tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26883780288379794022024-03-13T23:28:56.794-04:00Life With My X-MenRaising two boys with Fragile X SyndromeKristiem10http://www.blogger.com/profile/06228759387412366263noreply@blogger.comBlogger1114125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2688378028837979402.post-54018937631088427502016-06-07T21:40:00.001-04:002016-06-08T09:08:56.014-04:00Drew's trophiesLike they do every year at the end of the season, The X-Men received a trophy at Sluggers Little League on Sunday. My friend caught a picture of Drew admiring his. <div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-b2MlV1j4-FM/V1d3jecikFI/AAAAAAAAE-Q/sq93R-hkMyc/s640/blogger-image-1053803274.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-b2MlV1j4-FM/V1d3jecikFI/AAAAAAAAE-Q/sq93R-hkMyc/s640/blogger-image-1053803274.jpg"></a></div><div><br></div><div>Sunday evening, I went in his room to find him laying on the floor, surrounded by past years' trophies and holding his new one, inspecting it appreciatively. </div><div><br></div><div>He <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">really loves it. So much that today he stole all the trophies off Blake's dresser and put them on his own. </span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-t87xRfxsEp4/V1d3kNuMV6I/AAAAAAAAE-Y/B31u-CM2KMY/s640/blogger-image--1573647278.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-t87xRfxsEp4/V1d3kNuMV6I/AAAAAAAAE-Y/B31u-CM2KMY/s640/blogger-image--1573647278.jpg"></a></div>I told him he couldn't steal Blake's trophies. He said, "But I need more trophies, Mama. You buy me some more, ok?" Haha. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-tXkf_BuSedU/V1gY59jcaWI/AAAAAAAAE-o/2EfsiuvmID0/s640/blogger-image--410264106.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-tXkf_BuSedU/V1gY59jcaWI/AAAAAAAAE-o/2EfsiuvmID0/s640/blogger-image--410264106.jpg"></a></div><br></span></div>Kristiem10http://www.blogger.com/profile/06228759387412366263noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2688378028837979402.post-74443091491794877602016-06-06T07:56:00.001-04:002016-06-06T07:57:36.637-04:00A Blake Funny<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div>Yesterday after our final Sluggers baseball game, we went to Behm's Landing to eat. A boat that had overturned was being towed in. Behm's has big windows, so we watched the action from our table. I pointed it out to Blake, who was sitting next to me. He took one look at it and asked, "Is it a whale?!" Lol. I guess I can see where he got that. Here's a couple pics:<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Ps33Aef-7o4/V1Vk0oxXbqI/AAAAAAAAE-A/rTGNwL2nVI0/s640/blogger-image-970989170.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Ps33Aef-7o4/V1Vk0oxXbqI/AAAAAAAAE-A/rTGNwL2nVI0/s640/blogger-image-970989170.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-1Gug-dGJ-6A/V1Vkz1m6BII/AAAAAAAAE94/8291tw0mzFs/s640/blogger-image--1703581329.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-1Gug-dGJ-6A/V1Vkz1m6BII/AAAAAAAAE94/8291tw0mzFs/s640/blogger-image--1703581329.jpg"></a></div><br></div>Kristiem10http://www.blogger.com/profile/06228759387412366263noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2688378028837979402.post-2843488195145963952016-05-31T18:02:00.001-04:002016-05-31T18:46:39.666-04:00The X-Men reenact an episode of PopeyeThe X-Men have been on a Popeye kick lately. And a favorite episode is where Popeye serves spinach to his nephews Pipeye, Peepeye, Pupeye, and Poopeye. They hate it and my boys think that's hilarious. And as any good FragileXer would do, they like to act out the scene. It was Blake's idea to use grapes for the spinach, but Drew jumped right on the idea.<br>
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Here's a shot from the episode they like:</div>
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Blake gathered his props:</div>
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He got Drew onboard with it and Drew took the role of Popeye while Blake play a nephew. You may have to turn up the volume to hear it. </div>
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Kristiem10http://www.blogger.com/profile/06228759387412366263noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2688378028837979402.post-76046002465102460382016-01-24T19:11:00.001-05:002016-01-24T19:11:19.372-05:00A Schedule Solution<span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Drew was constantly asking me to make a schedule for him using our Boardmaker program. I'd make one for him and he'd keep it for ten minutes and throw it away, asking for a different one. We put actual activities on it, but he always wanted to sprinkle in pictures of things he likes to talk about in it. I don't love that, but it really calms him down if he imagines Bob the Builder or whoever is going to be there, too. Anyway, printing a bazillion schedules was driving me crazy, so I printed up real schedule events and his favorite things and laminated it.</span><div><span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></span></div><div><span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"> I made up a folder and told him he was in charge of it. I showed him where to Velcro the pieces. He resisted at first, telling me I needed to do it. I reminded him that he is fifteen and I knew he could do it himself. He took it in his room and immediately made a schedule for himself. He brought it to me and asked me to read it to him. He can certainly read it himself, but something about me reading it aloud gives him peace. It has worked out well. As we have special events come up, like a birthday party or haircut, I just stick the picture in his folder. He notices it right away, and usually asks when that event is coming up. Being able to add it when he is ready seems to decrease the anxiety about the event. </span></div><div><font color="rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.7019607843137254)" face="UICTFontTextStyleBody"><span style="font-size: 21px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-TWJJL6x_-7E/VqVoJfbkHyI/AAAAAAAAE9U/mUkets5-Xxs/s640/blogger-image--416550357.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-TWJJL6x_-7E/VqVoJfbkHyI/AAAAAAAAE9U/mUkets5-Xxs/s640/blogger-image--416550357.jpg"></a></div><br></span></font></div><div><font color="rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.7019607843137254)" face="UICTFontTextStyleBody"><span style="font-size: 21px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></span></font><div><span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ArJLvcRtAEo/VqVoIcdz3fI/AAAAAAAAE9M/sITETxoKTso/s640/blogger-image--115783766.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ArJLvcRtAEo/VqVoIcdz3fI/AAAAAAAAE9M/sITETxoKTso/s640/blogger-image--115783766.jpg"></a></div><br></span></div><div><span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></span></div></div>Kristiem10http://www.blogger.com/profile/06228759387412366263noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2688378028837979402.post-54350709994939876322015-10-12T09:17:00.001-04:002015-10-12T09:17:59.639-04:00 Why I no longer drink or how Jesus saved me twice <span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">How Jesus saved me twice.</span><br />
