prayer request 4 the precious curly-haired Trevy...

this is Trevor

he's currently visiting Detroit & is having a very busy week!

Sunday was his MRI, yesterday was his PET scan, 2day is GRID placement (he's in surgery as i type this), Wednesday & Thursday is data collecting time (with the GRIDS in place)

then on Friday...Trevy has brain surgery!
(subtotal hemispherectomy)

i honestly can't imagine having the words "brain surgery" in the same sentence as 1 of my kiddos' names...but this surgery is 2 slay the seizure monster (infantile spasms) that's had a hold of Trevor 4 almost 2 years...& i think his parents must b the bravest parents on Earth!!!

in Danielle's words...
(Trevy's Mama)

"Trevor is having...and has been having...hundreds of med resistant seizures daily. For the past year. A scenario which they believe surgical intervention could alter. Is it morbid that for the fleetest of moments I felt vindicated that they would notice? And that I was not alone in my disturbia? Which is not just limited to my flesh and blood...but extends to all the other families I've grown to love through this journey. I deeply love you! And I know the mountains of courage it takes to live moment by moment. From one seizure to the next. Which is why my heart was soaring and sorrowing all at once."

i've grown 2 ♥ Danielle dearly...she became a close bloggy friend, long ago - drawn 2 each other by that common thread - the love we have 4 our typical & special needs kiddos alike...she supported me every step of the way during my cancer schmancer stuff...always had my back & was an encouraging voice, routing me on

she's 1 tough cookie too - a superwoman advocate 4 Trevor & all kiddos effected by IS...a devoted Mama 2 not just Trevy, but also to 2 other adorable monkeys! ;0) she's witty & clever, kind & real, honest & humble...she's the kind of Mama i work hard 2 b!

i pray that God is holding the Foltz family extra close right now...that He's putting Danielle & Jonathan's hearts at peace as they go thru this week...that they know they're doing everything they can 2 help ensure Trevor has a long, bright future...that there r no regrets...that they find comfort in knowing God is with them always

will u also say a prayer 4 Trevy 2day?
& 2moro, & the next day, & especially on Friday?

sign of the times...

meet Frank & Jesse

my dad put them on the bridge in our (then, his) yard years ago...they were plain ole wood & he had my brother paint them...at some point over the years, Jesse lost his fishing pole

the other day, my brother Joe (the same 1 that painted these guys) was over at our house...we were outside playing with the kiddos & Joe goes,
"well, i know what Frank is doing, but what about Jesse?!"
(that dirty bird!)

all of a sudden, out of no where...Gabrielle responds,
"texting"

~lmao~

yep, a sure sign of the times!
;0)

weekend recap...fun at the pumpkin patch with friends...

we had visitors this weekend! our BFF's from NC came 2 town 2 hang out!

we were going 2 go 2 the Planetarium on Saturday, but they got here a little too late & we missed the show...Jaden was very upset about that - but i promised him a visit next Saturday instead (JMU has free Saturday shows during the school year)

Misty was thinking ahead & brought a little craft project along 4 the kiddos 2 do...they recycled old coffee containers in2 bird houses...

throw on a little paint, cut a hole in the front & hang by the handle - viola!

Willow (2 1/2) enjoyed painting her hand more than her bird house! ;0)

we just hung out the rest of the day on Saturday...played outside, played inside, watched some movies, had a little wine ;0) i made steaks & a bunch of yummy sides 4 dinner...our house is still pretty unorganized with boxes everywhere, but it was nice 2 sit down & enjoy a big yummy meal with our friends!

Sunday morning, Curtis got up & made every1 a big breakfast too...the girls enjoyed some quiet time with books...i love how sweet they all r 2gether!

we'd planned a pumpkin patch trip 4 that afternoon...it didn't open until noon & Jaden stayed busy checking the clock about every 15 minutes all morning long! he could not wait 2 go, & was gonna make sure we didn't miss that outing too! ;0)

this is the same spot we visited 2 years ago...it's 1 awesome pumpkin patch!!!

again, the favorite spot 4 the kiddos was the 60ft slide...here's the girls getting ready 2 go down...

here's a shot from the bottom...u can see Jaden waving as he gets ready 2 sit down & ride...

it's super fast & so much fun!

there's soooo much 2 do there!
play in the sound garden...

milk a cow...

rubber ducky races...

feed the animals...

ride the cow train...

Jaden kept cracking me up...he'd raise his hands like he was riding a roller coaster...

sling shots...

a carousel...

bowling...

& even pig races!

finally, after getting our fill of all the fun activities (& there's tons more that we didn't even get 2!), we took a hay ride out 2 the patch...

every1 hunted 4 the perfect pumpkin...

