Elliott has received another evaluation from TEACCH Pervasive Developmental Disorder NOS still an Autism Spectrum Disorder. Which basically means he doesn't fit any one diagnosis on the spectrum with meeting more of the DSM-IV for the disorder rather than being "atypical" and we received a more thorough results than he when he was diagnosed at age 4. TEACCH evaluated him on Monday and it was well worth the wait to find out more about ways we can help him. We have two support groups that meet once each month (one if for higher functioning and the other is for limited functioning) Elliott falls in the middle...he does not qualify for Aspergers since he has speech delay and excells on imaginative play.
The plus side is that the psychologist said she could not think of anything to suggest to us that we were not already doing. She said due to all his extra therapies and additional supports at home that he is where he is developmentally.
On an additional note...I kept fighting the insurance company for our 2800 bill for the first diagnosis (appeal after appeal) and finally had it covered all but 474.00! Which will get cut in half since dh works for the hospital so it will be 237....and quite the relief since all his OT and PT bills are coming in....we've met our deductible which made his speech therapy only 6.03 per visit but each month we have 500 bills for the other therapies....part of which is copays.
Our first worker did not work out...she wanted to babysit more than perform developmental therapy. We are waiting to interview more individuals and hope that we can get someone with some experience or training with autism rather than just early childhood education (college students).
Jonathan is taking it harder for some reason....worried Elliott won't be able to go to school or college....I have to remind him all the time, that we are laying down a foundation and that there is no stone we won't turn to help him along the way. I don't see any reason to worry about college right now.
That's an update on us for now
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Monday, April 13, 2009
Tonight after dinner, our family decided (mom encouraged of course) to grab an instrument and proceed to walk a block around our neighborhood in a parade. Elliott grabbed the cymbals, Cooper played harmonica, Mom (me) shaking the maracas, and Dad with the bells. We were quite a musical troop and as we walked and laughed, our neighbors came out to wave and to clap for us. We even had one that thought we were the icecream truck!! Elliott wanted to walk down our main street and we had cars that pass us stop and wave! I am sure some thought we were off our rockers, but when is the last time you've been childlike and played music with your kids?? It was great fun and I highly recommend it. Who needs a wii when we have our own version of "Rockband".....And the band plays on!
Friday, March 27, 2009
http://autismsocietync.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=346455&lis=0&kntae346455=EA0A3E906468461280ED2852FE10781F&supId=287757850
Join our team the WonderTwinz.......you can donate directly on the link below or click on our team and you can sponsor Cooper and Elliott.....We'll be competing in the 5K Run/Walk and the Kids Dash!!
http://autismsocietync.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=346455&lis=0&kntae346455=EA0A3E906468461280ED2852FE10781F&supId=287757850
Wednesday, March 04, 2009
Here you go mommies - a different kind of survey for a change - it's all about your first born! Just copy and paste it in a new note for yourself! Make sure you tag me when you post it!
Let's see how much you remember!
1. WAS YOUR FIRST PREGNANCY PLANNED?
Yes, very much so...our second invitro
2. WERE YOU MARRIED AT THE TIME?
yes
3. WHAT WERE YOUR REACTIONS?
Very excited and anxious since we thought I was miscarrying and found out that I was carrying twins~
4. WAS ABORTION AN OPTION FOR YOU?
no
5. HOW OLD WERE YOU?
34
6. HOW DID YOU FIND OUT YOU WERE PREGNANT?
PAS (peed on a stick)....Twice, before confirming it at the Doctor's office
7. WHO DID YOU TELL FIRST?
Jonathan (husband) and then we called my mom to tell her that their were two (after that I think she had a plane sky write it in Stafford to alert everyone we knew...just kidding)
8. DID YOU WANT TO FIND OUT THE SEX?
yes, and they were more than happy to help us out when the time came (typical boys...both side by side as if they were already "comparing" hahaha)
9. DUE DATE?
for a singleton May 21, 2003....but when they saw I had twins they wanted me to make it past 34 weeks, I made it to 39!
