December is the best month!

Things are looking up

Words, so many words! Cooper and Darby are saying so much, not in sentences yet, but they are catching on to EVERYTHING...it is so beautiful to watch! Yesterday Cooper touched each of the parts of Darbys face and told me what they were. Ewers (Ears)...Ice(eyes), No wse (nose), Mow th, and air (hair), and his favorite word...NO!! Out of the 10 red flags for autism listed a year ago, more than half do not even exist anymore!! Thankyou God for healing my babies!

I feel old

Maybe its stress, maybe its having twins past age 30...Man do i feel Old. My back hurts lately, I don't know what the deal is I can barely stand up some days. I'm pretty sure its stemming from my work b/c it was bad starting there one day and it got better on my four day Thanksgiving holiday. As soon as I was back this Monday it went bad again and has progressively gotten worse through the week.anage to swap my desk chair for a different one, man I hope that fixes this..too soon to tell I guess.

New Book, Chapter 1

Well, I've been with SPI Pharma for a few weeks now. I'm over the initial shock of a change in office culture. At the end of the first week, I wasn't sure I would come back, but It's pretty rare for me not to stick to things...especially considering I'm the sole provider for six people.

It's noticeably quieter in this office. The office mates come and go alot without ever saying hello, or goodbye. Someone sneezes...and no one says "bless you". Its very strange to me.

I'll admit, I miss those things about my old office, I miss listening to worship music over the sound system while i work, I miss people saying "bless you" when I sneeze. I miss the kindness, the genuine caring, I miss all those things.

But, such is life and the goal now is to infuse this new office culture with all those things that are good. It probably won't happen overnight, but kindness is contagious, so I'll share my fruits and hope it spreads :)

The next chapter

I quit my job...after I had an offer from SPI pharma in Grand Haven. I really didn't expect to get a job in this economy with good benefits, but I did ask God to part a sea for me and he has, in more ways than one. I'm very nervous though. The last few weeks has been very difficult, leaving my Hines Corp comfort zone. All the negative thoughts have crept in...what if you don't understand the job, what if you don't ever get it, what if you can't do the work?? This keeps me up and night and makes my stomach hurt during the day.

I cried during my exit interview last Thursday and it was difficult for me to say goodbye to the Hines group. I'm worried I'll be in my new office asking myself what on earth I was thinking leaving that place. My prayer is that this won't happen and once I've adjusted to this new postition I feel at peace with my decision to go there. I wish I wasn't such a worrier.

"Don't worry about tomorrow, today has enough troubles of its own", I think thats from the Gospel of Matthew, I need to really let it sink in. Theres a bigger picture to this all, I need to remember that. But for now....

God, give me peace in my new job and a mind to understand the tasks ahead of me. Give me wisdom in doing whats right. I want to do a good job, please be with me so I'm able to do this. I ask that you go ahead of me and prepare the office and the people I'll be working with. I pray my boss is patient, kind, and a good teacher. i pray we have a good working relationship and genuinely like eachother. I pray that he is satisfied with his decision to hire me. I pray God that I perform well in my job. I pray that wherever I fall short, you fill the gap for me. I pray for your guidance, your blessing, and your spirit to dwell in this office. I pray most of all that I serve you well and you are pleased with me. I will give you the credit, the glory for all good things to come. I know that you parted this sea for me, and I will not forget.

Bar mission

Saturday night I went to buy shredded cheese at Meijers before the sale ended, I mean 1.49 for 8 oz is good enough reason to leave the comfort of my home. On my way home I stopped at the Hiway Inn for a beer, I don't really know why.

Earlier in the day I participated in the GH Potatoe drop where you drive thru a parking lot and volunteers from the Eagles Ottawa club fill your car with pumpkins, potatoes, and apples. They gave me like 20 bags of each, so I justified my trip to the hiway inn by the implication i could give bags of potatoes and apples to the bartenders and patrons, which I eventually did.

So there I am sitting at the bar with my blue moon beer just people watching which is always fun. It was a pretty jovial crowd really, lots of smoking though. At one point I asked the guy and his girlfriend next to me(who were smoking) if they ever saw those people who have a device which they talk thru from a hole in their throat. They got up and left within the next 30 seconds, i guess it wasn't the greatest conversation starter. I haven't been out to a bar in a VERY long time, so i was pretty rusty on my talking points I guess.

Then this guy a few seats down asked me if I went to his high school...I didn't, but he seemed nice enough and I hadn't insulted him yet so the conversation began. Super nice guy, complete atheist, and actually reminded me of myself a little. He had this sort of raw nervousness and vulnerability about him, but he seemed gentle enough. He was drinking, and drinking and I was doing what I do best...talking. He asked me how I ended up in GH, and I gave him the scenic version of the story which is laced with radical debauchery and momentuous foolishness, but makes for a good story I suppose. The best part was when i got to the ending...of that life...and how I came to know Jesus Christ. He didn't believe me. Then I got the chance to testify about a life of hope where "with God, all things are possible", not some things...but "ALL" things.

So my new friend told me about his drinking problem, and how he had a 15 and 10 year old son and daughter who he hadn't seen in almost 2 years...the tears were there but restrained and the hurt was obvious. With God, all things are possible. I could understand the hurt, i lived without God for most of my life and without him, we can do nothing, and life is hopeless and wonderless.

So my new friend came to church with me Sunday night, praise God! And church was in a bar, praise God! And my friend seemed somewhat uncomfortable, but I think thats somewhat normal, right? Its hard to understand a christ centered life when you're in/part of the world for most of your life.

lets pray for Tracey, and his friend Jeff Olger for new life, new hope, broken addictions, and restored family ties. God I give you the glory today for the things of tomorrow...because your word says that with you...All things are possible!

The "apple of my eye

Last week Cooper said "eye" about 2,000 times. It went something like this

Cooper: Pointing at his eye: "Eye"
Me: Yes thats right

Cooper: Pointing at his hair : Eye
Me: No thats your hair

Cooper: Pointing at the cieling : Eye
Me: No, thats the cieling

And on and on like so for about 6 days straight.

He loves objects that are round; tires, our canned ceiling lights, balls, and well...eyes.

The other day we went somewhere that had a basket of apples, Cooper picked up an apple and said..."Eye", I said no thats an apple Cooper...and he said AB..PLE, Ab..Ple.

So last night went like this

Cooper: pointing at my necklace: Ab..Ple?
Me: No Cooper thats my necklace

Cooper: Pointing at his pillow: Ab..Ple?
Me: No thats a pillow

so, I figure if we get one word a week over the next year thats a pretty good vocabulary right?

