In So Many Words

Life is such a process, isn’t it? And coming to terms with an autism diagnosis in your child can certainly be a long one, with lots of ups and downs along the journey.

I was so fortunate to find a strong community of autism families in our local area when Michael was first diagnosed – six years ago now, it hardly seems like it could be that long, but it also feels like an eternity at times. One of the amazing moms I met along the way was Elizabeth Givler, and I was so excited to learn that she has started blogging, so you all can meet her too!

Elizabeth’s blog is called Autism From the Lighter Side, and here’s an excerpt from her welcome post earlier this month:

I don’t remember how long it took, but one day I saw the lighter side. I could either approach this with a sense of humor or drown in frustration and sorrow.
I chose the humorous approach. Then came advocacy, social stories, educational journeys… and I approached them also with as much humor and lightness as I possibly could.
Humor and lightness are the approaches that work for me. Yes, I still get frustrated, and yes, we still have our “moments”, however every day there is laughter in my house.
The goal of my blog is to share with you the ways I have found to lighten the load and brighten my days, and share what I have learned and continue to learn along the way.

I have really enjoyed reading her first few posts, especially the heartfelt Words and the humorous Therapies, or “Wacky things we do that seem to be therapeutic”: Musical mayhem.

Just as I found a welcoming and supportive autism community in my area six years ago, I’d love to show Elizabeth how welcoming and supportive our online blogging community is. If you can, please take a few moments to visit her blog and say hello (and feel free to subscribe to her feed while you’re over there)!

Happy New Year’s Eve everyone!!

It’s that time again – time for the Ultimate Blog Party from 5 Minutes for Mom! I participated a little bit last year, but I was still learning my way through the blogosphere and it also took place right around my son’s birthday, so I found it all a bit overwhelming. I’m so glad Janice and Susan were thoughtful enough to start it after his birthday this year.

I’ve been getting things ready for the party, trying out a spiffy new layout and making sure my family had lots of videos to watch while I blog hop for the next week! Speaking of family, let me introduce you to the cast of characters.

Come on in and make yourself at home. If you need a little break from all the partying, grab a book from the shelf, sit down and put your feet up for a while. Goodness knows, you’ll find me with my nose in a book just about any time I’m not at the computer!

Besides blogging and reading, my other great passions are stamping/scrapbooking and, on the more serious side, autism awareness.

I am a total information junkie and love sharing what I have learned with others. This obsession interest led me to create a series of Autism Resource posts and also opened the door to be part of the writing team at 5 Minutes for Special Needs.

Currently, I am posting at 5MFSN once a week as the host for the Try This Tuesday meme. It is a blessing and an honor to be part of that special community of people.

So that’s a bit about me and my little blog. If you’d like to learn more, you can subscribe to my feed, and I would love it if you would sign the guest book (i.e. leave me a comment) before you leave! Oh, and I would be remiss if I didn’t invite you to all the other great parties going on this week. Psst, one last thing. If you are a Twitterer, you can follow me here.

PRIZES I WOULD LOVE TO WIN

1. INTL 36 – Custom Blog Design by Sara*s Pixel Studio.
2. INTL 1 – Custom Basic Blog Design from Sweet ‘n Simple Design
3. 19 – $50 Gift Certificate to Target Stores from Shoot Me Now!

My other choices would be 21, 26, 68, 91, 113, INTL 61, USC56, USC47, USC15 (yes, I know, they are all gift cards – that’s my favorite thing to win, other than a blog design of my very own!)

Michael has been talking about wanting a cat for a while, and yesterday I heard about this kitty, who has been living in a bathroom for the last few days,

because of this doggy, and needed a new home.

So, last night we went to meet him, and now…

he is living under our bed!

Actually, he is very friendly and lovable, just a tiny bit nervous still about Michael after living with a toddler and a baby. His name is Stubby (long story), but we are still deciding if we are going to change it or not.

It has been over three years since we said goodbye to the cat we got from my mom right when we got married, and I am really looking forward to having a pet again.

Visit Special Exposure Wednesday and Wordless Wednesday for more great photos!

My first post is up at 5 Minutes for Special Needs. I’d love to have you pop over and check it out (and I love comments even more)!

I also want to extend a special welcome to those of you who are visiting from the site. I am so honored to be part of that team and very glad that you stopped by. I hope that you will take a look around and say hello.

Here are a few highlights from my archives.

A bit about autism:

• Music Therapy and Autism: Our Experience
• IEP Goals and Related Services
• Autism Resources: Table of Contents

A bit about me:

• Where to start?
• 38 Things
• LIFE Is The Puzzle

If you would like to read more, please consider subscribing to my feed.