10. DID YOU HAVE MORNING SICKNESS?
yes, mainly from the prenatals...had to take them in the evenings
11. WHAT DID YOU CRAVE?
Steak...I was Phoebe from friends....hadn't had steak or red meat in over 9 years and then that is all I wanted....that and I did consume a Dairy Queen icecream cake every week for at least 4 months.)
12. WHO/WHAT IRRITATED YOU THE MOST?
Being on bedrest for close to 5 months, there is only so much lifetime TV a gal can watch!
13. WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CHILD'S SEX?
both were boys
14. DID YOU WISH YOU HAD THE OPPOSITE SEX OF WHAT YOU WERE GETTING?
We'd ask everyone what they thought I was carrying, everyone thought boy/girl..we'd tell them no...then they'd say girl/girl....again we'd say no...then they'd say boy/boy? (as if there was another option lol!) I am so glad for my little men :)
15. HOW MANY POUNDS DID YOU GAIN THROUGHOUT THE PREGNANCY?
way too many....I was 130 prior to the ivf and the last time I was weighed I was 220, two days later I was in the hospital and that number is unknown to me. So at least 90 pounds.
16. DID YOU HAVE A BABY SHOWER?
yes...several (one very early since I was placed on bedrest)
17. WAS IT A SURPRISE OR DID YOU KNOW?
I knew, we had to plan all of them as I could only be on my feet for so long
18. DID YOU HAVE ANY COMPLICATIONS DURING YOUR PREGNANCY? First we thought we were losing our pregnancy, then told we were having twins, then they saw what may have been a third..yes triplets. Put on bedrest due to cervical shortening.
19. WHERE DID YOU GIVE BIRTH?
Pitt Memorial Hospital NC
20. HOW MANY HOURS WERE YOU IN LABOR?
I went in on Tuesday Morning....nothing happened all day....Stopped induction. Started labor all on my own on Wednesday, still not much happening...induced again that afternoon....that evening was told I was probably going to deliver Thursday morning but the boys had other plans and at 1AM on Thurday I knew they were ready to come out..So I like to tell everyone I was in labor for 3 days. When actually I was the most uncomfortable from 7PM on Wednesday night until the epidural :) then I couldn't feel a thing!
21. WHO DROVE YOU TO THE HOSPITAL?
my husband and my parents
22. WHO WATCHED YOU GIVE BIRTH?
We were in the operating room (just in case anything went wrong) So I was limited to just two, although my DR would have allowed more. My husband and my friend Lynn video taped (just the cord cutting and the babies). My parents and my mother in law were anxiously waiting in my hospital room.
23. WAS IT NATURAL OR C-SECTION?
Natural...yes, you read it right....20 minutes apart...3 pushes for each of them!
24. DID YOU TAKE MEDICINE TO EASE THE PAIN?
I couldn't take anything...I was breastfeeding!
27. HOW MUCH DID YOUR CHILD WEIGH?
7lbs. 7 oz and 6lbs 3 oz.
28. WHEN WAS YOUR CHILD ACTUALLY BORN ?
May 8 2003 2:35AM and 2:55AM
30. WHAT DID YOU NAME HIM/HER?
Cooper Riley and Elliott Jackson
31. HOW OLD IS YOUR FIRST BORN TODAY?
5 years old <3
Let's see how much you remember!
1. WAS YOUR FIRST PREGNANCY PLANNED?
Yes, very much so...our second invitro
2. WERE YOU MARRIED AT THE TIME?
yes
3. WHAT WERE YOUR REACTIONS?
Very excited and anxious since we thought I was miscarrying and found out that I was carrying twins~
4. WAS ABORTION AN OPTION FOR YOU?
no
5. HOW OLD WERE YOU?
34
6. HOW DID YOU FIND OUT YOU WERE PREGNANT?
PAS (peed on a stick)....Twice, before confirming it at the Doctor's office
7. WHO DID YOU TELL FIRST?
Jonathan (husband) and then we called my mom to tell her that their were two (after that I think she had a plane sky write it in Stafford to alert everyone we knew...just kidding)
8. DID YOU WANT TO FIND OUT THE SEX?
yes, and they were more than happy to help us out when the time came (typical boys...both side by side as if they were already "comparing" hahaha)
9. DUE DATE?
for a singleton May 21, 2003....but when they saw I had twins they wanted me to make it past 34 weeks, I made it to 39!
