Okay -- so I didn't do so well keeping up with this previously . . . however, I think this is the best way to keep everyone updated on the chaos that is our lives right now! I think most of you know me well enough to know how much I just LOVE to chat on the phone (not!!!) so this way I can do a better job passing along information without forgetting with whom I've spoken or not, etc!
Tomorrow I will share what happened at the boys' visitation with their birth-mother yesterday. Suffice it to say, it did NOT go well! The professionals who supervise the visits are as fired up as we are now, I think, and are moving forward more aggressively to terminate these insane visits. The effects the visits have on the boys escalate with each one and finally the "supervisors" are ready to move on ending the torture!
On a more positive note, we had a nice, though VERY LOUD, Christmas at Kam's parents' home yesterday after the visit. We actually even had photos taken of ALL of us!! THAT was an adventure! If not for the photographer's rapid shutter speed, I'm certain we would NEVER have gotten a decent photo! (Of course I say this without seeing the final results, but surely out of more than 100 frames there has to be ONE decent one, right?!)
Anyway, today all of Kam's family gathered in the loft at our farm for a continuation of our Christmas celebration. Dad and Mom Sandstrom had planned this and it was a very neat experience! Dad started out by showing all of the kids what a manger looks like. Then we all climbed up to the loft and Dad read the part of the Christmas story from the scriptures about Jesus being born in a stable and placed in a manger. He talked about how where we were was similar to what Jesus's first glimpse of His earthly life would have been like. We sang Christmas carols then had refreshments. Mom brought food similar to what would have been eaten during the time of Christ's birth -- figs, dates, cheese and unleavened bread.
Our boys all had dental exams today before the farm, and had told the entire staff about what we were going to do. The hygenist told me, "Someone better sneak in some cookies!" I think she would have been surprised by just how much the kids all liked the refreshments!! Charlie ate the figs, but wasn't particularly impressed -- not enough for seconds, anyway! But he would have eaten the dates all night long! Joe liked the figs a bit more than Charlie, but still favored the dates! Sidney, however, hovered around Grandma waiting to see if there would be enough for thirds, or fourths.... Grandma ended up giving him the last 4 figs to bring home just for him!
It was a nice diversion from yesterday morning!
So... tomorrow I'll fill in the details of the visit. For now, dirty clothes are rapidly overtaking my home and I must attack!!
Monday, December 29, 2008
Monday, September 8, 2008
Autism Walk - My big-hearted birthday boy
My Sidney is SUCH an amazing boy. For his birthday this year he asked to participate in the Walk For Autism in Nashville with his Aunt Heather and cousin Alex J. Alex J. was diagnosed Autistic around age 2. Sidney's has 3 other cousins either diagnosed with autism or with autistic characteristics or who are being evaluated for autism.
Sidney's big heart allows him to love without judgment. He, and his brothers, immediately fell in love with Alex J. and they love spending time with him. They understand that his mind works differently than theirs, but they honestly don't seem to see him as BEING different than them.
Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could ALL see each other that way?!
So, honoring his wishes, we are inviting each of you to celebrate his 10th birthday with us by helping him reach his goal of raising $400 for autism research -- that's $100 in honor of each of his cousins: Alex J., Kimmy, Gavin, and Aidan.
He is asking that, rather than buying gifts for him, you make a donation in his name to the Walk for Autism 2008 in Nashville. He, with his family and any of you who wish to join us, will be walking at the Nashville Speedway on September 13th. Registration begins at 8:30 and the walk begins at 10 a.m. We'll be walking 3 1.33 mile laps at the speedway. The website will give directions and answer any other questions you can think of!!!
If you want to join us, we'll have birthday hats and stickers for each of you. If you can't join us but would still like to help Sidney reach his goal you can cut and paste this link ( http://www.walknowforautism.org/tenn/personal/heartswideopen ) into your browser and it will take you directly to his personal page where you can make secure electronic donations. If you want to donate but aren't comfortable doing it electronically, just give me a call and we'll work out other arrangements! (615-428-4790)
Sidney's big heart allows him to love without judgment. He, and his brothers, immediately fell in love with Alex J. and they love spending time with him. They understand that his mind works differently than theirs, but they honestly don't seem to see him as BEING different than them.
Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could ALL see each other that way?!
So, honoring his wishes, we are inviting each of you to celebrate his 10th birthday with us by helping him reach his goal of raising $400 for autism research -- that's $100 in honor of each of his cousins: Alex J., Kimmy, Gavin, and Aidan.
He is asking that, rather than buying gifts for him, you make a donation in his name to the Walk for Autism 2008 in Nashville. He, with his family and any of you who wish to join us, will be walking at the Nashville Speedway on September 13th. Registration begins at 8:30 and the walk begins at 10 a.m. We'll be walking 3 1.33 mile laps at the speedway. The website will give directions and answer any other questions you can think of!!!
If you want to join us, we'll have birthday hats and stickers for each of you. If you can't join us but would still like to help Sidney reach his goal you can cut and paste this link ( http://www.walknowforautism.org/tenn/personal/heartswideopen ) into your browser and it will take you directly to his personal page where you can make secure electronic donations. If you want to donate but aren't comfortable doing it electronically, just give me a call and we'll work out other arrangements! (615-428-4790)
Friday, June 20, 2008
Why Frogs Are Bald
Okay, so I got carried away answering the "Random Question!" Here's the story:
Once upon a time there was a frog who stayed above the water in the pond waaaaaay too long one day. All that time in the sun caused a sunburn so bad that all of his gorgeous, curly green hair fell right out of his slick little head!
I know, I hear ya, "Poor little frog," right?! WRONG!!!! The water was so still just then that he saw his reflection in the pond.
"Wow," he thought to himself, "what a handsome frog!" Imagine his surprise and pleasure when, just then, he realized that handsome frog he was admiring was really himself!
Well, unfortunately, that wasn't the reaction of his friends. Oh, none of them said anything -- they just kept looking anywhere BUT his head when they talked to him. They looked at his ears, and his elbows and even his toes (yes, this frog had ALL those parts!), but they just wouldn't look at his head!
Well this poor frog started to forget what his friends' faces looked like. Sure, he could tell who they were if he looked at the top of their heads or the sides of their face, but not at their faces -- remember,they wouldn't look at HIM when they spoke to him. So, Frederick (that's the frog's name) finally decided he would give up his new-found handsomeness so that things would return to normal with his friends. (A very thoughtful frog!)
So Frederick bought a wig -- the first in frog history - which was actually a major problem! Being the first, there just weren't very many wigs to choose from. There was a dull brown one made from a dead leaf and some mud. But that one was so stiff that you kind of had to balance it on your head. That, of course, is diffciult to do if you're frog! There was a kind of slimy green one made from algae from the pond. That one just kept slipping off. (Besides, it kind of smelled!) Then FINALLY, he saw it -- a soft green - kind of curly- wig made of soft, cushy moss.
As he put the wig on his head and checked his reflection in the pond, Frederick didn't really like what he saw. But, he DID like his friends, VERY much, so on it went.
As he headed to the other side of the pond to see his friends, all the other pond animals had to look twice to recognize him. When they did realize who it was, they kind of shook their heads and went back to what they were doing.
When Frederick reached his friends on the other side of the pond, he got what he was looking for -- his friends all looked him in the face!
Well, actually, they all STARED.
Then Theodore Toad finally asked what they were all thinking. "What IS that thing on your head, Fred?!"
Once Frederick had explained the whole reason for the wig, his friends all apologized for having acted differently around him. They told him they had been afraid that they would hurt HIS feelings if they looked at his bald head too long, but that they never stopped caring about him. "Honestly," his friends admitted, "you look SO handsome without your hair, I'm going to give it a shot!"
The trend spread rapidly throughout the world until finally EVERY frog had decided to go bald! After generations of shaving and polishing shiny green bald heads, tadpoles started hatching with NO hair. Their descendants are the frogs at our ponds today!!
Well, back to our original story!
Dear old Frederick couldn't have been happier! Truth be told, even that cushy moss made his head itch; and he DID think it looked a bit TOO much like his old hair.