He does know Ucky, and ball too so he's off to a good start.

Mason Mike- The recap

I completely missed the show, luckily it was on youtube...heres the highlights. The article in the Muskegon Chronicle wasn't very nice. I was really just left speechless.

2009 first day of school

If Darby & Cooper look a little confused it's because we woke them up at 7am and put them on this yellow bus that pulled up in front of the house and they had absolutely no idea what was going on.
Miles going to his first day of third grade and Zoe cathing the bus at 6:42 am!! Thats AM, I still can't get over how early she has to leave. Her enthusiasm before her first day of sixth grade has spilled over into the classroom, she absolutely loves middle school.
What does she think about riding with the high school kids? Well she just marched to the back of the bus while a passenger ( a fellow 6th grader) says "What are you doing?? Thats where the highschoolers sit!!" Her reply?

"I don't care, they can't hurt me!" and to the last rows she went. She still sits there three weeks later and the high school kids love her. Zoe, don't ever lose your boldness, its what makes you so unique baby girl.

Miles & Cooper

Cooper & Darby,

You have an amazing brother. I can't imagine anyone else being a better brother to you than Miles. He would do absolutely anything for either of you...even try to dig a hole to China as evidenced in this photograph.

I kicked coffee... I think

It would be seven days coffee free but I did indulge in a very large latte with my friend Bern last week, but besides that NO coffee for 7 days, none at work, none at church. No coke or diet coke to take its place either, I'm trying to get serious about this caffeine addicition I have. Strangely the headaches just started creeping in yesterday, i thought they would come sooner. Chocolate and sugar in general is my other crutch. I've been doing better (I ate dark chocolate last week instead of milk chocolate). But I caved last night and had some cake with frosting. I'm working on it.

1 Down, 1 to go

Darby is well on his way to getting out of diapers. We bought the Big Boy undies over the weekend and pullups after the note from his teacher on Thursday said he was dry the entire time and used the toilet every time they went saying "Ready set go" before he went. He was dry again today and wore underwear all night, went pee twice and is wearing a pullup to bed.

Now we just need to inspire Cooper to go, he loves to sit on the toity, he likes the idea of toilet paper and he likes to wave goodbye to the bowlfull of water as its wisked away to sewage land, but he has never gone yet. I'm trying to not put the pressure on but to have these guys out of diapers before three, that would be a miracle.

In other news, Cooper won't take his crocs off...EVER. He wore them to bed last night. I'm getting concerned a little as the colder weather is creeping in, I mean you can only rock the crocs with socks for so long then you've got to move on to something without wiffle ball holes in them eventually right? Maybe I'll get him those wierd crocs with fur in them? To be continued...

Cooper Points!!!

Cooper started pointing out of the blue last week and signing for more. I am so proud of my little guy. He also says "Hi" ,"Me", and "Mow"(sounds like Ow) to mimic key key's meowing. It is amazing to watch him grow, I am so absolutely grateful for every milestone he reaches.

The boys had to have their toddler beds removed from their room this week. We're back to basics, mattresses, a few stuffed animals, and well that's it. They were flipping their toddler beds upside down and dragging them across the floor so they're in the garage until this furniture flipping phase passes.

Also, huge huge news, God answered my prayer and the prayers of my dear friends who have been praying fervently along side of me (You know who you are and Thankyou!!)
Cooper and Darby's therapists pulled some strings and are getting the boys into a special needs preschool starting next week. They don't typically take them until three years of age and the boys are only 28 months.This will be such a great opportunity for them. Only four kids including them, three teachers, all their therapists in the same building stopping in weekly for language and occupational therapy. They have horses there for riding!! A swimming pool, a sensory room they go to every day at noon and they're bussed there 4 days a week from 8:30 until 3:30. I am so overwhelmingly excited for them to have this opportunity. Thankyou God for giving this to them!!!

Summer events

We got a Kitty (Or Key key). The favorite thing to do is kiss key key on head , carry him everywhere (sometimes upside down). We like to ride our tricycles with Key Key, let key Key ride the tricycle himself, put bracelets on his paws, read books to him, hold the phone up to his ears in case he wants to make a call. Sometimes the babies want to throw Key Key down the laundrey chute but we had to draw the line somewhere.

Oh, and also the twins learned how to open the fridge...they are partial to the condiments.

Never ride the Raptor

We went to Cedar Point over this past weekend with Grandma Patty and took this new $1,300 van I just purchased a few weeks ago. I'm pretty sure this van has been under water at some point in time, mostly because things that typically aren't exposed to water inside a vehicle are rusty and nonfunctional. Its a 2001 Pontiac Montana with 127,000 miles on it. The drivers side window won't roll up, the back door won't open and the other back door only opens from the inside. The glove box fell off, the cup holder also fell off and the bumper is about to go too. Oh and the blinkers sometime turn on for no apparent reason. BUT, the good news is it made it to Detroit and back, no problems. The motor and transmission seem solid...so far... and that water leak that drips on my foot sometimes? Not the heater core like I previously thought, just bad seals on the windshield that leak a little rain water is all! (pray for my Pontiac if you get the chance PLEASE!). Oh and did I mention it was only $1,300?? Thats the other positive :)

So Cedar Point with an 8, 11, and nearly 60 year old Granma...AWESOME! Can I just say my mom is one seriously cool Grandma, she went on more rides with my kids than I did. She did have a habit of swearing before the ride began on some of the bigger thrill rides but my kids thought it was hilarious. Miles sat next to her on the Top thrill dragster while she was repeatedly blurting out "shit shit shit shit shit". I don't think most Grandmas her age would be up for the stuff she does, its too bad we don't get to see her more, she is super fun!

Zoe and Miles rode everything, which was great but made me feel a bit old, now that they can actually go on more rides than me. I was wiped out by the end of the day and figured it was a good idea to hit The Raptor on the way out of the park, it was a choice I'd later regret. I was sick for the next hour and a half thru going out to a late dinner and scrambling to figure out where our hotel was but it felt GOOD to lay down finally.

And I love how on the ride home my mom kept bringing up how she believes in God when she looks around at nature..."just not the other guy" she says. I wish she knew how much "the other guy" loves her.

Everything but the kitchen sink

Sooner or later thru-out the day everything I own ends up in the kitchen sink or the toilet. Lately it's my couch cushions in the sink, maybe a few stuffed animals thrown on top. Sometimes it's my freshly washed and dried laundrey that ends up in the toilet brimming over the seat cover, a few bottles of perfume and the tube of toothpaste along with all our toothbrushes of course, maybe an earring or two, a few tv remotes, and some cheerios to top it all off. Once it was my cell phone. These activites are very pleasing to my boys.

