COPS.

Reese got a book for her birthday last year. It's a 911 book and I think it's fabulous.

http://www.amazon.com/Its-Time-Call-911-Emergency/dp/1591252741/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1240966171&sr=8-1.

She and Noah both love it. And they know that when you call 911 that "people come to help the kids"-- in the words of Reese.

I wondered if they got it. Well, one thing's for sure. They know how do dial it up.

DING DONG-- "oh hello police officer" I said, "is anything the matter?"

"Yes, mam." he said. "someone here, sounding like a young child, called 911 about 10 minutes ago...and the dispatcher is still on the phone." WHATTTTTTTTTT????

The officer was not nice and not happy. I apologized and explained the book... I don't think he cared. He said we were tying up an emergency line and to find the phone and fix the problem. yikes.

So I asked the two small folk upstairs that were responsible. I asked who did it and no one answered...although I had a feeling I knew the guilty party. Then I specifically asked her. "Reese, did you call 911?" I said. "yes, I did" she said. ughhhhhh!!! I explained what 911 was for AGAIN (for when someone is hurt and we need help) and asked her why she did it. Her answer was simple.

"Noah took my bucket, Mommy."

nice.

Two years old and already a run in with the law. Yikes.

GiST

Grace in Small Things.

1. tylenol
2. playhouse disney
3. wildlife in my backyard (birds, deer, wild turkey, turtles, gators... it's crazy)
4. cold, cold milk
5. clearwater beach -- went yesterday and I forget sometimes how lucky we are. What a beautiful place.

we'll miss you...

When it comes to Noah, I am always looking forward. I have a hard time staying still and accepting anything just the way it is. I am always trying to get him a teacher that has patience and kindness and likes working with all sorts of children. I meet with the principal to be sure that the appropriate support system is in place for Noah and others like him. I try to get him therapies with therapists that don't just see it as a job, but an opportunity to make a difference. My mind is constantly thinking of things I can do for both of my children, specifically Noah (my Reese tells me what to do after all!). And sometimes, I'm lucky. Sometimes I come across a teacher that was made to teach. Or a coach that that has the patience of a saint. Or a therapist that not only "gets it" but truly adores my son.

About three years ago we were introduced to another Occupational Therapist named Cheri. I am not so proud to say that I didn't give her much of a chance at first. I do that with most every new therapist. I know, it's not the right thing to do. Noah has been to so many therapists and I am not one to give them the benefit of the doubt. Experience has proven that many clock-in and do their job and leave. Some are nicer than others, but as the months go by I would always ask myself about Noah's questionable progress with that therapist. But Cheri proved me wrong. She was different. It took a few weeks for me to see it. But I was not alone--Noah sensed it and loved going to see Ms. Cheri. She was fun and connected with him in a way I hadn't ever seen before. And his progress with her was ongoing, consistent and impressive. It was as though, again, the stars had aligned for Noah.

Three years later I am so, so sad to say that Ms. Cheri is leaving. Her husband's job has taken him to South Florida. I am happy for her as she will be surrounded by family there. But we are so saddened by the news. If only I could express to Ms. Cheri what she has meant to us. Especially to Noah. She has been so much more than an OT. She has been a friend to Noah and to me. Someone to offer real, truthful advice when I needed it most. She always had Noah's best intrests at heart. There are so few people in his life like this. And I feel as though I have lost another angel.

At least I know that we were so, so blessed to have her for three very important years in Noah's life. And no matter where she goes she will continue to help and inspire other children. They should feel fortunate if she leaves only a fraction of the imprint she has left on our hearts.

loved this...

Most everyone in the world has seen it, but I wanted to post it. I have watched it a number of times and each and every time I see it I smile. You just never know...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxPZh4AnWyk

nicely said.

Jim Carrey speaking out in the Huffington Post.

Bravo Jim!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jim-carrey/the-judgment-on-vaccines_b_189777.html

late, late, late.

Okay, I admit it. I'm late in getting Easter photos posted. Here are a couple of photos of the morning hunt for eggs. The kids had a lot of fun. :)

Reese loved looking for eggs.

She raced around finding as many as she could as fast as she could.

Noah, however, took his time. He likes to find an egg and open it. Then find another...


wonder what's in this one...

Reese's philosophy was more about the numbers...

Later in the day, playing nicely together (although fighting for table space!)

GiST

Grace in Small Things.

-soft pillow.

-gossip girl (seriously, love it).

-cool mornings.

-Heidi's company and thai food.

-loyalty.

old friends. best friends.

My dear friend Kim came to Florida recently for a vacation with her husband. Joe and I met up with them for dinner. And the night went by way, way too fast.

Me, Kim and the Orb

Ok, maybe I shouldn't have had that martini

I miss you, Kimmy!

HOORAY COLUMBUS!