Mama made it a rule that u had 2 pick 1 that u could also carry back...

it was a fun, fun trip!

we came home & made homemade pizzas 4 lunch...after eating, we headed outside 2 get in a little more play time b4 the Matthews had 2 head home

Shane brought along his metal detectors too...he & Curt hunted 4 treasure both days, but found mostly old screws & a bunch of change...

the kiddos had fun trying em out tho...finding old change really was treasure 2 them!

my nature lover, Jaden, found some other kind of treasure...a walking stick! it was on the ground & couldn't wait 2 return it safely 2 a tree

of course the weekend went way too fast as usual! it felt like our friends had 2 turn around & leave as soon as they got here! but we're so thankful that they made that 4hr drive 2 come see us! we always talk about how 1 day we'll live closer 2 each other...but until then, i'm glad that we're able 2 stay close by making weekend visits & getting our kiddos 2gether as often as possible!

when u don't have cable TV...

it turns out that the area where we now live doesn't have any cable TV hook-ups available...we were with Comcast (4 cable & internet) & LOVED it! but they don't service our area...neither does Adelphia... so that leaves the 2 dish companies...1 of which doesn't offer local channels in our area (ABC, NBC, FOX, CBS - what we mostly watched)...& the other requires a decent deposit 4 the equipment/installation - not something we can do right now

sooooo, we don't have cable or internet yet

when the kiddos finally realized just what that means 4 them (no Disney, no Nick, no Cartoon Network), they were devastated! i mean, Jaden was literally in tears!

i reassured them that we'd start getting our money's worth out of our Netflix subscription...that we'd return & get more movies sent out as quickly as the kiddos could watch em! & i explained 2 them that there were tons of other things they could b doing instead...like playing with each other?! ugh! ~lol~

that conversation didn't end too positively...they were sad that the TV they knew & loved (for the last 4 months, anyway) was gone, & that Mama couldn't really tell em when it would b back

so let's just say i was thrilled 2 see the activities going on around our house these last few evenings...riding bikes...

& playing in the sandbox (that Grandpa dropped off some new sand 4 - he's the best Gpa ever!)...

then as i'm making dinner, i hear some singing coming from Jaden's room...i go back 2 see what's going on & find all 3 kiddos playing K'nex 2gether...yeah, every piece was dumped out on the floor, but they were playing 2gether! & not fighting!!! & hey, they're pretty good about cleaning up their messes - as long as i remind them 2 or 3 times ;0)

the song they were singing is the theme song from Phineas & Ferb - a show on Disney that they all love...& apparently miss ;0)

it has to be said...

ok, so i've seen discussion after discussion about the new Autism Speaks video called I am Autism...& i wanted to share my thoughts as well

take a sec & watch it...i'll wait...



how does it make you feel?

how do you think it would make you feel if you were Autistic?

yeah, i think the ending part about family always being there, supporting their Autistic child, is great...but seriously - what is this video trying to say?

the same thing Autism Speaks has always been about...finding a "cure" for this horrible "disease"..."fixing" our Autistic kiddos - making them "normal"...finding out what causes Autism so that we can stop other Autistics from ever being born!

say what?!

i posted a video last week that was made in response to the current Autism conversation going on in the media...there's even a group on Facebook called Autistics against Autism Speaks (which i'm a proud member of)...tons of the blogs i read on a regular basis (who's authors also happen to be Autistic themselves) have weighed in on the topic

i've never been a supporter of Autism Speaks...other advocate moms clued me in to their nonsense in the very beginning...here's some reasons why:

-Despite claiming to be a non-profit charity, many employees and execs at Autism Speaks are payed over $100,000 a year - some as high as $600,000 a year!

-Autism Speaks does not have even one Autistic person on the board of directors or even employ one Autistic person, they have said this is because it would be "inappropriate"

-Prenatal testing (which Autism Speaks support and fund) will KILL many Autistic people, despite the fact the greatest minds in the world where thought to be Autistic (the majority of people on the Autism spectrum do not want a cure or prenatal testing)

-Autism Speaks have sued many Autistic teenagers for doing nothing more then expressing their views or parodying the Autism Speaks website

-Autism Speaks tells people that Autism is a horrible disease which must be cured, and basically refuse to acknowledge the existence of high-functioning Autism and Asperger's Syndrome

-Very little money donated to Autism Speaks goes towards helping Autistic people & their families: according to their 2008 annual report, only 4% of their budget goes towards the "Family Services" grants

