of the variables that account for why boys have a 4 to 1 ratio of instances over girls as well as why not every boy is affected.

While the scientific community will have to validate The Center's findings, the model for assessing homeostatic relationships indicates the "trigger" behind autism is an imbalance between a pair of amino acid neurotransmitters; glutamate and glycine.

According to The Center's founder, William McFaul, a retired business person and not a member of the scientific community, "Because of its universal applicability, our Life Sciences group has already used the model as a tool to identify highly probable causal paths for several illnesses and disease entities. Autism was one of most difficult illnesses The Center had attempted to analyze. If it hadn't been for so many parents insisting that vaccines were responsible for the condition, we might never have found the fact that the stabilizer in MMR and a few other vaccines is hydrolyzed gelatin; a substance that is approximately 21% glycine. It appears that, based on readily verifiable science, the use of that form of glycine triggers an imbalance between the amino acid neurotransmitters responsible for the absorption rate of certain classes of cells throughout the body. It is that wide-spread disruption that apparently results in the systemic problems that encompass the mind and the body characterized in today's 'classic' autism." He also added, "The use of our model indicates each of the disorders within Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is attributable to different disruptions in homeostasis. We look forward to sharing our findings relative to each disorder with the scientific community."

According to Linda Oliver-Perrier, The Center's spokesperson for their Life Sciences group, "The details of the disruptive process are somewhat complex and not conducive for explanation in a press release. We have posted a more detailed explanation on our web site, www.TheCenterNJ.com/lifesciences.html." She added, "Undoubtedly, this finding based on the application of the model for homeostasis will cause immense controversy. Our Life Sciences group is prepared to meet with members of the scientific community to explain the model as well as the variables that create the 'perfect storm' that results in autism."

McFaul added, "The Center is seeking to affiliate with academic centers to provide its model for homeostasis to the scientific community for use as a tool to enable researchers to identify root causes of illnesses and disease entities. The Center is a think tank that creates models. We are not an operating company with the resources to educate individuals or organizations on the application of the models we create.

Dear Noah..........they're here!

2009-11-18T06:28:00.002-05:00

PILLSBURY GINGERBREAD COOKIE DOUGH! We stopped in Krogers on Monday and they finally had some of your favorite Pillsburg gingerbread cookie dough rolls so we bought 6. That only left 3 in the case and those 3 looked slightly damaged. I hope they stock more so we can get you more rolls before the season is over. You hope to put 25 rolls in the freezer. Last year we did that and the cookie dough lasted you until August the following year!

We made cookies on Monday then.....and you are once again in gingerbread heaven!

I love you much!

Mommy
XOXOXO

THANKS TO JACKANDJOANNE on Blogger........

2009-11-12T13:44:00.005-05:00

for this wonderful link to a great explanation of the Mayan calendars and what the end of their LONG COUNT calendar really means......which TOTALLY helped to alleviate any fears about the year 2012 Noah had.

In case anyone else has similar angst regarding that date.....I am sharing the information in that article with you here.

Fears about the year 2012 rest on just one of at least three Maya calendar systems unearthed by scholars, the "Long Count," which began on Aug. 13, 3114 B.C.

The Long Count tracks the duration of what the Maya called "great cycles" of time. The cycle we're currently in ends on 13.0.0.0.0, what we non-Maya call Dec. 23, 2012.

"I tell my students it is similar to an odometer," says archaeologist Lisa Lucero of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. "After it hits 100,000 miles, it starts again – but there is no new car, nor does the car self-destruct."

Worries about the date rest from a Maya inscription fragment suggesting the date's importance at the site of Tortuguero in Mexico, says archaeologist Kristin Romey, science adviser to Asylum.com. "The only problem is the Maya had Long Count calendar inscriptions mentioning baktuns (millennia) much further in the future at other sites, so 2012 hardly seems the end of the world."

On the plus side, the Mexican tourist industry could use a 2012 boost, Romey says, after swine flu and violence associated with narcotics. "I'm sure they will be selling a lot of T-shirts."

In all, the ancient Maya constructed calendars extending trillions of years into the past and future.

"They saw themselves as players in this awesomely long expanse of time," says epigrapher Simon Martin of the University of Pennsylvania. "Their calendar actually went back longer than the life of the universe."

If 2012 fails to bring about the end of the world, don't worry, adds Romey. "There is always another calendar somewhere coming to an end."

An Aztec calendar ends in 2027, for example.

I cannot thank you enough for this link to this information as it has greatly relieved the apprehension and fears Noah had. This offered a very logical explanation to him that he could easily understand and embrace. It also made him stop to think about our own calendar that we have in which each year comes to an END on December 31. This does not mean the world ends...but that we start all over again in a New Year.

SO this makes perfect sense to him......about the calendar the Mayans kept rolling back and starting all over again in a cycle.

THANK YOU... THANK YOU ....THANK YOU!

This is also the FIRST TIME I have ever heard this explained in this manner. It brings great relief now for me to be able to allay the fears of Noah or anyone else who might be fearful or thinking the world will end in 2012 based on the Mayan calendar.

Dear Noah...........2012.........

2009-11-11T13:56:00.002-05:00

I happened to be watching some show on television as I flipped the channels the other night on the year 2012 and all the different theories and prophecies regarding that date.

I dozed off on the sofa.....you had come out to get ready for bed and sat down to watch the television with me...but see...I was sort of dozing off and on...but YOU were paying attention to the show. I have seen many shows before regarding 2012 and the doomsday prophecies for that date.....as well as some theories saying that year only marks a new beginning of time.

You interpreted it as very scary and as an end-of-the-world storyline. I felt so bad for you. I had asked you if you were watching the show when I roused up a bit and you of course said, "yes." I knew then you would probably be upset....and you were. You looked at me crying and said, "but I don't think I will be able to finish my time machine before 2012!!"

I felt so bad for you and then proceeded to try to reassure you. I told you many people have predicted doomsdays that were never fulfilled and I reminded you of all the year 2000 scares and then I asked you (since we are Christians) what the Bible says about the date of the end of the world? I reminded you that Jesus said NO ONE will know the date...... or the hour.....not Him or even the angels....but only the Father.