Sent from my lovely father-in-law, Bob, from the Columbus Dispatch. Love it.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

People aren't going to stop using the "R-word" overnight.
But a young man stung by it all his life issued this plea yesterday: Start trying.
"It is so not right," said Mike Groleau of Circleville.
With legislation pending and fresh support from Gov. Ted Strickland, Ohio finally appears ready to drop the words mental retardation from the state and county agencies that serve children and adults with mental retardation and developmental disabilities.
At least 44 other states already have made the change.
Groleau and other advocates attending this week's conference sponsored by the Disabilities Network of Ohio-Solidarity say the matter cuts to the core of their battle for acceptance.
Mental retardation may be a precise diagnosis, but it often has a negative connotation and begets slurs, such as retard.
"People think that is who you are and what you are and that you cannot do things," said Groleau, vice president of People First of Ohio, a statewide disability awareness group that has long pushed for the change. "It's not fun getting made fun of."
Others say there is danger in scrubbing a word that refers to a specific condition -- an IQ of 70 or below -- and that entitles the person to certain support and services.
Developmental disabilities refers to a broader range of conditions, and not everyone with a developmental disability has mental retardation. A popular term right now is intellectual disability, but critics say lots of people have one of those.
"I feel that we will lose our identity," said Barb Williamson, a longtime parent advocate whose daughter died a few years ago at age 47. "The term is not a label. It's a diagnosis."
Attitudes, not words, are what need to change, said Williamson, who lives on the Northwest Side.
The two usually are intertwined, said Brian Joseph, a professor of linguistics at Ohio State University.
If the Ohio Department of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities soon becomes the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities or something like that, the playground taunts won't automatically stop.
"It is possible for social sensibilities to change," Joseph said. "What is hard is for it to be an act of governmental decree or admonition."
Words go away when society deems them taboo. "You can think of what we euphemistically refer to as the 'N-word' as the case in point," he said.
The disability world has its examples, too. Before mental retardation came into fashion, the words idiot, imbecile and feeble-minded were official classifications.
In Franklin County, where the MRDD name has high recognition and taxpayer support, officials hope for enough time to make the change carefully, Superintendent Jed Morison said.
About 10 Ohio counties, including Delaware and Union, already have dropped mental retardation from their names.
"I'm happy I learned how to speak up about this," Groleau said.
He's looking forward to what he no longer hears.

what in the heck is she doing?

I am starting to post GiST (Grace in Small Things) on my blog. I think it's a positive thing and I have read it on other blogs. I have officially connected with the GiST site but not blogged on it yet. I will most likely do that here. But I wanted to explain what in the heck I'm doing for those that are asking "what in the heck is she doing?!"

From the Grace in Small Things site:

What?
Grace in Small Things was created as a daily reminder to take notice of the positive things we tend to overlook.

Why?
Grace in Small Things exists because we are choosing not to allow the noisiness of life to rob us of the time and energy to be mindful of ourselves and those we love and to recognize the grace that exists in small things.

Who?
Grace in Small Things is for YOU, because you deserve it.

When?
Grace in Small Things is a challenge for every day, because there's no time like the present, tomorrow never comes, and some other cliche about seizing the day. Oh, right: carpe diem.

Where?
Here! [their site]

How?
Grace in Small Things can be observed on your network weblog here, on your personal weblog elsewhere, in a notebook, or in smoke on the wind. The original challenge is to list five positive things every day, but we are a flexible lot, and since this is about finding joy, you should do it any which way that makes the most sense to you. There is a growing list of how-to articles to help get you started on the website.


And hey, the marketer in me just loves the tag. "Waging a Battle Against Embitterment Since 2008."

http://graceinsmallthings.ning.com/

GiST

Grace in Small Things

1. air conditioning. fans. 90 today. Already? Are you kidding me?
2. safety for mom and dad for their trip home.
3. "I want ice cream.. but I do like salt and pepper too." -Reese
4. an offer from someone offers so much more than what they are offering. kindness.
5. a not so small thing, but everything to me... JRH.

another favorite.

because i love the cause.
because i love being armed with information.
good stuff.
buy it or get it out of the library if you get the chance.

http://www.amazon.com/Healing-Preventing-Autism-Complete-Guide/dp/0525951032/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1236946746&sr=8-1

GiST

Grace in Small Things.

1. sunshine.
2. no traffic.
3. ponytail.
4. a house that's not perfectly clean, but I still slept last night. hooray!
5. noah saying, "mommy I have a tummy ache." My heart broke for him, but I was so very happy that at last he could tell me what was hurting. [tears]

spread the word to end the word.

From the Special Olympics Site:

Created by young people with and without intellectual disabilities, Spread the Word to End the Word is one element of Special Olympics’ vision of a world where everyone matters, where everyone is accepted and, most importantly, where everyone is valued. Leading the way in promoting acceptance of people with intellectual disabilities, Special Olympics opposes prejudice and discrimination, continuously working to dispel the negative stereotypes associated with this population — the use of the R-word being one such stereotype. In a world that has worked to eliminate pejorative racial and ethnic language such as the “N word,” among others, the R-word is gaining popularity.

