Monday, September 20, 2010
Kara's 6th Birthday!
Kara turned six-years old on September 12th, 2010. We threw a birthday party Kara style. We went to the park and ate lots of desserts. Although, the desserts might have been more for the adults at the party because Kara was preoccupied with the playground. When it came time to blow out her candles she was ready as ever. When she sat down she grabbed a huge hunk of cake. Although she was not able to blow out her candles, she did spit her food out and give it a try. Her brother Kaleb was there to help blow out the candles.
Documentary about Chad
Great little film to portray how a 20 year old Autistic boys lives with Auism.
A young film maker Jenks takes on the task of spending time with an Autistic boy named Chad. He goes to school with him to see how Chad spends his days. He takes him to New York City which Jenks soon finds out that it is to much stimulation for Chad. .
http://www.mtv.com/videos/world-of-jenks-ep-2-cant-make-me-be/1647734/playlist.jhtml
Extra Clips
http://www.mtv.com/videos/misc/572630/guy-talk.jhtml#id=1647781
http://www.mtv.com/videos/misc/572328/jenks-sleeps-in-school.jhtml#id=1647781
http://www.mtv.com/videos/misc/572284/morning-person.jhtml#id=1647781
http://www.mtv.com/videos/misc/572280/catching-up-with-chad.jhtml#id=1647781
http://www.mtv.com/videos/misc/572329/love-triangle.jhtml#id=1647781
http://www.mtv.com/videos/misc/572277/setting-up-camera-in-car.jhtml#id=1647781
A young film maker Jenks takes on the task of spending time with an Autistic boy named Chad. He goes to school with him to see how Chad spends his days. He takes him to New York City which Jenks soon finds out that it is to much stimulation for Chad. .
http://www.mtv.com/videos/world-of-jenks-ep-2-cant-make-me-be/1647734/playlist.jhtml
Extra Clips
http://www.mtv.com/videos/misc/572630/guy-talk.jhtml#id=1647781
http://www.mtv.com/videos/misc/572328/jenks-sleeps-in-school.jhtml#id=1647781
http://www.mtv.com/videos/misc/572284/morning-person.jhtml#id=1647781
http://www.mtv.com/videos/misc/572280/catching-up-with-chad.jhtml#id=1647781
http://www.mtv.com/videos/misc/572329/love-triangle.jhtml#id=1647781
http://www.mtv.com/videos/misc/572277/setting-up-camera-in-car.jhtml#id=1647781
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Kara loves to Dance
Kara loves to dance. We can put on any song and she will come running from the other room to dance. She gets excited to also dance with her brother Kaleb. He is also featured on this video. .
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Great Story!
http://abcnews.go.com/WN/Broadcast/student-autism-class-salutatorian-delivers-high-school-graduation/story?id=10933858
Monday, March 29, 2010
Austism Walk/Run Lehi, UT
The great thing about sister's is we know everything about each other. Tina doesn't know I logged onto her blog to do a post. This is Cherie. Last Saturday my Mom, Dad, Brookie and myself had the opportunity to participate in the first Autism 1 mile walk and 5k run in Lehi, Utah. We pinned pictures of Kara on our shirts for the race.
Saturday morning was a very windy, cold morning. The sun was out but oh boy it was cold. My parents and Brookie did the 1 mile walk. My parents said Brookie did great on her first "race", Brookie walked the whole 1 mile. :)
I started out on my run confident and happy. The wind was blowing right up on me as I ran, the wind was a blowin'! While running I kept thinking of my beautiful niece Kara and how hard she has to work every day to communicate and be heard. I continued to think of sweet Tina and Dan, they go through so much on a daily, hourly basis with Kara. These thoughts kept me running, I didn't stop. I ran the whole 3 miles, I couldn't stop running....Kara does not get to stop or give up. Neither does Tina and Dan. I haven't run that far since 2008 when we did a Triathleon for Kara at the Jordanelle in Utah.
This race was an amazing time. I was uplifted by the cause and motivated even more to help others become aware and understand Autism.
I want to tell Tina and Dan how much I love them! I appreciate their strength, wisdom, ability to stand back up when things go wrong, their love for Kara and Kaleb. I love, love, love, love my Kara! Kara is a beautiful, BEAUTIFUL girl. I love her blue, blue eyes. And Kara's sweet brother Kaleb is so good to her and takes care of her. Kara is so blessed and lucky to be with her family. They love her dearly and it shows.
Thanks Tina for letting us know about this fundraiser! I know Mom and Dad also enjoyed the walk, it was an emotionally, uplifting time for them too.
Love you!!!!!!!