Here’s a list of 38 things about me, since that is how old I am and, well, 100 is just too many for me to come up with:

1. I am originally a Midwestern girl, transplanted to Pennsylvania in 1995 with my husband.
2. I was born and raised in the Quad Cities and lived in the same house in Rock Island, Illinois, from the age of 3 until leaving for college.
3. I became a Christian in 1978 at the Assembly of God children’s summer camp in Carlinville, Illinois, at the age of eight.
4. My birthday is on Christmas Day, and yes, to whatever your next question is.
5. My father was a time clerk for the US Postal Service, and my mother was a procurement officer for the US Army (at the Rock Island Arsenal).
6. Both are now retired, and they have been divorced for 20 years.
7. I have two younger brothers, both of whom joined the Marines after finishing their GED’s. The youngest is still in the service.
8. My wedding took place on August 16 (1992), which is the Elvis death date, as well as the birthday of both our minister and my brother-in-law.
9. I skipped first grade.
10. I almost skipped sixth grade but was caught copying the answers for an assignment from a classmate (my one and only time cheating in school).
11. I am a lefty, although I do many things, including using scissors and bowling, with my right hand.
12. I have had two broken bones in my life, both in the same year and both occuring while playing outside with the neighborhood kids. The first was my left pinky, and the second, following almost immediately thereafter, was my left arm.
13. Once again, I am left-handed.
14. I have owned 4 cars. My first two cars were stick shift, and my last three have been Fords. The car I have now is the first one with air conditioning.
15. I have worked for the same company since moving to Harrisburg in 1995, although I have performed several different jobs as the company has grown from 7 employees when I was hired to over 40 now.
16. I have never been a bridesmaid.
17. My favorite foods are pizza and chocolate, not in any particular order.
18. My drink of choice is Mountain Dew.
19. I now automatically refer to Coke, Pepsi, etc, as soda and am surprised whenever I visit the Midwest and have to ask for pop.
20. I am extremely nearsighted and have worn glasses since I was five years old. My first pair were red “Flinstone” glasses.
21. Both of my grandfathers were born on September 12, 1912. My mom’s dad died when I was five, and my dad’s dad when I was 27.
22. My grandmothers are both still living and in their 90’s.
23. My first airplane trip was in 1991 at the age of 21.
24. In high school, I loved algebra and hated geometry.
25. I went to college at Evangel University in Springfield, Missouri and graduated with a degree in English Education.
26. I have never taught professionally.
27. For those of you familiar with Christian recording artist Sara Groves, her father, Dwight Colbaugh, was the campus pastor during my time at Evangel and was also my professor for an Old Testament book study of I & II Kings.
28. My favorite class in college was Structures of American English.
29. My least favorite class in college was Essential Christianity, where we were made to read a book entitled, I kid you not, How to Read a Book.
30. I would forgo a bonus at work if it meant I could dress down every day.
31. I can’t remember my mom ever giving me a hug.
32. My first boyfriend was 5’10” and of German ancestry; my husband is 5’10” and of German ancestry. (Not the same person!)
33. When I was pregnant, the ultrasound technician told us we were having a girl. We didn’t.
34. I’m glad we had a boy because I hate pink.



35. I thought the most difficult day of my life was when my son had surgery at six months old.
36. He recovered from the surgery.
37. Then he was diagnosed with autism at 33 months of age.
38. My dreams have changed.

So the biggest question I have gotten from people who have read my blog (but not posted!) is, “Why Happy King?”

Well, as some of you may know, my DH is very creative and expresses this in a variety of ways, including through music. “Happy King” is actually the name of one of his songs, and it comes from a poem that he was writing at the time we first started dating–in fact, he showed it to me the first night we were talking and getting to know each other. (So I guess I can’t say I didn’t know what I was in for!)

I can’t say that I have always appreciated his right-brain thinking, being a firm left-brainer myself, but as time goes on and the Lord continues working in me, I am finding it easier to let him be himself and even be thankful for his creative influence. Just in case you are reading this, Happy King, that doesn’t mean I don’t still want you to hang up your clothes and put your stuff away when you are done with it!!

I have (I think) linked the song here so you can listen to it if you wish. Enjoy!

Happy King

Growing up in my family, when you were putting a puzzle together you kept the box cover out the whole time to help you figure out the right way to do it. You also started with just the edges and put the entire border together before even looking at the center pieces. In my husband’s family, you put all the pieces out on the table, put the box away and start putting together whatever looks promising. Eventually it all comes together and looks good, but it stresses me out the whole time!

I feel like my whole life has been spent trying to figure out all the answers and the right way to do something before I even put the first two pieces together. In my head, I realize you have to put yourself out there and do the best you can, but the rest of me always tries to pull back to safety. So, although it may not seem like a big step to most people, I am starting this venture without having read up on all the technical aspects of blogging or even the social/etiquette rules of the blog world. I am going to learn as I go along.

So, that’s it for today; tonight I am seeing a friend who is moving far away and although gatherings of many people I do not know make me very uneasy, I am going to put away the box for now and focus on the important parts of the picture.