This made you feel a lot better....as God's word always does. BUT you are curious about this date.....and are hoping and praying it does not come......or at least not until you can build your time machine. You have done further research online about the year 2012 and some of the theories around December 21, 2012. At least every day you make a comment about how you hope and pray the world does not end.....you then found the movie trailer for 2012. I HIGHLY doubt I would ever let you watch that.

Regardless.....we are rapidly moving into the end of THIS year with Thanksgiving a mere 2 weeks away! Christmas will follow soon after that. Time goes by so quickly.

I love you so very much Noah. I really do....forever I will.

Mommy
XOXOXOX

PLEASE consider sending this little dying boy a Christmas card.......see story below...and link to video

2009-11-05T08:50:00.004-05:00

Diana Biorkman needs your help in making her son's wish come true. She has a 5 year old son, Noah, in the last stages of a 2.5 year battle with Neuroblastoma Cancer. The family is celebrating Christmas next week and Noahs request is to get lots of Christmas cards. Please consider sending cards to:

Noah Biorkman
1141 Fountian Viewcircle
South Lyon, MI 48178

here is a link to the video......

NOAH BIORKMAN

Please send whatever you are led to send. Thanks!

Dear Noah......Halloween......

2009-11-04T20:01:00.003-05:00

Well you went trick or treating twice.....once at a church where they do a local SHINE program and you walk through different booths and displays they have set up at the same time learning something from the Bible. AND then they tie in a full-sized treat/candy bar with the story they told. For example, when they told about Noah's Ark and how people "laughed" or "snickered" at Noah when he was building the ark.....they passed out "Snickers" candy bars.

Then we went around trick or treating with your cousin Audrey and aunties.....I dressed up like the creepy BURGER KING......he is soooo creepy isn't he? I just went as him as a BUCKEYE FAN since we won the game Saturday. I stuffed all sorts of stuff under my jacket, around my neck, and in my pockets to beef me up even more than I already am beefed up. YOU went as a Dominos Pizza delivery guy (I fixed you up a jacket and you already had a real Dominos hat)....and cousin Audrey went in a cool poodle skirt....

My pics did not turn out great..but here are a couple. I will have to dress you into the costume again and take better pics with you holding the pizza boxes as if you were delivering them. I made it so the people could fill up your boxes with candy so you carried that instead of a treat bag.

Anyway.......I love you.....we are so ready for Christmas now......in fact...tonight we are again listening to Christmas music!

I LOVE YOU!

Mommy
XOXOXOX

Dear Noah......your thoughts at 6:15 a.m. when you get up to pee......

2009-10-31T13:50:00.003-04:00

you came into my office since I had been working since 4:00 a.m. to tell me yesterday that "Mom...the neighbors are copycats!" When I asked you why you proceeded to tell me "because they wait and take their trash out on Friday mornings like you, they have a garden and they also have a child!"

I busted out laughing......all these were true......but I did inform you the people had moved in WITH the child......

you are a trip Noah. Tonight we go trick or treating with cousin Audrey! You have been so excited! You are going as a Domino's Pizza Delivery guy......I will take pics!

Meanwhile where we lived in Colorado got 28 inches of snow and you are hoping it comes our way. I told you we are too warm to have it be snow...it would likely be rain if it makes it this far.

I LOVE YOU!

Mommy
XOXOXO

for some great Halloween ideas to use for kids check this out!

2009-10-18T15:43:00.001-04:00

She always has some amazing stuff! A lot of it is free to use too...which is great. I have been using things from this source for a few years with Noah. I love it!

TEACHING HEART

Dear Noah.......a surprise sleep over.....Brumbaugh's Fruit Farm....and Foy's Halloween Store!

2009-10-14T18:28:00.003-04:00

We have been pretty busy again! Sunday we decided to go pick up cousin Audrey and head over to Brumbaugh's Fruit Farm for some fall fun! We all had a great time.....I took many photos and videos.....

Audrey then decided at the last minute that she WOULD spend the night. You were so happy and excited! We hit up Burger King for supper and their play area. Back to our house for fun. The next day we ended up at Foy's Halloween Store and did some other things.

All was well until after we had taken Audrey home...and we finally got back home. I heard something and found you crying quietly by yourself in your bedroom. You were already really missing Audrey and said you wished she could live with us forever! You were so sad and really really missing her. You then wanted to talk to your dad but he had a birthday dinner to go to....but he did talk with you by phone for a bit and put on your half sisters to talk with you too. SO that helped you some.

I let you cry it out for a while in with me on my bed.

I have to say you have been doing so much better in get togethers and things like that. A little boy fell off the zipline at the fruit farm and you even yelled over asking him if he was alright. Something you never would have thought about doing before let alone actually do it.

You are hoping your dad will get to come in now for a visit in between Christmas and New Years. We have even told him he could stay here if he wanted to in order to cut costs for the hotel room and rental car. That was your idea...telling me he then would only have to come up with the money for the plane ticket. I thought that was pretty sweet actually considering you really enjoy staying in hotel rooms with your dad instead when he comes in for a visit.

Anyway.......we have been busy. You are plugging along...

and as usual....I love you still.

Mommy
XOXOXOX

Here is a clip of you and Audrey coming down the slide!

Hepatitis B vaccine triples the risk of autism in infant boys.........

2009-10-08T11:47:00.004-04:00

This is from Dr. Mercola's updates and is quite interesting. I have said all along that this is yet another vaccine that is given to babies multiple times that is totally UNNECESSARY at such a young age. Read more below:

A new study has shown that giving Hepatitis B vaccine to newborn baby boys more than triples their risk of developing an autism spectrum disorder.

The study’s authors used U.S. probability samples obtained from National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) 1997–2002 datasets.

The conclusion states that: “Findings suggest that U.S. male neonates vaccinated with hepatitis B vaccine had a 3-fold greater risk of ASD.”

The authors also noted that an earlier study by them found that hepatitis B vaccination was associated with receipt of early intervention and special education services.

The new study used a different database than their earlier study, and they found same results, suggesting a validation of their findings

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From Dr. Mercola:

Routine use of the hepatitis B vaccine for all newborns began in 1992, despite the fact that there was absolutely NO logical argument for it. It should never have been included in the immunization schedule, and here’s why.