My favorite quote

I heard this in the office today and its officially my new favorite quote:

"He's seems normal, he usually has pants on"

This was in reference to Mason Mike who I'm seeing at the Muskegon Fruenthal Aug 22. A guy in my office had mason work done by this guy who eventually gave him a poster to advertise at our very conservative office of 12 for his upcoming show. I have to find a picture of this poster, it's great. So the guy in my office got free tickets from him and passed these golden admissions on to me.

The show is Mason Mikes mystical rock and roll dream. He has a mullet, wears speedos, and roller blades while expressing himself thru rock and roll music. I may start a fan club.

Teeth Obsessed

At what point when raising children is it not necessary to remind them to brush their teeth? Zoe and Miles are 11 and 8 now and won't brush their teeth. I have to phone home from work at about noon each day to remind them, and sometimes even then they don't do it. When I get home at 5:30 my first question is "Did you brush your teeth!?" Sometimes they don't brush until almost 6:00 at night!! Raising kids with sparkling white teeth will make me feel like I did a superb parenting job; I don't care about anything else except that they know Jesus and have good teeth:)
I can't even understand how they can go thru the day with funk on their teeth. If I don't brush my teeth it feels like my teeth are wearing sweaters, y'know "sweater teeth". Do I offer incentives for this daily task? How do I transfer the responsibility to them without they're teeth rotting?

Next week they go to camp and I won't be able to do anything. I'll have to stick reminder notes in their clean underwear, but Gosh what if they don't change that daily either?!

Darby learns about the birds and the bees

Yea, we took the boys to the beach last weekend and they didn't eat sand, major awesome, we can actually go to the beach this year!! Mike forgot to put a swim diaper on Darby and when we were at the beach he loaded up his diaper, (I have more poop stories between my 3 boys than should be allowed). Anyhoo, I was lucky enough to be the parent to clean him and his poo pants up in the beachfront ladies room at the state park. And let me say, when stuff like this happens, and by stuff I mean unwanted poop without diaper not at home in a public place type stuff, it's always the most gigantic poop the kid has had in like 6 months, just saving it all up for the most opportune moment. So his bathing suit liner was D-SGUSTING and I had to scrub it clean with my bare hands, so after I scrubbed Darby down I let him go free to his dad and Cooper waiting outside the bathroom on the beach.

Darby in his innocence and pure nakedness spotted a flock of seagulls and took off after them, scampering down the beach, completely naked, chasing seagulls with his hands raised in the air towards his flying objects of adoration. A few teenage girls got their cell cameras out and took pictures. I'm not sure if he'll ever be as free as he was that day, it was beautiful.

Yesterday Darby discovered firsthand about bees by finding a new hive under out backyard picnic table and disturbing it. Mike, who was 20 feet away on the trampoline heard him scream, looked over and he was smacking his face and being swarmed. He was stung three times. His face, neck, and arm, poor little guy. His face swelled up and he looked like Rocky Balboa for awhile. I'll post the pic.

Planting toy trucks

I've wanted to grow tomato plants for at least a decade now. So when I passed by a 60 cent packet of tomato seeds at Meijers a few months ago I grabbed them, pondered the possibility of freshly picked tomatoes on my salads every evening and headed for the checkout excited that I was actually going to live out this dream. No more dreaming, it was actually going to happen, I would actually have tomatoes all the time right in my own backyard.

I planted the seeds in a giant planter I had flowers in last year. I even purchased a bag of super rich black garden soil specifically engineered to growing vegetables all chock full of miracle grow and earth worm poop, whatever they use to make it really black and nutritious.

With all the rain we've had my tomatoe plants were on their way, little green sprouts turned into young healthy tomatoey looking plants full of promises that soon they would deliver my long awaited tomatoes. The Darby and Cooper discovered them......

They thought it would be better to remove the tomatoe plants and use my super dirt to bury their toy truck and a sippy cup, so naturally after I got past my disappointment, I grabbed my camera.

In a funk

Last sunday night I was worshipping with a great group of Jesus lovers at a bar in North Muskegon called Cancun Connection. Beer signs hung, tropical colored walls, ashtrays and the cleaning lady who was dutifully changing the trash during Justins sermon. It was the first service of "Jericho Road", it was great. The music was loud and powerful.

We sang "You're the God of this city". If you've ever heard this song and know the lyrics you know it chorus centers on God doing "greater things" in the city, it speaks of revival, of change to come. Its a great song.

I've been in a funk lately so I completely internalized the lyrics. "I" became the city.

"You're the God of this city"

Greater things have yet to come.
Greater things are still to be done In this city.
Greater things have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done here

It all starts with our hearts, my funk needs to be stripped away so I can shine like a lamp.
Greater things are yet to come....

Donna Summers equals smiles

So Mike and I discovered how much Darby and Cooper love listening to Donna Summers on giant earphones recently. Donna without the earphones does'nt seem to have the same effect. The only unfortunate thing about it is we only have one set of headphones and two Donna Summers obsessed boys so they have to share. This is the outcome...

Absolutely Amazed and bewildered.

A few updates:

1. My insurance is completely covering 100% of my roof issues which was totally unexpected, I wasn't even going to call a claim in because I figured they would laugh at me but my mom yelled at me to see what they could do. Thanks for your persistence Mom. and thank you Lord for covering me, absolutely amazed!

2. Mike quit his job on Tuesday to stay home with the boys and work with them full-time. I haven't freaked out yet and have resolved to give him the benefit of the doubt and see how things go. We will try to make a go of it on one income, I may possibly get a second job, don't know at this point.

3. Today we went to the GR Zoo, wow it was packed. The twins had a great time and were so good. We forgot a camera which is really sucky so we'll have to go again soon and get some pictures.

Twins turn Two today

We made it to the two year mark and I can say with confidence I feel like this is the worst it's going to get. Cooper's naughty side is showing up and I'm so thankful because being naughty is a "normal" 2 year old behavior so I'm thankful.

I had to work today but when I was getting ready both boys were laying on our bed, Cooper asleep and Darby laying on his belly watching me bustle around before I left for work. I stopped to sing him happy birthday and since I wasn't sure who he was at that moment in the dim morning light my birthday song went something like...

"Happy Birthday dear....(long pause while I tried to figure out exactly which son this was)...Darby? Happy birthday to you"

I had it right, so at least after two years with twins I'm able to tell them apart, I'm making progress.

