Singing In the Early Morning

Wednesdays come too soon each week. It is what the boys and I call our early mornings. The only good part of a morning when you have to leave the house by 6:45 is the quick run to Chick Fil A to get the chicken minis. We love 'em.

Unfortunately, we have been getting up later and later. Now, our 6:45 is more like 6:55 and Chick Fil A has gone out the window. But I still have to be at early morning duty at 7:15 and so, the boys and I rush around. Me rushing and the boys resisting. It is like a crazy tug of war, where the rope usually gets tied in knots and someone ends up crying. I was the crier only once, thank you very much.

Today started exactly like last Wednesday. Me prodding children along. Children roaming the house in search of forgotten items or just roaming the house. Needless to say, when I finally hit the road to school, we all needed a bit of a pep talk from God.

In goes the worship music and "How Great is Our God" begins to play. It is one of the most beautiful contemporarty Christian songs and one I love dearly. From behind me I hear a little high pitched whine that seems to be moving with the music. I am not sure if it is another morning fight and so I turn down the music and it stops. Up goes the music and the little whine begins. Suddenly it dawns on me that I am hearing singing.

I ask if someone is singing the song with me. And Aaron's little voice says yes with just a touch of embarrassment. I say great. Then let's all sing. I turn the music back up and I hear the most beautiful sound in the entire world. Two little voices singing about how great our God is. I did cry this morning on the way to work, but not out of frustration as the last time. Today were tears of joy at the pure love and faith my children were demonstrating - singing praises to God!

Bless them!

Pictures in the Camera of my Head

We got home today! The whirlwind camping trip was great fun. I do have pictures to share. Presently, they are stuck in my camera that has a dead battery. I'd love to charge that battery, if I could only find where I put the charger. It might still be at Camp John Marc. Right now if my Father in law is reading this, he is laughing and wondering if I have my glasses. Yes, I do. They are on my face. He has mailed them to me at least three times after I have left them at his house after visits.

So, instead of pictures of Isaac climbing walls, or Aaron painted to look like the most cool red and green snake in the world, readers will get the top ten list of things I forgot this week because my brain is just too full.

1. Battery charger for camera
2. calendar - left in the Doctor office bathroom on Friday - it is unfortunately still there and at least 45 minutes from home.
3. calendar - left in the Doctor office waiting room where I remembered it only about 10 minutes before I lost it again.
4. Lesson Plans - lost in the room I was working in and found after my classes were over.
5. Computer - Left at home
6. Computer charger - left at home the day before
7. My lunch - at least once a week left at home - Thank goodness for Chick Fil A
8. My children - left at the camp cafeteria, but don't worry it was only a short walk back to the cafeteria and they didn't even know I actually left them.
9. Lubricant for Aaron's cath - Somehow we made the whole weekend on 6 packets of lubricating Jelly.
10. My brain - don't know where I lost it and definitely can't get it back

Spina Bifida Family Camp

This weekend we are enjoying a family getaway accompanied by about 15 other families. It is SB family camp weekend and we are all at Camp John Marc. Camp John Marc is constructed in a way that people with special needs can easily access everything from the kitchen to the swimming pool. It is lavish and beautiful with deer grazing on the lawns and large sprawling oak trees. This camp is also where Aaron will spend a week of every summer enjoying complete freedom from his ever- present parents. It will be a wonderful experience for him when he turns 8.
Family camp originally came about as a help for those parents and children who shy away from that step to be independent. These weekends give parents and their kids a time to meet other children who will be at camp when it is their turn to go. We are an automatic group that understands the little things when it comes to SB.
For Aaron, I hope this weekend also allows him to bond with other people living with SB. He lives in a world with a different norm than his own. Understandably, this causes him frustration. So, this weekend lets him see all his friends and say to himself, look there are children living with SB just like me. No need to worry about what other people might think about his eye patch, cathing or scar here. At this camp people in general talk about the weather, what activities they will do for fun and the placement and size of their scars.
Being a family camp, it also lets Isaac meet new friends and try new experiences. This year Isaac climbed the climbing wall. I was very proud of this effort because it was such a challenge. He went at least 20 feet in the air and did it with only one little glitch. But hey, his mom wouldn’t do it at all. I am still amazed at his daring!
Tomorrow we drive home and back to our daily lives. We take with us the knowledge that we are not alone in our constant struggles. Their is a group of moms, dads and kids who are surviving the same trials that we do and that is comforting.

A Continued Frustration

It seems that each day is unpredictable in our lives. I am not talking about the weather, or something trivial like that. I am talking about Aaron's incontinence due to Spina Bifida. Today was a particularly bad day. For no known reason, this last month or so has been racked with issues. Perhaps it is him growing, or being in the school environment where he has little control over his input and output.

Last week, it looked like we had it all licked. Schedule is going fine and we are making it pretty well. Then today out of nowhere comes a day of complete ruin where the schedule is concerned. I often think how my little boy must feel taking wet clothes in a baggy into his classroom. He does this often. I have asked him if he wants to give up on the padded underwear and move back to something a little more absorbant, but he says no.

The unanswered questions are palpable in my head and I can't do anything about them but pray that it will work out and God will surround my little one with strength, faith, and family and friends that will love him even when his body refuses to work with him.

A lazy Sunday Afternoon

This looks like a lazy Sunday afternoon but looks can be deceiving. It seems that whenever I want to take a rest all the dogs find their way to my lap.

In reality, this was a brief ten minutes after teaching Sunday School, finishing off my mother's birthday cake, and completing a Turkey project with Aaron made completely out of seeds.

But if a 10 minute rest is all I can get on a Sunday afternoon, I will take it - even with a doggie blanket.

The boys were outside playing Knights in Shining Armor during this time, which could explain why the dogs were seeking my protection. 8 and 5 year olds yielding swords makes the back yard a little dangerous.

This Fall Season

This Halloween was a happy one. The week before Aaron and I spent the day with my parents at the Arboretum while Nathan and Isaac camped. Seeing as I had just spent a night in a tent, I was glad to not be sharing that experience again. My sinuses are really made for the air conditioned indoors. We also carved pumpkins this year. We each have one, but Aaron's never got carved. Anger reared its ugly head again and then he was too proud to admit that he might need some help, so he just ended up coloring all over his with black sharpie. It still looked pretty scary, though.



Two days before Halloween our church had its annual Harvest Festival and costume night. It is always fun to see all the kiddos dressed up and then to do Carnival style games. There were literally 2500 people who came to our church! Crowded was an understatement, so we didn't stay too long.



Halloween night was really great the boys loved going around the neighborhood. We saw tons of people and neighbors. It really was fun! At the end of the night, they even got out the camping chairs and did a little giving of the candy. I think they were just as excited about this part of the experience.



I am posting the picks from this in a new slide show. I hope you all (whoever you might be) enjoy! By the way, sorry it is a link and then you have to make it a slideshow by clicking instead of all the work being done. I am frustrated that I can't figure out how I did this before. Oh well. If any out there know how to get picasaweb to make the cute one I did with my Galveston slide shows then please let me know!