Do Newborns Really NEED the Hepatitis B Vaccine?

Folks, hepatitis B is about as difficult to catch as AIDS. Namely, you nearly always need to have blood or sexual contact of some sort.

That is why the main risk factors are IV drug abusers and those who engage in sex with multiple partners.

In addition, vaccine-derived immunity is thought to be short lived. Up to 60 percent of persons who initially respond will lose detectable antibodies within 12 years. So that means that these vaccines will provide little to no protection to the real risks of acquiring hepatitis B, namely promiscuous sexual behavior and IV drug abuse.

The Vaccine Harms FAR More Children Than it Helps

The Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) was developed by the government to report vaccine reactions. Many experts believe that only 10 percent of the adverse reactions are reported though, as reporting is not mandated by law. (Some surveys puts this number closer to ONE percent.)

Even with only 10 percent of the problems being reported, there were nearly 25,000 VAERS hepatitis B reports from July 1990 to October 31, 1998 (prior to adding the Hep B vaccine to the immunization schedule), showing 439 deaths and 9,673 serious reactions involving emergency room visits, hospitalization, disablement, or death.

Now, hepatitis B is a rare, mainly blood-transmitted disease. In 1996 only 54 cases of the disease were reported to the CDC in the 0-1 age group. There were 3.9 million births that year, so the observed incidence of hepatitis B in the 0-1 age group was just 0.001 percent.

Meanwhile, in that same year VAERS received 1,080 total reports of adverse reactions from hepatitis B vaccine in the 0-1 age group, including 47 deaths!

Put in simpler terms: for every child that contracted hepatitis B there were 20 immunized babies that were reported to have severe complications. Let us also remember that only 10 percent of the reactions are ever reported, which means traditional medicine is harming about 200 children to protect one from hepatitis B!

It is simply inexcusable…

The Vaccine-Autism Links

Despite the assertion by conventional health experts that no link has ever been found between vaccines and autism, there are plenty of links, if you know how to look. And as the article in The Age of Autism states, you cannot come to a conclusion on the vaccine-autism issue by looking at studies that examine just one type of vaccine, or one type of ingredient.

Children today receive a whopping 48 doses of vaccines before the age of six. For a chart showing the various types of vaccines included in the childhood vaccination schedule, you can download this flyer from NVIC.org.

According to David Kirby, author of Evidence of Harm: Mercury in Vaccines and the Autism Epidemic: A Medical Controversy, of the 11 different types of vaccines administered, only the Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR) shot has actually been studied in association with autism. But where are the studies of all the others in relation to autism?

And where are the rigorous studies demonstrating the cumulative effect of several vaccines administered simultaneously , or within a short time span?

It is illogical, and downright ignorant, to state that the current vaccination schedule is a-okay and vaccines have nothing to do with the rise in autism, based on the studies that have been done so far.

Autism Rates have Risen to New Heights

For a number of years the accepted rate of autism was about 1 in 150, but the most recent statistics suggest that autism rates in the U.S. have now conservatively increased to 1 in 63. And this number is TWO years old.

This is the shocking conclusion from the 2007 survey results from the National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH), which reveals a 100 percent increase in parent-reported cases of autism spectrum disorders (ASD), compared to their 2003 survey.

A similar British study puts the current U.K. rate at 1 in 83.

Clearly, something is going on; something is going wrong! And to simply dismiss the vaccine link with a blanket statement that has not been verified by rigorous scientific study is unconscionable.

If we want a healthier world, we must all become citizens for sanity and logic, and demand a more rational approach, where safety comes before profits.

After all, just like there were links between smoking and lung cancer long before conventional medicine changed their tune, there’s enough proof today to call a complete halt to our excessive vaccine program, and ban any level of mercury in vaccines.

But just like the case of Big Tobacco, Big Pharma refuses to do what’s right and protect you and your children from unnecessary harm, because it would mean a drastic reduction in profits.

Hepatitis B Vaccine and Increased Risk of Neurological Disorders

Using datasets from 1997 to 2002, this latest study found that newborn boys more than tripled their risk of developing an autism spectrum disorder after receiving the Hepatitis B vaccine.

The increased use of the Hepatitis B vaccine also coincides with the original rise in autism. According to the CDC's National Immunization Survey, 8 percent of infants received the Hep B vaccine in 1992. At the time the ASD rate was 67 in 10,000.

Four years later, at which time 82 percent of infants received the Hep B vaccine, the ASD rate rose to about 100 in 10,000.

At the time, the Hep B vaccine contained 25 micrograms of thimerosal – a mercury-containing ingredient that has long been thought to be a contributing factor to autism due to its potent neurotoxic effects.

According to the FDA, new thimerosal-free pediatric formulations of hepatitis B vaccines were licensed in August 1999, (Recombivax-HB by Merck) and in January 2007 (Engerix-B by Glaxo SmithKline). (For a listing of thimerosal content in current U.S. licensed vaccines, see this link.)

However, despite the fact that the Hep B vaccine no longer contains thimerosal, recent research have shown that the Hepatitis B vaccine can still damage myelin in those with certain genetic factors.

One recent study found that children who received the Hepatitis B vaccine were 50 percent more likely to develop "central nervous system inflammatory demyelination" than children who did not receive the vaccine.

GlaxoSmithKline’s Engerix B brand of the vaccine was shown to be the worst of the bunch, increasing the risk of demyelination by 74 percent. It also nearly tripled the risk of developing multiple sclerosis in genetically susceptible people.

As I mentioned above, Engerix-B was licensed as a thimerosal free version of the vaccine in January 2007. However, all formulations contain approximately 0.5 mg of aluminum per mL of vaccine instead, which may be even worse than mercury…

As you can see, there are likely a wide variety of potential factors involved; not just one vaccine or one ingredient.

We need to know what all of these exposures in combination mean to the health of our children if we ever want to turn this tide of autism around.

