Can you hear the siren?

Changing jobs

2009-08-12T08:53:00.000-07:00

Sitting across from Owen at the breakfast table today, he tells me "Dad, you need to get a real job. You can be a police man, a fire fighter, a mail man, or the President. What do you want to be?""Hmmm, I think I'll be the President.""You don't want to be the President, that's a boring job. You just sit at a desk all day and talk to people. You should be a mail man, now that is a cool job!"

our little button

2009-06-20T01:09:00.000-07:00

Tears don't come easy these days, I don't know why. When I was younger, and even not so many years ago, they came easy. Perhaps I've become too hard, too unfeeling, and the tears would break that shell. I suppose only those close to me can tell me if that's true. But tonight the tears came, and I wish the streaks down my face would scar, so that I would look in the mirror ever day and never

#10

2009-05-03T22:42:00.000-07:00

Last week, I had tears on my pillow when I thought about today. Grant's 10th birthday - a cause for great celebration to be sure, but also a time for reflection. It doesn't take much thinking to bring on the emotions and so I try my best not too. After many years of rabid research, IEP trainings, and ongoing therapies, the last year or so has been a nearly conscious avoidance of such things. A

Experiencing the impossible

2008-12-04T22:43:00.000-08:00

When it happens, the impossible, we sit there shocked. Stunned, knowing the world will never be the same.1969 - man walks on the moon2004 - Red Sox win the World Series2008 - Obama is elected PresidentBut those pale... to December 2, 2008 when Grant pulled the hair cutting kit down from the top shelf in the closet, pulled a chair out from the table, put the plastic covering over his shoulders,

Can't do it

2008-09-30T22:22:00.000-07:00

I tried, I really did. I've listened, I've thought. But McCain's response to this outrageous Bush/Paulson proposal has just illuminated what I was trying to ignore. I can't vote for McCain/Palin - as much as I want to. As much as I am deathly afraid of Obama becoming president.There is only one respectable choice for president - Ron Paul. He will be my vote on November 4, regardless of his

Oh me of little faith

2008-09-27T22:47:00.000-07:00

"I can't wait till Grant's 11th birthday", Owen told Staci while on the way to pick Grant up from school.Staci pondered where he was going with that statement, wondering if he just forgot how old Grant was, or... "11th birthday?""Yeah, his 11th birthday is going to be so great. He's going to start talking on his 11th birthday. That's what I prayed to God and Jesus for. I want Grant to be able to

inches from tragedy

2008-09-18T20:48:00.000-07:00

What might have happened - a thousand possibilities flood my mind. What might have happened... but it didn't. And tragedy, utter tragedy, was narrowly averted.It was a morning like all the others, a school day like every other school day. The same schedule, the same routine. Get the kids breakfast, make the kids lunch, get myself ready, brush the kids hair, brush their teeth, get their shoes on,

Back and forth

2008-08-14T01:06:00.000-07:00

Even during this hard time after learning about my brother's passing, the lights in my life become ever so much brighter and clearer.Tonight, while over at my in-laws for dinner, Grant brought me out to the swing set, as he often does. As I've written before, he LOVES to swing. The two of us have spent hundreds of hours with me pushing him on the swing and over the past 6+ years I have been

Shock and Awe

2008-08-14T00:30:00.000-07:00

The past few days have been a roller coaster for myself and my family. Last night, I found out that my younger brother committed suicide earlier that day. We had all been in fear of this for some time, although there is nothing to prepare you for hearing those words.My brother was a peaceful soul, at least to everyone else but himself. As I've heard from many people over the past few days, some

Humming a tune

2008-06-24T23:37:00.000-07:00

So much has happened since my last post, I couldn't begin to summarize it. So, I won't :)Last night, I heard Grant hum for the first time. A real tune, in his humming voice. While we were watching Toy Story before bed, he started humming to the early part of the Toy Story music. It took me a few minutes to realize that he was actually humming along to the notes because it caught me so completely

big bites

2008-04-14T21:41:00.000-07:00

I've been really quiet here, and I don't really have one good reason for it. We started a new biomed program for Grant about 6 weeks ago, given that's how this blog started, you'd think I'd be sharing the experience. Grant has been doing fantastically well on his bike, given how much I've written about that, you'd think I'd be sharing the experience. Grant has been talking more, and has been

Confluence of families

2008-03-01T17:05:00.000-08:00

We did it, and it was a complete success! As previously advertised, we held our first respite night for special needs family at our church on Friday night. The numbers (32 kids, 19 families, and over 60 volunteers!) are astounding to me, but the night... it wasn't so much a life-altering night, it was a life-defining night.Rather than review the event and evening, allow me to share a few