See, ever since he was just a tadpole everyone had always told Frederick he had "gorgeous" green curly hair. He, however had always thought that "gorgeous" green curly hair of his looked pretty much like a Brillo pad stuck to the top of his head!"
"Just think," thought Frederick. "I've wasted all this time trying to look like I thought other people wanted me to, and I haven't enjoyed it one bit!"
"And to think, I could have been spending that time just enjoying finally being handsome!!"
Then and there, he made a promise to himself to trust his own choices and no try so hard to please other people.
So a much wiser and happier (and much less itchy!)Frederick gave his friends a BIG (actually frognormous!) grin. Then, with a fancy flourish, he pulled off that crazy wig and flung it clear across the pond into a small grove of pretty small trees. (Which is a pretty good throw for a frog, you know.)
And today, if you walk to the far side of the pond into the small grove of not-so-small-anymore trees, you'll notice that once you hit the shade of the trees, the ground under your feet starts to feel a lot softer -- kind of cushy even. If you'll look down, you'll see that the small piece of moss that Frederick once wore as a wig has now grown into a lush covering in the woods!
And if you listen closely, you'll hear old Frederick's descendants croaking, "Doesn't itch! Doesn't Itch! Doesn't Itch!"
And that, dear children, is why frogs are bald!!!!!
Why Frogs Are Bald
Once upon a time there was a frog who stayed above the water in the pond waaaaaay too long one day. All that time in the sun caused a sunburn so bad that all of his gorgeous, curly green hair fell right out of his slick little head!
I know, I hear ya, "Poor little frog," right?! WRONG!!!! The water was so still just then that he saw his reflection in the pond.
"Wow," he thought to himself, "what a handsome frog!" Imagine his surprise and pleasure when, just then, he realized that handsome frog he was admiring was really himself!
Well, unfortunately, that wasn't the reaction of his friends. Oh, none of them said anything -- they just kept looking anywhere BUT his head when they talked to him. They looked at his ears, and his elbows and even his toes (yes, this frog had ALL those parts!), but they just wouldn't look at his head!
Well this poor frog started to forget what his friends' faces looked like. Sure, he could tell who they were if he looked at the top of their heads or the sides of their face, but not at their faces -- remember,they wouldn't look at HIM when they spoke to him. So, Frederick (that's the frog's name) finally decided he would give up his new-found handsomeness so that things would return to normal with his friends. (A very thoughtful frog!)
So Frederick bought a wig -- the first in frog history - which was actually a major problem! Being the first, there just weren't very many wigs to choose from. There was a dull brown one made from a dead leaf and some mud. But that one was so stiff that you kind of had to balance it on your head. That, of course, is diffciult to do if you're frog! There was a kind of slimy green one made from algae from the pond. That one just kept slipping off. (Besides, it kind of smelled!) Then FINALLY, he saw it -- a soft green - kind of curly- wig made of soft, cushy moss.
As he put the wig on his head and checked his reflection in the pond, Frederick didn't really like what he saw. But, he DID like his friends, VERY much, so on it went.
As he headed to the other side of the pond to see his friends, all the other pond animals had to look twice to recognize him. When they did realize who it was, they kind of shook their heads and went back to what they were doing.
When Frederick reached his friends on the other side of the pond, he got what he was looking for -- his friends all looked him in the face!
Well, actually, they all STARED.
Then Theodore Toad finally asked what they were all thinking. "What IS that thing on your head, Fred?!"
Once Frederick had explained the whole reason for the wig, his friends all apologized for having acted differently around him. They told him they had been afraid that they would hurt HIS feelings if they looked at his bald head too long, but that they never stopped caring about him. "Honestly," his friends admitted, "you look SO handsome without your hair, I'm going to give it a shot!"
The trend spread rapidly throughout the world until finally EVERY frog had decided to go bald! After generations of shaving and polishing shiny green bald heads, tadpoles started hatching with NO hair. Their descendants are the frogs at our ponds today!!
Well, back to our original story!
Dear old Frederick couldn't have been happier! Truth be told, even that cushy moss made his head itch; and he DID think it looked a bit TOO much like his old hair.
See, ever since he was just a tadpole everyone had always told Frederick he had "gorgeous" green curly hair. He, however had always thought that "gorgeous" green curly hair of his looked pretty much like a Brillo pad stuck to the top of his head!"