The Evidence Against Thimerosal

Again, newer studies dispute initial industry-funded findings that thimerosal is safe to inject. For example, a study published in the journal Toxicological & Environmental Chemistry in June this year, showed that the mercury-based compound used as a vaccine preservative -- known as ‘thimerosal’ -- induces neural damage similar to that seen in autism patients.

According to the study, thimerosal-induced cellular damage led to:

•Concentration- and time-dependent mitochondrial damage

•Reduced oxidative-reduction activity

•Cellular degeneration

•Cell death

Even low concentrations of thimerosal induced significant cellular toxicity in human neuronal and fetal cells. Thimerosal was also found to be significantly more toxic than the other metal compounds examined.

Four years ago, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. wrote a must-read Rolling Stone article exposing the truth about the drug industry's greed, and the secret gathering where a plan was hatched to cover up the dangers of thimerosal.

According to Kennedy’s account, in June of 2000, a group of top government scientists and health officials -- including high-level officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the top vaccine specialists from the World Health Organization (WHO), and representatives from every major vaccine manufacturer -- secretly gathered to discuss the use of thimerosal in childhood vaccines.

Data indicated that the toxic heavy metal appeared to be responsible for a drastic increase in autism and other neurological disorders among children.

However, rather than taking every precaution to protect public health, they spent the majority of the next two days plotting how to protect the industry’s bottom line by getting rid of the troubling data.

Although thimerosal was eventually removed from the majority of childhood vaccines in 2001, it’s still used in some multi-dose vials, and is present in nearly all seasonal flu vaccines.

Many of the soon-to-be-introduced swine flu vaccines will also contain 25 mcg of mercury.

Another recent study confirming the link between low-level mercury poisoning in children and diagnoses of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) was published in the Journal of Neurological Sciences in September 2008.

It was the first prospective, blinded cohort study to examine children diagnosed with an ASD using urinary porphyrin profile analysis (UPPA) to assess the physiological effects of mercury toxicity. They also used glutathione analysis to assess the children’s susceptibility to mercury poisoning.

Children with severe ASDs were found to have significantly higher levels of mercury intoxication in comparison to participants with mild ASDs. And glutathione -- a key biochemical in your body’s mercury detoxification pathway -- was significantly lower in patients diagnosed with an ASD in comparison with the control group.

I’d like to point out, though, that although this study shows a relationship between lower glutathione levels and greater severity of autism, mercury is not the only toxin that can affect glutathione levels.

There’s a plethora of toxins in your daily environment that contribute to your toxic load, so any number of toxins may be contributing to the problem.

For example, there’s strong evidence suggesting that toxic microbes, endotoxins, environmental chemicals like phthalates, and the influence of electromagnetic fields may be significant contributing factors to autism as well.

And vitamin D deficiency has recently been implicated as an underlying condition.

Moving Forward

It is becoming increasingly necessary to continue to educate yourself and your family on the issues surrounding vaccinations of all kinds. There are so many problems; no one article can possibly cover them all.

For example, if you missed my special report on squalene – yet another dangerous vaccine ingredient – please read it now. You can also search my site as I’ve written countless articles on different aspects of the vaccine issue. I also recommend you familiarize yourself with the National Vaccine Information Center (NVIC) web site. As a leader for vaccine safety, the NVIC offers information on everything from laws to informed consent to late-breaking vaccine news.

In addition, I'm collaborating with some of the leading experts in autism, including Dr. Klinghardt, and participating in the THRiiiVE think-tank to provide basic resources for those afflicted with autism. During the most recent THRiiiVE summit in October, 2008 we created the “Top 10 Prioritized To Do List” for people with autism. I have detailed the entire list in this past article, so please, if your child or someone you know has autism, take a few minutes to review it.

If you are interested in receiving important updates on matters relating to autism directly from THRiiiVE, you can sign up for their e-Alert by sending an email to Autism@THRiiiVE.com.

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AND there are more reports now out especially one from a top researchers concerning the GARDASIL vaccines...which again I have said DO NOT give to your child......they are now coming out and saying it DOES ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!! (except possible hurt your child or even kill them).

One of the key researchers who worked on the top cervical cancer vaccines has decided to go public with a warning about their safety. Her name is Dr. Diane Harper, and she was a researcher for both Merck and GlaxoSmithKline. She's now on the record saying these vaccines "...will not decrease cervical cancer rates at all."

Dear Noah......lots of field trips and activities....

2009-10-05T13:27:00.004-04:00

Let's see...we went to WPAFB Museum a couple of Mondays ago.......this pat Monday we went to Boonshoft Museum......we went to a fire parade Saturday and a local play of the Legend of Sleepy Hollow on Sunday! We stayed up last night for movie night....and here is it Monday again already!

Fall is in the air and today we had to turn the heat on this morning just to take the chill out of the air a bit as it had dropped to about 63 degrees in the house. It is a beautiful day and I am still not sure what we will do.....though I have a million things needing done here at home!

I would like to try to get over to see Grandma C. sometime today if possible.

I also would like to get OUTSIDE and enjoy the outdoors a bit today.

Anyway.....everything is going along......I may take some time off for the holidays around Christmas and you are super excited about that.

I love you!

Mommy
XOXOXOXOX

Dear Noah......I am going to have to start carrying around a little notebook....

2009-09-25T16:10:00.004-04:00

to write down the cute things you say from time to time as I sometimes don't always get back here in time to post them before I forget!

Monday we went on a field trip to Wright Patterson Air Force Base museum. We had a great time..but your feet started to hurt before we got done...your orthotics need replaced...and then your legs started to hurt a bit. We did make it through the entire museum though....and it was great to incorporate this trip into our week as we have studied some of these things in history lately such as Orville and Wilbur Wright.....and Henry Ford......Alexander Graham Bell, etc.

When we got to some of the bomber planes with the nose art....you were a bit disturbed when you saw the Strawberry Bitch plane and turned to me and said "MOM! Couldn't they have done a plane without using a cuss word?" I explained to you that "bitch" used in his situation was not really meaning anything negative.....but was more of a good usage of the word, that it was not being used as a cuss word.

I found the First Flight tile mural amazing. Over 162,000 tiles were used to make the final piece of art. Each tiny tile...about the size of a scrabble tile.....had special designs on them....which all represented something pertaining to the first flight of the Wright brothers.

