Going the distance!

I recently started working in the office at my daughter's school. It's not your typical school. It's a center for children with autism. I love the fact each child is being reached on their particular level. There is such a peaceful presence when you walk in the door.

We started out at home until we thought she was ready to make the move into public schools. Unfortunately, that didn't work. It was a complete failure. Thankfully, a friend was starting this center and it has been a God-send! She has flourished since being out of the house and around others. Her language has really taken off... what an awesome thing!!

Today, I had the distinct pleasure of talking to a mom who's child was recently diagnosed with autism. In a moment, all of the emotions I felt came back in a flood. I wanted to reach through the phone and just give her a hug. No one understands me like another mom with a child with autism. You understand my daily worries and struggles. You get me and my kid and for that I'm eternally grateful! I wanted to make it all better for her. I wanted to go to her home and help her. I offered her everything I knew I could, without overwhelming her. I have the tendency to do that...lol! But, as much as I wanted to help her, I can't do it all. Some things you have to go through yourself. What doesn't kill you will make you stronger, right?

Recently a friend said to me... "no one is going to take your daughter across the finish line but YOU! No BCBA! No tutor! No one, but YOU!"

She's right, if Lauren is going to get better, I have to be the CEO of this business and run it like a business. I know it may sound crazy and impersonal. But, think about all of the ins and outs involved... you have to run it like a business. No fooling around with the bottom line. What's the bottom line? Lauren is the bottom line! God gave her to me for a reason and whatever the reason... He must have felt I could handle the challenge and both of our lives would be fruitless without each other.

So, I encourage you to take ownership of your child's future. Arm yourself with the know-how. You have been given a task and some One thought you could handle it or He would have give it to someone else!

Carpe Diem!

You are a hard habit to break.

Three years ago we removed all gluten and casein from my daughter's life on a suggestion from her Dr. Whether internally or on the skin, we made sure all things containing gluten or casein were banished, but not completely from the house. My husband and I still ate products that contained them. I tried to be very careful with cross contamination. We had a few infractions during this time. My elderly mother was living with us and she is old school... giving food is a sign of love. I think some of the worst infractions came from her unwittingly.

Although we decided to try this as an experiment to see if it would help with her autism (oh and it did!). It wasn't until later my daughter and I were tested for food allergies. I'm really glad we did this to see what other allergens we didn't know about. This is when I found out about my allergies to gluten and casein also.

Since I was a child I wondered about the times I couldn't finish our Saturday morning rituals of pancakes or pizza Friday nights. It always found me in the bathroom very sick and no energy for a couple days. I think I passed it off as it wasn't something I ate on a regular basis and it didn't agree with me. After the test results it made so much sense.

I've known for 2 years now I'm allergic to gluten and all dairy products. But, for some reason I'm still ingesting gluten and casein on a daily bases. I'm sick just about everyday and have little to no energy. Why in the world do I do this to myself? If you knew it wasn't good for you wouldn't you just stop? I honestly feel like an addict. I need to remember how I felt when I was "clean" for about 30 days. I felt so good! I know this may sound crazy, but I felt good in my head. I thought better and had more energy and with my daughter's autism on the daily agenda I need to have all the energy I can muster. Seriously, why is this so hard. I quit smoking.... I quit drinking or did I? I recently read an article of the connection between alcoholism and gluten allergy. I've wondered why in the past several years since I gave my life back to the Lord and quit drinking why I would crave the taste of a beer. I have struggled with this thinking what is wrong with my walk with the Lord can't I get this straight. But, after reading this article it all came together. I'm getting my gluten fix just not from beer. Now this puts an entire different spin on this. Wow!

In light of this, I'm taking the plunge again. Tomorrow is my d-day. I have to say I'm scared to death and I haven't a clue why. All I know is, I see people who are older than I who run circles around me. I'm tired of feeling poorly all the time. It's time! It's time to live healthier and think healthier. My family needs me and I need me to be better.

So you bad gluten and casein proteins be go with thee!! New recipes and feeling better come on in and sit down for awhile! Let's do this!!

I wonder….

 

I wonder what would happen if I shirked all of my responsibilities and locked myself into my bedroom and refused to come out.

I wonder what would happen if I didn’t speak when someone spoke to me.

I wonder what would happen if I made myself unavailable to my daughter... I didn’t make it my concern if she were fed, dressed, diaper was changed or if she were safe.

I wonder what would happen if I didn’t worry about the bills… thinking if I hid myself away I wouldn’t have to deal with them or someone else would step in to take care of what was happening.

I wonder what would happen if I lived my life as if I were single. I didn’t have to meet the needs of a partner. I didn’t have to plan for the future or some unforeseen circumstance.

I wonder what would happen if I passed the blame onto someone else and not take responsibility for my own actions.

I wonder what would happen if I misconstrued things people would say.

I wonder what would happen if I surmised interactions with others… not seeing things for what they really were.

I wonder what would happen if I slept when I wanted to, ate what I wanted to, watched what I wanted to, did whatever I wanted to with no regard for others feelings or desires.