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Jesus saved me the first time when I accepted his gift of salvation. As the Bible says, I passed from death to life. I no longer have to worry about my eternity. I know that when I die physically, I will be with Jesus forever. I will forever be thankful for that.</div>
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I learned that though I had accepted his gift of salvation, I had not turned my entire life over to him. I didn't realize it for a long time. Sometimes life with two X-Men can be stressful. At the end of a particularly stressful day, I would make a drink for myself. Often times it was vodka and lemonade. I have never been a beer drinker or wine drinker, but I lightly joked that even Jesus drank wine, so the occasional drink was no big deal.</div>
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When the arbaclofen (STX 209) drug trial ended, I was devastated. I didn't give my worries to the Lord, but started having more and more drinks. I soon started drinking straight vodka and skipping the lemonade altogether. I kept my shot glass in the cupboard and used it regularly. "Just to take the edge off," I would tell myself. </div>
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It got to the point where I would drink some every day. I was embarrassed that I bought vodka so often. I sort of wondered what the people at the grocery store must think but figured there were a lot of other people buying alcohol as well and maybe I wasn't standing out in the crowd as much as I thought I was. I was hiding my drinking from other people. I didn't tell Eric how much I was actually drinking. I hid empty bottles, much to my shame.</div>
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I knew I was becoming more and more dependent on alcohol. I would feel like I needed it before doing any kind of social event. I wanted to stop drinking but felt like it was out of my control.</div>
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The Holy Spirit was convicting me. I heard numerous sermons about sin and knew that I was putting my trust in alcohol instead of God. How could I not trust the One whom I said I believed in for eternity when I couldn't even put my faith in Him for everyday problems?</div>
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But I also knew that I would not stop drinking on my own. I told the Lord that if I were to stop drinking, he would have to remove the temptation from me completely. And, since God is faithful even when we are not, he did just that. Like the flipping of a switch, I no longer wanted alcohol. The thought of alcohol actually turned my stomach and made me feel nauseated. I dumped any leftover alcohol I had and haven't had a drop since then. In fact, I have no desire to drink whatsoever.</div>
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However, people would ask me why I don't drink anymore and I would say that I just felt like it was not good for me. And while that is true, the actual reason I stopped was because I realized that I was not putting my trust in God and was putting my trust in vodka instead. When we put things ahead of God in our lives that is called idolatry and the Lord hates it. I can say with certainty that drinking alcohol was an idol to me. Thank God that He delivered me from that! Now when I am stressed I take a few minutes to myself and pray to God. He has never let me down!</div>
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This is something I am not proud to admit about myself. Is is humbling to admit my weakness. But the Lord nudged me to share it with you to show how He is able to deliver us from every thing that we put before Him. It has been over two years since my last drink and I have Him to thank for it. </div>
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Kristiem10http://www.blogger.com/profile/06228759387412366263noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2688378028837979402.post-48082796196702890252015-08-22T00:36:00.001-04:002015-08-22T08:52:20.204-04:00Some thoughts on prayer<div>I am a praying person. Sometimes people question why we need to pray to God if He is going to do whatever He wants anyway. </div><div><br></div><div>I was listening to a sermon by Adrian Rogers and he told a story that really touched me. He said that a college invited him to speak and sent a private airplane to pick him up. He said the pilot asked him if he'd like to try flying the plane for a little bit. Of course Adrian wanted to give it a try! He said it was exhilarating knowing he was flying the plane. He said that pilot didn't need him to fly the airplane, but Adrian definitely needed the pilot! He said they made a connection and enjoyed the experience together. And he said that's what God does with us. Even though God doesn't need our participation, He invites us to partner with Him in what He is doing. It will allow us to fellowship with Him and learn to depend on Him. </div><div><br></div><div>Another thing I've been learning is this: as someone who prays, I spend a lot of time praying for temporary needs. There is nothing wrong with this--in fact the bible tells us to be persistent in our prayers. Jesus even tells us to ask for "our daily bread" in the example he gave his disciples of how to pray. </div><div><br></div><div>But I recently started thinking about prayers that pertain to eternal things. Maybe it is more important to pray that a person's faith grows than their comfort. Sometimes God takes us out of our comfort zone because he wants us to depend on him. Maybe then we will really experience the exhilaration of flying with Him. </div>Kristiem10http://www.blogger.com/profile/06228759387412366263noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2688378028837979402.post-14916711804691806992015-08-11T17:17:00.001-04:002015-08-11T17:21:15.764-04:00Meltdown of epic proportions<div><br></div>So, we had plans for Drew to meet his new teacher before school starts. We made arrangements with her and planned to meet Drew's aide at the school. I precisely planned the timing of telling Drew about it. He seemed to take it pretty well. Blake knew about it but didn't make a big deal about it, either. Blake started talking about how he wanted to sit in the front seat. I told him he needed to sit in the back today and to let Drew sit in the front seat. Sometimes when Drew sits in the back and gets nervous, I have a very hard time getting him out. I figured it would be easier to get Drew out of the front seat than the very back of the van. <div><br></div><div>We all got ready and while I was turning things off in the house, Blake ran out to the van and got in the front seat and buckled in. I scolded him and told him to get in the back, but he refused. Drew was getting agitated about it and climbed into the backseat. I decided to not make a big deal about it, because I wanted to keep them both calm and happy.</div><div><br></div><div>We got to the school and Blake was quite agitated. He repeatedly lock the door when Drew wouldn't get out of the van. Thankfully, I had my keys with me and was able to unlock the doors. Eventually Drew got out and went inside the school with his aide. At this point, Blake was very agitated and wouldn't get out of the van. I let Drew go in and told his aide that I would wait in the van for him.