Light It Up Blue

Today is Autism Awareness Day. Isaiah was wondering what he should wear for Sunday School this morning, so I reminded him about his Batman Autism shirt. His response? "But I don't like Autism." Well, buddy, I don't like that life throws challenges your way, but that's going to happen with or without Autism. I love who you are - Autism and all. I love that you thrive on routine and schedule. I love that you remind us to look at the world a little differently. We would miss out on so much without you there to bring it to our attention. I love that you care so much about the feelings of other people. You are as honest as the day is long, and you would never hurt a fly. Can I just mention that it is so much fun to teach you about figurative language! You truly see the humor in it! 

Do I wish you didn't have to live with Autism? Yes, I do. Am I confident that you are a rock star and one of the coolest kids that I know? YES. 

Our first take at a picture was the forced Chandler Bing-like someone is taking my picture smile. (Remember the episode of Friends when Chandler and Monica had engagement pictures taken? Hilarious!)

But then he sneezed. 

That gave us the relaxed, laughing grin that we see on this kid's face every day. 

While Autism Awareness Day is officially today, we're aware every day. Please take the time to talk with your loved ones - children and adults - about acceptance, understanding, and love. 

~ Becky

Have a Six Flags Day!

If I want to start a Book Blog, then I had best get better at this blogging thing.  Though, it is kind of nice to remember last summer while everything outside is covered in snow.

Just after our family vaca, we rode a charter bus down to Six Flags Great America with the youth group.  We had such a fantastic time, despite the very scary thunderstorms we drove through on the way home.  The worst part of the day was running through a deluge with kids, chicken nuggets, dipping sauce, and french fries back to the bus.  The bag ripped in the process and we were forced to eat our chicken nuggets without sweet and sour or barbeque sauce.  Boo.

But before the super scary thunderstorm, it really was a beautiful hot day.  As longs as you avoid the Fiddler's Fling.  #IthinkIneedtothrowup

This picture cracks me up.  I'm pretty sure we will not look nearly this calm when the kids start driving us around for real.

We had a great family day.  The kids were just at the right height to ride most of the rides that we wanted to!  Six Flags is super accommodating for Autistic children, too.  #bonus

My special treat, though, was seeing one of my students from the school year there with his family!  His mom and I exchanged numbers so we could meet up, and it was great to ride the Whizzer with Alex.  :)

- becky

The Vault

Maybe you already know this, but individuals with Autism sometimes fixate on things.  These things might be ordinary items, like needing to carry around the same toy.  Sometimes what an Autist (cool word - I just saw it online!) fixates on might seem unusual to the rest of us, but it can bring him/her comfort, familiarity, or a sensory release.  Our sweet little Autist, Isaiah, likes to push the buttons on Coke machines.

Tim and I have been saying for a long time that one of these days Isaiah is going to get lucky.  And did he ever.  This kid hit the jackpot!

After we left the aquarium,we let Isaiah push buttons on the Coke machines that were outside, in between the aquarium and the World of Coca-Cola.  Guess.What.Happened.  The machine started whistling, hooting, and hollering.  And out popped.....a Coke in a can coozie and a football!  That's right.  A football!  (The next day, we saw the coozie ($5!) and the football ($12!) in the gift shop.  Score!!!

The winning machine!  People who were standing around at the time thought it was pretty cool.  They kept hanging around trying to get something for free, too.  HA!

The World of Coca-Cola

There it is!  The entrance to the vault!  What is that secret recipe?!?!

Yeah, it's in there.  They lied.  They didn't show it to us.  Sigh.

Coke machines have been around for a long time!

4D movie time!

Time for the taste test!  My personal favorite was the Pineapple Crush.  Too bad I would have to go all the way to South America to get it...

Not too bad...

Oh my!  Did you just hear my burp?!

Blech.

That's too spicy! (That's how Mallory describes Sprite.  LOL)

Next stop - Misc. Atlanta pics

- becky

Day at the (Milwaukee) Zoo

Last year's trip to the Milwaukee Zoo left a lot to be desired.  While it was (somewhat) enjoyable, Isaiah had a tough time.  He cried pitifully if we did not stop at every.stinking vending machine so he could push the buttons.  Perseverating City!  Imagine his tears at the machine whose buttons he could not push because a vendor had it open to fill it!

This year, we had a plan.  I got an idea off Pinterest.  An animal scavenger hunt!

It was awesome.  We had so much fun.  Both Isaiah and Mallory had a clipboard and marker.  On the clipboard was what looked like a BINGO grid of zoo animal pictures (and a map on Mallory's board).  As we found each animal we Xed it off our checklist.  :)

  

You almost forget you're right by I-94...

So, what about those vending machines?  Well, we still had to stop and push buttons, but only after we found a zoo animal, counted the machines, and marked tally marks for each one on our scavenger hunt paper.  19 vending machines in all.

- becky

Summer!

Yesterday was the last day of school! Yay for summer vacation!

We have so much planned for the summer. Next week, we'll be taking the kids to Vacation Bible School at church in the evenings. Then we'll have a quiet week before our vacation. We're making the loop to see our families with stops in Pensacola, Cape Girardeau, and Minneapolis. I'm a little apprehensive about our trip this year. Isaiah thrives on routine, as would be expected when you consider Autism. Hopefully, his laid back personality will trump the fact that his surroundings will be unfamiliar to him.

When we return in early July, I'll be doing 2 weeks of curriculum work, so the kids will get to visit their friends at "school" during the day. I'm sure they will completely ENJOY 2 weeks of day care fun in the middle of the summer. They love going there every day; we're so blessed to have such great teachers taking care of our children while we are at work.

August is going to be incredibly busy. Next year, I will be moving back into a classroom of my own. I'll be on a new adventure as a 2nd grade teacher. It will be fun to teach one of the primary grades! I am so super excited!!! It's hard to believe that the 2011-12 (how weird do those years look?!) will be my 10th year teaching already! I'm sure Isaiah and Mallory will be a HUGE "help" setting up my classroom.

Stay tuned for pictures showing our summer fun!

- becky

Weather Discussion

Whenever I have the kids in the car, we talk about what the weather is like outside. (I guess it's the teacher in me, finding those teachable moments!) I was just chuckling inside when I took the kids to school this morning.

Mallory: It's kinda raining outside.
Me: Well, it's foggy.
Mallory: It's froggy outside!
Me: Not froggy - foggy. (Mallory refers to Kermit the Frog as 'Froggy'.)
Isaiah: It's froggy outside!
Mallory: No, Isaiah - fooooooggy.

It was so cute the way she stretched out the word 'foggy' and corrected her brubby. :)

Another proud moment - last night, Isaiah went up to Mallory and said, "Mallory, do you want to play with Brubby?" (Brubby is Mallory's nickname for Isaiah.) This was so exciting to hear! Isaiah is really growing in his autism. He's been asking us to play, but for him to ask another child (even though it was his sister) this was just another step in the right direction. :)

- becky