10. DID YOU HAVE MORNING SICKNESS?
yes, mainly from the prenatals...had to take them in the evenings
11. WHAT DID YOU CRAVE?
Steak...I was Phoebe from friends....hadn't had steak or red meat in over 9 years and then that is all I wanted....that and I did consume a Dairy Queen icecream cake every week for at least 4 months.)
12. WHO/WHAT IRRITATED YOU THE MOST?
Being on bedrest for close to 5 months, there is only so much lifetime TV a gal can watch!
13. WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CHILD'S SEX?
both were boys
14. DID YOU WISH YOU HAD THE OPPOSITE SEX OF WHAT YOU WERE GETTING?
We'd ask everyone what they thought I was carrying, everyone thought boy/girl..we'd tell them no...then they'd say girl/girl....again we'd say no...then they'd say boy/boy? (as if there was another option lol!) I am so glad for my little men :)
15. HOW MANY POUNDS DID YOU GAIN THROUGHOUT THE PREGNANCY?
way too many....I was 130 prior to the ivf and the last time I was weighed I was 220, two days later I was in the hospital and that number is unknown to me. So at least 90 pounds.
16. DID YOU HAVE A BABY SHOWER?
yes...several (one very early since I was placed on bedrest)
17. WAS IT A SURPRISE OR DID YOU KNOW?
I knew, we had to plan all of them as I could only be on my feet for so long
18. DID YOU HAVE ANY COMPLICATIONS DURING YOUR PREGNANCY? First we thought we were losing our pregnancy, then told we were having twins, then they saw what may have been a third..yes triplets. Put on bedrest due to cervical shortening.
19. WHERE DID YOU GIVE BIRTH?
Pitt Memorial Hospital NC
20. HOW MANY HOURS WERE YOU IN LABOR?
I went in on Tuesday Morning....nothing happened all day....Stopped induction. Started labor all on my own on Wednesday, still not much happening...induced again that afternoon....that evening was told I was probably going to deliver Thursday morning but the boys had other plans and at 1AM on Thurday I knew they were ready to come out..So I like to tell everyone I was in labor for 3 days. When actually I was the most uncomfortable from 7PM on Wednesday night until the epidural :) then I couldn't feel a thing!
21. WHO DROVE YOU TO THE HOSPITAL?
my husband and my parents
22. WHO WATCHED YOU GIVE BIRTH?
We were in the operating room (just in case anything went wrong) So I was limited to just two, although my DR would have allowed more. My husband and my friend Lynn video taped (just the cord cutting and the babies). My parents and my mother in law were anxiously waiting in my hospital room.
23. WAS IT NATURAL OR C-SECTION?
Natural...yes, you read it right....20 minutes apart...3 pushes for each of them!
24. DID YOU TAKE MEDICINE TO EASE THE PAIN?
I couldn't take anything...I was breastfeeding!
27. HOW MUCH DID YOUR CHILD WEIGH?
7lbs. 7 oz and 6lbs 3 oz.
28. WHEN WAS YOUR CHILD ACTUALLY BORN ?
May 8 2003 2:35AM and 2:55AM
30. WHAT DID YOU NAME HIM/HER?
Cooper Riley and Elliott Jackson
31. HOW OLD IS YOUR FIRST BORN TODAY?
5 years old <3
Thursday, January 29, 2009
25 Random Things About Me
1. I am an open book, talk too much.....so if you ask, be prepared, I am very fluent in sarcasm! I am cursed with the gift of gab....and sometimes I can go on and on and on! And don't even get me started on my sense of humor.
