Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Owen's first soccer game

 We are really lucky with where we live. There is a wonderful woman that has set up sports for kids with disabilities. So, they are now doing indoor soccer with local volunteers. He loved running around and we had a lot of fun chasing him and helping him kick the soccer ball. He loved it! And it was really cute to watch.

















Friday, April 11, 2014

Kid's Parade


























They had a parade for the kids this special needs up at campus and we just had a ball!!!!

Tuesday, April 8, 2014

Thoughts...

It's interesting. A lot of the time, I hear a lot of people tell us how hard we must have it and how lucky our kids are to have us. Well, this is what I think about that. We have been blessed more than I can express. The reason I say that is because life feels unknown and a little scary from time to time, but our kids are happy. They are learning, and they are showing progress all the time. I feel like it's hard to be unhappy sometimes. I truly feel that we are the ones that are lucky to have them. We have so much fun with them and we get to watch them discover new things and get excited about things that typical developing kids tend to experience quickly.

There are a lot of new things happening with our kids. For example, Owen is starting to get really chatty. When I say that, I mean that he is echoing a lot and then answering simple questions like "what do you want?" and he will say "down". He is staring to fill in a word when we pause in a song. For example, we will sing "Old McDonald had a " and we pause and he will say "farm". I LOVE IT! He is also getting good at recognizing numbers and letters. We do a lot of flashcards and he does great. He is also saying amen when we do prayer at night. He is also folding his arms when we tell him it is time for prayer.

These are the kinds of things we didn't know if we would ever see. We are so proud of him and all the progress he has made. I love how happy he is too. He loves to be chased and tickled and jump on the trampoline. What a fun kid! William is hilarious! He loves to play! He is starting to make more and more sounds and he is amazing at eye contact, (which is still a little tricky for Owen). He loves to be tossed in the air and he loves it when we watch him play. He is my little busy body. He is always climbing and jumping and running. He is my exercise program!

We have just seen him learn so much and do so well at preschool the last few months. He loves to get on the bus and would play outside all day if we let him. He will play on our four wheeler and look ready to drive it. What a goof! He makes hugs, kisses, and laughs so much fuller!

With all this being said, life isn't all roses. We still wonder if they will go on to live the kind of lives we always prayed they would. We wonder what their social life will be like, or if they will have meltdowns when they're 14 or on. We always will worry about the unknown, but I learned an important lesson that has forever changed me. I can worry about life every minute of every day, but it will never change one single thing. So, I have a choice. And I have chosen to enjoy today and this moment. Why be weighed down when I can see the best in the situations that we are handed. This has translated into the recognition of blessings that we never even dreamed of.

We had a Sunday School lesson the other week and a clip was played from the talk "Come what may and love it" and it really touched me. It reminded me to remember all those good things in my life (and they are many) and just make the best of every situation, good or bad. What a good reminder to make sure I live my life happy and give my kids a happy and loving mom. I am so thankful for a Heavenly Father who has heard every single prayer and plea. There was a time that I felt forgotten and left alone with a struggle that I felt was too much for me, but I have found that I just needed to know that I could do it. I needed to know that I was capable of this glorious role of mother. I needed to know that I never had to be alone. Never!

I look back on the last few years and I can't help but think that I would be lost without the love and support of my good husband. I don't just mean that in the generic way. He has gone to every meeting that was too much for me to go to alone. He cried with me, or just held me when it felt like too much. We have shared our fears, hopes and strategies for our lives to be happy. We have knelt in prayer together and prayed for both the kids and for each other. He has given our kids countless chances to try new things and encourage and laugh with them when they love something new.

I knew that I married a good man. I knew that he was faithful and loving. I knew that he would be an incredible father and provider for our family, but I think our experience as parents has shown he that he is a good man or that he has good qualities, but he has showed me the kind of person that I want to be. I am so proud of him all the time and I feel it is one of my greatest blessing to be his wife.


Monday, April 7, 2014

Light it up blue




























April is Autism Awareness Month and so, on Autism Awareness Day, we all got together with some friends and they brought blue balloons, blue donuts and we all took a little walk in the snow to help others to be more aware of autism and that we love our kids! We had a good time and the snow even let up after awhile. (And the kids loved the blue donuts).    :)