</div><div><br></div><div>After a few minutes, his teacher came outside. I had gotten Blake calmed down at this point and he came in the school with me. I was able to go in the classroom and talk with the teacher. Drew waited in the hallway for the most part.</div><div><br></div><div>Blake slammed the classroom door and ran out to the van, which was right outside the door. I knew the parking lot was pretty much empty, so I didn't follow immediately. After finishing up my conversation with the teacher and aide, (just a minute or two later) I went out to the van. Blake was all ready coming back towards the building. He said, "I broke the van it is broken." I got in the van to check it out, and sure enough, he had pulled the sun visor off. The plastic was actually broken. Drew freaked out and started yelling, "he broke it he broke it Mom the van is broken!" I agreed, but tried to stay very calm about it, even though I was upset about it. When we got home I called my mom to see if she could come over while I ran the van up to the car dealership to see what they thought about it. Too bad I didn't call her to see if she could watch Blake while Drew and I went alone to the school! Anyway, she came over and I brought the van to the car dealership. They looked up the part, which needed to be replaced completely. It is going to cost $143 to fix! It was an expensive visit to the teacher. <a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-3cUvj9_AlZE/VcpnSdUxr3I/AAAAAAAAE8s/N1HwLivYLB8/s640/blogger-image-940437812.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-3cUvj9_AlZE/VcpnSdUxr3I/AAAAAAAAE8s/N1HwLivYLB8/s640/blogger-image-940437812.jpg"></a></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-qcGpDVOKcww/VcpnR-L4LBI/AAAAAAAAE8k/ZyWYsCjI1U8/s640/blogger-image-1743694655.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-qcGpDVOKcww/VcpnR-L4LBI/AAAAAAAAE8k/ZyWYsCjI1U8/s640/blogger-image-1743694655.jpg"></a></div><br></div>Kristiem10http://www.blogger.com/profile/06228759387412366263noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2688378028837979402.post-49522550796420859062015-07-12T07:39:00.001-04:002015-07-12T07:39:37.426-04:00Pool Party SuccessSo, as an update to <a href="http://lifewithmyxmen.blogspot.com/2015/07/when-special-needs-child-rearing.html" target="_blank">THIS</a> post, here are some pictures of the Arc pool party we went to last night. We all had lots of fun, even though the water was so cold! <br />
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<br />Kristiem10http://www.blogger.com/profile/06228759387412366263noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2688378028837979402.post-77285892594109703602015-07-11T16:45:00.000-04:002015-07-11T16:49:14.196-04:00When Special Needs Child Rearing Differs from Typical Child RearingSometimes I vent about my kids and their behavior. If you don't have a special needs kid, you might say, "Well, that's <i>all </i>kids. My kids do that, too." And I don't dispute that there are similarities. But I can almost guarantee that the scope of the behavior varies greatly. <br />
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As you may have guessed, I am thinking of a particular situation we are dealing with right now. (read: enduring) <br />
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Yesterday, Shelby County Arc was scheduled to have a pool party. When it comes to outings, we need to tread carefully about introducing the idea to our kids. Drew especially struggles with going places. So, I broke the news that we had a pool party last night. Amazingly, he took the news really well. He even tried on his new swim trunks without coaxing. Unfortunately, the weather was bad and the party was postponed to tonight. He was in his swim trunks and I had to tell him the party was cancelled. Again, he took the news well and changed into his regular clothes.<br />
<br />
As he often does on Saturday, he started obsessing about going to church on Sunday. He follows me around the house, saying, "I'm not going to church on Sunday. I can't open the door for the ladies. Mens go first. Church is cancelled." We assure him that he <i>is</i> going to church on Sunday, and he<i> can</i> open the door for the ladies. It doesn't matter what we say, he continues this conversation over and over. He asks who will be there. The expected answer is "Lofty" Who is Lofty, you might ask? Lofty is Drew's imaginary friend, the crane character from Bob the Builder. We think he relates to Lofty because Lofty is hesitant and anxious about things, just like Drew.<br />
<br />
So, we were already on this treadmill conversation and had been for a couple hours at least, when I let it slip that we are going to the pool party tonight. So, added to the conversation about church, he says he can't go swimming, he <i>hates</i> swimming. Lofty will not be there. And he hates Little Caesars. Wait, what? What does Little Caesar's have to do with it? Well, a few times, we stopped at Little Caesars for a Hot and Ready pizza and breadsticks. So, now we have to do it every time we go swimming, or a meltdown ensues with self-injurious behavior and all.<br />
<br />
I keep reassuring him that he can do it, and he will have fun. I made him a schedule and showed him pictures of past pool parties to remind him that he likes pool parties. But still he follows me around as I try to do some household chores, going through his script, so close that he bumps into me if I turn around too fast. It is now twenty minutes before five. We have almost two hours until we leave for the pool party. His behavior will escalate with his anxiety as the pool party approaches. Would it be easier to forgo these outings? You bet. But we know that he will have fun and have a sense of pride that he actually was about to do it, just like we told him. I will update later with pictures of his success. Hopefully.Kristiem10http://www.blogger.com/profile/06228759387412366263noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2688378028837979402.post-60473275255149494482015-05-26T07:01:00.000-04:002015-05-26T07:18:54.513-04:00A Different Perspective on the Duggar SituationI have only been watching the Duggars for a couple years. I have been fascinated with their lives and their family. I admit I was pretty shocked to hear that Josh Duggar molested his sisters when he was a teenager. I have read many comments online saying what a slimeball Josh Duggar is/was and how their family is in a cult and that Josh's victims will be ruined for life because of his abuse. I have read that he has apologized and his sisters have forgiven him. From what I have read online, people have said that they couldn't possibly have forgiven him, that they were coerced into saying they did to protect their family image. All of this may be true, I don't know the Duggars personally, so I can't say.<br />
<br />
But I do have a few things to say on the subject. Self-report studies show that 20% of adult females and 5-10% of adult
males recall a childhood sexual assault or sexual abuse incident. And I have read reports citing as many as 1 in 3 women will be abused in their lifetime. So, these are high numbers. Chances are good that if you are reading this, either you or someone you love has been sexually abused. And it is my belief that these statistics are low because many instances are never reported.<br />