2. I am ambidextrous, can write in calligraphy and even though it is dying art...I can still write in shorthand.
3. I can pick up things with my toes....partly because I am lazy, and partly because I love to have bare feet at all times. I cannot drive with shoes on (I know, it's illegal in most states) And when my hands were full carrying the twins it was a great skill to have :)
4. I have held many jobs over the years....first job, was McDonalds....yes, I wore the brown polyester suit with the visor!! After high school, I worked at the Department of Commerce where I developed microfilm and dealt with various Military Maps and Publications (even shredded documents); worked at a Jaguar/Honda/Nissan dealership and learned all the tricks they do when you buy a car; worked for Pulte Homes for many years before figuring out what I really wanted to do with my life (haha). My great grandmother became ill and I took CNA classes in order to care for her so she would not have to go to a nursing home. She died just before I was certified (but she was 2 months shy of turning 104). I worked at a nursing home and home health care as a CNA taking care of elderly and a very special patient with spina bifoda. Their lives and stories enriched my life in ways they will never know!
5. I left Stafford and went to college at age 24.....I was accepted to VCU and at the last moment switched to ECU. I came to Greenville, NC knowing only one person and thanks to Scott Robinson (and encouragement from Butch) I set out to be on my very own. It was very scary to leave all the comforts of family and friends...but an awakening of sorts. I think that going away to college is the best thing ever! I am glad I didn't go right out of school, because I would have received a degree in business or accounting...neither of which I'd want to do now!
6. I have a BS in Rehabilitation Services and a minor in Alcohol and Drug Education. I worked as a Substance Abuse Counselor at an in patient alcohol and drug rehabilitation treatment facility until I became a mom. I jokingly say, that I went to school to get a degree to become a mom :)
7. By far, being a mom has been the greatest job ever! It's the most rewarding and challenging job I have and will ever do! I am blessed to be a SAHM and am so grateful to have this time with my boys. They grow up so fast! They make my cup over runneth over, I am so proud of my kidlets! I am not looking forward to the day that they will spread their wings and fly....it will be bittersweet.
8. I always thought that the strongest bond that anyone could have was a mother/child bond. When I gave birth to twin boys, I felt that no one could love anyone more. Watching them together, I am in complete awe and know that the twin bond is even stronger than what I experience as their mother. The way they see each other, the way they interact....it is beyond words. It's as if they are an extension of the other....with a bond that is immeasurable!
9. I had the great honor and privilege of caring for my aunt Patty who was in need of a double lung transplant. She had battled Cystic Fibrosis and was on the wait list for Duke Hospital. She received her lungs on my birthday but had complications after the surgery. She stayed on the ventilator for 7 more months and died January 2000. She was in many ways like a second mother to me and I was blessed to have had that time with her.
10. I am currently pursuing a degree in Respiratory Therapy...18 credits to go! I love college, keeps me young....although I must say I am not always the oldest in my classes (but it does freak me out to be older than some of my professors!)
11. I have lost 11 children, each before my 7th week of pregnancy. By far, the most difficult thing I have ever gone through or experienced. It took a lot of time and soul searching to find peace that my losses...though painful, they each have shaped the person I've become. It has in many ways made me appreciate being a mother so much more and just how precious life is. Through all of these experiences, I have met and come to know some of the most wonderful women from all over the world. I love my Hannah's Prayer Gals!
12. I like to work with power tools....I can fix a toilet, adjust the hot water heater, change out pipes under the sink, and I love assembling lights and ceiling fans. I am Wendy from Bob the Builder! I love learning how to fix things around the house. We lived in a Victorian house that was 102 years old.....there was always something to work on.
13. I am scared of heights. I would gladly jump out of a plane....I do not care to bungee jump. However, with that being said....I will climb up a ladder to heights unknown, I just cannot seem to get down. Seriously, one time I was on the roof of our old house and I thought they were going to have to call the fire department to get me down.