-While the bulk of Autism Speaks’ budget (65%) goes toward genetic and biomedical research, only a small minority of Autism Speaks’ research budget goes towards research oriented around improving services, supports, treatments and educational methodologies, with most funding going towards basic research oriented around causation and genetic research, including the prospect of prenatal testing

it makes me sad to know that some big name celebs are supporting this "charity"...& probably don't even really know what exactly they're supporting...i wish they'd read this & read this before signing up...before they endorse Autism Speaks 1 more second & gear any more parents to newly diagnosed Autistic children down that sad, lonely & misinformed path

"The answer is not to create a world in which the word Autism is met with terror, hatred and prejudice. It is to work to create a society that recognizes the civil rights of Autistic people and others with disabilities. It is to work to create a world in which people with disabilities can benefit from the supports, the services and the educational tools necessary to empower them to be full citizens in society."
-Ari Ne’eman, president of President of ASAN (the Autistic Self Advocacy Network), a non-profit organization of adults and youth on the autism spectrum

once again...
NOTHING ABOUT US, WITHOUT US!!!

*edited to add this article published on 10/7/09*

weekend recap...2009 moving edition...

we're officially moved out of the old house...yay!!! but not completely moved in our new 1 yet (oh my word, u should see the boxes!)...we're getting there tho

Friday eve, before all the moving madness began, Broadway had their homecoming parade...& this is 1 of the 1st events that Jaden got 2 participate in with the Cub Scouts Pack...they got 2gether Thursday eve & worked on their float...he's really clicking with the boys - some, he knows from school already...all the parents seem nice too...Jaden of course jumped at the opportunity 2 draw some pictures 4 the back of their float

we met up at the high school 2 line up 4 the parade on Friday...the Cub Scout float was decorated 2 represent their annual racecar derby

the girls came with us...they were going 2 just watch the parade with daddy, but when they saw some of the other siblings coming along 2 ride/walk the parade route, they begged 2 go too

the assistant Pack Master also had her horse trot along with us...

we handed out info about the Scouts, trying 2 recruit some new boys (let me know if u're in the area & interested)...Jaden loved handing out candy 2 the kiddos - he was pretty generous with it too! ~lol~ luckily, i'd brought some of my own candy in addition 2 what the Scouts had 2 hand out

notice any familiar faces in this shot?
(click on the image 2 enlarge)

i'm not sure how far the parade route was - but it felt far! it wasn't so much the walking that killed me - it was trying 2 hand candy 2 all the kiddos (we weren't allowed 2 throw it) & keep up with the truck...of course, all while catching some pics too ;0)

but it was fun...& our kiddos didn't care 1 bit that they didn't come home with a bag full of candy like they usually do! i made sure 2 save em each a sucker or 2 & they were happy with that ;0)

Monday night was the Cub Scouts 1st Pack meeting of the year...here again, Jaden had a great time hanging out & playing games with the other boys...things r a little unorganized right now & as a newbie, we're trying 2 figure out the swing of things...but overall, i think the Scouts r going 2 b a nice fit 4 us...i love what their motto says:

I promise
to DO MY BEST
To do my DUTY to GOD
And my Country
To HELP other people, and
To OBEY the LAW of the Pack

the rest of the weekend was chuck full of moving! from sun up on Saturday until late last night, i was at the old house whenever i wasn't working or fulfilling any of life's many other commitments ~lol~

we packed & cleaned...& packed & cleaned some more...

we sorted & purged...hauled & moved...

my youngest brother, Joe, came 2 help on 2 different occasions...he & Curtis moved the heaviest stuff (freezer chest, washer/dryer, etc) & he hauled some things 2 the dump 4 me...but other than that, it was just me & Curtis...we used only our vehicles & his boss' trailer & we moved it all on our own...& i have the bruises, scrapes & bumps 2 prove it!

it was hard work, but definitely worth it...when we arrived at our new home, there was a sweet note waiting 4 us (remember, our landlords r also my parents - my dad's a nut! ~lol~)

it was surreal loading our furniture in2 the house tho...it was only a year ago that my parents were living there - & now our stuff has replaced theirs...it just feels a little weird...but nice too! we have soooo much more space! & even tho right now things r cluttered & there's TONS of unpacking left 2 do - i can see how nice things will b soon...how comfortable we're gonna b...& it makes me really happy! ;0)

after staying our 1st nite there (every1 slept like a rock in their new rooms), we left the next morning as the sun was rising over our house...u know how much i love the sky anyway - this just made my day!

this morning, we went over 2 the old place 2 set the HUGE pile of trash bags out by the curb (luckily, it's pick-up day) & 2 lock the keys up inside...goodbye house - u served us well 4 the short time we knew u