<br />
Like many of you, I was sexually abused as a child. It was by a babysitter. I didn't report it because I didn't want to get anyone in trouble, and of course, there was shame about what I had done/been forced to do. <br />
<br />
I am not going to lie and say there were no repercussions. It was a secret I didn't want brought up for years and didn't even tell my parents about it until I was an adult. And I probably wouldn't have told them ever if it hadn't been revealed by my sister who also was abused by this person.. I didn't want them to be hurt or maybe think they did something wrong by allowing this person to babysit for us.<br />
<br />
Psalm 61:1 is one of my very favorite verses in the bible. It speaks of Jesus and his redemption:<br />
<br />
<span class="chapter-2"><span class="text Isa-61-1">The Spirit of the Lord <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">God</span> is upon me,</span></span><br />
<span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Isa-61-1">because the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> has anointed me</span></span><br />
<span class="text Isa-61-1">to bring good news to the poor.</span><br />
<span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Isa-61-1">he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,</span></span><br />
<span class="text Isa-61-1">to proclaim liberty to the captives,</span><br />
<span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Isa-61-1">and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;</span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="indent-1"><span class="text Isa-61-1">Ah, friend-- good news to the poor means that Jesus died for your sins and mine have been forgiven by Jesus. </span></span> He died on the cross to pay for
the sins of the world. When I accepted Him as my Savior, my sins were
forgiven and placed on Him. No longer am I dead in my sins, but can know they are forgiven and will have eternal life with my Savior. <br />
<br />
I have given my life to Christ and with it, all of my hurts. That
includes the pain of sexual abuse. Jesus says through the prophet Isaiah that he was sent to bind up the brokenhearted. Psalm 147:3 says:<span class="text Ps-147-3" id="en-NIV-16355"> He heals the brokenhearted </span><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"></span><span class="text Ps-147-3">and binds up their wounds.</span></span><br />
<br />
Sometimes, people who are sexually abused are held captive by the memories of what they endured. I am not saying that is wrong. I think it is a natural reaction. Satan would love for us to be bitter about what happened and let it ruin our relationships. He is a deceiver and a destroyer.<br />
<br />
I have completely forgiven my abuser. When I think of her, I feel no malice. I only feel sorrow for the fallen world we live in that led her to hurt me in the first place. I pray for her salvation and that she has repented of her sins and has given her life to Christ.<br />
<br />
I believe that if Josh Duggar has TRULY repented of his sins and humbly asked forgiveness, the Bible tells me: "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."<br />
<br />
I don't know if the Duggar sisters have truly forgiven their brother. But I know that it is possible with Christ's help. <br />
Kristiem10http://www.blogger.com/profile/06228759387412366263noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2688378028837979402.post-83409322171613606432015-04-28T22:55:00.001-04:002015-04-28T22:55:47.073-04:00The Clenched FistI was listening to a podcast by Adrian Rogers today. He is a pastor who has gone on to be with the Lord. His sermons are still broadcast in a program called Love Worth Finding. He told a story in today's sermon about a little girl long ago putting her hand in a very, very expensive vase. Very quickly, she discovered that her hand was stuck! Her parents tried to get her hand out. They used oil in hopes of coaxing her hand out, they pulled, and tried all kind of things to get the girl's hand out of the vase. But alas, her hand was truly stuck. In the end, her parents had to break the precious vase to get their daughter's hand out of the vase. When they did, they discovered that their daughter's hand was in a tight fist. They asked her why on earth she didn't just open her fist, for surely her hand would have slipped right out of the vase with her hand open! The girl replied that she had been holding onto a penny and didn't want to lose it.<br />
<br />
This is such a marvelous picture of the mindset of man. First, for the unbeliever--they hold onto what they see as valuable and miss the wonderful treasure that is the kingdom of God. Nothing on this earth compares to the riches that God gives to his children. The unsaved person says, "I like my life just the way it is. I have great things--a family, a house a decent job and I am generally a happy person." when they don't realize they could have so much more!<br />
<br />
Faith in Jesus guarantees that we will spend eternity with Him. In a sinless, perfect world. That is a beautiful thought considering the ugliness of the world we live in. You have to be seriously checked out to have not noticed the state the world is in right now.<br />
<br />
2 Timothy 3:1-5 says, "But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People
will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud,
abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_timothy/3-4.htm"><b></b></a></span>treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power."<br />
<br />
Really look at that list. Doesn't it resemble the people in our world today? We are living in end times. Believe it. I could give you twenty reasons why this is true. But that list is very clear. Don't give up eternity for the penny you have clenched in your hand. Open your hand and grab hold of the Creator of the universe who died so you may have life!<br />
<br />
Part 2, The Clenched Fist of the Christian coming up.<br />
<br />
<br />Kristiem10http://www.blogger.com/profile/06228759387412366263noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2688378028837979402.post-56595553761479725002015-04-17T15:31:00.002-04:002015-04-17T15:53:58.770-04:00Tough Subject<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); font-family: '.Helvetica NeueUI'; font-size: 17px;">I get so used to helping Drew do every day things that I forget how much he is growing up. Today at school while doing his work, Drew said "if God is mad at you, you will die." His aide and teacher were surprised and asked where he heard that. He said, "Pastor Jim". Now I know that's not exactly what was said, but that must be the conclusion he drew from the sermons he listens to. So, I asked him about it. At first he didn't want to talk about it. I said, "Is God mad at you, Drew?" He said, "No, I was good!" </span><div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); font-family: '.Helvetica NeueUI'; font-size: 17px;"><br></div><div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); font-family: '.Helvetica NeueUI'; font-size: 17px;">Drew knows what punishment is