MAX and the HUGE ACCOMPLISHMENT!

So tying a shoe is no big deal. We all learn how right. Around age 5 or so, easy peasy lemon squeezy. Well, not exactly. 

So my Max is 13 1/2. Due to his Autism there are some things that he just struggles with. It's only been a year that he's been brushing his own teeth and we still have to floss and do a once over for him. Still great that he will brush his teeth, and a big step towards independence. Tying shoes is difficult for him, he has a hard time following the steps: cross, over, under, loop it through....wait let me try again. Under, over loop it through....wait.....ugh..... so frustrating!

But today was different.

As I was filling out Max's book for school I asked Brock to help tie his shoes. Brock says " He won't let me." 

"Just help him please. We're going to be late."

"Mom, did you know Max can tie his shoes?"

"What? No!"

So I go to the couch and sit and Brock and I watch. He didn't hurry.. He kept starting over.  HE DID IT!!!! Holy Smokes, MAX. TIED. HIS. SHOES. Do you realize how HUGE this is. This is like a baby's first steps or their first words or even as big as potty training!!! It's a pivotal moment in his life. It's a pivotal moment in my life. I just accept I will always tie his shoes and I don't mind. But now, he won't need me to do that. He's got this. He can do it!

Walmart....

So I am the first to admit that sometimes I'm oblivious to things and people around me. When I'm in the zone at the grocery store or driving listening to the radio singing my heart out. Never would I intentionally be rude or ignore someone....EVER. In fact at Walmart my oldest son and I were walking through and apparently I looked right at someone from church and kept walking. My son brought it to my attention so I backed up quickly and made it right.

Speaking of Walmart and rude people..........I was there last night on a toilet paper run because of course we go through it faster than the Concorde used to fly. As I was coming up to the main isle by all the registers there was the employee that drives the floor cleaner. He was just cruising along doing a great job and a man with a cart waiting to check out deliberately moved his cart to get in his way. I was a bit confused as to why so I slowed to see what was going on. The employee (who is also an older gentlemen who has some difficulties) asked politely for the man to move back where he was.

Side Note: What I witnessed was clearly deliberate. The man with the cart was acting like a high school kid who was playing a jerky prank on the odd kid at school. He was purposefully being mean. Oh, and did I mention he had a child with him!

The man with the cart Said "go around man!". Employee says "Please sir, I need to do my job."
Man with Cart laughing like an idiot, again says in a jerk face tone "what, you can't go around?"
Employee who clearly doesn't understand just gestures with his hands for the man to move.
Man again says smart remark. That's when I had had it!

I pushed my cart right up to his and said "Why don't you be a better example for your kid and move out of the way so this man can do his job. Clearly you know what your doing is not funny!"

I received the death stare from him.....But you better believe he backed his cart right up!

Ya know I don't do well with rude people. Especially when it's deliberate and mean. I know that sometimes the floor cleaning driver isn't that consciences of what he' doing but to him he has a job or even a mission to fulfill to get those floors clean. What's the point of getting in his way when he is one of  a small number of employee's that help keep that rotten place clean! Can I get an AMEN! Okay, maybe not. But you hear what I'm saying.

My thought boils down to this, what's the point of being rude? Really there is no point. Why do people pick on others? To make themselves feel better because they don't like themselves much. And to teach a child that that behavior is acceptable is NEVER ok.

"The Golden Rule, is a terrific tool. Do unto others as you would have others do to you!"

2012 ends and 2013 begins

Well, we had a good year. Really, the blessings far out weigh the trials. They usually do. Of course it's hard to see that at the time but I'm glad we eventually figure it out. The best part of 2012...making it another year! Don't you agree? Here are a few and recent highlights to the end of our year.

This is Max and Aloni at their first piano recital. Aloni of course did great. She loves piano and is picking it up well. Max, he did it! I never know how he will react when he is in front of a crowd but he did it. Played all the notes while trying to plug his ears the entire time :) So proud of both of them.

