Patty Jo

I'm a silly person and love a good chuckle! I believe I am a bit on the ditsy side but who's keeping score?! ha On a more serious note: I love the Lord with all my heart, mind and soul! And my husband and children (family) are the most important things in my life! Hope I can be a blessing to those of you willing to torture yourselves and read this blog! LOL

Disclaimer:
Silly blogspot has issues with comments. If you can't comment on my blog don't worry "YOU're not alone"!!! haha It's nothing personal or not that I know of. Because I can't comment either! BUT... If you choose the option: "Name/URL" and enter your name and if you have a website or blog you "can" but don't have to enter it. THEN you CAN comment. This is a just so you know. I don't wanting anyone going away without sharing their thoughts! Or thinking that we have something against them! We LOVE you! :)


Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Aspergers and what a day is like

It's been a little while since I've posted. Our lives have become even busier in the last year if that's even possible. As most of you know our oldest son is labelled with Aspergers. Some days seem to stroll on and you'd think we were a typical family. With a few glitches here and there. But most entail quite a roller coaster of issues and emotions.

I've been told by people that they don't notice what I describe my sons behavior to be like. Aspergers can seem quite "normal." "My child does that," and "nothing unusual about that." but the intensity that comes with each and every situation is what is different. It can be very typical and not so bad but it can also be down right the most difficult and seemingly impossible meltdown ever. So you see where you might only see the slightly quirky and fun loving personality, those closest to the asperger child see and feel many emotions and struggles.

Today for instance, we had school as usual and had to get the dog from the groomer. Then off to laundry and regular tasks. Children keeping themselves occupied with the Wii, Legos, crafts, and TV. Anyhow I'm trying to wash and pack for a quick trip. And I take clothes into the boys room for them to put away. My son is happily playing with Legos that he takes great interest in and can build anything you can think of out of them. Unbelievable skills he has. But of course I am interrupting his enjoyment/fixation. I was disappointed by the shape the room was in. He and his brother share a bedroom. I quickly said the room needed cleaning up and they needed to put the clothes away now! Let me give you some back ground on this. I ask all the time for the clothes to be put away. It's truly never completed. So I get a little flustered by the stack that becomes a mess on the chest of drawers. And they are both aware of this and still continue to leave the stack. Ha. So of course I say "put the clothes away, now!". Well I bet you can guess that he wasn't happy about my intrusive demands. So he's starting to get fitful. Then I realize there are more to be folded so I say "wait a minute until I get these ready too." he comes in looking for the rest with the most disgusted face. And walks out knocking stuff over and that only set him off worse. Screaming at it and leaving the room without picking it up. Then of course I begin to call out to him to return to me. But he simply ignores me and continues into his room to be mad a throw a fit. When I finally get him in my presence again the conversation turns to "this is why I hate my life!" "Everyone thinks I'm weird!" "I have no friends!" "kids make fun of me!" "I just want a friend like so in so has!". All while crying miserably. He never wants to go to school again. He says kids say homeschoolers are stupid. And they have no experience. Whatever that means. And he says everyone calls him weird. So you can see how a little request of putting the clothes away turned into this.

Yesterday we had to go see his Psychiatrist. On the way I talked all about how incredibly smart he is and how God made him to be one of those incredible people that are capable of inventing something that will change the world. It was fun talking to him. But he only sees his difference as an impairment that won't allow others to enjoy what a wonderful creation he truly is. He hates how he feels sick all of the time. And how he can't sleep at night. And how terrible it makes him feel all day because if it. And school was such an awful experience that he now hates it altogether even at home.

I could elaborate on and on... There is so much left unsaid. But as you can see those "normal" behaviors you see are so much different for us. And if we ignore it we only do him a disservice. So we take him to therapy for behaviors. To help him train his brain to think like neuro typical people think. Or at least try. More so for social help. It's called ABA therapy. We love on him and try to help guide him as best we can. He doesn't see things like you do. His sensory system is very complex. Sound, sight, hearing, touch, they are all very sensitive. Which makes his world very complex. And sometimes it's hard to understand why he's so upset about things. But with more and more information beginning to become widely available hopefully more will begin to better understand kids and adults with autism. My goal is to help others see what life is like for these kids and their families. We love our kids just as much as you do yours. They are our world too. And we might be a little protective to the point of cougar-like but it's only because there are so many situations we are put in that we have to be. If we don't protect and fight for them who will? I'm so glad God allowed me to have all my children. They are perfectly made. I just need some extra prayer when I'm weary. :)

If you made it through my long winded post you deserve a medal. If I had one I'd surely give it to you. So if you see a mom struggling with her child at a store or restaurant instead of judging and suggesting a good spanking, please be kind and don't stare but smile and pray for them! God bless!!