and has even recently started using the word, especially when he thinks his brother needs it. </div><div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); font-family: '.Helvetica NeueUI'; font-size: 17px;"><br></div><div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); font-family: '.Helvetica NeueUI'; font-size: 17px;">I said to Drew, "Do you know how when you do something bad, you get a punishment? Well, Jesus took our punishment for all the bad things we do. Remember how Jesus died on the cross?" </div><div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); font-family: '.Helvetica NeueUI'; font-size: 17px;"><br></div><div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); font-family: '.Helvetica NeueUI'; font-size: 17px;"> "Yeah, poor Jesus!" he said. </div><div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); font-family: '.Helvetica NeueUI'; font-size: 17px;"><br></div><div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); font-family: '.Helvetica NeueUI'; font-size: 17px;">I said, "When Jesus died on the cross for us, God was mad at him for a little bit. But Jesus didn't stay dead. He came back to life and showed us that God is not mad anymore. When we die, if we believe in Jesus, we will be with Him in heaven." </div><div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); font-family: '.Helvetica NeueUI'; font-size: 17px;"><br></div><div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); font-family: '.Helvetica NeueUI'; font-size: 17px;">He said, "And Jesus is in my heart." I said, "is Jesus in your heart?" He said, "Yes. And Kevin, too." (Kevin is his friend who he sits with every week)</div><div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); font-family: '.Helvetica NeueUI'; font-size: 17px;"><br></div><div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); font-family: '.Helvetica NeueUI'; font-size: 17px;">Not sure if I handled the conversation properly, but it tells me he is listening and starting to figure things out on his own. Looking forward to more God talks with him. </div>
Kristiem10http://www.blogger.com/profile/06228759387412366263noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2688378028837979402.post-15434590534200093022014-11-12T23:42:00.001-05:002014-11-13T22:40:41.123-05:00Could I forget my kids have Fragile X? Probably not.I read a blog post earlier about a mother of a son with Down Syndrome who had a cashier make an ignorant comment to her about prenatal testing. The mama set her straight about how it woudn't have mattered whether she knew in advance (in her case, she did) about her son's diagnosis or not. She just loves her son so much that she forgets he has Down Syndrome. I can relate to the "wouldn't have mattered" part of her line of thinking--the other part, not so much. It was a nice blog post. Maybe my kids are more
severely affected than her son is--I don't know. It really doesn't
matter. But it made me question myself.<br>
<br>
Eric and I have talked before and commented that people really have no clue what our lives are like day to day. I have told people about some of the rituals and routines we go through daily, and they are most often befuddled by them. <br>
<br>
I was lying in bed this morning, and I heard Drew stirring. I thought, "I can't do it today. I just can't deal with his shower." How many parents think that about their fourteen year old? He never wants to take a shower. I get that some fourteen year olds don't like taking showers. But for the most part, you can reason with an eighth grader. For him to get in the shower, I have to go through a crazy ritual where I say, "Come on, you are so stinky!You need a show-wer!" and have to sit on the toilet and say, "Oh dear! Scoop's pooping! Oh Scoop! That's disgusting!" (Scoop is a Bob the Builder character) Then I have to stand outside the shower to help him wash all his parts. All the while, he is grabbing my wrists and shoving me away, saying, "No showers! I HATE showers!"<br>
<br>
That is one small example of a thousand different rituals we do every day. I know I need to teach him to shower on his own. Both boys need to learn to be independent. I should not still have to wipe butts. But, sometimes the thought of the process of teaching them to take a shower independently, or wiping themselves is daunting. I get overwhelmed with all the steps in the process then forget the whole thing!<br>
<br>
When I was lying in bed waiting for Drew to get up, I thought, "Lord, I am weary. Heavy laden comes to mind. I know your word says, 'Come to Me all you who are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.' I thank you that you always do this. Help me to be a good mama to my boys and help me to be patient with them." <br>
<br>
Do I forget my children have Fragile X Syndrome? No, not really. It
colors every part of our lives. But, what is more important to me than the fact that they have Fragile X is that the God of the universe knew them before I did and loves them even more. He has a plan for our lives and is working it out for His glory. <br>
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<br>Kristiem10http://www.blogger.com/profile/06228759387412366263noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2688378028837979402.post-19223977511251313072014-07-21T11:56:00.001-04:002014-07-21T11:56:38.629-04:00My baby is FOURTEEN today!It happens every day. Kids get older in a blink of an eye and moms are left wondering<i> how did he get so old?! </i>That is what I am wondering today. Drew is fourteen years old today.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nP4RyQtLx0k/U801WHuuO8I/AAAAAAAAE6Y/vvAjgGw8YwM/s1600/momdrew.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nP4RyQtLx0k/U801WHuuO8I/AAAAAAAAE6Y/vvAjgGw8YwM/s1600/momdrew.jpg" height="215" width="320" /></a></div>
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I love the above picture. I had no idea what I was doing with that baby in my arms, and by the way he was looking at me, he wasn't too sure, either. </div>
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But, we must have figured it out somehow, because here is all handsome, happy and half-grown. Happy Birthday to my sweet Drewy-boy!</div>
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<br />Kristiem10http://www.blogger.com/profile/06228759387412366263noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2688378028837979402.post-22622457151021754412014-06-04T10:04:00.000-04:002014-06-04T10:41:58.352-04:00Learning something of my own<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); font-family: '.Helvetica NeueUI'; font-size: 14px;">I read <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ellen-seidman/the-kindness-this-special_b_5432185.html?ncid=fcbklnkushpmg00000037" target="_blank">this cool story</a>
on Huffington Post this morning. It reminded me of something that
happened on a smaller scale yesterday with Blake. He was outside while
our neighbor's kids were our riding their Power Wheels back and forth
on the sidewalk. He watched them for awhile and made faces at them. I
told him that if he wanted to play with them, </span><span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); font-family: '.Helvetica NeueUI'; font-size: 14px;">he shouldn't make faces he should ask them to play. </span><br />