We have had a busy week....school is going pretty well......and oh.....I love you!

Mommy
XOXOXXO

Dear Noah........"Look mom.....I am turning into SONIC!"

2009-09-17T14:26:00.004-04:00

That is what you said to me when stepping out of the bathtub to dry off with the towel. You leaned way over and showed me your face and more specifically, your "eyebrows." You then took your finger and starting from the outside of your right eyebrow traced a line all the way across from that eyebrow to the left eyebrow...with NO interruption across the top of the bridge of your nose. You said you had noticed "hairs" there that you thought might "connect" your two eyebrows into one! JUST LIKE SONIC' the Hedgehog's eyebrows! I personally did not see that....not to the point where they would connect your eyebrows together.

I then explained to you all about UNIbrow and why you probably would not really want a UNIbrow. You just laughed and went on to explain further that your eyes were starting to look more like Sonic's eyes too. MORE rounded or something.

Later on we had a more serious discussion before bedtime. We were talking about relationships....and you told me you hoped I would get a boyfriend who could actually be around us soon as you would really like to have a man in your life right now....have another man in the house. I thought that was sweet, but it also tore my heart up. I sometimes feel totally inadequate in providing you many of the things I know you need.

You just helped me make a homemade pizza. Today we want to finish things up here at home and head over to see Grandma C. for a bit as we have not seen her for like 10 days!

The weather has been gorgeous.....hard to believe October is right around the corner. Your aunt Melissa and cousin Audrey are to come over on Saturday afternoon and you are super excited about that.

Oh....here you are sitting at your school computer....notice where you are holding your pencil??

Well...we need to finish school so we can go see grandma in a bit.

I LOVE YOU!

Mommy
XOXOXO

Dear Noah........you aced 2 big History semester tests!

2009-09-09T21:14:00.002-04:00

You are awesome! You really like history in school right now and sometimes I wonder if you are really getting any of the stuff we go over or are really learning let alone retaining some of the information.

Well...I had to give you a unit assessment test and then a semester test and at first thought maybe I should review it all again with you. You know, take the test questions and use as a study guide...go over answers.....prep you for the test...and then next week have you take the test.

BUT I decided to just see what you really knew or had learned. I gave you both tests and you got ALL of the answers correct on both tests...including the semester test which went back to before summer as you are just finishing up your year now. I was totally amazed you not only KNEW all that stuff, but had learned it AND RETAINED IT!

Today at occupational therapy she worked a lot on strengthening your eye muscles. You have huge problems with focusing...following things with your eyes...and they feel a need to try to strengthen your eye muscles which will help you in this area. Problem is.....shortly after therapy you had a horrible headache and said your eyes really hurt too. I felt bad...we came home and I gave you Motrin and had you lay down with your eyes shut while I read to you and I went over Science stuff with you for school. In about 2 hours you started to feel better.

This year in school you will have to do a lot more writing...but I am going to have you TYPE things out as you do much better at typing things than if you have to concentrate on trying to hand write them. I am going to have you also do the typing course I wanted you to do this past summer.

Anyway......we have been busy......struggling at times and you flying at others. That's all part of life!

I love you lots!

Mommy
XOXOXO

please go to link to read about SWINE flue vaccine..also contains animal cancer cells...please don't get it........

2009-09-08T04:04:00.001-04:00

SWINE FLU VACCINE DANGERS

Dear Noah: heading into Labor Day Weekend......

2009-09-05T08:52:00.004-04:00

this past week schooling went pretty well. I am excited because this year you will also have an opportunity to meet virtually with other teachers and kids in classes online! You are going to do a writing class and math class and digital storytelling class all online with other teachers and kids. While you don't seem as excited as I am...once online and in the classroom you do become more receptive and open up more. You have a hard time sitting through some of it...seeming to become bored pretty quickly.

Otherwise we have incorporated a couple of mandatory weekly family nights into our routine. We have a MOVIE night and a GAME night....and those have been going really well. You chose Monopoly for our last game night and you unfortunately lost. That was the first time we have ever finished a game! It went quick....once I got Boardwalk and you landed on it after I had 3 houses on it and did not have money to pay up. I think it lasted about an hour which is usually our cut off point anyway.

You are still hoping your dad will pop in for a visit soon. I keep telling you there has been no indication to me he is planning on this. But you hold out hope constantly.

I cannot believe we are into September already and you already have over 85 hours of school clocked in for the year!

Otherwise we will work on some art this weekend. We head to grandma and grandpa L's house this Sunday for a birthday/Labor day bash for your cousin.

I love you.......very much!

Mommy
XOXOXOX

No health care for people with Autism or other disabilities

2009-09-03T20:50:00.004-04:00

(food for thought..form your own opinion)

FROM THE NEW YORK POST:

Emanuel bluntly admits that the cuts will not be pain-free. "Vague promises of savings from cutting waste, enhancing prevention and wellness, installing electronic medical records and improving quality are merely 'lipstick' cost control, more for show and public relations than for true change," he wrote last year (Health Affairs Feb. 27, 2008).

Savings, he writes, will require changing how doctors think about their patients: Doctors take the Hippocratic Oath too seriously, "as an imperative to do everything for the patient regardless of the cost or effects on others" (Journal of the American Medical Association, June 18, 2008).

Yes, that's what patients want their doctors to do. But Emanuel wants doctors to look beyond the needs of their patients and consider social justice, such as whether the money could be better spent on somebody else.

Many doctors are horrified by this notion; they'll tell you that a doctor's job is to achieve social justice one patient at a time.

Emanuel, however, believes that "communitarianism" should guide decisions on who gets care. He says medical care should be reserved for the non-disabled, not given to those "who are irreversibly prevented from being or becoming participating citizens . . . An obvious example is not guaranteeing health services to patients with dementia" (JAMA, Feb. 27, 2008).

Translation: Don't give much care to a grandmother with Parkinson's or a child with cerebral palsy.