It's about time

2008-02-26T22:09:00.000-08:00

Here in sunny California, maybe it just seems like it has been raining all year. Last week was no different. But it wasn't going to stop us.Saturday, I had one goal - Owen was going to ride his bike on two wheels by the end of the weekend. We've been playing at it since Christmas when he got his new bike. I had thought he would be one of those kids who hopped on and took off - not to be. The

Just here to help

2008-02-17T18:55:00.000-08:00

(has it really been almost a month since my last post? inexcusable...)First, let me invite everybody (well, everybody who will be in the Bay Area on Feb. 29) to our first Club Kangaroo respite event. All special needs kids and their siblings are invited - we will all be having fun while the parents get to go out on a Friday night all by themselves. Even if you can't come, please do forward this

Of Holland and the Hmong

2008-01-21T11:21:00.000-08:00

I've been back in the reading groove since Christmas, it's a good groove to have but it certainly does eat up time. In my life, there is just enough extra time each day to read, or write, but almost never both. I'm stealing this particular moment as I just finished a book last night, the kids are upstairs playing, and today is a holiday.The groove started with Wicked, not exactly holiday-fare,

Our little aardvark

2008-01-09T00:26:00.000-08:00

I'm sitting in a Children's ministry meeting at church tonight when I get a call from Cassidy. It wasn't a great time to break away in the meeting so I let it go to voicemail. A few seconds later, I get a text message - call me Dad, it's Grant.Uh-oh. I step out and my mind is racing as to what might have happened at home.When I call home, instead of Cassidy's frightened voice, I can see her smile

Coagulation Breakdown

2007-12-30T00:38:00.000-08:00

The other night, Grant cut his foot pretty good, a nice gash that was just begging to be cleaned up and covered up with a band-aid.Uh, not so fast.Grant is averse to band-aids. No, averse is much too nice. Terrified? Stricken? And it's really not just band-aids, it's any sticker or unexpected covering of the skin. But that night, he needed one. As soon as I saw the cut, I knew were in for a

Patience

2007-12-19T00:54:00.000-08:00

Grant, there is long-term patience and short-term patience, and tonight evidently I have neither.I am so sorry that I lost my patience with you tonight. I know it's tough for you to fall asleep on your own and you do best when you've got a warm body next to you. Tonight, my patience gave out after you had gotten up several times and then couldn't keep the light off. I jumped up and let you know

An anniversary for us geeks

2007-12-10T23:32:00.000-08:00

Hearing the news today of the 25th anniversary of the Commodore 64 brought the memories flooding back... I haven't written about this much, if at all, but I'm a hopeless tech geek. And it all started the day my Dad brought home the C64. I tore into the User's manual and starting writing BASIC, then the Reference Guide which probably became the most worn book I've ever owned (and that's saying

Netflix loves me

2007-12-07T23:46:00.000-08:00

We've got the cheapest Netflix plan - 2 a month, and we rarely use them both. We used to have the 2-at-a-time plan but then we had to go with a monthly plan at Hollywood Video since that is Grant's major reward for behavior at school. It seems like every time we send a movie back to Netflix, we forget to check our queue and update it with something we want to see so the next movie seems to

Time to go shopping

2007-12-06T00:22:00.000-08:00

I had it.A very good gift for my wife. A surprise gift. One completely unasked for but which would have elicited excitement and wonderment about 2.5 weeks from now.4 tickets to Bon Jovi and Daughtry for their show here in April. It was all going so well - I knew about the concert and she didn't. I found a way to get tickets before they went on sale so I could actually buy them for list price (

Psssssssssssst!

2007-11-30T23:57:00.000-08:00

Don't tell anyone - this is just between you me.We gave Grant cheese pizza last night. And he ate it.You see, this is a big deal at our house. It's been well over a year that Grant has been on the eat-nothing-you-could-possibly-find-in-a-store-or-that-is-simple-to-make diet. Since the first few months, he's been positively fantastic about it, better than we could ever hope or expect him to

Lucky 7's

2007-11-26T21:53:00.000-08:00

Thanks to March Day who has tagged me for the 7 random facts about myself meme - here are the rules:1) Link to the person that tagged you, and post the rules on your blog.2) Share 7 facts about yourself.3) Tag 7 random people at the end of your post, and include links to their blogs.4) Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.Interestingly enough, my only

Pain and silence

2007-11-23T23:52:00.000-08:00

It's been a topsy-turvy weekend so far and we aren't even to Saturday yet! On Thanksgiving morning, we had just finished breakfast and going through all of the ads for Friday when Staci turned on the oven to start baking a few pies for Thanksgiving dinner at her parents' place. A few minutes later, the oven starts making a hideous sound - metal on metal. What? If there's one appliance I would not

Generations

2007-11-17T23:41:00.000-08:00

22 1/2 years ago, I ate a bowl of Frosted Flakes and stayed home. I wasn't feeling well, I said. The next day, it was another excuse and then I just stopped going to football practice. I was small and slow so I wouldn't have made the team anyway, I said. I was 99 lbs and the minimum was 100 lbs, I said. The next year, I said I'd never make it on the team because I hadn't played the year before.