I wonder what would happen if I turned the tables on my husband and acted as he did toward me and our daughter every day.

I wonder if it would even matter to him.

I wonder if he would even notice.

I wonder if I would want to waste one more minute wondering as if it would change anything.

Diary entry of a recovering control freak.

What is wrong with me lately?

I can’t blame it on the weather. I can’t blame it on a full moon.I can’t blame it on hormones. I can’t blame it on anyone else but myself. I have struggled for awhile now with this attitude. Some mornings I wake up in a funk. Others I am great and then something happens and I’m a mess the rest of the day.

I really can’t put my finger on any one thing. It’s a myriad of things. For example, Lauren is now in school and it started off really good. I really like the teacher and the aides. About 4 days into the first week I’m informed she needs her own aide. This is never heard of. I can’t believe they told me this. Usually parents have to fight for their child to get an aide and they asked me if I would mind. Uhm, not really if it’s in her best interest and the interest of her peers… knock yourself out! But, my first impression of her new aide was, how should I say this? It wasn’t the greatest. She literally looked like she rolled out of bed, grabbed clothes from a laundry basket and ran. Her hair reminds me of Albert Einstein… I’m not exaggerating! My first thought was, “if you can’t take care of yourself, how in the world can you take care of my daughter?” But, she is really nice and she seems to really want to do good for Lauren. She’s a people pleaser with her feelings on her sleeves. I can’t handle another high maintenance person in my life. What is wrong with me that I can’t just let this roll off my back? I know I can’t control everything.

I truly think this is the root of my problem. I feel out of control. I can’t control anything. I don’t want to control everything… or do I? Obviously, I do. Goodness! Those who know me well can attest to the fact, I am a bit of a control freak. I have even referred to myself as Lauren’s neurotic mother. However jokingly I may have said it in passing I really am.

It’s just she has been under my care for the past 8 years. I have painstakingly anticipated her every need. For crying out loud, she can’t tell me. So, I would think to myself… what would I want in this situation and then tailor it to a little girl. I’m grateful the Lord helped me be mindful for her sake. I couldn’t hear her voice… so someone had to, right? Wow, I just never saw this coming. I thought I was fine. I thought once she was in school I could step back into the roll of Amy. Nope! Not possible. Lauren has been my drug of choice. She has filled up my days so I wouldn’t have to think about what was wrong with me. I didn’t have time to think about it. Now I do. I don’t like what I see. I have prided myself in pretending like I had it together… oh Amy, who are you fooling? Only yourself…. only yourself!

So, please if you have personal contact with me… excuse my outspoken behavior. Please excuse an irritated glance at something you say that really wasn’t bad after all. I’ve got issues I’m working through and I’m learning how not to be this control freak mom of an autistic kid. Thanks in advance!

Consistent Connections

I believe it’s in the consistent little things we make a difference. As with anything in our lives we can build something with stick-to-itiveness. The same is with our kids. Whether on the spectrum or not. With consistency we can teach a myriad of things. But since I only have one child and she’s on the spectrum I can truthfully only speak from my experiences.

Let’s face it, there are days I’m tired. I just want to sleep in and not have to deal with the stresses of everyday life. Of course, I don’t have that luxury any longer. The days of staying up late and sleeping past 9 are in the distant past. My girl is awake with the first crack of light and she has NEVER taken a nap… NEVER! So for over 8 years we roll from the minute her feet hit the floor until it’s bedtime. So you can say, to be on my A game is vitally important everyday. But, I can’t honestly say I am. This is by far the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. I thought I was prepared to be a parent… of a typical kid. But, one with autism? I have to believe God knew what He was doing. I have to draw from the truths I have been taught, He will never put more on me than I can bare.

Ok, so with this said… being consistent while teaching fundamentally basic concepts… uhm, let’s just say I’m not consistent! I wish I were super mom who could do it all. But, it’s a miracle some days she is clothed and fed. Most days I am in survival mode, running defense and putting out fires. She is one busy girl to say the least. I wish I could bottle that energy, I would make a fortune!

But, this morning it was good… I mean really good. We communicated. It may not have been about what she was going to wear or what she wanted for Christmas. But, we communicated meaningfully. From the moment I opened the door to her room to get her up for school we chatted. I asked her how she slept. She didn’t say anything. Then I said the magic words… “Let’s get up, we need to get ready for school.” Her first response was “In the car?” me- “Yup we are going to school in the car” From this moment on I thought I would take advantage of this situation and try to connect and it was good. We really connected. She even gave me a kiss, unwarranted. Maybe she was saying thank you for caring mommy to try to talk to me. I don’t know. But, it sure felt good!

Things are far from perfect. But, hopefully being consistent in trying to reach her just a little bit everyday will let her know I think she is worthwhile. I value you as a human being. You have importance. Even if she doesn’t communicate like everyone else… I made a connection. I’m going to do this again even if I don’t make a connection… I will stay consistent!

