{The Polar Express} Winter Party

Well... Christmas is over, the New Year has come and we are wrapping up Winter Break at our house. 

Its been a really fun couple of weeks, but I am sooo ready to get back into our routine!

I wanted to share some things that I made for the boy's Winter parties this year. Last year I did a Rudolph party for Noah's class, which was a lot of fun, but Roman really wanted a Polar Express theme for his class this year. 

(And I wasn't interested in doing 2 different parties!) 

Doing The Polar Express happened to work perfectly because both classes were having a pajama party the following day as well as watching the movie, so our activities just added to that.

For favors I made packages of hot chocolate as well as bell ornaments for the kids to take home.

{I wish I hadn't waited so long to get the bells for the ornaments. I never thought all the craft stores would be completely sold out of silver bells! So red bells it is. Next time I will know better!}

{I poured Swiss Miss Hot Chocolate mix in some zip lock baggies, along with marshmallows, mini chocolate chips and red & green sprinkles. I just folded my label over the edge and stapled the top.}

{I designed tags for both that you are welcome to use! Just click on the picture, save it to your computer and print on card stock. The images are designed for 4x6 sizing.}

For Noah's Kindergarten class I found these FREE, downloadable, coloring sheets from a 123homeschool4me website. 

During free time they had the option to color, or take them home. 

{Next time I plan to scale them down to size and make a small coloring book.}

His class enjoyed their hot chocolate during snack time and took their bells home to hang on the tree.

For Roman's 2nd grade class, We had a complete breakfast bar. Every child brought in a certain item and we made Belgium Waffles right there in the classroom! The kids topped off their waffles with all kinds of goodies, and then made some Christmas tree ornaments to take home. 

For our game we played "BELL BINGO." I had come across the idea on Pinterest but was annoyed that I couldn't find anything for free- class parties have a budget, ya know! 

So I made my own!

Print the following 2 sheets on 8x10 paper. 

1 of each, per child.

{It could be card stock or construction paper, but regular printing paper would work as well.}

{I suggest having the kids use glue sticks for this project.}

{Really encourage the kids not to copy each others placement, this will help the game go longer.}

{I used the bell ornaments and hot chocolate packets as Bell Bingo prizes!} 

{Make sure you have LOTS of marshmallows to use as markers!}

The following are your 5x7 calling cards. 

{I do suggest printing these on card stock and saving them for another time.} 

I hope you and your kiddo's class enjoy!

{Happy New Year!}

::Broken::

I don't think there's anything in this world that hurts more than a shattered dream. I don't know what that could mean to you. but I certainly know what that means to me.

I had a certain dream for the family I wanted to have.
The marriage I wanted to have.
The kind of wife I wanted to be.
The kind of mother I wanted to be.
I didn't anticipate what was in fact planned for me.
As life started to unfold, it got increasing complicated and at times unbearably painful. The dreams I had shattered into an isolated world, filled with let downs and questions.

For me, the complicated nature of my life left me feeling completely broken.
Pained.
Frustrated.
Worrisome.
Helpless.
The expectations I felt were put on me, raised the expectations I put on my spouse and the disappointments multiplied and the hurt continued to increase.

Some nights I would cry out to God and question His plan for my life. I would ask him how in the world could he expose to me to pain like this, fully knowing all I had already been through.

Pain like this? Currently, its experienced through an over abundance of love for our child while mourning the loss of a dream we had for him all at the same time. You might not be able to understand, or you might know all too well.

Speaking to you, and reminding myself at the same time:
God knows.
He has a purpose.
This is not in vain.
Your brokenness isn't failure. It has been intentionally given to you for a greater purpose. Once we have been broken to a place that seems irreparable is when God comes, gathers the pieces and builds something that glorifies Him. While all you had desired was noble, it just wasn't usable. His plan is far beyond anything you or I could ever dream, and sometimes that's hard for us to see.

One night studying, I read a translation of Matthew 5:3 that spoke to me:
"Blessed are those that recognize they are spiritually helpless. The kingdom of heaven belongs to them."
The words "spiritually helpless" read like I was reading my own name... and then God gave me 2 promises that took root in my heart:
I will be happy.
Where God dwells, I already own.

The same promises are for you.
 
There are some on my heart that I will be praying for over the next 3 weeks. Pray for me as well.
Lets be broken together.

A Melatonin Testimony

Hi everyone! I am very excited to share this post with you! Use wisdom but don't operate out of fear, special Moms!