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They
switched to bikes, so he ran to get his bike. Blake said, "let's go,
guys!" I told Ean (the oldest brother) that Blake wanted to play with
him, but doesn't always say the right things to let him know. (though
"Let's go, guys" was pretty good this time!) He and his brother Holden
rode bikes back and forth on the sidewalk. They could fly! Ean told me
that Blake should probably just go in the grass when he wanted to get
around his lilttle brother Emerson. I told him that was a good idea,
but he's not very good at driving on grass yet. He said, "Well, he
probably just needs to practice more." and then proceeded to
demonstrate his ability to drive on grass. And he said, "see Blake? Do
it like this!"<br />
<br />
They played awhile longer while I
talked with Heather, the boys' mama. She mentioned that Ean said, "Mom,
I'm going to go out and play with Blake," and ran out. No big deal to
him.<br />
<br />
It was a small interaction, but it meant a lot to
me. Not to be all melodramatic, but oftentimes, I rein my kids in and
tell them not to bother people, encouraging them to play by themselves,
just because I fear their rejection. I don't think I give people enough
credit sometimes.<br />
<br />
Last week, our neighbor across the
street had a birthday party. They were in the front yard and there was a
Happy Birthday banner hung across the garage door. Blake was outside
and I was sitting on the front step, watching him. He said, "Mom, is a
birthday party? Who?" I said, "I think it's a birthday party for
Norm." Well, he loves birthday parties, so he sat watching for awhile.
He hollered a few times, "Happy Birthday! Happy Birthday, Norm!" Norm
didn't hear him and Blake kept yelling and watching. I shushed him,
because I didn't want him to seem like a weird gawker. But I think I
got it wrong.<br />
<br />
If I am always apologizing for my kids
and corralling them in, how can they experience life outside my
controlled environment? Sometimes we face rejection. That's part of
life. <br />
<br />
The other day, a young man was walking past our
house. Blake said, "Hi boy. What you doing?" The boy said, "I am
walking to church," and Blake replied, "Oh, good job!" The boy seemed
to get a kick out of it. He smiled and said goodbye. Ordinarily, I'd
have just smiled apologetically and said hi, or answered for them,
telling Blake that they were out for a walk. <br />
<br />
My kids will always be different, but my sheltering them will not help them
find their spot in the community. So, in the future, if you are on a
walk, and Blake happens to holler at you, asking what you're doing, I am
not going to shut him up. Just tell him what you're doing, ok? <br />
<br /></div>
Kristiem10http://www.blogger.com/profile/06228759387412366263noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2688378028837979402.post-13942480563676398012014-05-12T15:16:00.001-04:002014-05-12T15:16:44.407-04:00Ceiling fanWe haven't put our window air conditioners in yet. The boys came home from school, and I decided I was going to put their ceiling fans on. Blake was in his room and he saw me reaching up to turn on his fan. He said, "No! No fan!" I asked him why not,but he wouldn't say why he didn't want it on. I said, "You don't want the ceiling fan on because it's too..." Giving him a cloze sentence format, which is easier for him to answer. His fan squeaks and is out of balance so I expected him to say that it was too noisy. But he surprised me by answering "too windy!" Lol. Kristiem10http://www.blogger.com/profile/06228759387412366263noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2688378028837979402.post-30691888426217308362014-04-27T18:04:00.001-04:002014-04-27T18:04:45.249-04:00SluggersWe had our first practice for Sluggers Little League today. The first couple years, Drew didn't play at all. Then he was on Arbaclofen and he was able to play. He's been off Arbaclofen for going on a year now, and he's doing considerably well. So I was optimistic about today's Sluggers practice. <br />
<br />
We got there and parked in the correct parking lot (read: same lot as last year) and Drew said he was not getting out of the van. Eric and Blake went ahead and I told Eric I'd be along shortly with Drew. Drew got out and stood by the van.<br />
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He asked where Uncle Tony was. I told him Uncle Tony was there, and pointed out the truck I thought (incorrectly) was his. I think Drew knew it wasn't Tony's truck. You know that Fragile X attention to details! Anyway, a dog on a leash came near, so that was the catalyst that got Drew hurrying toward the diamond. <br />
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We got there and realized that Tony wasn't there after all. Eric and Blake came over with shirts and hats. Drew wouldn't change into his Sluggers shirt. Apparently he was too attached to the too-small OSU shirt he picked out for himself. <br />
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Eric and Blake went toward the diamond and Drew and I hid by the bathroom, with the pretense of waiting for Uncle Tony.<br />
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Apparently Eric was having his own troubles with Blake. Blake had hit and kicked him several times.<br />
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Uncle Tony arrived and we went to the diamond. Kyle, who also has Fragile X-- and a broken foot-- wasn't sure he wanted to go out and practice. Eric got him to go out there and Uncle Tony tried to coax Drew. <br />
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It was a valiant effort, but it was unsuccessful. He eventually scooped Blake up and went in the outfield with Blake. Kyle practiced his pitching and catching with the coach while Eric and Tony tried to get Blake to participate. He did his classic avoidant behavior, by dropping to the ground and hiding his head between his knees. <br />
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They eventually got Blake to participate some, and when no one was near us, I picked up a ball and threw it back and forth with Drew. He usually threw it away from me on purpose, making me run for it and buying himself a little time. He tried to catch the ball a couple times, though he didn't wear his glove. <br />
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And he batted off the tee a couple times:<br />
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Blaker was placed in timeout for throwing rocks at me and Eric. </div>
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He was not too impressed. </div>
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In the end, we considered it a success. I know that may sound weird to some. But we got both boys in there, and they both participated to some extent. There were no total meltdowns and no one even cried! Including me! We had a small reward of picking up pizza and breadsticks on the way home.</div>
<br />Kristiem10http://www.blogger.com/profile/06228759387412366263noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2688378028837979402.post-67395365401712105042014-04-17T00:09:00.000-04:002014-04-17T00:13:03.828-04:00ParachutesI recently heard Ray Comfort tell a story. It goes like this:<br />
