Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Walk for Autism

Lexi, Timmy and I did the walk. Dennis was still not able to walk very good after his surgery so he sat and watched us. Dennis and I recieved some shirts from the local christian radio station. On the back it says"I am walking for________". We had to fill in the blank. So Timmy wanted to write "Daddy" in the blank. I assume he was thinking "Daddy needs his name on Daddy's shirt". On the back of Dennis' shirt is written in Timmy's handwriting (which is illegible because of his fine motor skills) Daddy/Timmy.
The walk was on a horse track, which is only a mile. When we first started Lexi and Timmy both asked "are we going to win?" I said "everybody wins". So we were not even a couple of yards into it when Lexi starts in...... I'm tired..... I'm hot...... Can we go over there and rest?...I want to stop....How much longer? All this was said with whinning and attitude. "OH JOY!" I'm thinking.
I look behind me and Timmy is lagging behind hot and tired with no complaints looking down at his shadow. So, half way through Lexi's mood changes when she sees all the people behind us and sees the finish line in front.
When we finally finished. They both asked (can you guess?) Did we win?
Thank you to all who donated!!!! It really means a lot.

Thursday, September 18, 2008

Dennis' Surgery



Dennis had his hernia surgery yesterday. It was a little more involved than they anticipated. Instead of laproscopic they actually had to open him up due to old scar tissue from a previous surgery. So the recovery will be longer. He has been in a lot of pain today, needing to take his percocet every four hours. Please pray for a quick healing. Here is a picture of Timmy and Dennis in the hospital when I came to pick him up. The nurses were so nice to Timmy. They dressed him up, gave him apple juice and finally a ride in a wheelchair like Dad.

Too Cute!

Lexi's cute outfit


Saturday, September 13, 2008

Mom and Dad's Internment

The Grandchildren:Timmy, Jacob, Emily, Rachel, Lexi
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=doaHIOXIhH0&feature=related


































My Mom






















Words spoken at my Dad's Memorial Service






My Memories




Most of my memories with my dad are going into someones woods to cut trees and get wood.Karen and I would sit in his truck while he pushed it into the woods. Most had no trails and I have no idea how he knew where he was going. I remember we would sit in the truck waiting for him or just walk around. I would be so bored wanting to go home. But now I appreciate those times with him. He loved the peace and serenity of the woods and nature. When I was twelve years old my dad taught me how to drive. We started with the Pontiac Tempest on the driveway. Then moved to the truck on the trails in the woods. One day when Bruce(dad's best friend) was over I got the Tempest stuck in the woods and my dad and Bruce got the truck and a chain and pulled it out. When I started proper driving lessons they only taught with automatic cars and my dad put up a big fight to get them to teach with a stick shift. When I finally got my drivers licence he mad a point of telling me "don't drive on the highway". Maybe he was overprotective or a little fearful. Little did he know then that I would be driving on the California freeways. Once he came to visit me in San Diego he made me drive everywhere saying I drove better on "these" roads. The first car he got for me was a '71 green Chevy Nova which always broke down. He would make me stand outside with him over the car trying to explain to me what was wrong and show me every part in the engine so I could possibly fix it myself. I would like to think he just wanted to spend time with me. There are so many memories that I am so thankful for. I admire his lifetime friendships. I loved the times when these friends would come over and hang out. Every Christmas Eve I would be so excited to see Bruce and Mary. I want to thank you... Bruce, Dick, John, Joe, George for being his friends and accepting him for who he was. You are family to Karen and I. I also want to take this time to thank Janice Ford for inviting Karen and I to church and driving us to Sunday School every Sunday. If it were not for you, Karen and I would not be where we are today and dad would not be where he is today...with the Lord. And, thank you Dad for you. I love you.



In My Eyes



He was rough and lacked etiquette, Society would say



He had no classy attributes, To help him on his way



He was not a fancy dresser, and not so trimmed and neat
With simple clothes and simple shoes, he wore upon his feet



He didn't belong to a club, or drive shiny cars



And if he took vacations, he did not go very far



He didn't dine on fine cuisine, to him fast food was a treat



And he may have used a plastic fork, when it was time to eat



He worked long hours at his jobs to make an average pay



And even when he was tired or sick, he went to work each day



His job was as a handy man, his pay just made ends meet



But a few good friends and family, made his life complete



He was not well versed in poetry, theater or the arts



And wisdom was not something that he had to constantly impart



The wealth that God had given him to treasure and adore



Two loving daughters, who could ask for more



He never had much money and his life was not a show



But he is still the richest man that I will ever know



To others he was a simple man and fame he never had



But he's the greatest man I know, I'm glad to call him dad

Friday, September 12, 2008

Words spoken at Mom's memorial service

Mom, I can only imagine, are you walking by His side ? What are your eyes seeing? Is your face before Him? I can only imagine.... Surrounded by His Glory... What is your heart feeling? Are you dancing for Jesus or standing still in awe of Him? Are you singing hallelujah or are you able to speak at all? I can only imagine... I can only imagine... Are you forever worshiping Him?