Happy birthday my beloved babies. You are so loved!

Time for some positivity

Lately I've been singing the clean up song for my boys and teaching them to put their toys in their basket rather than hurl them over the fence and onto the kitchen floor. Cooper LOVES the cleanup song. I catch him trying to sing it sometimes. The hook to the song is "clean up Clean up, (everybody do your job) clean up clean up (every body do your job).
Cooper says
"Kee uh" Kee uh". Its adorable and a major accomplishment. He's been so smiley and cuddly lately. I am so thankful for every milestone he reaches. Thankyou Lord!, please continue to heal my boys, all the Glory to you!

The motherload

We've had a carpenter ant problem on and off since the day we moved into this house. Within 4 months Mike and I were ripping the roof off and replacing it ourselves because we didn't have the cash to pay a roofer. We'd had this Ant problem you see, ants foraging around our house like they owned the place. Sure we'd spent a few hundred to have an exterminator come and fog the place, but we still had ants, just instead they were dying ants crawling through our living space on their last legs.

It was during this period I became a Carpenter ant expert. I followed them through the house in hopes of finding their nest. Ants like wet wood, so if there's a leak somewhere in your house, in a wall, on the roof, under a toilet, behind a sink, this is where the ants will be. I spent 4 months searching for those bastards until one day I noticed a soft spot in the eaves over our garage. So naturally I got a broom handle and poked at it. Billions of ants and rotted wood came tumbling out. It was so bad these ants had actually eaten thru the trusses in our roof over the garage. Everyone asks me, "Didnt you have a pest inspection before you bought the house"? We did, but we did this in February when the house was for sale and weren't able to close until April 15, when the weather gets warm enough for ants to take over your life.

We thought it was odd when we moved in and there were ant traps under appliances and in closets. This apparently had been an ongoing issue the previous owners "forgot" to disclose on the sellers agreement in the place where it asks "Any history of carpenter ants?"  Nope they said, no way, ants, here? Never.

The thing is the carpenter ants we found had been there a long time, a VERY long time. They were the size of my hand, with wings, and like a decade worth of a wood tunneled cities  built into our house. This was an old settlement. We ended up suing for damages (we had other issues besides our insect roomates). I learned this: Don't sue a State trooper with a pregnant wife, no matter how right you are and how much evidence you have, the judge will think you're a liar and you will not win.

Court went something like this:

Me: Well how do you  explain the six ant traps found stationed all over the house?, and the fact that you had called Orkin pest control for ant control just last year?

Previous owners: Well, you see we had dogs and in the event they might carry an ant on their backs into the house we set traps just as a precautionary measure.

Me: Why didn't you disclose that you're underground sprinkler doesn't even work and instead use it as a major selling point?

9 month pregnant previous owner: I had brain cancer and we didnt have time to think about underground sprinkling!!

I couldn't win, and I didn't.

So we roofed the house ourselves. I don't recommend this. roofing is a terrible job. We were too poor to afford to rent the nail gun so we pounded each shingle in by hand. We were too poor to afford a dumpster so we made a pile behind our house and then every week for a little over a year, Mike pulled our Waste Management residential dumpster over to our pile and topped it off with our old roof. All winter, all spring, all summer, and winter again, he did this. I still cant get grass to grow in this spot. It took us 2 1/2 months to finish the roof and it was during this time that I miraculously became pregnant...with twins! I honestly couldn't even remember making Darby and Cooper, I was soooo tired during this time. I worked 45 hours a week, came home and roofed until the sun went down.

The ants disappeared, for a while, almost three years actually. Theyre back this year and they mean business. This time I hired a guy from Craigslist. I like him, he's got a third day ringtone so I thought that was a good sign. He's charging me $25 an hour plus materials and has no idea how long its going to take him to fix the problem. He did find the motherload of ants today right where I suspected, the eaves over our front door, so thats outta there. We also have a mold issue in a few of the bedrooms, he's going to cut all the drywall out and replace that too. Mike suggested just painting over the mess and selling the house like the previous owners did to us. But I can't, I couldn't do that to another family, so we'll spend thousands on work that we'll never really enjoy, well unles you count living without ants or mold joyous, which I sort of do at this point.

It seems like just yesterday that everyone was saying to me "Buy a house, Why throw your money away renting when for the same cost you could own!" Thats not a true statement. Home ownership sucks, maybe I'll change my mind in a few years , but today I'm ready to find an apartment and take the 30,000 loss on my house.

The eye of the Storm

This is what happens when you have a child with Red flags for autism:

You go online and discover three thousand different treatments that costs thousands of dollars each. Supposedly, you're supposed to just pick one and hope it works because if you don't you're out another few thousand on the next treatment. No one in the autism community or the medical community can agree on anything. Jenny McCarthy uses the biomedical approach and Dr's prefer the ABA training approach. Basically on the left we have a community who wants to treat the inside of the child, and on our right we have a group who wants to treat the behaviors. Both groups are highly skeptical of eachother. Now you're left with a bunch of confused parents and kids who need help. Oh and timing is very important. I'm constantly reminded of how important early intervention is. It's just what intervention I'm actually supposed to be using. I have no idea which direction to take, and even if I did, I couldn't afford any of them.

My instinct tells me there is something wrong with Coopers insides that are causing autistic traits. I faxed his pediatrician a bunch of information of internal yeast infections and leaky gut syndrome. He said he'll be open to new ideas, but he reccommended I look into Lovaas and Play Project.

I contacted Play Project today and talked with a consultant. For $3,900 I can have a consultant visit my homes six times during a one year period and give me tips on how to interact with my boys. This also includes a website membership to chat with other parents, most likely to complain about how we just got suckered into spending $3,900 for the program.

The Play project consultant suggested I go see a neurologist in Grand Rapids that can do the full testing and give a diagnosis. That would only cost me $1,200 per child. So for $6,300 I get it in writing they have autism and a consultant drives to my house six times. This is supposed to be the cost effective approach.

The Lovaas method requires me to basically hire a swat team of professionals to come in and train my kids for 25-30 hours per week for a year.

Keep in mind that none of these methods is concerned with whats going on inside my boys bodies which my insides (or gut if you will) are telling me this is where the problem lies.