Unacceptable

2007-11-16T10:48:00.002-08:00

Regardless of where you stand on the vaccine controversy, this is unacceptable. Please do your part and bombard Prince Georges County, Maryland with complaints.

rumblin...

2007-10-30T22:50:00.000-07:00

Tonight we had one of those great California adventures - an earthquake! Cassidy and I were in the kitchen when we heard the rumbling, such a low bass that it drums right through your body. After a few seconds of rumble, the shaking started and before long it was like a train running right through our backyard. Every time an earthquake hits, you have that split second where you need to figure out

Green Pastures

2007-10-29T01:35:00.000-07:00

We have worked for almost 2 years with a ministry named "Green Pastures"; they have been instrumental in helping us get Club Kangaroo off the ground and with bringing local churches together for this relevant reason. They have recently published a video online which shows how they work with churches to provide respite care for families on a regular basis. You should be able to download it from

All burned up

2007-10-21T22:48:00.000-07:00

Today was a rather wonderful day at church as we celebrated both its 60 year anniversary and the burning of the mortgage. In the morning service we heard from 4 former pastors and were exhorted to be prepared; there will be no 'taking it easy' now that the mortgage is retired. In the evening service, we saw 2 people who have been with the church the entire 60 years, several for 50+ and a good

Tis the season

2007-10-18T22:29:00.000-07:00

No, not THAT season. THIS family loves THAT season.No, it's IEP season. We have IEP #6 coming up next month and today was the first round of prep work with the school. We have a meeting about a month beforehand with his teacher (we had that meeting today), at least one of the paras, speech, OT, etc. We go over last year's IEP, review status, and we discuss the goals for this coming year. More

powerful curve

2007-10-14T22:17:00.000-07:00

Sometimes the momentous moments take a few seconds to sink in. The kids were in the hot tub, enjoying the hot water and bubbles while I was semi-conscious in front of the football game."Daddy?" I heard from the door. Hmm, Owen must be wanting to get out. Ok, just a minute as I make the incredible effort to get up on my feet."Daddy?""Grant?" Wait a minute, that was Grant calling me? With the

Notes from a Sunday

2007-10-07T22:57:00.000-07:00

It's so easy, too easy, to get "caught up" in the world of Grant - the good, the bad, the unknown. Certainly that's what is expected of us, after all we are special needs parents and that is soooo hard, right? For that matter, we could spend all our spare time researching autism therapies, let alone practicing and implementing them. Even in my writing here, 95% of it is about him and the other 2

Mornings

2007-10-04T23:13:00.000-07:00

Ugh, I hate mornings - always have. Getting out of bed has always been one of the hardest things for me to do. In a perfect world, I'd wake up and have about 30 minutes to clear the fog before having to set a foot on the floor. In my real world, the kids are pulling me out of bed and the fog often lasts until lunch time.But.One of my favorite parts of my day is taking Grant to school - in the

my son, the neurodiversitist

2007-10-04T01:42:00.000-07:00

Overheard at the dinner table tonight...Staci, Owen, and Cassidy were talking about a converstaion from earlier in the afternoon about wishes. Staci asked Owen, "Do you remember my wish?""Hmmm... no?""My wish was that Grant would learn to talk.""It's ok, Mom. Grant has his own language! He's ok." Smiles all around the table, and then he continued in a whisper, "Mom, I changed my wish.""You did?"

Hands Off

2007-09-30T23:09:00.000-07:00

Saturday afternoon - another trip to the park. Going to the park means getting Grant on his bike. Getting Grant on his bike means another lesson in patience for me and another lesson in bike riding for him.I can't believe it's been over a year since I first wrote about teaching Grant to ride. In that year, we have made incredibly little progress on his bike. At least we hadn't lost anymore of our

am I going to die?

2007-09-21T00:16:00.000-07:00

For whatever reason, Owen has had a few stys in his lower eye lid over the years. Usually, they go away with either a hot compress or some ointment. However, for the past few months, what appeared to be a sty got a little too big and we had to get it checked out.The doc's response - hmmm, I'm not sure what that is, better get it checked by a specialist. Well, that's not what we wanted to hear!So,

old is new

2007-09-19T22:09:00.000-07:00

Last week's school quandary had to be solved quickly, and it was. Staci talked to the principal and got her to agree to a choice - either Owen would go to the K/1st grade combo with his existing teacher or he would go to a new K class with a new teacher. However, either option would involve moving from the "late hour" to the "early hour".Staci also talked to Owen's teacher, to Grant's teacher, as

quick change artists

2007-09-13T23:58:00.000-07:00

We're winding up the 4th week of school (!) and it's been amazingly quiet. Cassidy hasn't had any issues starting Jr. High (at least nothing she will admit to) and she's enjoying most of her classes. Grant is well entrenched in 3rd grade and his 3rd year in the same SDC class. Owen is soaking up Kindergarten as if he was parched for knowledge. Besides the big introductions of Jr. High and