Cherie
Monday, March 22, 2010
Sunday, March 14, 2010
The Special Mother
I saw this and immediately thought of you :)
Germaine
My friend sent this to me a couple of weeks ago! It was sweet and it made me cry.
The Special Mother
by Erma Bombeck
Most women become mothers by accident, some by choice, a few by social pressures and a couple by habit.
This year nearly 100,000 women will become mothers of handicapped children. Did you ever wonder how mothers of handicapped children are chosen?
Somehow I visualize God hovering over earth selecting his instruments for propagation with great care and deliberation. As He observes, He instructs His angels to make notes in a giant ledger.
"Armstrong, Beth; son. Patron saint...give her Gerard. He's used to profanity."
"Forrest, Marjorie; daughter. Patron saint, Cecelia."
"Rutledge, Carrie; twins. Patron saint, Matthew."
Finally He passes a name to an angel and smiles, "Give her a handicapped child."
The angel is curious. "Why this one God? She's so happy."
"Exactly," smiles God, "Could I give a handicapped child to a mother who does not know laughter? That would be cruel."
"But has she patience?" asks the angel.
"I don't want her to have too much patience or she will drown in a sea of self-pity and despair. Once the shock and resentment wears off, she'll handle it."
"I watched her today. She has that feeling of self and independence that is so rare and so necessary in a mother. You see, the child I'm going to give her has her own world. She has to make her live in her world and that's not going to be easy."
"But, Lord, I don't think she even believes in you." God smiles, "No matter, I can fix that. This one is perfect - she has just enough selfishness." The angel gasps - "selfishness? is that a virtue?"
God nods. "If she can't separate herself from the child occasionally, she'll never survive. Yes, here is a woman whom I will bless with a child less than perfect. She doesn't realize it yet, but she is to be envied. She will never take for granted a 'spoken word'". She will never consider a "step" ordinary. When her child says 'Momma' for the first time, she will be present at a miracle, and will know it!"
"I will permit her to see clearly the things I see...ignorance, cruelty, prejudice....and allow her to rise above them. She will never be alone. I will be at her side every minute of every day of her life, because she is doing My work as surely as if she is here by My side".
"And what about her Patron saint?" asks the angel, his pen poised in mid-air.
God smiles, "A mirror will suffice."
Germaine
My friend sent this to me a couple of weeks ago! It was sweet and it made me cry.
The Special Mother
by Erma Bombeck
Most women become mothers by accident, some by choice, a few by social pressures and a couple by habit.
This year nearly 100,000 women will become mothers of handicapped children. Did you ever wonder how mothers of handicapped children are chosen?
Somehow I visualize God hovering over earth selecting his instruments for propagation with great care and deliberation. As He observes, He instructs His angels to make notes in a giant ledger.
"Armstrong, Beth; son. Patron saint...give her Gerard. He's used to profanity."
"Forrest, Marjorie; daughter. Patron saint, Cecelia."
"Rutledge, Carrie; twins. Patron saint, Matthew."
Finally He passes a name to an angel and smiles, "Give her a handicapped child."
The angel is curious. "Why this one God? She's so happy."
"Exactly," smiles God, "Could I give a handicapped child to a mother who does not know laughter? That would be cruel."
"But has she patience?" asks the angel.
"I don't want her to have too much patience or she will drown in a sea of self-pity and despair. Once the shock and resentment wears off, she'll handle it."
"I watched her today. She has that feeling of self and independence that is so rare and so necessary in a mother. You see, the child I'm going to give her has her own world. She has to make her live in her world and that's not going to be easy."
"But, Lord, I don't think she even believes in you." God smiles, "No matter, I can fix that. This one is perfect - she has just enough selfishness." The angel gasps - "selfishness? is that a virtue?"
God nods. "If she can't separate herself from the child occasionally, she'll never survive. Yes, here is a woman whom I will bless with a child less than perfect. She doesn't realize it yet, but she is to be envied. She will never take for granted a 'spoken word'". She will never consider a "step" ordinary. When her child says 'Momma' for the first time, she will be present at a miracle, and will know it!"
"I will permit her to see clearly the things I see...ignorance, cruelty, prejudice....and allow her to rise above them. She will never be alone. I will be at her side every minute of every day of her life, because she is doing My work as surely as if she is here by My side".
"And what about her Patron saint?" asks the angel, his pen poised in mid-air.
God smiles, "A mirror will suffice."
Friday, February 19, 2010
One of those weeks'!!