"Just think," thought Frederick. "I've wasted all this time trying to look like I thought other people wanted me to, and I haven't enjoyed it one bit!"
"And to think, I could have been spending that time just enjoying finally being handsome!!"
Then and there, he made a promise to himself to trust his own choices and no try so hard to please other people.
So a much wiser and happier (and much less itchy!)Frederick gave his friends a BIG (actually frognormous!) grin. Then, with a fancy flourish, he pulled off that crazy wig and flung it clear across the pond into a small grove of pretty small trees. (Which is a pretty good throw for a frog, you know.)
And today, if you walk to the far side of the pond into the small grove of not-so-small-anymore trees, you'll notice that once you hit the shade of the trees, the ground under your feet starts to feel a lot softer -- kind of cushy even. If you'll look down, you'll see that the small piece of moss that Frederick once wore as a wig has now grown into a lush covering in the woods!
And if you listen closely, you'll hear old Frederick's descendants croaking, "Doesn't itch! Doesn't Itch! Doesn't Itch!"
And that, dear children, is why frogs are bald!!!!!
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Let's get this thing started!!
Okay, so now we have a blog! I'm sure it won't be quite as "developed" as many of the ones I visit on occasion belonging to my friends, but I have to admit I'm excited to begin!
In future postings I'm sure you'll find gratitude - even in the venting, hopes, dreams, and promises realized and others we're still waiting on. I'm sure there will also be a generous splash of frustration from time to time! (Yes, believe it or not, beneath this cool, unruffled exterior lies an ever-so-small vein of, well, shall we just say "grit"?!)
I want to get the boys to particiapte in this blog as well (yes, even the biggest "boy"- like THAT'S going to happen!). I want all of you to know my amazing family even better. I think it will actually be an effective "outlet" for all of us,too.
For now, let me just say that I am the recipient of SOOOO many AMAZING blessings. Sometimes I look at my life and I question Heavenly Father's confidence in me, but I'm always grateful that it's there. Left to my own devices, I most definitely would have missed out on some of the most precious experiences of my life. Even in the middle of difficult situations, when I'm seriously wondering if Heavenly Father is actually seeing the same things I am, He finds a way to help me see - just a glimpse, mind you - from what I can only guess is HIS point of view. And THAT is when I'm most able to see the beauty and blessings He so generously bestows upon me.
It's funny how even the tiniest glimpse from a different perspective illuminates all the "WOW-factor" in a person's life! Suffice it to say, I've been "WOW-ed" often enough to know it's NOT a random happening. Those short bursts of beauty and hope are intentionally given to me because HE loves me!
And that, my favorite people, you will NEVER, EVER hear me deny!!!!
In future postings I'm sure you'll find gratitude - even in the venting, hopes, dreams, and promises realized and others we're still waiting on. I'm sure there will also be a generous splash of frustration from time to time! (Yes, believe it or not, beneath this cool, unruffled exterior lies an ever-so-small vein of, well, shall we just say "grit"?!)
I want to get the boys to particiapte in this blog as well (yes, even the biggest "boy"- like THAT'S going to happen!). I want all of you to know my amazing family even better. I think it will actually be an effective "outlet" for all of us,too.
For now, let me just say that I am the recipient of SOOOO many AMAZING blessings. Sometimes I look at my life and I question Heavenly Father's confidence in me, but I'm always grateful that it's there. Left to my own devices, I most definitely would have missed out on some of the most precious experiences of my life. Even in the middle of difficult situations, when I'm seriously wondering if Heavenly Father is actually seeing the same things I am, He finds a way to help me see - just a glimpse, mind you - from what I can only guess is HIS point of view. And THAT is when I'm most able to see the beauty and blessings He so generously bestows upon me.
It's funny how even the tiniest glimpse from a different perspective illuminates all the "WOW-factor" in a person's life! Suffice it to say, I've been "WOW-ed" often enough to know it's NOT a random happening. Those short bursts of beauty and hope are intentionally given to me because HE loves me!
And that, my favorite people, you will NEVER, EVER hear me deny!!!!
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