     A couple years ago I was desperate for suggestions on helping Noah get to sleep (and stay asleep) at night. I sought the help of one of Noah's specialist that treat kids with Autism and he told me of other families that had a lot of success using melatonin and highly recommended it. I was more than skeptical. I didn't really know what it was, how it worked, or anyone else who used it... and to be honest, it kinda sounded way too easy.

 

What is Melatonin? <----Learn more

     More time passed, and bedtime was becoming more and more of a battle. I seriously HATED BEDTIME. HATED. IT. I would dread it every night... My mood would go from "positive" and "upbeat" to "someone shoot me" as the sun went down on a seemingly rapid pace. It was like a bad movie appropriately titled: 

Groundhog Day: Mommy's Personal Hell.

     Every night my children turned into sun downers on speed and I was exhausted by just knowing what was coming my way. 

Noah is over stimulated. 

Lydia is overly tired and crying. 

Sophia keeps leaving the room. 

I can't seem to make Roman happy. 

1 hour. 

2 hours.

3 HOURS (!!!!!) 

sometimes went by.... 

And just when I thought I had won the battle,  Noah would wake up a few short hours later, READY and EAGER to start his day. 

     It may sound funny, but really was clinically exhausting. I was not getting the sleep I needed, nor were they. Every morning the boys were starting their school day stressed out, tired and emotional. I hated it and something had to change.

     Over the last couple years I was learning and becoming more and more comfortable with using essential oils, pro-biotics, herbs and vitamins. But for some reason I was STILL nervous about this melatonin thing. Maybe it was because it was a sleep aid and I was fearful that I would give them too much and GOD FORBID! **FYI, that has never been reported as happening** But honestly, looking back, I know this ridiculous fear came from the pit of hell to keep me exhausted, frustrated and overwhelmed!<---RealTalk

     I decided to seek the opinions of fellow Moms on Facebook- and immediately assumed they would judge me or have nothing positive to say. And that was if I was lucky enough to know ANY ONE who would do such a thing to their child(ren)! 

Wow... was I SHOCKED. 

I received overwhelming and POSITIVE responses from 20+ Mom's who's child(ren) regularly use it and had been for years!

     I was ready to give it a go. I called Noah's Doctor and the nurse explained to me how to use it and how to find the appropriate dosage. I bought the recommended type based on Noah's sensory issues- liquid instead of sub-lingual, and a higher potency so there's less to ingest. I purchased it at our local drug store, and have continued to use the same brand ever since. It took a couple weeks of adjusting the time administered and dosage to make it work effectively. Every night got easier, and easier, AND EASIER. Before long it happened. it really happened... A NIGHT TIME ROUTINE. 

It was like a MIRACLE. 

            ^These cards are funny!^

     A few days into our new routine I was successful in taking their TV out of their bedrooms. A week or two after that I was removing sippy cups at night with out a fight. These were 2 things that caused a lot of obsessive behaviors and frustrations at night for Noah, and were a distraction to the other 3 as well! Its been over 2 months now, with absolutely no issues, problems or concerns. Their sleep patterns have been better established. The two girls no longer need to take it every night, yet if we have a couple nights activities that disrupt our routine, one dose gets them right back on schedule. Everyone is waking up well rested and that makes a big difference in their behavior at home and performance at school. Can we say "No more stimming at bedtime?!" Thank you, Jesus!

More Evidence that Melatonin Eases Autism Associated Insomnia

 ^Learn More^

     Our time together in the evening is now my favorite part of the day. Instead of yelling and tears, there's reading bedtime stories and saying night time prayers -and I'm not having to bribe or threaten anyone in the process! It's so fulfilling in fact that I understand why the devil would  mess with me for so long in regards to using melatonin! 

     So again, use wisdom but don't operate out of fear, special moms! Here's to a good nights sleep!

**Not all children are able to take melatonin (like those with respiratory issues and some heart defects) as well as many other supplements and dietary aids. So ALWAYS discuss with your child's doctor first!** 

Happy {Belated} Birthday

As the room parent, you are typically responsible for sending home birthday cards to your child's classmates on behalf of the PTA and class. I kept up with it fairly well (small special ed classes worked in my favor!) UNTIL this year. 