He explicitly defends discrimination against older patients: "Unlike allocation by sex or race, allocation by age is not invidious discrimination; every person lives through different life stages rather than being a single age. Even if 25-year-olds receive priority over 65-year-olds, everyone who is 65 years now was previously 25 years" (Lancet, Jan. 31).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Betsy McCaughey brings to our attention the Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel's views regarding universal health care. Dr. Emanuel is a health policy advisor to President Obama and brother of Obama Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, so what he thinks may impact all of us. As Betsy points out, Dr. Emanuel has some very radical views regarding the rationing of health care. Take for example Emanuel's comments in a 2008 article in which he says cutting costs won't be easy:

Vague promises of savings from cutting waste, enhancing prevention and wellness, installing electronic medical records and improving quality are merely 'lipstick' cost control, more for show and public relations than for true change.

In other words, these procedural changes aren't really change at all. Instead, he thinks we need change in how we apply health care coverage. As Betsy notes, Dr. Emanuel believes doctors try too hard to apply the Hippocratic Oath to everyone as equally as possible, which is what drives up costs. Instead Emanuel thinks we need to ration basic, guaranteed care to only those who can fully participate in society. Betsy points out a 1996 Hastings Center article in which Emanuel wrote this:

This civic republican or deliberative democratic conception of the good provides both procedural and substantive insights for developing a just allocation of health care resources. Procedurally, it suggests the need for public forums to deliberate about which health services should be considered basic and should be socially guaranteed. Substantively, it suggests services that promote the continuation of the polity-those that ensure healthy future generations, ensure development of practical reasoning skills, and ensure full and active participation by citizens in public deliberations-are to be socially guaranteed as basic. Conversely, services provided to individuals who are irreversibly prevented from being or becoming participating citizens are not basic and should not be guaranteed. An obvious example is not guaranteeing health services to patients with dementia. A less obvious example is guaranteeing neuropsychological services to ensure children with learning disabilities can read and learn to reason.

So, according to Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel, health care advisor to President Obama, the elderly with dementia and the young who have neurological disorders should be sacrificed for the common good. I can tell you that as a mom to a four year old girl with severe speech apraxia that prevents her from being able to speak intelligibly, this scares the living hell out of me. If you have a child with autism, cerebral palsy, Downs syndrome, or any other neurological disorder or chromosomal defect that prevents him or her from participating in society in the manner Dr. Emanuel or the government thinks they should, that neurological care would not be guaranteed as basic and would, therefore, not be covered in a government takeover of health care.

Making things even worse, private health care companies will be driven out of business, so that won't be an option for parents with disabled children, either, leaving them with no coverage whatsoever. This kind of policy would drive up the abortion rate, which Obama and other liberals want covered as a basic care, as doctors urge parents go out of their way to screen their unborn babies for any and all disorders and defects that would not be covered under basic care. If a child's disorder is undetected by prenatal testing, what happens when the disorder becomes obvious after birth? I shudder to think what the government would come up with then.

Emanuel's policies would lead to a further deterioration of our nation's culture as people begin to look at those with disabilities as objects that drive up collective health care costs instead of as individual human beings who have intrinsic value and rights endowed to them by God.

More below on next article and video
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(September 3, 6:46 AMBirmingham Autism & Parenting ExaminerJennifer Terry)

People with Autism and other disabilities will not receive adequate care under the new health care reform proposals. This is due to the formula which will be used to determine who gets treatment and who does not and which treatments will be provided.

When Health care is paid for by the general public it will be rationed. Resources will not be available to keep up with the demand. There will be waiting lists. Who decides which patient goes to the front of the line? Who decides if your child will receive the care, service or equipment you feel he needs? A simple formula created by Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel, the "health-policy adviser" to President Obama.

Dr. Emanuel also serves as a member of the Federal Council on Comparative Effectiveness Research. These two key positions puts his ethical, professional and moral values directly in the spotlight. Dr. Emanuel has a career long history of his stance on comparative effectiveness and related issues. His vision for American's is clear. In order to use his system decisions are created to determine what it means to "participate fully" in society. Those who are not deemed as full participants will not receive as much investment of resources. In other words, people with Autism, dementia, developmental disabilities and other people not valued as highly by mainstream America will not receive the support worked for throughout the middle 20th century.

Dr. Emanuel said, "Substantively, it suggests services that promote the continuation of the polity—those that ensure healthy future generations, ensure development of practical reasoning skills, and ensure full and active participation by citizens in public deliberations—are to be socially guaranteed as basic. Covering services provided to individuals who are irreversibly prevented from being or becoming participating citizens are not basic, and should not be guaranteed. An obvious example is not guaranteeing health services to patients with dementia. A less obvious example Is is guaranteeing neuropsychological services to ensure children with learning disabilities can read and learn to reason." (Hastings Center Report, November-December, 1996)

Dr. Emanuel is confronted on this matter in this June 10th video of a public hearing of the Federal Coordinating Council on Comparative Effectiveness Research. ---He leaves without denying the allegations.

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AND to anonymous readers again who cannot even bother to provide legitimate information in order for me to post your comment if I would choose to do so.....it makes NO real difference now what Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel has or has not done in the past as far as supporting or not supporting assisted suicide - in the end ....the facts still remain ....with a government health care plan.....THEY will be the ones who decide everything for you......and who does and does not receive treatment, what is and is not covered and why. The highlighted facts directly from the proposal remain facts of the proposal. That is the disturbing part. If you remove the video here.....the statements of controversy from Betsy McCaughey...the facts of the proposal...what is written within the document itself...is what remains extremely dangerous. If you choose to not believe it.....don't. Some will stick their heads in the sand forever rather than see what is right before their eyes. This is posted here to try to get you all to think for yourself for once and not be apathetic and trust or believe all the big government tries to get you to fall for or believe. Don't think for a minute that they are on YOUR side or want only the best for you at all times. There are many dark things our own government does you may never know about or read about that would sound horrific if you did. They do not tell you everything. Only what they want you to hear...to believe what they want you to believe. I am hopeful our own country will remember our government was supposed to be a government of the people, by the people, for the people and big gov was to back out.

Dear Noah.........we had fun at the fair this year.....

2009-09-01T23:12:00.001-04:00

We went at least 4 times I think. We had fun each time we went. You have made some pretty profound statements to me lately about different things. You are growing up and changing....and I realize too how smart you really are. You sit and do research on all sorts of things and learn so much. You amaze me.