I read in all my hours I've spent googling biomedical research on autism that removing milk could alleviate autistic behaviors. I tried this with both boys. Cooper is noticeably better when he doesn't drink milk. By noticeable I mean he doesn't rock and make wierd grunting sounds and he will look at you instead of staring into space. With Darby, there is no noticeable difference, so Darby drinks cows milk. Cooper drinks Rice milk or soy milk. Now Rice milk is nearly $4 for a half gallon. With cows milk averaging around $2 for a full gallon, I'm paying nearly 4x the cost of regular milk to give Cooper an alternative milky white beverage. And that was hurting our budget. That is peanuts compared to this other therapy!

I have no idea what to do. It's a frustrating place to be. I wish I knew the right direction to take.

Lord, can you light a path for me and maybe part a red Sea or two? We've got some big hills to climb and I'm going to need your getting up them. I promise to give you all the credit.

Miles is Wise

Miles and I talked last night about his dad telling him he doesn't believe in God or anything in the Bible...

I told him it must be confusing for him to hear each of his parents telling him different things, but ultimately he has the freedom to make up his own mind.

Me: What do you think Miles of your dad not believing in God

Miles: I think God is True

Let me pause here to just say how much I loved this response. God is True. Not, "I believe in God", or "God is real", but GOD IS TRUE

From the Gospel of John 14:6...

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Me: Why don't you think your dad believes in God

Miles: Because he thinks he can do it all on his own

Me: Do you think he can?

Miles: Nope

Transformation Revelation

You know what I realized this week after chopping my hair off? I don't really care for the cut, but Im totally okay with it being gone.
A few years ago before I had my identity all wrapped up in Christ, I would have cried over this haircut and the loss of my old"look". It's because I used to be so invested in ME and wrapped up in how I looked. What else did I have to hold on to? My biggest fear would be a seperation from God, but he tells us...

"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 38

Nothing can seperate me from the Lord, by his stripes I am healed.

"who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge"
2Corinthians:1:22

HE has sealed my heart, I am His.

My children are my Issacs

The other day Zoe told me that her dad tells her thing she's not allowed to tell me or her grandma. My ears perked right up. Zoe has trouble keeping secrets though, so she spilled. Her dad told her that he smokes marijuana and he talked to her about "theology". He told her that he doesn't believe in God, or creation, or the Bible. Poor Miles who was right across the hallway in his room (this was at Grandma's house) could hear the conversation that there is no God.How was he supposed to process this information. He had noone to talk to, and John never went to his room afterwards to let him ask questions.
I decided Lord to give this one to you. Zoe and Miles will be my Issacc offering to you. I can't control the foolish things their dad tells them. Although I think it's inappropriate to tell an 11 year old girl that its okay to smoke pot, I'm grateful that Zoe can be open with me. Lord please give both Zoe and Miles wisdom to see what is right. Please give them wisdom and understanding. It must be so confusing for them to have a parent they love share these things with them. I won't try to control the situation because I know it won't work. I fully surrender this to you because I know your work is greater than anything I could come up with. Please keep Zoe and Miles close to you as they try to sort out everything we teach them. Pour your love and light into their hearts and protect them Lord. Let them know that nothing good has to be kept in secret. Let them know Lord that all things from you are to be shared.

I rejoice in you Jesus, thankyou for lifting my burdens.
Your child, Jen

The Lord answered my prayers

I just had to share how God showed up on my behalf today...Last year I was overcharged on a credit card from Spirit airlines. $20 worth of baggage became $80. I called the credit card company, faxed over all my supporting detail that I was supposed to pay $20 and they denied my dispute. Out of principal, I paid off the balance, not including the additional $40 I was charged. Just for the record, this doesn't work. I had late fees of like $300 by January of this year and my credit score dropped to like 638. So I called the collections department and talked with a woman named Jessica. I explained the situation and after she finally saw my side of it, she agreed to erase all late fee's and fix my credit report if I would pay $41 that day. I was relieved and gladly paid the $41 just to fix my credit score.

Unfortuantely my balance never was cleared and letters kept coming. My credit report still had this giant stain on it.
I was lied too.

I called back and talked to Jessica again. She refamiliarized herself with my case and told me she would take care of it, to check again in another 2 weeks.2 weeks later, everything is still the same. I called back several times between the end of January and April. The last 3 calls, I was told the request to wipe charges off went to a seperate office and they were waiting for an answer. Now I had bee told this was a sure thing, not a maybe.I called back again, still told to call back the next week.

Finally, I called today and the employee tells me they dont know who Jessica is, its not noted in my file and Im responsible for the payment. I was so frustrated, i asked to speak to a supervisor.The supervisor gets on the phone and I tell him the situation. My biggest problem is I have NOTHING in writing that this Jessica employee agreed to wipe all these fee's. I just got her first name and trusted her. The supervisor again puts me on hold for 10 minutes. This time, I prayed to God that this supervisor, Marlin,would see the injustice and clear the charges, I pleaded for the Lord to see my side and fix this so I could put it to rest. I was completely frustrated and I brought it all to the Lord.
The Supervisor came back and told me he's going to clear all the charges (I did have to pay a $19 balance associated with the original airline fee, no big deal) I've been waiting for this for three months! Thankyou Jesus.

Then, I had received a voicemail while I was on the phone with this credit card company from Holland hospital....

Last fall it was suggested the boys go to feeding therapy. We were told it was covered by our insurance. We have a $2,000 deductible, and unaware the this therapy would have to run thru the deductible funds first. We went to Spectrum hospital for the first therapy , then they sent us to Holland hospital for the second session. These sessions are 45 minutes of sitting the boys in a high chair and spoon feeding them baby food (I had to bring the food). 2 months later we we received 2 bills(one for each twin) from Spectrum totaling $530.00, feeding therapy...45 minutes.A week later we received 2 bills(one for each twin) from Holland hospital totalling $700. feeding therapy 45 minutes. A few weeks later Cooper fell down our laundrey chute and was taken in an ambulance to the ER(Thank the Lord, he only suffered a black eye aftyer falling ten feet head first to a cement floor). Even more bills arrived. We started getting collection letters. I sent a request to Holland hospital asking them if they could give us any sort of cut on our bill. 10%, 30%, whatever would be appreciated.The voicemail I received was from Amanda at Holland hospital telling me they decided to give us 100% charity and removed the $700 balance!!!!!

God showed up today on my behalf. I am grateful to you Lord. Thankyou for answering my prayers and then giving me even more than what I asked for. You are an adundant God and I praise you and love you!!!

Invisible

So you know from my  last  blog post  I just chopped all my hair off on Saturday. It was a pretty drastic cut; six whole  inches! I know I said five before, but I need to embellish a little for dramatic effect here. I expected everyone would notice as I went about my normal activities. No one at church on Sunday noticed. I sat in my bible study group with people I see  at least twice a week. I share some pretty serious personal stuff with them. Nobody said a word.