 She donated her hair to Locks of Love. She did this when she was 8 as well. I'm proud of her for thinking of others and all on her own.

Good morning sleepy heads! My kids love Christmas. Not just because of presents or the material things, but because we have fun being secret Santa for others. I love their excitement when we decide what we're doing and who for. My kids are brave and have no problem jumping in bushes, hiding behind cars or diving in the snow to keep our secret safe. They make me laugh...every single day!

And last but never least.....My new favorite thought. So true isn't it? It just makes me think that though I have agency I'm not ultimately in charge of everything. I have a Father in Heaven who is though. As long as I do my best to keep my life centered around him and my Savior, things will work out the way they need to. That way will keep my family moving forward in the right direction. I do love my family and my ULTIMATE GOAL..... be with them forever.

Wishing you all a new year filled with love and gratitude for all the blessings you will receive.

Tri-fecta

They say things always happen in 3's....well my last 7 days went like this.

1. Dropped phone = cracked screen from the inside out. Of course it's a dumb smart phone so I can't do anything unless the screen is working. My phone is my calender, alarm system and email. Oh the stress.....

2. I was out Christmas shopping and I was sitting in a parking lot getting situated and I see a shimmer off the top of my head. What is this I see? OH NO, COULD IT BE! NO, NOT THAT...............A. GREY. HAIR. This has to be a cruel joke right. I pulled that sucker out so fast I didn't even have the chance to double check. See the thing is, I don't color my hair. I take pride in the fact that I haven't had to yet. I will be watching closely and waiting in the dark to pounce when that hair shows up again. That is if it's actually grey which maybe it was just blonde and glows in the light. UHG!

3. Drivers Dread.....my 15 (well almost 15) year old has been really wanting to practice driving. (In ID they can get their license @ 15 so don't freak out.) I have taken him out 2 times before to a large empty parking lot. He asks again today after school with such conviction and confidence. I say "sure, why not." So we go to the large empty parking lot. And he backs up into a car. Yep the only bloody car in the entire parking lot and he backs right into it. I admit, I didn't see it either. In my defense I had just told him to "stop and try again because you can't pull out like that or you will end up...BAM/CRUNCH.....hitting someone." No joke, that is what happened. I did a bit of a OH CRAP in my mean voice and he was mortified and couldn't get his face out of his hands.

So now as we reflect I might also add the blessings of these 3 frustrating events.

1. My sweet husband surprised me with a new phone because he knows how much I rely on it to keep myself scheduled. What a doll right. He really is pretty super. And he even got me a super cool cover to keep it safe because I have a tendency to drop and break things.

2. This one probably was the most frustrating because I have issues with aging. Not getting older just aging. But really, I'm 36 (almost) and I find 1 grey possibly not grey hair. DUMB. Not to mention I finally may have the guts to try something different and color it like I've always wanted. See not such a bad thing.

3. My son got his first fender bender out of the way. It was miner though there is a little damage. No one was hurt. And what was more important to my son was that no one saw, seeing as the parking lot is that of his high school. And by the time we left the parking lot after we took care of things with the other cars owner....I couldn't stop tearing I was laughing so hard. He also had tears though not from laughing. He hasn't yet found the humor in it.

The thing is these things are just that, THINGS. Can you live with or without them, YES. At the end of the day the things that are most important are not things. They are my family and to be able to recognize that I think is far more important.

Blessings that never end......