Here you are playing Skeeball at the fair. You did not do so well this particular night.

I LOVE YOU!

Mommy
XOXOXO

Baby Brianna........disturbing video....but one I think all should see

2009-08-28T12:00:00.002-04:00

BABY BRIANNA

Dear Noah.....spending lots of time at the Darke County Fair.....

2009-08-25T21:12:00.007-04:00

You looked forward to this all summer. You were hoping your dad was going to make it in for a visit during fair week, but he was not able to. I bought myself a pass though so we could go as many times as we wanted...you are free. We prayed for nice weather and it has been beyond nice....so cool and low humidity! PERFECT fair weather! Sunday when we went back it was almost like a FALL Festival ...so cool we had to wear jackets and long sleeves and jeans! PERFECT to spend an entire afternoon and evening at the fair!

I bought you a wrist band ride pass and you chose to ride the GIANT SLIDE over and over again......for about 3 HOURS! I told you the next day you would probably be sore....meaning your legs. BUT the next day you came up to me and said instead, "Mom, my armpits are really sore!" You could not raise your arms up over your head! THAT was because you had gone up and down that giant slide ride about 100 times...and you hoisted your body OFF the slide at the top on the hand rails to place yourself on the burlap sack to ride down. That used a lot of muscles you normally don't use in your underarm area and stomach! You said today your stomach and lower abs were sore......all from that repetitive movement I am sure!

You did well standing in line and was very helpful at times to the other kids or ticket attendant.

You also rode the Merry-Go-Round 5 times...played Skeeball...and putt putt golf. We saw all the animals and exhibits of pies, cakes, vegetables, and art in the coliseum and fine arts buildings. We walked around and saw the horses race and people playing games. We saw helicopter rides....etc. We have really enjoyed the fair. I have taken over 1 GB of photos and video clips of the fair so far. We want to go back again Wednesday night to see the fireworks!

On another note.......you have finally learned how to tie off your own disposable bags that hold your wipes you use after a bowel movement. It has only taken you THREE years to get you ready enough to even want to be near the bag let alone touch it...and learn to tie it off. YOU now CAN TIE it off and in a KNOT!!!!!! I am so proud of you and feel very weird now as you can now do all your toileting by yourself here at home finally at 10-1/2 years of age! This has been a long time coming! Learning to tie shoe laces will be a breeze I bet for you now!

Today you had your first occupational therapy visit for the new year. They are working on strengthening your eye muscles to focus on things left and right....up close and far away.....as you have definite weaknesses there....afterwards you ended up with a really bad headache.

You then had speech therapy. You look washed out tonight.

I tried to get you to TASTE a black seedless grape last night....I cut one in half and told you to place it on your tongue to just taste its sweetness and juice. You said it tasted good but it had a "very strong stench for me" and I got to laughing hearing you say "stench!" I said , "stench?" and you said, " yeah you know, really strong bad smell!" haha. I asked where you had heard that word and you said probably on a Thomas The Tank Engine movie and I think you are right. Anyway.... you could not get past the strong GRAPE SMELL to eat the grape piece. You said it was too much for you!

You are expressing yourself to me and others more and more all the time which is huge progress for you too. School is going along okay too.....it is always tough to start out with all the changes in routine for you at the start of a new year.

Well....we will hit the fair again tomorrow after school and work...and a few other things. We made a run to Walgreens last night when you found out that they had Candy Corn out for sale already! YOU LOVE candy corn..so does Opie!

I love you Noah and am very proud of you!

Mommy
XOXOX

Here is a snippet of you coming down the slide ONE of the many times you did...and of you on the Merry-Go-Round:

Dear Anonymous........

2009-08-21T18:33:00.003-04:00

Just for your FYI Noah DOES sleep in his own room and in his own bed and has since he was very young. Not sure where you get the idea he continues to sleep with me in my room...because he does not.

I do let him occasionally have sleepovers in my room....as he has no one else to currently have a sleepover with and this pacifies him. It is a simple sleepover. Don't try to Michael Jacksonalize it into something more than it is.

While Noah is "physically" able to do a lot of things such as staying up late....his "emotional" maturity level is much younger than his 10 years of age. He has historically been about 3-4 years or more behind his peers emotionally...though I believe he is slowly catching up.

Not sure why I feel it is necessary to actually waste my time EXPLAINING this to someone who continually wants to post comments here only as ANONYMOUS........but there you go. That is the story.

I have no apron strings with Noah. I am more protective of him in many areas because Noah is still too oblivious to know sometimes when he needs to be wary.

Otherwise...Noah cut any apron strings a long time ago and could care less if he were with me or probably most anyone else as long as he was having fun. ALL part of his autism....and HENCE MY being more protective and concerned about him than other kids perhaps his age....not taking into account his emotional status.

From all your prior postings Anonymous.....you sound like one unhappy person and I am sorry you are so miserable that you find it necessary to try to drag everyone else you see around you...online or elsewhere...down into the pits alongside you.

If I choose to allow Noah to have an occasional sleepover for now......as long as he is not like 16 years old or so....so what. It is my business and his and not yours. Sure go ahead and form your sick twisted opinions. There are so many like you filling up our world today...trying to drive out the last bit of innocence remaining and fill it with perversion.

Dear Noah...school is plugging along.......

2009-08-20T20:14:00.002-04:00

Today was a bit of a hiccup day due to my weird work schedule..but we still squeezed in some science and music. Hopefully tomorrow will go better.

We stopped at our local Goodwill the other night and were in the book section. You saw a bunch of romance novels and came up to me and pulled my head down close and whispered in my ear "they have a bunch of those romance novels mom....one day I want to get the entire series!" I asked you if you had ever read any or were interested in reading them. You said no.....you apparently are really only interested now in the covers...as they always show a man and a woman in a semi-racy scene. haha...you are all boy!

Otherwise.....you are doing pretty well.

I love you!

Mommy
XOXOX

Dear Noah........there are over 10,000 minor planets in the solar system......

2009-08-15T13:56:00.003-04:00

and I want to study them all!