Opening Day

2007-09-08T21:38:00.001-07:00

Are you ready for some football?!? Ah, opening day - the cheering fans, the shouts from the cheerleaders, the referees' whistles blowing, the grass and mud all over the players. NFL? College? No, it's upward football and today was opening day. Cassidy is playing for the first time, and she's a stud. Unfortunately, there aren't enough girls to field multiple teams so we have to play 4 on 4 - maybe

don't read this post

2007-09-08T01:13:00.000-07:00

No, seriously. It's my own fault. I stayed up a little too late reading blogs and found this guy who has been recording TV since 1976! Don't click on the link! Well, not if you value your spare time anyway. If you go there, you will not leave your seat for a long time. I'm just warning you. Fascinating. Hilarious. Uncanny.Hmm.. I'm probably not getting any sleep tonight. Somebody help me!

the weekend in pictures

2007-09-04T21:49:00.001-07:00

In the middle of all that swimming this past weekend, Owen took a break to describe the day in his own "words".Time to get our swimming suits on! I'm going to push you in the pool, Dad!Splash! Dad is throwing me in the water! Wow, I was that was a huge throw! I made a big splash!Time to get out of the pool and eat some popsicles! Here is my popsicle.Ok, time to go back in the house.The End.

Pool School

2007-09-01T00:57:00.000-07:00

So this is what post #100 feels like. This number has been preventing me from posting for several days; I wanted #100 to be cool, special, unique but I couldn't/wouldn't make the time for it. Yeesh - what a goof I am. I started this blog to write about Grant's progress so it is only fitting that #100 focus on Grant.It's been roasting here for the past week - in the triple digits all of last week

running in cycles

2007-08-22T22:22:00.000-07:00

It seems that when I go a few too many days without a post it's because there's just a bit too much going on in life and I can't seem to force myself to whittle it all down to one (seemingly) coherent theme. The last few weeks have certainly been one of those periods but since I need to narrow it all down, the theme has to be 'back to school'.This is definitely the first year, and probably the

God's town

2007-08-19T22:23:00.000-07:00

overheard at the dinner table tonight..."... thank You for our blessings, amen""pfffffffft""Owen, what was that? Do you know who we are talking to when we pray?""Who?""God.""Oh... but where is He?""He's everywhere.""But he's not in our town.""He's not in our town?""No, he's invisible. He's in invisible town!"Laughter erupted at the table in one of those "can't help laughing even during a teaching

who

2007-08-10T14:08:00.000-07:00

I ran across this photo collection site, Square America, and quickly became lost in it. People, places, stories - all unknown. Fascinating.Then, I ran across this one.What do you think? It looks like an institution to me, sometime between the 30s and 50s. I look at the faces. I'm reminded of a thought that often strikes me, what would Grant's life have been like if he had been born 30 years ago?

Linked up

2007-08-06T23:44:00.000-07:00

Last year at this time I wrote about the 1st annual Tiana Foundation golf tournament. Guess what? The 2nd annual event was just as great! Saturday was a beautiful day and I got to spend it not only supporting a great charity, but I also got to spend several hours with good friends laughing as much as golfing.The Tiana Foundation has grown quite a bit in the past year and they have been able to

little stuff

2007-08-03T08:13:00.000-07:00

Over the past week, Grant has shown a (spark) of interest in playing baseball. Well, maybe not "playing", more like hitting and thowing the ball. Well, maybe spark is a strong word because his interest lasts for about 2 minutes. But, hey, it's something! He'll go out in the garage and get the plastic bat and ball and present it to me to show me he wants to play (sometimes he will even say 'ball')

two a day

2007-07-29T20:57:00.000-07:00

Today was an exciting day for Club Kangaroo - two new kids today! We average 6-10 kids on any given Sunday, so two at once is a big deal. Actually, any kid is a big deal! :)Fortunately, both kids really enjoyed their first Sunday with us. Both of the kids stayed in our self-contained classroom today, although eventually we'll try to transition them into their age-appropriate class with a 'buddy'.