Spread the Word to End the Word

Across the United States, people on college campuses, in high school cafeterias and workaday offices have launched the “Spread the Word to End the Word” campaign. The goal: make people stop and think about their hurtful and disparaging use of the word “retard.”

What It's All AboutSpread the Word to End the Word is raising the consciousness of society about the dehumanizing and hurtful effects of the R-word and urging people to resolve to stop using it as an insult, casual or intended.

"The earlier we can start teaching this awareness, the easier it will be to reverse the language, " wrote James Saetern of Sacramento, California, in an e-mail to Special Olympics. "This is not just a day of awareness, but a movement to end hate as a whole."

What's Going On The campaign kicked off with more than 700 events and activities happening throughout the United States – and around the world. Celebrities and just plain folks put on Spread The Word T-shirts, buttons or stickers or made signs and placards and banners to make it clear that usings the word "retard" as a term of derision is just as cruel and offensive as any other slur. Events weren't limited to one country. More than 1,000 school children in Malawi with and without disabilities gathered to raise awareness and symbolically bury the R-word.

One visitor to the R-word.org site said it well: "It was a commonly accepted term when I was growing up and is handed down from generation to generation like all strange sayings that never die and kids keep saying every year. Well, I have chosen to break the cycle and am teaching my kids how wrong it is."

Here's a sample of what happened:

-State ProclamationsThree U.S. states--California, Iowa and Oklahoma--made official proclamations about Spread the Word to End the Word day.
-Congressional RecognitionU.S. Senator Edward Kennedy issues a statement in support of Spread the Word to End the Word.
-Spread the Word to End the Word online youth rally The 50-minute rally, streamed live on www.schooltube.com, featured actor Eddie Barbanell from the hit movie “The Ringer,” Special Olympics athletes and volunteers, and original music performed by rap artist Rush. Also on the program were original videos produced by young people. High school students across the country were asked to take the pledge to stop using the “R” word and to help raise awareness among their friends. The rally was produced by Miami Palmetto Senior High School 11th-grader Noah Gray, Special Olympics Florida and SchoolTube.

News Coverage:

-The New York Times discusses the R-word campaign: Marketers Lend Voices to Show Support for the Disabled.
-Chicago Tribune columnist Maria King Carroll: New Rule: Let's make this word unacceptable and reporter Rex W. Huppke's Fighting the R-word.
-DailyComet.com covers a high school event in Louisiana: Vandebilt Teachers and Students help to "spread the word."

Take the R-word Pledge Rallies:

-American University, Beirut, LebanonSoeren Palumbo's R-word speech played hourly; movie at 6 p.m., "The Loretta Claiborne Story"; posters, pictures, online R-word signups.
All high schools in Delaware, USAAll 40,000 students will be asked to sign pledge boards in their schools.
-Tower Hill School, Newark, NJ, USASpread the Word day as culmination of a week of exploring disabilities
-Fort Worth Independent School District, Fort Worth, TX, USA, all dayLunch-time rallies, video shows, student testimonials and R-word pledge boards
-University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA, all day in high traffic areasSign pledge boards, visit www.r-word.org, get information.
-Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI, USA, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. in five campus locationsSee posters, sign pledge boards, talk with committed volunteers and Special Olympics athletes.
-University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE, USA, all day in student unionSign the pledge board, talk about why you support the campaign, get stickers, buttons and bracelets
-Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA, all day on campusSign the R-word pledge, see big-screen displays of Special Olympics and R-word videos.
-Slippery Rock University, Slippery Rock, PA, USA, all day on campusSign pledge boards, get buttons, bracelets and stickers for free, buy T-shirts.

Actor and activist John C. McGinley, of the hit show “Scrubs,” helped with this effort by making national media appearances on behalf of the campaign.

What can you do?

I confronted someone close to me lately and said "that word is offensive" and her response was "what do you want me to do--i've said it my whole life and I can't just change." Um, yes you can. This is the easy stuff--Pledge not to say it. For Noah and every other child or adult with disabilities. There was a time when the "n" word was okay. It's not anymore. It's offensive. For some reason people with intellectual or physical disabilities are still an easy target. Sign below, for Noah and for every other person that deserves this chance for change.

http://www.r-word.org/

And applause to the special olympics on making some noise for this cause.

rope.

sick again.

been 25 years.

oblivious me.

sleeping.

no more stairs.

crutches to walk.

help with each step.

tired eyes.

for the first time,

defeated.

calls to neurologists.

researching.

asking questions.

trying to help.

not enough.

not enough.

not enough.

can't fix this.

can't change it.

no control.

want to kick this disease's a*s.

but it's stonger than her this time.

it's fast. and it's strong.

the last time I saw it I was 11 years old.

and i remember.

scared, helpless.

please no chair.

please, please, please no chair.

seeking strength for her.

she is home in two weeks to Maine.

love.

hugs.

support.

and rope.

to pull her out of this.

real simple.

Stay tuned to Real Simple magazine-- June issue. I got a message today from their research editor and something small I submitted about Noah may be published. It's their "question of the month" section. Hooray!

Look for it next month in stores...