I promised Roman I would be his class's Room Parent since I was Noah's the year prior. When I let his teacher know, she was ecstatic. She said it had been over 7 years since she had one and stopped asking parents. This breaks my heart because if any class should have a little help, it should be in the special education classrooms. In general ed you sometimes have 2 or 3 Mom's who team together to help plan events and fundraising! But with the small class sizes and already overly extended families, the chances of a special ed teacher getting a Room Parent are slim to none. It certainly makes sense, but still a bummer.

School had started and Noah's new teacher was eager to tell me that she knew I was the room parent the year prior. She asked me if I was wanting to do it again this year. I couldn't say no, especially when she followed with "I have never had one in all my years of teaching!" Seriously, how could I say no?!

I have been so focused on keeping track of the birthdays of the teachers, parapros and classroom therapists that I didn't keep up with the kid's birthdays. So I thought to just give a card to all the kids who have had a birthday from the beginning of the school year until now and send them home the day of our holiday party.

Here's what I came up with for the Kindergartners:

And for the 2nd Graders:

Feel free to use for yourself! 
They will print as a 4x4 card and I recommend using a heavy card stock. 

...And go ask your child's teacher how you can help today!

Jacob's Travels to Atlanta, Georgia September 10-15

Hi everyone! I'm very excited to share this blog post with you! Roman is my very first guest blogger and he would like to share a special friend with you- Jacob the Bear.

If you are new to Living a Special Kind of Life then let me fill you in on a couple things pertaining to this post.

1) When Roman was about 2 years old he was diagnosed with a genetic condition called 22q11.2 deletion. Its a partial deletion of the 22nd chromosome, and though his is on the "mild side" it certainly still has its challenges. 

You can read more about condition here: Dempster Family Foundation: What Is 22q? 

2) When I moved to Atlanta I started the web based support group to help me find other kids or adults with the condition. The response was wonderful and we have made life long friends through it. 

You can help spread awareness by "Liking" our Facebook fan page here: 22q Atlanta Support Group 

3) Through a mutual friend in the group I learned about a bear named Jacob. Jacob is not just any stuffed bear- he's a traveling, 22q awareness spreading BEAR! He carries a journal filled with entries from children all over the country who have the deletion. His box is filled with hand made gifts and souvenirs from the places he has been- but the story of how Jacob was started was the REAL treasure:   

(From the Jacob's Travels Group)
Summer of 2013:
My Daughter, Kyli, took the then "no named bear" to Dragonfly Forest Camp. When she returned home we discovered the bear was missing. The bear had somehow sneaked into the bag of a fellow camper and made it home with her! Kyli's friend kindly mailed the bear back to her in a box with a note. The excitement I saw on Kyli's face was so awesome! This is how the idea for Jacob's Travels 22Q was started.
Kyli asked me to message Becky Kane, a fellow parent of a child with 22q deletion and ask her a very important question. Her son had passed away from complications from the chromosomal deletion and Kyli wanted to name the soon traveling bear in his honor: Jacob. She was honored.
Jacob Kanes Mom, Becky, was the first person Jacob the Bear visited. Becky wrote the first entry in Jacob's journal and added the Special Olympics medal her son Jacob had won and was so very proud of.

During this time Kyli was having difficulties making friends. Kids can be so cruel sometimes. One of the best things we have ever done for her was sending her to Drangonfly Forest Camp. To be with kids just like her and to know she wasn't alone..... made all the difference in the world! Life is so much more fun with friends!

So now we have learned that Jacob is on his way to visit Atlanta, Georgia! I shared the post from the other places Jacob had been with Roman to help him better understand. Initially Roman was just pumped to receive a package in the mail. That's HUGE for a 7 year old!

Wednesday, September 10th: Jacob Arrives & His First Outing

Roman: I went to speech with Jacob. Then I went home and played with Jacob. He slept in my room. He's nice.
Mommy: Jacob arrived safely on a Wednesday afternoon. I opened the front door to head out to pick up the boys from school and head speech therapy. Me and his sisters were very happy to see a big brown box waiting on our door step. It was Jacob! I put the box in the front seat of the car and off we went.
While Romans brother was taking his turn in therapy we opened up the box. Inside was Jacob, dressed in his red vest, and a large binder filled with precious accounts of all the places Jacob had been. Roman immediately snatched up Jacob and their special friendship began.
That evening we took Jacob to our church for children's choir practice. I could see this boost in confidence when Roman carried him. He carried him PROUDLY! It was obvious Jacob made him feel VERY special.
That night Jacob enjoyed some bedtime stories and being tucked in with Roman all night.