So this morning I go to work and I'm thinking everyone is going to say holy Crap Jen! You completely chopped all your hair off! Only my friend Jen at the front desk noticed (and right away!) I'm telling you this is a drastic cut. No one else blinked an eye. The guys I work alongside all day long, we share 45 hours of our week together. Not one word!  I don't think people even look at me. I felt completely invisible. I went up to various people during the day and initiated conversations to see if anyone would look up and notice, nada.

It wasn't really a swanky cut that I wanted to show off, it just seemed impossible to me that everyone wouldn't notice how different it looked. This is my before and after so you see I'm not overreacting. I work with these people all freaking week long, how is this not noticeable? Are they on drugs? I'm almost tempted to pierce my lips and dye my hair aqua just to see if I get a reaction. Maybe I'll show up next week wearing a gorilla suit.

five inches gone

Oh yea, I cut my hair!!

Finally, Spring is here, the air is warm, the grasses are greening, flowers busting out of the dground. And the best of all, we can go to the park!! No more living room confinement. Lets run around and get our feet dirty, eat watermelon, blow bubbles! I missed you Spring and summer, I'm so glad you're back :)

Jellyface

Cooper is on the left here, this is what happens when you give a simple peanut butter and jelly sandwhich to a toddler and leave the room for a minute. They really like to rub stuff all over their faces. Cooper is a true jelly warrior, today.

Who's Doug?

Darby says "Doug" alot, at least thats what it sounds like. Mike says that one day a man will show up at our door and say "Is Darby home,...I'm Doug". But that hasn't happened yet, and neither of us knows anyone named Doug. Darby also likes to say Hiiyeeee, Hiiyeee, right before he's about to do something scandelous, like run into traffic, or climb over the partition between our kitchen and living room. Here he is gearing up to make a run for our road, and calling "Doug"

Darby explores the woods

Finally, one of my children likes the woods behind our house!

Mom, this is so beautiful, why didn't you tell me before we have this amazing wooded area right in our backyard??

I think I'll put my treehouse right here

Lets pitch a tent

Jews celebrate 'Dawn of creation'

'It was like seeing the sun for the very first time'
Across the world Jewish people have been celebrating Birkat Hachama, or the "feast of the sun", as Erica Chernofsky witnessed in Jerusalem at daybreak.
The blare of a ram's horn filled the early morning air, alerting the thousands of people gathered at the Western Wall that the sun was about to rise.
When it finally appeared above the ancient stones on Wednesday, the crowd gasped in unison and then began to recite a special blessing: "Blessed are you, Lord our God, king of the universe, who makes the works of creation."
To those standing at Judaism's holy place, known to them as the Temple Mount, this was no regular sunrise but one that only occurs every 28 years.
The Sun Blessing - Birkat Hachama in Hebrew - takes place when the sun returns to the point at which it was, Jewish tradition says, when God created the world thousands of years ago.

How many chances do you get to do something like this?
Shelby Atkin
"What an amazing experience," says Joel Atkin, who came to watch with his daughter Shelby, 17.
"It was like seeing the sun for the very first time."
"How many chances do you get to do something like this?" Shelby asks excitedly.
The source of the ancient tradition comes from the Talmud, a set of holy Jewish writings which states that, "he who sees the sun at its period recites the blessing".
"Its period," it later explains, recurs every 28 years on the vernal equinox, the date when the sun crosses the equator.
It is more commonly known as the first day of spring, when Jews believe the sun was created.
In the Biblical book of Genesis, the sun, along with the moon and stars, was created on the fourth day, which in modern times translates to Wednesday.
The sun returns to this position, believed to be its first position, every year.
Archaic calculations
But only once every 28 years does this happen on the vernal equinox (as calculated by Jewish tradition) and on a Wednesday - just as Jews believe it did when the universe was created.

Some view the Birkat Hachama as an important reminder not to take the Sun's energy for granted
"It's one of those occasions you just don't miss," echoes Jeremy Shebson, in Jerusalem from London on holiday.
"The one thing we don't appreciate are all the wonders of the world, and an event like this makes you appreciate something that happens every day."
As the sun begins to slowly rise higher above the Wall, the throngs of Jewish men clad in black and white prayer shawls, their heads adorned with tefillin (black leather boxes containing Bible scrolls), jostle for the best spot.
A few women shed tears as the sun lights up the morning sky, and hold up their prayer books to block the sharp rays as they recite the special blessing.
'Outdated'
However, the tradition is deemed by many to be based on archaic calculations, which today are known to be erroneous.

I heard this could bring redemption, and I came because I want redemption to come today!"
Tzippora
Two thousand years ago, Judaism, along with other Middle Eastern cultures, believed the length of the year was 365 days plus 6 hours.
But centuries later, Judaism readjusted the calendar year to 365 days, five hours and 55 minutes, while modern science now puts the year at 365 days, five hours and 48 minutes - 12 whole minutes less than the original calculation.
This small discrepancy adds up when multiplied by thousands of years.
Today, the event was actually celebrated 19 days later than the real first day of spring, which fell on 20 March, explains Professor Ariel Cohen of the astronomy and atmospheric physics department at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
"So it's a very nice tradition but 2,000 years ago, it was a tradition based on scientific values, and today they need to re-evaluate,' he says.
"Now that we know it is no longer accurate we have to either modify the tradition or abandon it completely."
Rabbis acknowledge this inaccuracy but stress that the mathematical calculations are less significant than the meaning behind a tradition that has been kept by Jews for centuries.
"There are many opinions as to when exactly to say Birkat Hachama, some even say you should recite the blessing if you haven't seen the sun in three days because it is cloudy," says Rabbi Shlomo Vilk.
"But it's not the day which is important, it's about appreciating the creation of the sun, such a powerful source of energy that we all take for granted."
This year, the event has added significance as it falls on the eve of the holiday of Passover, marking the exodus of the Jewish people from Egypt.
Some rabbis even view it as a sign heralding the coming redemption and coming of the Messiah.
"In Judaism we want the Messiah to come every day, but we do say there are times that are more opportune and significant," explains Rabbi Mordechai Genut, an astronomy expert and prominent figure in the ultra-orthodox Jewish community.
"It doesn't mean it will happen, but it's a good sign."
Rabbi Vilk relates redemption less to the cosmic event and more to the people who celebrate it.
"The Messiah will come if we will all be good. If everyone goes out to say this blessing, the Messiah will come because we appreciate what we have and bless God for it."
While not everyone who woke up early to witness the special sunrise expected the Messiah, Tzippora, 42, had not entirely ruled it out:
"I heard this could bring redemption, and I came because I want redemption to come today!"

weighted vests

Mike is out of town this weekend and Zoe and miles went to Sanibel island with their grandparents. The last month or so I've been rotating twins when going to church on Sunday, that way its easier for the volunteers helping in nursery to only have to calm down or prevent one toddler from throwing every toy off the shelf to the floor, or spinning, or crying , or screaming at a decibal that shatters glass two miles away.