Not just the houses

2007-07-27T20:34:00.000-07:00

"It's expensive to live here in the Bay Area" - we hear that over and over, ad nauseum. Clearly the housing prices are out of sight, but we're used to that. When we were looking at moving to Raleigh a little over a year ago, comparable houses were a little less than half of what they cost here, and in many cases they were closer to a third of the price.But, tonight, the cost of living here hit me

Hanging Ten

2007-07-26T21:37:00.000-07:00

AutismVox, MomNOS, One March Day...all writing great posts about 10 ways in which they are similar to their children. I've been pondering this for a few hours now; for some reason all I can come up with are ways Grant and I are different. So, I'm going to cheat a bit and list 10 ways I'm similar to each of my kids.1. Cassidy and I love to sleep in; it's really more than that though. We don't do

summer nights

2007-07-25T23:56:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile since I've written about Grant riding his bike, it's just been so long since we made any progress. We've had the training wheels back on since October and he's refused to ride without my hand on the bike. But tonight, on a walk/ride to the park with the family, I finally got my hand off the bike. He seemed interested in riding tonight so I really pushed it with him. He kept

Just the facts

2007-07-16T00:31:00.000-07:00

It finally happened. What, you ask? After a year of blogging, I got tagged for a meme, thanks to Jerry over at My Autistic Boy and Other Adventures in Fatherhood. Without further ado...The rules:1. Let others know who tagged you.2. Players start with 8 random facts about themselves.3. Those who are tagged should post these rules and their 8 random facts.4. Players should tag 8 other people and

Home

2007-07-15T00:00:00.000-07:00

We arrived home earlier this evening after a great week-long vacation down on the Southern California coast. It really was a memorable vacation, the kind we will remember fondly for many reasons. Best of all, our good friends (I will call them 'the Funnies' since you can't spend 5 minutes w/ them w/o laughing!) were able to come with us and we all enjoyed the sights and times together. They also

Blessings

2007-07-03T00:00:00.000-07:00

I've had this article on global autism on my mind for some months now.How do you begin to make a difference? Tonight, we watched "Blood Diamond".How do you begin to make a difference? Our world is so vast, and so troubled. I serve. I give. I love. I hurt. But, when kids are dying because they can't communicate... when kids are killing because humans can't communicate... I wonder, how do you begin

a little sentiment and a lot of empathy

2007-06-23T23:57:00.000-07:00

I can't write anything today without mentioning the weather; it was absolutely beautiful here today. Somewhere in the 80s, a light breeze, deep blue sky - unbeatable. From the morning, when there's just enough cool to bring anticipation for the heat, to the evening when the cool gradually comes back along with the darkness. So how did we enjoy this weather?We had a garage sale. Ok, usually that's

nice while it lasted

2007-06-20T23:30:00.000-07:00

Wow, that last week of school, and the week or two after were fabulous. The weather was insanely nice, the pool was our best friend, Grant was talking more - great stuff.But this week...Summer school started yesterday for Grant. In what could hardly be called a coincidence, he started this new stim where he puts his hands over his eyes and presses just hard enough to form a seal then he pops them

just passing through

2007-06-11T23:22:00.000-07:00

Goodbye preschool - hello Kindergarten!Last Thursday, we enjoyed Owen's preschool graduation; it was a cute little program and he actually played it cool for the most part. His teacher had warned me that he had been a real clown during practice, making all the kids crack up at various points. I believe her exact words were, "you are bringing a video camera, right?"So, the little boy with the

ask and...

2007-06-07T21:45:00.000-07:00

sung to the tune of one of my favorite Garth Brooks' songs... "stuck in an airport in vegas, and all of the flights are delayed..." - it has been one long day. I'm trying to get home from a business day trip to Tuscon and the last leg just refuses to get me home. A delay of an hour, then we get on the plane only to get de-planed about 15 minutes later due to electrical problems. Now, I'm waiting

Trickery will get you everywhere

2007-06-05T23:14:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Grant lost his "Hollywood Video" right at the beginning of class. He completely understood the situation, but he did not continue to hit; he knew he'd crossed the boundary - that is great news in and of itself.At the end of the day, Grant's teacher gives Staci his "Daily report" with the smiley or frowny face next to Hollywood video written at the top. Grant, of course, sees this

Middle Ground

2007-06-04T23:23:00.000-07:00

Today brought disappointing news on the chelation front. The latest test results show that the chelating process is not as effective as it was during the first 6 months. It seems he's hit the proverbial wall and now the question is, what do we do about it? We'll have the more formal review w/ the doc on Monday at which time I'll have plenty of questions for him, but in preparation the doc has

friendly neighborhood

2007-05-23T23:51:00.000-07:00

My predilection for procrastination is seeping into my blogging... Ideas run through my head at work, on the way home, at the dinner table, and then, when I actually have a few minutes after the kids are in bed, I put off writing until I'm too tired to put together a coherent thought. So, in honor of this nasty habit, I'm writing today about last week's party.The "big act" for Owen's part was the

Until next year

2007-05-20T22:16:00.000-07:00

Although we officially have one more day till the month of birthdays is over, today was the end of the real festivities. Three parties, three celebrations of individuals, three opportunities to enjoy friends and family, and of course 3 days marking the last moment of a year we'll never see again.Grant had the quietest part of the three birthdays, although maybe the most personally satisfying.