I can only imagine is she forever, forever, worshiping You, Jesus?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FS5GYvg6uU&feature=related


Mom, You gave me life, nurtured and cared for me, and when you felt the time was right, you set me free. Through the years, never once did you complain or wish for things to be any different. You simply took your life in stride, no questions asked, embracing the happy moments along with the sad, accepting all things for what they were. That was your way.
Now, as a grown-up, I can reflect with such admiration and respect on the wonderful woman and mother you were. You stood with courage to meet the responsibilities that fell upon you, and sacrificed so much for the love of your daughters. What you have accomplished is more than you will ever realize. When I think of all that you have done for us and all the love you have so generously poured from your heart, I feel humbled. There will never be enough gratitude to offer to you. But my heart will always be filled with the joy of knowing your love. It is the most precious gift I have ever received. I love you for being a caring person, a remarkable woman, and an exceptional mother. This love that you have given will forever live within me. Thank you for being my mother.

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

First day of Preschool




Today Timmy started "normal" preschool. He is being integrated into a normal classroom. Or should I say a non-special-ed class. When we walked in he went right over to a group of girls playing with some kind of interlocking plastic pieces that can be made into different designs. The kids were taking turns putting pieces on top to make a tower. When he took a turn, he reached for his piece and the corner of it hit the tower and it completely fell over. The look on his face was complete horror. Then all of a sudden the kids burst out laughing and then he joined right in with them. I was shocked. If this had happen at home he would have had a complete melt down. I was very proud of him. I will keep you posted on how he does with "normal kids".

He is still going every afternoon to Fraser day treatment program. He gets Speech Therapy twice a week at Fraser also. I still drive him to a different place for Occupational Therapy.

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

First day of 1st Grade


This prayer was read on the christian radio station here
http://ktis.fm/blogs/morning/
Back to School Prayer
Dear Gracious Heavenly Father,
Once again we send our children out into the world. We know it’s a place that won’t love them like we do and won’t always encourage them to love you. But Lord, greater are you in them than what they will face in the world. We ask you to place a hedge around their physical bodies and give them safety and strength. Guard their hearts from doubt, fear and emotional attacks of the enemy. Give them wisdom and minds that always seek you in what they are being told and let them learn to compare the information they receive with your word. Give them victories that they can praise you for. Give them failures that will teach them to be humble but not break their spirits. Give them friends who love you that they can learn to serve you along side of. Give them teachers who follow you. Bless the buildings they will sit in and the people they will be with.Father, if there is any person, adult or child, out there who might intend harm toward these precious kids; stop that plan now in the name of Jesus Christ. Put a barrier in front of that intent of destruction before it can materialize. Expose those individuals that they might be helped and saved from themselves.Finally my Savior, I ask that you would lay a cloak of peace and joy around our children. And do a good work in us as parents that we might become worthy of this great gift you’ve placed in our hands.Thank you God; for kindergartners and high schoolers and college students who will love you with their whole hearts and live lives to your glory.In Jesus name.Amen.

summer comes to end






End of Summer


Well, I haven't posted in a while. It has actually been a tough summer with Timmy. He had some major regression. Things we have not seen since before he went gluten/casein free. Examples are: worse tantrums, repetitive speech, stimmimg(hand flapping), repetitive movements and just down right odd behaviors. Well after trying to rule everything out like chlorine in swimming pool, crest toothpaste(we have always used natural with him) and possible gluten exposure. We finally found out what it was. In June after returning home from CT/NY we started to increase his oral chelation. Pfieffer Treatment Center http://www.hriptc.org/ recommended that after being on his zinc cream for about a month to increase his chelation. Well I waited 3 months. I wanted to wait till summer but I totally forgot that the reason for me to wait till summer is that there are side affects that take time to go away. Well, we found out that his zinc level is still too low to increase chelation. Chelation gets rid of normal minerals also, not just the toxic ones. So after about 2 weeks at the old chelation level he has improved. We still deal with tantrums, rigid and odd behaviors but now I am thankful for Timmy. Just when you think you can't go on another day, God gives you a glimpse of how bad things were and could really still be without all the biomedical intervention we have been doing. Here's a picture of him coming out of a time out.