Comfort Food for My Soul

It has been over 2 years since we implemented the GF/CF diet. Several years ago, Lauren’s pediatrician had suggested we try it even before she was officially diagnosed with Autism. He treated a family with 5 children who all had autism. The mother had a hunch and thought she would try it just to see what happened.

The Dr. said if he hadn’t seen the results with his own eyes he would have never believed it. He had to wrap them in a sheet just to look in their ears and eyes. But, after the diet change they were able to sit still with not freaking out at all… to him this was a miracle. I would have to agree!

Unfortunately at that time it was too costly and there wasn’t much info on the internet so we declined. After a little while the subject came up again and this time we were in a place we could give it an honest try. I’m so glad we did. I can’t say it’s been a piece of cake… Ha! No pun intended! It has changed our lives in so many ways I would have never dreamed of.

Lauren was completely non-verbal until she was 6. Within 2 weeks of starting the diet she started talking. What a miracle. After more testing, we discovered she was allergic to many other foods. Since then she has made even more strides!

But, one of the things I have missed are comfort foods. Things as simple as Mac n Cheese. I can’t tell you how long it’s been since we’ve had mac n cheese in our house. I can hear the masses… “There is no way I could give up Mac n Cheese!” You would if it meant your child would say “Mommy” for the first time! You would learn to live without it if you knew it were in her better interest.

So, with that said… I have had a hankering for Tuna Noodle Casserole. You have no idea how long it’s been since I’ve had this. I know, it’s so simple… but really it’s not if you follow the classic recipe with the canned soup. Which is a no-no in our house! Anyways, this recipe turned out fabulous! I can’t believe how easy it was too! Ah-mazing!!

This is my first recipe I'm sharing with you all... so please have mercy on me. I'm a little on the nervous side...lol (nervous laughter) so enjoy!

Ingredients

• Olive oil
• 1 (8 ounce) package uncooked rice fettuccini noodle (I use A Taste of Thai noodles, yummy)
• 1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 stalk celery, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 8 ounces button mushrooms, sliced
• 1/4 cup arrowroot powder
• 2 cups milk (I used unsweetened So Delicious Coconut Milk)
• salt, pepper and parsley to taste
• 2 (6 ounce) cans tuna, drained and flaked (beware of regular tuna in the can. It contains soybeans. I used Wild Planet Skip Jack Tuna…very nice)
• 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
• 3 tablespoons crunched Lay’s potato chips
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese(or Daiya)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Be sure to use a glass baking dish so you won’t have to oil the bottom of your pan.
2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add rice noodles, follow directions on the side of the box.
3. Pour olive oil in a skillet, enough to give a light cover to the bottom, over medium-low heat. Stir in the onion, celery, and garlic, and cook 5 minutes, until tender. Increase heat to medium-high, and mix in mushrooms. Continue to cook and stir 5 minutes, or until most of the liquid has evaporated.
4. Remove mixture into a dish. In the same pan, put 1/4 olive oil in a medium saucepan, and whisk in flour until smooth. Gradually whisk in milk, and continue cooking 5 minutes, until sauce is smooth and slightly thickened. Season with salt, pepper and parsley. Stir in tuna, peas, mushroom mixture, and cooked noodles. Transfer to the baking dish. Crush potato chips over the casserole. Top with cheese (or Daiya).
5. Bake 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until bubbly and lightly browned.

One thing I did for our family was I baked my daughter’s in a separate baking dish. This way she could have her own non-allergic cheese on top and we could have our cheese. It was a win/win.

It’s too heavy to carry…

I have recently considered pulling out one of my favorite books "Tramp for the Lord" by Corrie Ten Boom. If you know anything about me... she is my hero. I would have loved to have met her. To have sit with her and drink up her life experience and have her pour into me what she knew. But since she is no longer with us in this life, her books with have to do.

Going about my morning, I was thinking about a situation I have been dealing with. You know, I really thought I had dealt with this already. But, actually I only compartmentalized it. In mediating on the Lord and this circumstance I remembered something I read by Corrie Ten Boom. Just in case you haven't heard about her I will share a little bit about her. If you have, bear with me.

Her father was a watch maker and they lived in a town outside of Amsterdam. Every so often he would board a train, with a very large suitcase, for Amsterdam to get parts for his watches. Plus, there was an atomic clock in Amsterdam he would set his clocks by while he was in the city. One day when Corrie was about 9 years old, she road with her father to Amsterdam. The day before children at school was talking about something adult in nature and she didn't understand what they meant. She asked her father but he never responded to her queries. They proceeded about their morning and then boarded the train to return home. Her relationship with her father was such she would do whatever he would ask her to do without a question. So, when it came time for their stop he turned to her and asked her to grab the large suitcase. Knowing it was almost impossible for her to lift, she tried anyways. She told her father she couldn't. He said, "Correct! Some things are too heavy for you to carry and you must leave your father to carry them."

I am reminded of this story again today. There are some things that are too heavy for me to carry. I must allow my Father to carry them for me.

Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. I Peter 5:7

Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken. Psalms 55:22