But this Sunday, palm Sunday as they call it, Mike is gone, and both boys came to Church. I skipped my Sunday morning Bible study and made french toast and bacon for the boys instead. I tried to do everything right. Good nights sleep, check. Good breakfast, check. Cuddle time with each of them on the couch for at least 10 minutes each (20 for Cooper), check.
I even brought their weighted vests so they could get some deep pressure stimulation while they played.

Now I have to go off on a seperate tantrum about these weighted vests. Lord, is this just a cruel joke, honestly? You blessed me with two boys I can barely tell apart, with some sort of disability, maybe autism, maybe sensory dysfunction that noone can quite figure out. You made them heavier than all the other children their age , they are literally off the charts in weight, height, ect. Thats great and all, but they are heavy and need to be lifted alot. Then one of the key therpaies suggested is a weighted vest?? Seriously?, 6lbs each. So beyond lugging around 70 pounds of baby, and diaper accessories for two, I get to haul around an additional 12 pounds of clothing? Okay, I know you have a plan, I'll quit my complaining, just had to vent a little.

So anyways, all was good until we hit the church parking lot, Cooper was unhappy, not sure why. I carried him and their 50 pounds of accessories into the church with Darby in tow. Would it be cruel to get a leash at this point? Did I mention the stairs we have to hike to the nursery. I don't understand how I'm still so overweight considering that I do this twice a week.

After we got to the nursery, Darby ran off down the hallway and Cooper tripped and smacked his head . After someone caught Darby and returned him and I hugged Coopers hurt away, it took Cooper all of about 2 minutes to completey remove every toy from the closest shelves. Boxes of train tracks, balls, every truck and car dumped in a 3 foot diameter pile around him. Then he was upset at the mess, when he tried to move he would trip. He was just an unhappy camper so I took him to the service with me. He lasted about 4 minutes but he seemed to cheer up a bit after being able to stare at the ceiling fan for a minute and sit on my lap. So back to the nursery we went. I put on some veggie tales and he found a basket of baby dolls. He was delighted. Phew. And I still got to hear a brilliant sermon. So I guess I could say it was a successfull outing right. Nothing broken, no emergency room visits, and both boys left with a cookie.

Dealing

When Darby and Cooper were almost a year old I noticed something wasn't quite right. They didn't seem to notice or care if you came or went. They didn't make very good eye contact and wouldn't lift their hands out and up for us to pick them up. Their pediatrician insisted I call the group "Early on". They came to our house with their notepads, questions, and bubbles and watched their interaction( well, lack of). At the end of the visit it was clear that both my boys were displaying multiple red flags for autism.

The first week I just cried, and cried, and then cried some more. I was a wreck. It's been almost a year since their first early on visit, since then they've had several. They've definately made some progess, but still have a long way to go. Darby says "Hi" now and Cooper claps his hands. Those were HUGE milestones for them.

It's been rough again lately. I really have to accept where they are and go from there. But where do we go? Thats the most frustrating thing about it. Some kids with autism turn out fine and are able to join a regualr classroom. Some autistic kids never talk and never recover. I just don't know what their future will be. it breaks my heart. But at some point I've got to quit crying, and start accepting.

Father God,
Please help me accept that My dreams for my boys have been replaced with YOUR plan. Your plan is more challenging but offers eternal rewards that I can't see. I will praise you in my sadness and trust that you know what you're doing. Please give me eyes to see. Guide my steps, light my path, as I raise Darby and Cooper. Lord, wipe my tears and strengthen my heart so I
can keep it together and raise these boys to become God glorifiers. Please use my boys to glorify your name and heal them in your way. Keep them and bless them all the days they walk this earth. I trust you.

God uses 8 year olds too

Miles has been bringing his 10 year old friend to church the last 2 or 3 months. Last Wednesday night, pastor Tim gave Scott his own Bible. Miles and him came home and started reading it together.

This is what Miles told me later that night:

"Y'know how God uses people sometimes? Well thats sorta what happened with me. I started bringing my friend Scott to church with me and he really likes it. He used to steal and be real bad and now he doesn't want to do any of those things anymore, because he's a christian."

God, you never cease to amaze me. I love you dearly!

How much do you have to hate someone?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JHS8adO3hM

Atheist believes Africa needs God

The arrticle below was written earlier this month by self-described atheist Matthew Paris, writer for the UK Times. It's a great article, please read...


Before Christmas I returned, after 45 years, to the country that as a boy I knew as Nyasaland. Today it's Malawi, and The Times Christmas Appeal includes a small British charity working there. Pump Aid helps rural communities to install a simple pump, letting people keep their village wells sealed and clean. I went to see this work.
It inspired me, renewing my flagging faith in development charities. But travelling in Malawi refreshed another belief, too: one I've been trying to banish all my life, but an observation I've been unable to avoid since my African childhood. It confounds my ideological beliefs, stubbornly refuses to fit my world view, and has embarrassed my growing belief that there is no God.
Now a confirmed atheist, I've become convinced of the enormous contribution that Christian evangelism makes in Africa: sharply distinct from the work of secular NGOs, government projects and international aid efforts. These alone will not do. Education and training alone will not do. In Africa Christianity changes people's hearts. It brings a spiritual transformation. The rebirth is real. The change is good.
I used to avoid this truth by applauding - as you can - the practical work of mission churches in Africa. It's a pity, I would say, that salvation is part of the package, but Christians black and white, working in Africa, do heal the sick, do teach people to read and write; and only the severest kind of secularist could see a mission hospital or school and say the world would be better without it. I would allow that if faith was needed to motivate missionaries to help, then, fine: but what counted was the help, not the faith.
Background