Thursday, September 11th: Jacob's First Day in the 2nd Grade

Roman: I went to school with Jacob. I read to him. He played at school. We didn't take him outside though, he might get all dirty.
Mommy: I had emailed Roman's teacher the night before to let her know who Jacob was and why he was coming to school with Roman for the next couple of days. She was thrilled. For the next 2 days Jacob was aloud to stay side by side with Roman throughout the school day. During free time Roman and his classmates looked through the journal. His teacher said the class was learning how to read maps, so she had them try to locate all the places Jacob had been on their map. I loved that!
That evening Jacob waited patiently as Roman worked on his homework. For his reading work we decided to read more in Jacob's journal.
I was delighted to see Jacob had traveled to Ohio a few times, When Roman was first diagnosed we were living in Cleveland and I had trouble finding other kids with the condition. Apparently Jacob didn't!
Roman: Jacob is wearing a hat, its an Ohio hat.

Friday, September 12: Jacob's Last Day in 2nd Grade

Roman: That's Jacobs medal. It looks brand new, its from the Special Olympics.
Mommy: Jacob returned to school with Roman and his classmates said goodbye to their new furry friend. And now it was the weekend! Roman was absolutely fascinated by Jacobs Special Olympics medal. When Jacob wasn't wearing it, Roman was. We ran a few errands that night and Jacob came along.
For the most part Roman was great at keeping after Jacob, but it did help Roman learn some responsibility. When he thought he misplaced Jacob, he would panic. So we talked about being more careful with the things we care about. Jacob was a great teaching tool in more ways then one!

Saturday, September 13: Jacob Hangs Out with Roman

Roman: Jacob loves trains like me. We are playing trains.
Mommy: I had to work an extra long day, so Jacob and Roman spent most of the day at home with Roman's Daddy and siblings. Noah, Lydia and Sophia loved Jacob a lot too but struggled to understand why he came just for Roman. I'm pretty sure Roman enjoyed their jealousy!
Roman certainly enjoyed dressing Jacob in the different outfits that came with him. Jacob wearing his train hat was only appropriate as they played with some of Romans favorite toys.

Sunday, September 14: Jacob Goes to Sunday Morning Service

Roman: Jacob went to church with me. He's wearing an Ohio shirt. I'm wearing an Atlanta shirt. He sat in his own seat.
Mommy: It was our last full day with Jacob and I could tell Roman was having a hard time understanding that. I encouraged him to simply enjoy the day and not stress out about Jacob being mailed to the next kiddo.
That morning we went to church and Jacob attended Seekerville Children's Church with Roman. Roman was able to introduce him to some more friends as well as his Teachers.
That night we typed a letter to Kyli, the girl who owned Jacob, and placed it in the notebook. Roman was still struggling with knowing Jacob was going to the post office in the morning. I just kept telling him how important it was for Jacob to go the next kiddo so he could make them feel special too. And reassuring him that Jacob would return again.

Monday, September 15: Jacob Says Goodbye & Is Mailed to Michigan
Roman: When is Jacob coming back?
Mommy: That morning before Roman got on the bus he said goodbye. Roman took it better than I expected, but when he came home from school he instantly asked me where Jacob was! We tracked Jacob online and kept checking his Facebook page for his safe arrival in Michigan.
We can't wait to see Jacob again and be apart of his travels! We feel honored to be apart of his journey, to help keep another child's memory alive, and help a little girl meet new friends just like her! Not to mention the numerous people and kids that were able to learn more about 22q because of Jacob being such a great conversation starter! See you soon and safe travels Jacob!

I dedicate this post to Jacob Kane and all those who love him. 

...for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these...

Sophia Turns 2!

Better late than never.... If you frequent my blog then this should be no surprise to you :)

My youngest is now 2, and for the first time in 7 years I no longer have a baby in the house! I'm happy to see certain things get easier as they get older, but I cant lie- its hard letting her grow up.

Having children back to back was what we wanted,

*Insert rhetoric*

-Yes! It was intentional and I DO know how they got here and yadda, yadda, yadda- 

but through Sophia I'm seeing something I wish I was more conscious of over the years... thinking back to this age for the other kids is a blur. Everything went so fast. I was spending time taking care of the youngest (at the time) and keeping up with the oldest, mixed in with therapies and insecurities and a whole lot of learning...

Now don't get me wrong. Mommy and Daddy have plenty of love to share for everyone. No, I don't think anyone got "left out" or "didn't have enough one on one time" but for ME, for my own personal "mommy records" cataloged in my mind, having kids so close together left those records smudged a bit. 