THAT is what you told me last night before you went to bed. You have been spending HOURS online ...studying planets and asteroids..stars......but are very intrigued now with planets and their moons. You have discovered there are over 216,000 (YES THOUSANDS) of MINOR planets in the solar system and you have decided you are going to go through each one online. I have NO doubt you will do this. You are already into the 100s and just began the BIG list last night. We have decided to incorporate this in school and have you do projects connected with this. Astronomy.....yes..I have 2 big telescopes we can look at planets with......you can do book reports and we can take field trips.

Right now though you have blocked off Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays as days you will do this STUDYING of the minor planets online with ME. I have told you I cannot just sit in your room for hours day after day all the time to review these planets with you...but I CAN devote some hours each of those days...or some of my time yes.

I am thrilled to see you adding in something new to your list of things you love to study over and over for hours on end.

I saw a trailer for a new movie coming out called "Adam" and it reminded me of you now....since you are also so much into planets and the solar system......etc. You still bring with you all the other things you have always been interested in forever....your love of trains....roads and maps.....traffic signs..elevators.....escalators.....your plans to build a TIME MACHINE.....etc. REAL estate and house plans. Let's not forget those....BUT..right now you are very much into doing research online about all sorts of subjects. I AM SO happy about this. I am an information junkie myself and also love to research things. This will be good for you with school and in your life.

Anyway.....here is a preview of the new movie coming out about a young man with Asperger's syndrome...living in an apartment complex...and his relationship that develops when a young woman moves into the building.

Meanwhile Noah you are awaiting my return to your room to move to planet number 100 something......so I better get in there.

I love you Noah!

Mommy
XOXOX

something all of us should remember...not just dads

2009-08-15T12:11:00.000-04:00

So Mr. Noah.........

2009-08-14T20:40:00.003-04:00

I have been really tired a lot lately at night. You have caught on to that....and if I fall asleep on the sofa you let me sleep......why? Because if you let me sleep...you stay up late playing on your computer!

You took things a step further last night. I came through the hallway last night about 10:50 and said it was time for bed. I went on to bed.....thinking you would come into my room and either get in my bed for a sleepover or at least tell me you were ready for me to tuck you in.

BUT NO.........

You DID come in....saw I was asleep...you said you DID think about getting in my bed but I was taking up my entire bed and there was no room for you and you did not want to wake me to make me move over.....so you quietly went right back into your room...where you proceeded to stay up until 1:30 a.m.!!! (the other night you LEFT my room from another sleepover to move to the loveseat to finish sleeping...saying I was snoring too loud for you to stay in my room!)

This morning I suddenly woke up around 3:00 a.m........or sometime before that.....and realized I should check on you......not believing I had fallen asleep and you were not in my bed......and I had somehow slept through all this. I found you not on the sofa or loveseat....but IN YOUR OWN bed in YOUR room. You had crawled into bed all by yourself.......cleaning the bed off first......covered yourself up and even plugged in your fan all by yourself. AND you were sound asleep! Sleeping really good.

I was a mixed bag of emotions. I was suddenly taken aback with the fact that you are growing up and all these little things I do for you (tucking you in....plugging in your fan.....turning out the light....saying your prayers with you..etc)....well...you will one day be able to do them all by yourself and you will no longer need me to do them for you or even with you. You may not even want me to share those things with you one day. All these things I might even sometimes wish you could do on your own now..but I still do them for you because you can't or just because I am your mom and love you. You still prefer me to cover you up and do most of these things for you....but I encourage you to do them....so you know you can. AND see.....you can!....you DID! You went to bed on your own. Well after I said it was time for bed but still.....

I realized standing there in your doorway looking at you sound asleep.....that you can do it ....you will be able to do it.....and all entirely on your own one day.

I may end up with more free time than I ever realized one day...and that day might be a lot closer than I ever thought possible.

My job as a mom is to raise you to become independent one day. I guess we are headed down the right track.

Today you told me what you learned online about Mars and the moons around it and the other planets. You get online a lot to just do research and learn so many things that way.

Now if we can get you to STOP whatever you are doing long enough to go the bathroom when you need to have a bowel movement so you can actually HAVE one instead of trying to hold it and having to only wipe your butt instead about 40 times per day with maybe 1 or 2 real bowel movements in the middle.....if that. No kidding ...yesterday I think you brought out at least 25 bags of dirty wipes you had used (we no longer flush them down the toilet but instead put them in disposable diaper bags and toss them). You still cannot tie the bags shut so you bring these presents to me so I can do that final step.

We are going to work on you learning to tie off these bags so you can do this entire process all by yourself! AND I am prompting you to go when you have to go and not wait!!!!

Meanwhile we will keep moving along.......and I know you are growing up. It is bittersweet....I hope and pray I am doing a decent job as your mom because I think I could be doing so much more for you than I am.

I do love you Noah. To the Mars Moons and back again.....forever and ever I will.

Mommy
XOXOX

Dear Noah..........not too much new news to report.....

2009-08-13T20:38:00.002-04:00

and for once maybe that is good!

You will have the same special intervention teacher this year via Ohio Virtual Academy so I was happy about that. You will get a new general education teacher. I am still trying to get all the stuff ready for you here at home....hoping to finish this weekend as school officially begins on MONDAY!

Your therapies all begin next week....seems like we barely had a break.

I am tired tonight. Had a million things to write about but this week I have been tired and not kept up with the thoughts of the days as they passed. AND then unless you write them down somewhere else....at least with my brain these days.....I forget them!

You did finally want me to get the last roll of Pillsbury Gingerbread cookies out of the freezer to make for you. Needless to say today has basically been a COOKIE day for you as you have only wanted that for most of your meals.

You are out of tater tots again.....you go through at least 2 bags per week now....sometimes more. ONLY ORE IDA brand will do. AND when you eat them....you will have them sometimes for EVERY MEAL.

Your getting sores in your mouth again which makes teeth brushing harder....as your mouth is sore. AND tater tots don't seem to bother it so much. You still have loose teeth in your mouth that will have to come out soon. OR else the dentist will pull them next time you go which is in September I believe.

Well I need to lie down.

I love you Noah!

Mommy
XOXOX