14. I almost drowned in a pool when I was 12. My cousin jumped off the diving board and landed squarely on my shoulders preventing me from being able to swim up. An angel rescued me after realizing that my cousins squeals were out of panic but said that at first she thought we were just playing in the pool.
15. I love antiques. I enjoy the character and uniqueness of them. I go to auctions and estate sales and wish I could afford to fill my house with them. I think it is in part to my love of history and the nostalgia of it all.
16. I breed African Malawi Cichlids.....not by choice...by neglect. The dirtier my water is the more these guys like to breed. These fish are mouth brooders. Yes, I have learned way more than I wanted to know about fish. The first few times we had fry, it was exciting...but goodness....I have way too many fish in my 55 gal tank! We like to call it the circle of life tank :)
17. I love the beach, everything about it. The sand, the surf......the sound! My dream was to get an ocean front place....and this summer we purchased a small condo on the ocean side. It is one of my favorite places to go (Emerald Isle NC). I am going to get certified in scuba diving this summer. I love to snorkel. I could spend hours building a sand castle with the kids or hunting sea shells. I enjoy it even when it is too cold to get in the water. I can also catch fish in a shrimp net :) which is one of first things the boys want me to do once we get settled on the beach.
18. I have a bucket list. It has way too many things to list on here and the list continues to grow. I don't know if I will ever get to the end but it has been an adventure so far!
19. I collect anything Disney. I love Mickey Mouse. So much so, my entire Kitchen is Disney themed. Yes, I can make you Mickey waffles, princess waffles, Mickey eggs, Mickey toast, Mickey pancakes and a smoothie with my Mickey blender. It is one of my favorite rooms in our house. I even has a Disney Christmas Tree and it is full of all the Disney Characters!! Just like Walt....it all started with a little mouse (not a real one....someone gave me a plastic figure of Mickey answering the phone when I was a receptionist). I have a rather large collection that is boxed up as there is not enough room to display it all! Walt Disney World is still one of my favorite places to go :) I think in part because it is "magical" and you can't help but feel like a kid again. My favorite ride has always been It's A Small World.
20. I also collect Pez Dispensers, Bar Taps and Christmas Barbie Dolls. How random is that?
21. I descend from royalty....seriously, come on now...as if you didn't know I am a princess! I am really into genealogy and found many interesting "characters" in my family tree. I am related to Bartholomew Gosnold who was the very person that introduced Captain John Smith to Pocahontas. This is one of the reasons we are planning a trip to Jamestown this spring :) I would love to go to Otley Hall in England to visit where my family once lived. I have met distant cousins online and enjoy hearing the stories that have been passed down from generation to generation.
22. I love photography. My dream job would be a photographer for the National Geographic or Conde Nast. I see so much through the lens of my camera. Last year I finally went digital. Jury is still out on this one. There is something about a film camera that I enjoy. I would love to have a dark room in my house (and am considering changing the mud room into one). It would be nothing to me to take 30 rolls of film during a one week vacation. You do not want to know how many SD cards I have or how many CD's, external hard drives I have for just photos. I think I killed our last computer due to photo overload.
23. I will write a book one day. So consider yourself warned....you might be in a chapter already......hahaha!
24. I was informed by a former classmate that she thought I was a good girl in high school. I had to come clean that my senior year I was detained on a military base for being a minor in possession of alcohol. Oh yes, and did I mention I was in a car with my high school sweetheart and 3 of his friends who were all male? Let's just say I was lucky the judge was lenient due to the wrath of my parents and a very nice attorney in the court house gave me free advice to plead "no contest"!! I was on restriction for the first 3 months of my senior year. Missed a lot of football games, homecoming dance, etc. But I did graduate with honors!
25. My youngest twin was diagnosed last year with Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified. PDD NOS is part of the Autism Spectrum Disorders. We are constantly running to and from therapies and there are days I don't know if I am coming or going. Watching him learn and progress is a true joy. Having a twin brother helps a lot with his advancement and development. I am now part of the parent advocate group in my town. We take each day as it comes....living in the moment!