Thursday, April 19, 2012

It's Almost Naptime!: How to help a friend who...has a child with a ment...

I follow this blog and love it.  What a great post she has today.  I wanted to share for my friends that share the love for a child with a disability and for those that have a friend with one.  It's truly a heart touching post!

It's Almost Naptime!: How to help a friend who...has a child with a ment...: From the How to Help a Friend Who... series. http://amdunlevy.blogspot.com I spoke at a retreat in November on the topic of sufferi...


A few highlighted areas in this post that ring true to my heart.  It's the hardest thing for people to say they just don't "see it."  It burns straight to the heart as if I'm full of it.  I don't want sympathy but rather understanding.  I know it's hard to understand.  Trust me!  But these things only make it worse.  I used to be a person that thought that maybe they needed and better spanking or it was the parents fault.  We need to pray for families with children with disabilities!  They are hurting, tired, frustrated, and need your friendship and prayers more than anything at all!
  • Acknowledge the issue. While I wouldn't want anyone to make more of it than it is, it makes me feel like people think I'm crazy when they discount what I tell them. Some have told me that she'll probably outgrow it--it's a phase. Or that she's perfect when she's with them. Or that she doesn't seem like she's "having trouble". (At this point, I bite my tongue instead of telling them that she seems fine because SHE'S ON SOME POWERFUL PSYCHIATRIC MEDS!)

  • Play with me. Moms like me live a stressful, worried, what-if-filled life. Will she have to take these meds forever? Will we find a nutritional answer? How will we pay to find the answer? Will she be able to sustain relationships, have babies, take care of herself? Will my other children develop these "issues"? Like most people going through a hard time, we need to forget about worrying for a minute. We need to laugh and play.

  • Don't judge me. Right is right, and wrong is wrong; I'm not talking about not acknowledging that. I mean that people don't always know everything that's going on. When I was a classroom teacher, I was a good one, great at keeping control in the classroom. If I saw a child misbehaving at school or anywhere else, I always thought that I could fix it. My child would never behave that way. But now? Now I realize that sometimes kids misbehave because of slacker parenting or poor discipline techniques, but sometimes there is a deeper issue. I cringe at how arrogant I used to be about parenting.

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

New Family Business

We are announcing our new family business!!  We are very excited!  We have always been artsy and crafty.  It's a huge part of who we are!  It's in our everyday thoughts!  LOL

So we are proud to present our Etsy shop:




A few pictures of the things we have created!
Plenty more to come!

Hope you'll support us in this adventure with prayer!
Thank you in advance!  We are truly greatful for our family and friends!
God Bless!

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Plant needs your help!! Lol

This plant needs your help. I might just kill the thing if it keeps going this way. I don't understand it. I water when it needs it. Why does it get dried out dead leaves. Ugh. So if you know anything about it please share. I will be so great full and so will the plant. If you gave trouble commenting below. Be sure to use the name/URL or anonymous options. This should allow u to comment. Thanks in advance.

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Sponge Bob and Gabriel

I have spent years despising Sponge Bob. Ugh. But it's Gabriel's new found addiction. Or focus should I say. He has spent lots of time repeating the scenes from each and every episode. He even spent quite a bit of time creating the characters. Some are 3D. Here are some photos of his artwork.

I am so Ashamed!

I have abandoned the blog!  You ever go through a time you feel like you just have nothing to say.  Well I suppose that's where I've been.  Yeah, I know those that KNOW me are saying "sure, YOU hae nothing to say."  LOL  Well that's all I can come up with.  I am funny sometimes about what I share.  Every now and then I feel I've been a little too open with my feelings and shared a little too much!

BUT!  I am sooooo ready to get back on here and share.  I am going to revamp my style and share photos with every post.  Photos are my world!  I love to look at pictures and allow everything to come to life that I read.  So all my posts from now on will have photos!

At the moment I am helping the kids with their school so I don't have too much time to share.  But I want to give a shout out to some dear sweet friends that bless us continuously!!  I have wanted a dining room table that was big enough for our family for YEARS!!  Seriously.  They are so expensive.  Even the thrift store hasn't been a good source for a dining room table.  I was just at the point of me and my father building a rustic one from scrap wood at his house.  (By the way, my Dad is so awesome!  And yes my Mother is just as Awesome!) So I get this call offering me a dining room table!!!  I am so excited.  God is so good!  I know some of you are thinking, seriously!  Well YES SERIOUSLY!!  So here's a quick snap of the kids having our first SUPPER on our awesome new dining room table!  Oh and yes that is a laptop with a movie playing down there at the end of the table.  We do that sometimes.  Don't judge.  LOL  It's fun!  haha


Photo doesn't do it much justice but it's very nice and we LOVE it!  We joke like we are sitting so far away that we fake yelling across the table to ask someone to pass the salt.  ha



See ya soon!