So I just have to say that the other day while doing some dishes and while using my dish soap I felt a sense of gratitude. Now why would I feel gratitude while doing dishes you ask? Maybe it's because I am grateful for dishes or that I have a dishwasher. Maybe it's because I'm grateful for the time when I can say "sorry my hands are dirty...go ask your dad for help." Or maybe it's because I really love doing dishes......ya, that's not it! But really why I'm grateful is because I have been using the same bottle of dish soap for 3 years. It is a huge bottle! The soap is a reminder of the generosity of amazing people who gave my family some things of necessity when my husband was out of work. We came home one evening to find the kitchen FULL of household items. Toilet paper, paper towels, real towels, body soap, food, cleaners and even dish soap. We are still reaping the rewards of that most gracious blessing by some wonderful and yet unknown friends. I won't ever forget that surprise and I won't ever forget what a blessing it has been and still is for my family. You know the amount of toilet paper we got lasted for a year! We are a big family, we go through a lot of tp. The paper towels about a year and half. Anyway, I'm just grateful I can think back and reflect on how amazing and good people are. How great it is to know that someone is always there even if they can't be seen. To know that some one loves me and my family enough to sacrifice a little of themselves to help when we need/needed it.

Family

My best friend.......Gosh he's cute!

So 2012 has been a good year. Not with out trial but that's life right. I look at my family and think to myself "this is what it's about". I really have much to be grateful for. So we keep moving forward. All the missing shoes,and single socks, all the running like a chicken with our heads cut off in the mornings, all the bickering over who really won, and all the "go to your rooms I can't take it another minute" are always over shadowed by all  the unexpected hugs, thank you's and especially the sign I love you when they get out of the car to head into school. 

I'm grateful for 2012 but I look forward to 2013. And not just because I prefer odd numbers :)

Friendship

What do you think is real friendship? I think it's when you can completely be yourself with someone. When they know your faults and love you anyway and when they know your talents and encourage you to share them. They see your capabilities and tell you to "go for it" and become better at something you may have been not so sure about. I also think it's when you don't have to be with or talk to them everyday but you know who you can call when you need help or just a night out. No matter how terrible you are at calling them back or keeping in touch, they keep trying and don't fault you for it. I hope I'm that friend......I worry I'm not. I need to do better. Do people feel like they can count on me in a time of need or loneliness? Do they want me to be with them when they need a night out. Do I make myself available?

I've had the opportunity to move a lot in my almost 16 years of marriage. I have been able to keep in touch with friends from childhood and with each move make at least one friend who I know was meant to be a person in my life. Kindred spirits really.  How grateful I am for the friend who is  loyal to a fault and the friend who is always honest with me. The one who makes me laugh every time we talk and the one who lets me cry if I need to. The one who when I get the chance to see it seems time hasn't passed. The one who will sit and fold laundry with me and the one who doesn't judge my pop addiction :) The one I can call when I'm in a pickle and the one I can call for a midnight run to Walmart.

One of my favorite quotes is "Family are the friends you choose to keep."  I'm grateful for the family I have all over this world. I hope that I can be the kind of friend that I have been so richly blessed to have in my life.

Ok, enough with the heavy......guess what I did do for a friend? Let her practice how to draw blood!

That's a good start right?

I don't love shopping

Shopping.......The excitement and anticipation of something new. You just can't wait! So much fun right? Ya well, I hate it. I hate shopping. It depressing me more than anything. Maybe it's because I'm 35 almost 36, have had 5 kids, feel over weight and have no clue how to "accessorize!" I know, I know.....I'm being a baby and a whiner butt. I can't help it. I don't like the feelings of frustration I get from shopping. It's stressful and over rated and totally exhausting. Is it wrong that I'm a t-shirt and jeans kinda girl? That's what I'm most comfortable in. I love my Converse to....I will never be old to wear those no matter what anyone says.

Shopping for someone else, LOVE IT! So much more fun to get something for others. It causes me no pain and I could do it all day. I don't have to think about what to wear so it's easy to try things on. I don't worry about sizes or whether or not it's really me. I can see someone else so much better than I see myself. I'm great at knowing what colors work with people and I'm honest about what doesn't. I'm adventurous for other people. Maybe I should be more adventurous for myself.

So as you can tell, I went shopping tonight. Lets hope the stress will be worth it. I guess we'll see after we take our family photo's.