More than one

2007-05-13T23:34:00.000-07:00

Words. When people ask about Grant, or meet Grant, it's usually his lack of words and lack of communication which make the strongest impact and "bring it home" to them. Other concepts like sensory issues, social skills, etc. don't have the same effect. But "he doesn't talk", now that hits hard.Words. In the early days, his 3rd through 5th years, the communication gap was so bare, so basic, that

Does this mean I'm viral?

2007-05-03T14:04:00.000-07:00

I mentioned my one known talent a few days ago and my forgetfulness to bring a video camera to the Letterman audition.So, at a company party yesterday, I was enticed to do a siren for the crowd and now it's on youtube (my first appearance).

A month of birthdays

2007-05-01T23:54:00.000-07:00

Thursday is the official start to "birthday month" at our house, when each of the 3 kids turns over the next number in the odometer. The unofficial method of celebration is to give a "big" party for the important numbers - whatever that means. So, Owen gets the big party later this month for his 5th; we're still in the early planning stages on that one. Cassidy will have some friends over for

Consolation prize

2007-04-29T23:46:00.000-07:00

How is it that I go a week without posting when everyday is full of new stories from the kids, new challenges, and new achievements? Somehow, by the time I sit down to read blogs at around midnight, I've forgotten everything that I tried to remember. I'm constantly amazed how other parents can write almost daily and turn out incredible prose. Oh well, maybe I'll figure it out someday. In the

Stupid human tricks

2007-04-29T23:01:00.000-07:00

Most Saturday afternoons, there's a whole lot of "usual". Mowing the lawn, going to the park - all good, but still "usual".This past Saturday though brought a quick detour into the strange and funny world of David Letterman's Stupid Human Tricks. You see, I have pretty much one skill in life, one thing that separates me from the rest. I can belt out a siren (police or fire engine, take your

Remembering the victims

2007-04-29T23:00:00.000-07:00

the lions haven't eaten this well since dunkleman

2007-04-25T22:05:00.000-07:00

C'mon, I know you're watching too! The American Idol folks did an amazing job putting this "American Idol Gives Back" show together. Somehow, they were able to put all of those celebrities in heart-tugging situations without becoming too schmaltzy. We've been trying to donate online, but it seems their site is completely overloaded. So, in the meantime, we've donated to one of my favorite

Out of the Ordinary

2007-04-21T10:01:00.000-07:00

Last night was a bit out of the ordinary. Staci had bunco at our house, with the final touches on the new kitchen having been finished on Thursday, so with all the ladies coming over that means the rest of us get kicked out for the night. Fortunately, the ladies coming to our house also means that there are a few houses out there with a dad and kids who can handle another dad and 3 kids coming

words that move me

2007-04-16T22:25:00.000-07:00

Just a hallway apart, two boys with amazingly different verbal skills go to bed...Owen, at 4, is much like Cassidy was at 4. The words flow - new ones, funny ones, everyday comes with plenty of words to enjoy. Tonight, as Staci was saying prayers with Owen, he began,"Dear Jesus, thank you for this day..." and then he began singing "I had a bad day" with a sly smile on his face. You just never

Passings...

2007-04-14T00:09:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday, two great people left their legacy to be remembered by others. I am honored to have known them both.Trish Mudgett died from complications following a fairly routine surgery; she was 45 and left behind 3 children and her husband. My association with Trish goes back to my first full-time job at a software company. She was the manager of tech support who hired my future boss and

Mercury proof?

2007-04-09T00:33:00.000-07:00

The first article in the latest Schafer Autism Report, with a study showing that the autism population has a consistently higher mercury level, certainly appears to be a silver bullet. However, a quick Google search revealed no background info and it would appear a bit too good to be true. It'll be interesting to see how this plays out over the next few weeks as the 2 "sides" fight it out.The

Video for Autism Speaks

2007-03-31T00:54:00.000-07:00

Here's an interesting little project to raise money for charity, this particular video is raising money for Autism Speaks. There are other videos on the site as well, but this is the most engaging. There are some beautiful pictures as well as some challenging words. I learned about this video from Krazy Kat and Mother's Intuition.I'm sure there are many bloggers who decry such a video and who

Her story

2007-03-26T21:50:00.000-07:00

Cassidy did a fantastic job on Sunday, telling her story. I included the script in Saturday's post, but now I have video: go here and view "Living A Life That Matters" Part 2 March 25, 2007.I think (know) that we expect a little more out of her and this was a good example. She definitely did not want to stand up in front of a couple of thousand people and talk and there were times over the past

Hands off

2007-03-23T23:53:00.001-07:00

What do you do when you can't get your point across? When people don't pay attention to you? When it seems as if others are speaking a different language?Grant deals with these questions every day. I can only imagine what my own response would be. I know how frustrated I get when I just have to repeat myself.Since his earliest experiences with ABA, one of his answers has been to hit the closest