<br />
You and I are on a plane traveling to New York. We get about half-way
there when we hear the pilot's voice over the loud speaker. We can hear
fear in his voice. The pilot says, "We've lost the engines and we can't
get them started again. The plane is going to crash. There is nothing we
can do about it. There's a parachute under your seat."<br />
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We both look under our seats. We see that the parachute is there. We believe that the parachute is there.<br />
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The plane descends to about 10,000 feet. The pilot instructs the flight
attendants to open the doors, and then he orders everyone to jump for
their lives. I put my parachute on and jump out of the plane. You <i><b>don't</b></i> put your parachute on, and <i><b>you</b></i> jump out of the plane. Who survives the fall?<br />
<br />
"You do." Is typically the answer I receive.<br />
<br />
"Why?"<br />
<br />
"Because you put on the parachute."<br />
<br />
"But we both believed in it." I allow the person to stew on that for a moment, and then I explain the analogy.<br />
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"It wasn't enough to simply believe in the parachute. You had to put it
on and trust that it would open and save your life when you jump out of
the plane. The same is true with Jesus Christ. It is not enough to
simply have an intellectual belief in or agreement with Jesus. The
demons believe and they tremble. You must put on the Lord Jesus Christ
and, by faith, trust Him to save you the same way you would trust a
parachute."<br />
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I really love this analogy. I have made the decision to trust Jesus as my Savior a number of years ago. I have learned to not only trust in Him to save me from hell, but to put my trust in Him for everyday things as well. I admit this wasn't always the case. At first, I trusted Him for my salvation, but when it came to everyday worries, I had a tendency freak out over things that don't matter. How silly! When you can trust the Lord for something as important as your eternal destination, He is certainly trustworthy of the small things. <br />
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Sometimes I forget to leave my troubles with Him, and it makes me anxious and grumpy. And He gently draws me back in and I think of this verse: <span class="text Phil-4-6" id="en-NKJV-29449"><sup class="versenum"></sup>"Be
anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with
thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; </span><span class="text Phil-4-7" id="en-NKJV-29450"><sup class="versenum"> </sup>and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7.</span><br />
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<span class="text Phil-4-7" id="en-NKJV-29450">Tonight, I watched as a young man gave his life to Christ. He has been in trouble with the law, even spending time in juvenile detention centers. He came to church looking for a youth group. While he was there, he realized that he was a sinner, and needed a Savior. He repented of his sins and turned to Jesus. He jumped out of that plane and put his full weight on Jesus. In our world, we use the word awesome for a lot of things. But witnessing that was a truly awesome thing. </span><br />
<span class="text Phil-4-7" id="en-NKJV-29450"><br /></span>
<span class="text Phil-4-7" id="en-NKJV-29450">As we get closer to the day we call Good Friday, let's consider the sacrifice Jesus made on our behalf. He has provided a parachute for you. Will you put it on? </span><br />
<br />
<span class="text Phil-4-7" id="en-NKJV-29450"><span class="text Phil-4-7" id="en-NKJV-29450"></span> </span><br />
<span class="text Phil-4-7" id="en-NKJV-29450"><br /></span>
<span class="text Phil-4-7" id="en-NKJV-29450"><br /></span>
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<br />Kristiem10http://www.blogger.com/profile/06228759387412366263noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2688378028837979402.post-59326737098838487442014-03-03T18:51:00.000-05:002014-03-03T18:51:50.173-05:00 The "Me Bag"Drew had to do a project where he found pictures and glued them to a brown paper bag. The pictures were to represent things that described him or showed things he likes. He had to put two things about himself that people might not know on a paper on the inside of the bag. We worked on it and Drew did most of the work himself. He seemed to enjoy the project. Today his paper bag came back home with little slips of paper written by his classmate with something about him.<br />
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Here are some things they wrote:<br />
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Drew, you are one of a kind and a jokester. You make me laugh everyday and I am glad we are buds.<br />
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You are really good at Temple Run. Snakes!<br />
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Drew, you always brighten my day.<br />
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Drew you are really fun to be around and are very good at Temple Run. Snakes!<br />
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I like how you always say hi to people in the hallway.<br />
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Drew you are funny because when you come in the room you make everyone happy.<br />
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You did a good job (on your project)<br />
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Drew, you always brighten my day<br />
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Drew, you have a great sense of humor and make me laugh!<br />
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You're super funny and awesome and great at Temple Run.<br />
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Drew: You're a good friend and funny.<br />
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Drew, hey Drew, thanks for being my friend and always making me laugh. Thanks Drew <br />
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I know this was an assigned project, but it really made this mama's heart happy to hear things said about her boy. He said he was going to keep them on his dresser. <br />
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<br />Kristiem10http://www.blogger.com/profile/06228759387412366263noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2688378028837979402.post-81822655704254435392013-12-22T23:53:00.003-05:002013-12-22T23:53:54.658-05:00A Diesel Ducy of his ownAs many parents of Fragile X know, our guys (and girls!) can be a little obsessed with things. The professionals call it having high interest areas. For years, Drew has loved watching elevator videos. I used to think it was strange, but now when I go to a hotel, I find myself thinking, <i>Hey this is an Otis</i>, or, <i>Oh, it's a Schindler. I bet the door close button doesn't work.</i> Who knew?! Anyway, he watches these videos of elevators on YouTube. There is a user with the username DieselDucy. These are some of Drew's favorite videos. DieselDucy actually holds a train in his hand at the beginning of all his videos. Like this:<br />