26. I have terrible run on sentences, need spell check wherever I go...and I use the "....." feature way to much when I type!
1. I am an open book, talk too much.....so if you ask, be prepared, I am very fluent in sarcasm! I am cursed with the gift of gab....and sometimes I can go on and on and on! And don't even get me started on my sense of humor.
2. I am ambidextrous, can write in calligraphy and even though it is dying art...I can still write in shorthand.
3. I can pick up things with my toes....partly because I am lazy, and partly because I love to have bare feet at all times. I cannot drive with shoes on (I know, it's illegal in most states) And when my hands were full carrying the twins it was a great skill to have :)
4. I have held many jobs over the years....first job, was McDonalds....yes, I wore the brown polyester suit with the visor!! After high school, I worked at the Department of Commerce where I developed microfilm and dealt with various Military Maps and Publications (even shredded documents); worked at a Jaguar/Honda/Nissan dealership and learned all the tricks they do when you buy a car; worked for Pulte Homes for many years before figuring out what I really wanted to do with my life (haha). My great grandmother became ill and I took CNA classes in order to care for her so she would not have to go to a nursing home. She died just before I was certified (but she was 2 months shy of turning 104). I worked at a nursing home and home health care as a CNA taking care of elderly and a very special patient with spina bifoda. Their lives and stories enriched my life in ways they will never know!
5. I left Stafford and went to college at age 24.....I was accepted to VCU and at the last moment switched to ECU. I came to Greenville, NC knowing only one person and thanks to Scott Robinson (and encouragement from Butch) I set out to be on my very own. It was very scary to leave all the comforts of family and friends...but an awakening of sorts. I think that going away to college is the best thing ever! I am glad I didn't go right out of school, because I would have received a degree in business or accounting...neither of which I'd want to do now!
6. I have a BS in Rehabilitation Services and a minor in Alcohol and Drug Education. I worked as a Substance Abuse Counselor at an in patient alcohol and drug rehabilitation treatment facility until I became a mom. I jokingly say, that I went to school to get a degree to become a mom :)
7. By far, being a mom has been the greatest job ever! It's the most rewarding and challenging job I have and will ever do! I am blessed to be a SAHM and am so grateful to have this time with my boys. They grow up so fast! They make my cup over runneth over, I am so proud of my kidlets! I am not looking forward to the day that they will spread their wings and fly....it will be bittersweet.
8. I always thought that the strongest bond that anyone could have was a mother/child bond. When I gave birth to twin boys, I felt that no one could love anyone more. Watching them together, I am in complete awe and know that the twin bond is even stronger than what I experience as their mother. The way they see each other, the way they interact....it is beyond words. It's as if they are an extension of the other....with a bond that is immeasurable!
9. I had the great honor and privilege of caring for my aunt Patty who was in need of a double lung transplant. She had battled Cystic Fibrosis and was on the wait list for Duke Hospital. She received her lungs on my birthday but had complications after the surgery. She stayed on the ventilator for 7 more months and died January 2000. She was in many ways like a second mother to me and I was blessed to have had that time with her.
10. I am currently pursuing a degree in Respiratory Therapy...18 credits to go! I love college, keeps me young....although I must say I am not always the oldest in my classes (but it does freak me out to be older than some of my professors!)
11. I have lost 11 children, each before my 7th week of pregnancy. By far, the most difficult thing I have ever gone through or experienced. It took a lot of time and soul searching to find peace that my losses...though painful, they each have shaped the person I've become. It has in many ways made me appreciate being a mother so much more and just how precious life is. Through all of these experiences, I have met and come to know some of the most wonderful women from all over the world. I love my Hannah's Prayer Gals!
12. I like to work with power tools....I can fix a toilet, adjust the hot water heater, change out pipes under the sink, and I love assembling lights and ceiling fans. I am Wendy from Bob the Builder! I love learning how to fix things around the house. We lived in a Victorian house that was 102 years old.....there was always something to work on.