Countdown to Sunday

2007-03-23T23:28:00.000-07:00

It's been quite a week... we gutted the kitchen just over a week ago in preparation for a remodel. No appliances, no counters, no pantry... ahhh... might as well be living in a hotel room. My reputation in the family is that I become a bear when the house is turned upside down, but I think I've handled this pretty well - only a couple of "lose control" moments. But, in the midst of the whirlwind,

Counting sheep

2007-03-12T21:33:00.000-07:00

Staci is out at bunco tonight, so it's Daddy's night with the kids. While things usually go pretty smoothly, it's always interesting trying to get 3 kids into bed at the same time. Owen and Grant are asleep now, while Cassidy is... well... I'll get to that in a minute.Owen (4) is now the easiest - a book, "medicine and water" (his vitamin), and prayers equal an instant snooze attack. Owen is all

Autism around the world

2007-03-11T22:53:00.000-07:00

After a fun but tiring weekend I sat down to catch up on a few blogs. Mom-NOS is always my first stop, and her post was a good laugh. Kim Stagliano's blog was next, and the last for tonight. I'm not sure how well I'm going to sleep, if at all, after reading it.Tonight's post - An Autism Calling - was a re-posting of, apparently, a friend of a friend's blog. Autism around the world - it's a

Too much TV

2007-03-07T23:01:00.000-08:00

OK, I admit it (that's the 1st step, right). I watch too much TV. On Monday, I can' t miss 24 and Prison Break (my favorite show) and there's also What About Brian. Tuesday, it's American Idol. Wednesday, it's American Idol (again), Lost, and I've just started watching Jericho. Thursday (ouch), it's American Idol, Survivor, CSI, and ER. There is always the smattering of Giants games, Sharks games

We get by with a little help for our friends

2007-02-28T23:51:00.000-08:00

Club Kangaroo continues to roll along, with each Sunday bringing new teaching and learning experiences for all of us. It is so uplifting and satisfying to watch our younger helpers (5/6th grade) take on the responsibility of assisting kids with special needs. As the weeks go by, the confidence grows in each of these helpers as does their love for "their" kids. However, it only starts there. The

Fascinating history of mercury

2007-02-28T17:10:00.000-08:00

The latest in Dan Olmsted's fascinating series of articles on autism...Mercury Rising A Possible Link Between Chemical Exposure And Autism May Have Been Overlooked In The Very Earliest Cases At Johns HopkinsRegardless of your take on the role of mercury on our population, this is worth reading just for the historical aspect of both autism research and agriculture.

Big words

2007-02-23T00:23:00.000-08:00

The announcement brought tears to our speech therapist's eyes as she gasped "That was our goal!" For 5+ years now, it's been our dream, way beyond a goal, to hear Grant call us Mommy and Daddy. Truly, it is a selfish dream. It has almost everything to do with hearing our son say our names. But, aside from that, it's a huge step in his path towards real communication.Yesterday, that dream came

Throw Me, Daddy

2007-02-19T00:50:00.000-08:00

Grant and I made up this game "Throw me, Daddy" a couple of months ago. He loves to be thrown, tossed, twirled - all that fun stuff. One day, he pulled me over to his bed and somehow got the point across that he wanted me to pick him up and throw him on the bed. Over time, we've learned that once we have a new activity that's "motivating", we need to require him to use words to request it. So,

A hint of spring

2007-02-17T23:05:00.000-08:00

Well, more than a hint. Today was simply beautiful here in our little California town - 80 degrees, sunny, and wet. Wet? Well, at 80 degrees it was time to jump in the pool! Days like today are the reason so many people want to live here. Of course it will be back in the 60s tomorrow and it will rain this week, but let's not think about that today.Today was even better for other reasons. Grant

13 percent

2007-02-15T21:33:00.000-08:00

The headline caught my attention - 13% of kids in Oregon are in special ed. Whoa! What's up in Oregon? The first thing I thought was "how could it be so high?" I mean, the California average is probably 5% and the national average is maybe 3-4%. What's up in Oregon? Well, a lot of California transplants, that's for sure.And then the article ends with this kicker - 12% of kids nationally are in

Breaking it down

2007-01-21T22:08:00.000-08:00

It's the smallest of decisions - when do you push it, when do you let it go.For example, when getting Grant to eat, when do you really take on the battle and make him eat something that is good for him but that he REALLY doesn't want to eat? When do you let it go because he might have a complete revulsion to the smell, texture, or taste of the food?When there is downtime at the house, when do you

Me so thorny

2007-01-20T00:08:00.000-08:00

I haven't shaved my face since Sunday, but it's just at that noticeable stubble stage. So, I'm putting Owen to bed and I give him a nice big kiss on the cheek.He squeals, "Ouch Dad!! You have thorns on your face!""You mean whiskers?""No, those aren't whiskers, those are thorns!"