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Drew, of course, has picked up on this and adapted it for himself. I have talked with many Fragile X parents, and another thing our kids have in common is the need for props. If you are watching Horton Hears a Who you need to hold a flower. If you are watching Rosie and Jim, you need an accordian. So, when you are watching DieselDucy elevators, you need a train to hold. We don't have a train just like DieselDucy's, so Drew has taken to holding Thomas the Tank Engine while watching the videos.<br />
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I was out Christmas shopping one day, and was having a hard time finding things for Drew. I stopped and thought, <i>What does Drew really like? Elevators. </i>And then I thought maybe I could get him a DieselDucy train. I looked at all the Thomas trains and Chuggington trains and the generic ones, too. They weren't just like it, and I thought if I was going to try to make one, I had better get the train part right, anyway. So, I found out who DieselDucy is and contacted him about what kind of train it is. <br />
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He was very nice and we had a great conversation. He told me that they are fairly easy to find on Ebay. They are Matchbox brand and were made in England in 1978, I believe. We bought two. I got some paint and set out to duplicate DieselDucy's trains. This is what they originally looked like:<br />
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Eric roughed them up with some sandpaper so the paint would stick better. Then I used this photo as my guide:<br />
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And this is what I came up with:<br />
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I know he is going to love it! I love when things turn out how I envisioned them. <br />
<br />Kristiem10http://www.blogger.com/profile/06228759387412366263noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2688378028837979402.post-49680164384952368292013-12-02T13:49:00.000-05:002013-12-02T13:49:34.661-05:00It's December already??!!The past month has flown by! We have been doing some renovations to our home. We put in hardwood flooring and replaced the carpet in the bedrooms and toyroom. We replaced all the baseboards and wood trim, and all the doors as well. The boys didn't like the chaos, but handled it like troopers. I shuffled them between relatives' houses after school until bedtime for a week straight! Things are settling down, though the changes are not completed yet. We still have a fair amount of painting to have done and our new furniture for the living room is not in yet. I'll post pictures when it's all done.<br />
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For the past week or so, Blake has been asking if it is Christmas yet and asked about putting the tree up. Eric told him that we needed to get new floors done before we could get the tree out. So, finally he put the tree up last night. Blake was thrilled. He kept saying, "Christmas? Santa be here in two minutes? Where's cookies?" Things like that. I made him a calendar to show him that it was December first and we will mark off the days until Christmas, but that didn't convince him.<br />
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He helped put the star on the Christmas tree last night. Most people put that on last, but Eric wanted to make Blake happy, so he let him do it as soon as the tree was up.<br />
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This morning, Blake said, "Hey, where's presents? Is it Christmas?" Apparently the calendar was pointless. :)<br />
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Kristiem10http://www.blogger.com/profile/06228759387412366263noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2688378028837979402.post-29331084475096738712013-11-01T16:26:00.001-04:002013-11-01T17:24:39.945-04:00Bowling!Blake went on a reward trip with his class to the bowling alley. He looked forward to it for a week and had a blast. His aide sent me a couple pictures from it. They are a bit blurry, but they are still great. Look at that big smile!<br>
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<span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45,"tn":"*G"}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption">I
have a sore throat and don't feel the greatest. I was laying on the
couch with a blanket and Blake came along and covered me with four or
five more. He kissed my cheek and told me to feel better. I guess he
thought he'd made a cozy nest, because he climbed in and started playing
with his iPad. So much for my nap!</span></span>Kristiem10http://www.blogger.com/profile/06228759387412366263noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2688378028837979402.post-8100323941488283572013-10-22T16:31:00.001-04:002013-10-22T16:31:50.892-04:00Blake and his props<div><br></div>Blake has always liked having props when he watches television. Today he is watching Yo Gabba Gabba. I discovered him in his underwear (always!), my high heeled half-boots and he had the old Fisher Price house filled with trains. <div><br></div><div>The boots were easy--DJ Lance wears boots. The house is supposed to represent DJ Lane's boom box which holds all the Yo Gabba Gabba gang. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ty1Drs6BQeU/UmbgtcxbqMI/AAAAAAAAE0k/v8A9dtgYVo8/s640/blogger-image-1679156955.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ty1Drs6BQeU/UmbgtcxbqMI/AAAAAAAAE0k/v8A9dtgYVo8/s640/blogger-image-1679156955.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-i7qsHhPKePM/UmbgsOP67rI/AAAAAAAAE0c/OhZ6CYtGbQU/s640/blogger-image--1364751019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-i7qsHhPKePM/UmbgsOP67rI/AAAAAAAAE0c/OhZ6CYtGbQU/s640/blogger-image--1364751019.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I love Blake's imagination! Cracks me up to see his innovations. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><br></div>Kristiem10http://www.blogger.com/profile/06228759387412366263noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2688378028837979402.post-65602377646292788372013-10-11T15:37:00.001-04:002013-10-11T15:37:29.853-04:00Circus WafflesDrew asked for waffles this morning. We were out, but I told him I'd get some and he could have some for a snack after school. Of course I forgot. But Drew didn't forget. As soon as he got in the house, he asked for his waffles. I admitted I had forgotten them, but offered to make some. He thought that would work and I remembered the circus waffle iron I got for Christmas a year or two ago. <div><br></div><div>I looked up a recipe online and whipped these up in minutes. Drew doesn't always eat my homemade waffles, but he's happily scarfing them down now! And they are cute! I will definitely be using this recipe and waffle iron again soon!</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-2SohGifYM1g/UlhTdytDTkI/AAAAAAAAEzk/IiidB0UBv1E/s640/blogger-image--1109554684.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-2SohGifYM1g/UlhTdytDTkI/AAAAAAAAEzk/IiidB0UBv1E/s640/blogger-image--1109554684.jpg"></a></div>Lions, elephants and clowns</div>Kristiem10http://www.blogger.com/profile/06228759387412366263noreply@blogger.com0