13. I am scared of heights. I would gladly jump out of a plane....I do not care to bungee jump. However, with that being said....I will climb up a ladder to heights unknown, I just cannot seem to get down. Seriously, one time I was on the roof of our old house and I thought they were going to have to call the fire department to get me down.
14. I almost drowned in a pool when I was 12. My cousin jumped off the diving board and landed squarely on my shoulders preventing me from being able to swim up. An angel rescued me after realizing that my cousins squeals were out of panic but said that at first she thought we were just playing in the pool.
15. I love antiques. I enjoy the character and uniqueness of them. I go to auctions and estate sales and wish I could afford to fill my house with them. I think it is in part to my love of history and the nostalgia of it all.
16. I breed African Malawi Cichlids.....not by choice...by neglect. The dirtier my water is the more these guys like to breed. These fish are mouth brooders. Yes, I have learned way more than I wanted to know about fish. The first few times we had fry, it was exciting...but goodness....I have way too many fish in my 55 gal tank! We like to call it the circle of life tank :)
17. I love the beach, everything about it. The sand, the surf......the sound! My dream was to get an ocean front place....and this summer we purchased a small condo on the ocean side. It is one of my favorite places to go (Emerald Isle NC). I am going to get certified in scuba diving this summer. I love to snorkel. I could spend hours building a sand castle with the kids or hunting sea shells. I enjoy it even when it is too cold to get in the water. I can also catch fish in a shrimp net :) which is one of first things the boys want me to do once we get settled on the beach.
18. I have a bucket list. It has way too many things to list on here and the list continues to grow. I don't know if I will ever get to the end but it has been an adventure so far!
19. I collect anything Disney. I love Mickey Mouse. So much so, my entire Kitchen is Disney themed. Yes, I can make you Mickey waffles, princess waffles, Mickey eggs, Mickey toast, Mickey pancakes and a smoothie with my Mickey blender. It is one of my favorite rooms in our house. I even has a Disney Christmas Tree and it is full of all the Disney Characters!! Just like Walt....it all started with a little mouse (not a real one....someone gave me a plastic figure of Mickey answering the phone when I was a receptionist). I have a rather large collection that is boxed up as there is not enough room to display it all! Walt Disney World is still one of my favorite places to go :) I think in part because it is "magical" and you can't help but feel like a kid again. My favorite ride has always been It's A Small World.
20. I also collect Pez Dispensers, Bar Taps and Christmas Barbie Dolls. How random is that?
21. I descend from royalty....seriously, come on now...as if you didn't know I am a princess! I am really into genealogy and found many interesting "characters" in my family tree. I am related to Bartholomew Gosnold who was the very person that introduced Captain John Smith to Pocahontas. This is one of the reasons we are planning a trip to Jamestown this spring :) I would love to go to Otley Hall in England to visit where my family once lived. I have met distant cousins online and enjoy hearing the stories that have been passed down from generation to generation.
22. I love photography. My dream job would be a photographer for the National Geographic or Conde Nast. I see so much through the lens of my camera. Last year I finally went digital. Jury is still out on this one. There is something about a film camera that I enjoy. I would love to have a dark room in my house (and am considering changing the mud room into one). It would be nothing to me to take 30 rolls of film during a one week vacation. You do not want to know how many SD cards I have or how many CD's, external hard drives I have for just photos. I think I killed our last computer due to photo overload.
23. I will write a book one day. So consider yourself warned....you might be in a chapter already......hahaha!
24. I was informed by a former classmate that she thought I was a good girl in high school. I had to come clean that my senior year I was detained on a military base for being a minor in possession of alcohol. Oh yes, and did I mention I was in a car with my high school sweetheart and 3 of his friends who were all male? Let's just say I was lucky the judge was lenient due to the wrath of my parents and a very nice attorney in the court house gave me free advice to plead "no contest"!! I was on restriction for the first 3 months of my senior year. Missed a lot of football games, homecoming dance, etc. But I did graduate with honors!