No school for the kids this week. Cambridge had February vacation week. The first couple of days were hard. I am not use to having my kids at home during the day. It always takes me a couple of days to adjust. On Monday I felt really tired and depressed. I think it is because I was mentally drained from taking care of Kara. She asks for food all the time. She needs a lot of oral stimulation. She thinks the best way to get that is by eating all the time. I have to cut her off at certain point because she would eat all day if I let her. It gets really tiring when she is always signing for food and I am continuously going into the kitchen to get it for her.
After Monday we seemed to get into the grove of things. Kara has recently been taught to play by herself. She has been doing pretty well with it. She will go in and sit in her bedroom and play for 10-30mins. That is really good for her. It gives me a break and it teaches her to be and play by herself. I wouldn't have made it through this week if it weren't for Emilie. She is our respite-therapist. She came everyday to relieve me for a few hours. Emilie, I love you!!
Kaleb has been having a hard time lately with Kara not being able to talk. He woke up one morning and said "mom, Kara talks to me at night when we go to bed,” I said "really, what does she say to you?" He said, "she asks me if I want to play baseball." I said "WOW." He then continued to tell me that they play in their room for an hour and then go to bed. It was the cutest thing I had ever heard him say. I didn't really think anything of it until the next morning he said the exact same thing to me. Later in the day he was lying on my bedroom floor and started to cry. I said, "Kaleb what is wrong." He said, "I wish Kara could talk." It broke my heart into a million pieces. I hadn't really thought about how Kara's autism affects Kaleb. He said he wishes he could talk and play with her. I told him that it is hard for her and us. We don't know why she doesn't talk, but I know that Kara loves him very much.
I looked over at Dan and said, "let's play Kara style." I told Kaleb to get up and we would show him how Kara can play, we just have to play a little differently. Dan then started jumping and throwing the kids on our bed. Kara also really enjoys it when you run up to her and scare her. She gets scared and grabs whatever is in reach of her. Dan started to run from one room to the other and scare both of them. Kaleb was lying on the bed and they both grabbed for each other. They played jumping, and the scaring game for a while. After they were done Kaleb had realized that he can play with Kara he just has to do it her style. I have put a video on here of Kara and Kaleb playing with his monster truck. It was a present from grandpa Randy. It was great to see Kaleb take what Dan and I had showed him and made his own ideas on how to play with Kara.
No school for the kids this week. Cambridge had February vacation week. The first couple of days were hard. I am not use to having my kids at home during the day. It always takes me a couple of days to adjust. On Monday I felt really tired and depressed. I think it is because I was mentally drained from taking care of Kara. She asks for food all the time. She needs a lot of oral stimulation. She thinks the best way to get that is by eating all the time. I have to cut her off at certain point because she would eat all day if I let her. It gets really tiring when she is always signing for food and I am continuously going into the kitchen to get it for her.
After Monday we seemed to get into the grove of things. Kara has recently been taught to play by herself. She has been doing pretty well with it. She will go in and sit in her bedroom and play for 10-30mins. That is really good for her. It gives me a break and it teaches her to be and play by herself. I wouldn't have made it through this week if it weren't for Emilie. She is our respite-therapist. She came everyday to relieve me for a few hours. Emilie, I love you!!
Kaleb has been having a hard time lately with Kara not being able to talk. He woke up one morning and said "mom, Kara talks to me at night when we go to bed,” I said "really, what does she say to you?" He said, "she asks me if I want to play baseball." I said "WOW." He then continued to tell me that they play in their room for an hour and then go to bed. It was the cutest thing I had ever heard him say. I didn't really think anything of it until the next morning he said the exact same thing to me. Later in the day he was lying on my bedroom floor and started to cry. I said, "Kaleb what is wrong." He said, "I wish Kara could talk." It broke my heart into a million pieces. I hadn't really thought about how Kara's autism affects Kaleb. He said he wishes he could talk and play with her. I told him that it is hard for her and us. We don't know why she doesn't talk, but I know that Kara loves him very much.
I looked over at Dan and said, "let's play Kara style." I told Kaleb to get up and we would show him how Kara can play, we just have to play a little differently. Dan then started jumping and throwing the kids on our bed. Kara also really enjoys it when you run up to her and scare her. She gets scared and grabs whatever is in reach of her. Dan started to run from one room to the other and scare both of them. Kaleb was lying on the bed and they both grabbed for each other. They played jumping, and the scaring game for a while. After they were done Kaleb had realized that he can play with Kara he just has to do it her style. I have put a video on here of Kara and Kaleb playing with his monster truck. It was a present from grandpa Randy. It was great to see Kaleb take what Dan and I had showed him and made his own ideas on how to play with Kara.
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