But this doesn't fit the facts. Faith does more than support the missionary; it is also transferred to his flock. This is the effect that matters so immensely, and which I cannot help observing.
First, then, the observation. We had friends who were missionaries, and as a child I stayed often with them; I also stayed, alone with my little brother, in a traditional rural African village. In the city we had working for us Africans who had converted and were strong believers. The Christians were always different. Far from having cowed or confined its converts, their faith appeared to have liberated and relaxed them. There was a liveliness, a curiosity, an engagement with the world - a directness in their dealings with others - that seemed to be missing in traditional African life. They stood tall.
At 24, travelling by land across the continent reinforced this impression. From Algiers to Niger, Nigeria, Cameroon and the Central African Republic, then right through the Congo to Rwanda, Tanzania and Kenya, four student friends and I drove our old Land Rover to Nairobi.
We slept under the stars, so it was important as we reached the more populated and lawless parts of the sub-Sahara that every day we find somewhere safe by nightfall. Often near a mission.
Whenever we entered a territory worked by missionaries, we had to acknowledge that something changed in the faces of the people we passed and spoke to: something in their eyes, the way they approached you direct, man-to-man, without looking down or away. They had not become more deferential towards strangers - in some ways less so - but more open.
This time in Malawi it was the same. I met no missionaries. You do not encounter missionaries in the lobbies of expensive hotels discussing development strategy documents, as you do with the big NGOs. But instead I noticed that a handful of the most impressive African members of the Pump Aid team (largely from Zimbabwe) were, privately, strong Christians. “Privately” because the charity is entirely secular and I never heard any of its team so much as mention religion while working in the villages. But I picked up the Christian references in our conversations. One, I saw, was studying a devotional textbook in the car. One, on Sunday, went off to church at dawn for a two-hour service.
It would suit me to believe that their honesty, diligence and optimism in their work was unconnected with personal faith. Their work was secular, but surely affected by what they were. What they were was, in turn, influenced by a conception of man's place in the Universe that Christianity had taught.
There's long been a fashion among Western academic sociologists for placing tribal value systems within a ring fence, beyond critiques founded in our own culture: “theirs” and therefore best for “them”; authentic and of intrinsically equal worth to ours.
I don't follow this. I observe that tribal belief is no more peaceable than ours; and that it suppresses individuality. People think collectively; first in terms of the community, extended family and tribe. This rural-traditional mindset feeds into the “big man” and gangster politics of the African city: the exaggerated respect for a swaggering leader, and the (literal) inability to understand the whole idea of loyal opposition.
Anxiety - fear of evil spirits, of ancestors, of nature and the wild, of a tribal hierarchy, of quite everyday things - strikes deep into the whole structure of rural African thought. Every man has his place and, call it fear or respect, a great weight grinds down the individual spirit, stunting curiosity. People won't take the initiative, won't take things into their own hands or on their own shoulders.
How can I, as someone with a foot in both camps, explain? When the philosophical tourist moves from one world view to another he finds - at the very moment of passing into the new - that he loses the language to describe the landscape to the old. But let me try an example: the answer given by Sir Edmund Hillary to the question: Why climb the mountain? “Because it's there,” he said.
To the rural African mind, this is an explanation of why one would not climb the mountain. It's... well, there. Just there. Why interfere? Nothing to be done about it, or with it. Hillary's further explanation - that nobody else had climbed it - would stand as a second reason for passivity.
Christianity, post-Reformation and post-Luther, with its teaching of a direct, personal, two-way link between the individual and God, unmediated by the collective, and unsubordinate to any other human being, smashes straight through the philosphical/spiritual framework I've just described. It offers something to hold on to to those anxious to cast off a crushing tribal groupthink. That is why and how it liberates.
Those who want Africa to walk tall amid 21st-century global competition must not kid themselves that providing the material means or even the knowhow that accompanies what we call development will make the change. A whole belief system must first be supplanted.
And I'm afraid it has to be supplanted by another. Removing Christian evangelism from the African equation may leave the continent at the mercy of a malign fusion of Nike, the witch doctor, the mobile phone and the machete.

Praise Jesus!

Gods gift for me today

Today was beautiful, it snowed all day, pure white, super fluff, perfect snowflakes. I felt like I was living in a snowglobe.

This morning right before worship, I looked around at the group of beleivers I've come to love as brothers and sisters. The air, the spirit this morning was so Christ filled, I sat back and just smiled. This is what God told me... This church is a gift to you.

I don't have to wake up at 8:30 on Sunday mornings to go to church, I GET to go to church. I would have been happy with the gift of eternal salvation, but the Lord keeps giving. The

As I sat there, I imagined we were all sitting in a giant wrapped gift box. The congregation, the pastor, his family, the spirit of Christ. This is a gift that needs to be shared. My petition tonight Lord is that you continue to provide me with opportunities to testify your glory as I go into my week. I'm letting go of my plans for the week for the plans you have for me. I ask for your direction and the ability to speak your words directly, no more.
Thankyou for choosing me, healing me, and giving me hope in a hopeless world.

Your child,

Jen

Puberty

Zoe: Mom, where does the word puberty come from?

Me: i don't know, good question

Zoe: I'm going to check the dictionary

a few minutes later...

Zoe: the condition of being or the period of becoming first capable of reproducing sexually marked by maturing of the genital organs, development of secondary sex characteristics, and in the human and in higher primates by the first occurrence of menstruation in the female???

What does that mean?

Me: It means your body is capable or having babies once you're married

Miles: You mean I can get married when I'm 12?!

Creative talents of a toddler

A few weeks ago Cooper pulled his poop diaper off in his crib and made a nauseating mess for Mike and I . We walked in on him tasting his own poo! It was sickening. While we were cleaning up the mess, darby bounced in his crib hanging on tightly to the rails and yelling in a language neither Mike or I can decipher. It was very monkey like, the whole scene.

So yesterday I got a call from Mike and he says, "Guess what your son did?"

It was Darbys turn.

Apparently Darby had a nice load of poo in his diaper when he woke up from his nap. Quietly, and as his brother lay sleeping in the crib across from his he removed the smelly mess and decided to paint himself as a dairhea warrior of sorts. Mike, who was in the kitchen smelled poop and couldnt figure out where the scent was wafting from. He followed to smell to the nursery to see a scene that had I been home would have sent me to the toilet to toss my lunch. Darby had smeared poop all over his face, arms, each and every slat of his crib, his crib sheets, and border, the wall were all covered in poo, it was even in his hair!!

Mike, standing there trying to figure out where the diaper was, quickly realized he was standing on it, so he also had poop on his sock covered feet.

I asked if he grabbed the camera because this would have made great blackmail material for decades, but in his misery he didnt think of it.

Just glad I wasn't home for this one.