25. My youngest twin was diagnosed last year with Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified. PDD NOS is part of the Autism Spectrum Disorders. We are constantly running to and from therapies and there are days I don't know if I am coming or going. Watching him learn and progress is a true joy. Having a twin brother helps a lot with his advancement and development. I am now part of the parent advocate group in my town. We take each day as it comes....living in the moment!
26. I have terrible run on sentences, need spell check wherever I go...and I use the "....." feature way to much when I type!
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
McCain's ancestors reported to have owned slaves. Thought the story was news worthy, don't get me wrong. I just felt that with Monday being Martin Luther King Jr Day and then the inauguration that ALL history needs to be known....good and bad. Monday news of MLK was overshadowed by all the inauguration hype. I would have loved to have been there to see and bare witness to these moments in history (both MLK's speech and yesterdays inauguration) Talking about things that makes people uncomfortable may be just what this country needs. We cannot go back and have a do "over"....actions in the past were done, and all the stories of the past have a right to be told...not just what is deemed politically correct.
I cannot speak for Martin Luther King Jr...but his "I have a dream" speech housed moving and powerful messages that I felt were masked by media gluttony when ABC aired this story....sell the story, no matter what the cost. This family's history and rising from generations of enslavement to see a day such as yesterday was extremely touching and inspiring. But no less moving if their name had been Jones or Smith. It was the content of their character....not the color of their skin....and certainly not the spelling of their last name. That is what I felt was exploited. There were tons of former slave descendants upon the Washington Mall....so what if they did not bare the last name McCain.... it didn't make their story any less "tellable". That is the part that is sad to me.
There is hope, there can be change....I honestly believe that.
I cannot speak for Martin Luther King Jr...but his "I have a dream" speech housed moving and powerful messages that I felt were masked by media gluttony when ABC aired this story....sell the story, no matter what the cost. This family's history and rising from generations of enslavement to see a day such as yesterday was extremely touching and inspiring. But no less moving if their name had been Jones or Smith. It was the content of their character....not the color of their skin....and certainly not the spelling of their last name. That is what I felt was exploited. There were tons of former slave descendants upon the Washington Mall....so what if they did not bare the last name McCain.... it didn't make their story any less "tellable". That is the part that is sad to me.
There is hope, there can be change....I honestly believe that.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
We have a diagnosis "pervasive developmental disorder". Finally we have something, and now we are taking it one step at a time. Where he is on the austism spectrum will be in the next set of tests. We are on everyones waiting list. Please pray we find information as soon as possible! He is 5 now and I so wished that the DR's and others had listened to me all along that Elliott needed help. I wish I had fought harder for him. But there is nothing I can do about it now, except refuse to take 'no' for an answer and I will be knocking on and knocking down any doors and walls that get in the way! I have a new support group in place with local moms from the NC Autism Society. They are helping to provide all the information, resources, and are being great advocates for us!
Fighting his IEP, since they do not want to change his current one now that he has a diagnosis. We are not sending him to public school in the fall, and we are fighting to get him services while he is in a private Montessori kindergarten class. I feel in my gut that it will be better for him to have one year of therapies and a "trial" kindergarten while we await the school to provide an appropriate IEP and not let Elliott be a "learn as they go along" kind of student.
I may not be online much in the coming days, there is so much still do and that is my main priority right now! Just wanted to let you all know and any support, prayers, etc. will be appreciated!
Fighting his IEP, since they do not want to change his current one now that he has a diagnosis. We are not sending him to public school in the fall, and we are fighting to get him services while he is in a private Montessori kindergarten class. I feel in my gut that it will be better for him to have one year of therapies and a "trial" kindergarten while we await the school to provide an appropriate IEP and not let Elliott be a "learn as they go along" kind of student.
I may not be online much in the coming days, there is so much still do and that is my main priority right now! Just wanted to let you all know and any support, prayers, etc. will be appreciated!
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