There are some things that I remember really clear: 

The same month we lost a baby we found out something was "wrong" with Roman. 

And sitting in the genetics office awaiting his test results, my OB called to let me know we were pregnant again with Lydia. 

I remember very clear the week we found out Sophia was coming, Noah was diagnosed with Autism. And I remember being 9 months pregnant with Sophia, staying in the hospital with Roman after his surgery, Holding the hand of my oldest, with other hand on my belly, weeping for both. 

There is so much more to my life as a parent than those difficult times. And now that the baby chapter has closed, I am learning to become more and more intentional in the way I watch my children grow. Hearing Lydia sing, Watching Noah play, Listening to Roman share about his day... I'm intentionally cataloging away in my mind. And no longer will I let certain challenges rob me as a parent. I will enjoy my children, I will savor this time.  

Roman would say "She's all our baby!" and Sophia really is.

Its an absolute joy watching you grow, Sophia Grace! We love you!

Margaret Mitchell House and Museum & Gladys Knight's Signature Chicken and Waffles

Hi, everyone!
Today I noticed my blog has been visited over 40,000 times! Maybe that's not a lot in the blog world, but for this Mom, who can hardly spell and writes exactly how she talks (can we say "grammar errors") I am pleasantly surprised! 
My blog originally started as a way to share with others my incredibly stressful pregnancy with Sophia and an outlet from the changes that soon followed.  2 years later it has morphed into a creative place that gives me the opportunity to share my stories of raising my family and trying to find the special moments in the day to day. Thanks for reading,friends! :) 

Miss Jenn came for a visit over the summer and Atlanta we did explore. One thing that totally caught me off gaurd was just how beautiful Atlanta is at night. I had never actually driven into the city in the evening, and was blown away when I did. The skyline just gleamed as you came over Spaghetti Junction! Driving through the city you got to see lively crowds enjoying the summers night around town. It really is beautiful.

This isn't the best quality photo, but gives you an idea. Hopefully I will have the opportunity to go back at night in the near future. 

While in Atlanta we were able to visit the Margaret Mitchell House and Museum. Miss Jenn loves Gone With The Wind, so I'm glad we stumbled upon this while walking around.

Margaret Mitchell House and Museum
990 Peachtree Street NE
Atlanta, GA 30309
http://www.atlantahistorycenter.com/mmh

Via Wikapedia:
The Margaret Mitchell House is a historic house museum located in Atlanta. The structure was the home of author Margaret Mitchell. Located in Midtown, at 990 Peachtree Street, the house was known as the Crescent Apartments when Mitchell and her husband lived in Apt. 1 on the ground floor from 1925 to 1932. While living there, Mitchell wrote the bulk of her Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, Gone with the Wind.^[2] The house also contains a Visitor Center, and a portion of the museum is wholly devoted to the filming of the 1939 film based on the book. 

Docents guide visitors through the house and the apartment to learn of Mitchell's life in Atlanta, of facts surrounding her writing the novel, and of how the book advanced toward publication in North America and in non-Anglophone countries.

A "Making of the Movie" museum, included in the price of admission, is located in an adjacent building. Several collectors of "GWTW" moviememorabilia have donated parts of their collections for display in the new museum. Among these artifacts are photos taken during the movie's 1939 premiere in Atlanta; the original entryway to the Hollywood movie set of the O'Hara home, Tara; and, recognizable to the movie's aficionados, the portrait of Scarlett O'Hara from the Butler Mansion.

The Museum is owned and operated by the Atlanta History Center.

Sophia exploring with us

Also, there was a whole lot of talk about "Chicken and Waffles" during this visit. A simple google of where to find such southern cuisine led us to one place... and one place only... its pretty obvious, actually:

Gladys Knight's Signature Chicken & Waffles

529 Peachtree Street NE

Atlanta, GA 30308

http://gladysandron.net/

Now, We stumbled upon GOLD in the form of golden waffles and golden fried chicken in this place! Who knew the two together could be so great? The line was out the door when we arrived but the wait was not too long. Inside its a lot smaller than I expected, so it gives you a real diner feel.

Across the walls were pictures of celebrities with Gladys Knight and Co-owner Ron Winans. We gazed at them while we stuffed our face. And of course there were many moments of butchering the song "Midnight Train To Georgia" in between courses. 

Miss Jenn's Daughter was so happy to have some
Chicken and Waffles!

Till next time!