How old am I?

2007-01-17T21:28:00.000-08:00

I'm one of those guys who never sees the doctor when he should, and usually not even after he should. I'd rather let a cold die off by itself, even it means a bit more suffering. Infection? My body can heal it. But, I've had this cyst growing on the back of my neck for about a year now, and it was finally starting to bug me, enough that I actually made an appt to go see the doc about getting it

Chelation update

2007-01-06T10:15:00.000-08:00

Yesterday we had our first follow up chelation appt. since early September. The appt. consisted of tracking Grant's progress, discussing any changes to the diet/regimin, making changes to his supplements, and giving him an IV course. Since the last appt., he has had 2 topical treatments weekly (at home).Overall, the process has gone smoothly, certainly more so than we had expected. For a boy who

Wii-iiiiiiiiiiiii!

2007-01-04T22:22:00.000-08:00

So, what did you get for Christmas? Believe it or not, I shared a gift with Cassidy - the Wii! Soon after it's launch, it was the top item on both of our Christmas lists. However, unless you were crazy/smart enough to camp out and get one on launch day, it was almost impossible to find one. Some stores would get a couple in, but you'd have to be there when the truck dropped it off to have a

At the beach

2007-01-02T23:31:00.000-08:00

First - exactly.Second - what a great way to start the new year. We all slept in after a fun party at our place New Years Eve. It's our tradition to have a party at our place - kids included. These days, the kids outnumber the adults but they haven't figured that out yet. :) Anyway, New Years Day was the last day before going back to work after 10 days off, so we wanted to get out and do "

Chelation and Christmas

2006-12-24T00:52:00.000-08:00

Somehow I fell out of the blog "habit" back in October; not only have I not been writing, but I haven't been reading either. I can blame it mostly on the kids being back in school and work being busier than ever, but I simply haven't made it a priority. I miss it greatly, and resuming this "habit" will definitely be a New Years resolution for me.This blog started out as a way to keep track of

A hero for our kids - rest in peace Dr. Rimland

2006-11-21T21:48:00.000-08:00

I was shocked to read tonight of the passing of Dr. Bernard Rimland - a true hero for our generation. Before I was even born, Dr. Rimland was fighting the medical establishment to improve the lives of all touched by autism. When history looks back at the great leaders of our time, I'm sure his name will always be brought up.It's been 4 1/2 years since our own son was diagnosed with autism. In

3 weeks?

2006-11-10T22:46:00.000-08:00

Has it really been 3 weeks since my last post? I've honestly missed it and have tried a few times to make a post "happen", but unfortunately I've come down with "too busy at work" syndrome. It's just been crazy lately and I've let my blogging pay the price. Or, perhaps I was frightened off by the concept of NaBloPoMo - does that make me a na-nablopomo? On the positive side of NaBloPoMo, it has

Saturday morning...

2006-10-21T11:02:00.000-07:00

Saturday mornings at our house are definitely the most free-flowing times of our week. We cherish this time, probably at the expense of getting quite a bit done :)In the spirit of Saturday mornings, here are a few thoughts from the week.Grant came down with an ear ache on Monday. On the positive side, for the first time ever he was able to tell us what was hurting him. He came right to us and

Love Thursday - Animal Style

2006-10-20T00:08:00.000-07:00

MMM - I am so hungry right now and I'm trying to be really good and not eat so late, but my hunger has inspired my Love Thursday post.In-N-Out Burger.double-double animal stylefriesx-LG iced tea - no lemon or sugarIs there any better food in the world? Certainly there is no better burger, and no better fries. And, almost as good, the service ALWAYS is done with a smile, and it is ALWAYS

Catching up

2006-10-17T22:24:00.000-07:00

Sometimes time flies so quickly by it seems like the clock hands are going to spin right off the wall. Before I let them spin any faster, here are some happenings from this week.After our team meeting last Thursday, I decided it was time to put training wheels back on Grant's bike. It's been far too long since we made any progress and we just needed to start over again. Earlier in the week, I had

Off to a good start

2006-10-12T00:01:00.000-07:00

Grant has been in the Kindergarten class an hour a day since Monday - it's going good! He's been following along, doing the projects, focusing, and all that good stuff. It's funny, we started the school year less than 2 months ago and this was not even a glimpse of a dream for us. It was completely off the radar. And yet, here we are.We had our team meeting today with his teacher and the district

Happy stuff

2006-10-08T01:27:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is a major first for Grant. In is 5th year of school, he'll be joining the Kindergarten class for 1-2 hours a day, his first foray out of his special-day class. Our excitement is not about the mainstreaming, it's that he's ready; he's making progress. Here are some other firsts from the past week (so many in one week!) that have us so encouraged.A shipping box full of styrofoam peanuts