aspergers - I'm Topsy Turvy

Autism Awareness Month

April 9, 2012 7 Comments

April is Autism awareness month, and for us that means a lot of activities and fundraisers at our children’s school. While losing our job and moving in with my in laws almost 3 years ago hasn’t been the easiest experience of our lives the fact that because of those two things we ended up here in UT with one of the only charter schools in the world for children with autism has been the biggest blessing in our lives.

Our children were diagnosed the same week my husband lost his job, it was not a fun week for us! Of course the fact that we were going through the diagnosis process we obviously had our guess as to what the outcome would be. Our second child, Computer boy, had a miserable kindergarten year, mostly because of a very difficult teacher that didn’t have a lot of patience with our son. BUT while it wasn’t a very fun year, because of it we were lead to getting a diagnosis. And while getting a diagnosis is hard, having answers, support and help is so worth it.

I love my children, I adore my children, and I love being a mom. While aspergers has it’s challenges but like all children there are also wonderful moments that make it all worth it. My children have different weaknesses than other children but they also have different strengths! But sometimes the weaknesses overtake even the strengths so we’re constantly trying new ways to teach and get through to our children.

Luckily for us in this amazing day and age there is a lot of help out there. Our school helps us in many way, with tips and tricks we didn’t know about. We’re willing to try anything and everything that might help us teach our children and raise them to be strong and independent.

One of the tools that’s doing amazing things for kids on the spectrum is an ipad! Something that we’d love to give our children, but it simply hasn’t been in our reach. It’s on the list (you all have lists of what you’ll buy when you can, don’t you? Please say I’m not the only one!). But also on the list is being able to move out of my in-laws basement before all our kids are in college (oh and college for all 5 kids is on the list too!)

And while I can’t do it all by myself I have the most AMAZING friends! Elizabeth from Sew Chatty was the recipient of an ipad fundraiser for her son with aspergers last fall and she’s passing that on to our family, doing a fundraiser for us. It’s humbling, very humbling, to accept help, something I’m not very good at. But while I have high expectations for my children to overcome their weaknesses I need to overcome mine as well for their sake!

I’m so grateful for friends like Elizabeth, not only for her generosity, but also for their support and friendship. There is so much about aspergers that’s hard to explain, it’s nice when someone else “gets” it. So thank you to all the people that love and support us. And thank you for being a part of my world!

Filed Under: aspergers, family, kids, me, parenting, school

(dis)Abilities and the Gospel book review

June 14, 2011 11 Comments

I’ve never done a book review on my site, so I know it’s not something any of you guys would expect from me. BUT when I was approached about this book I couldn’t say no. You all know my oldest three, my husband and most likely my youngest and soon to be youngest have Aspergers. This means a lot of things to me. I can’t sum up all of aspergers easily. It’s too big and so different for each person and I hate to generalize it.

For me Aspergers isn’t a “death sentence” (like it can feel like for some), not even close. It doesn’t bother me at all that they have been diagnosed with it. If anything having a diagnosis gives me answers, gives me clarity and it gives me direction in my parenting. I have many concerns for my children’s futures. I also have many hopes. BUT one aspect of aspergers is a very analytical mind. My children are brilliant, and like a lot of people with brilliant minds Faith can be a very difficult concept. It’s one of the things that has worried me the most. How to teach my children Faith. Having Faith is letting yourself trust, hope and believe in something you can’t see, touch, taste, etc… and that’s difficult for an analytical mind. I know so many people who have struggled with faith, it’s a difficult struggle to watch.

I believe in God, I believe in Eternal Life and Faith is a huge part of that belief. So when I was told about this book, (dis)Abilities and the Gospel, I jumped at the chance to read and review it. In a few ways it wasn’t quite what I expected and in many ways it was even better than I’d hoped it would be.

It begins with General Information, what you might expect to see from special needs children at church. My favorite chapter is how to write and create a profile of your child(ren) to give to teachers and church leaders. I’ve tried to explain to teachers and leaders in the past about my kids but I haven’t been able to get it right. I feel like I haven’t touched on the right points and missed important information and also made somethings that aren’t a big deal sound worse, even scaring off the teachers. This chapter brought up some amazing and simple points, and I’m sure I can be more concise and prepare teachers and leaders better from now on. I’m SO excited to get started, especially because we just got new leadership and teachers for all the kids at church! Perfect timing for me!

Then the book moves onto teaching strategies! LOVE it, not just strategies for me as a parent but for my children’s teachers ad leaders! Then it moves on to age and class specifics. Really great advice on how to teach every age, every class style, advice on age related dilemma’s, etc… As my children are very high functioning not all of the advice relates to us, but is incredibly helpful for a ton of circumstances, challenges and children. Parents and teachers alike are going to benefit from the knowledge and advice in the book. I can’t wait to pass on specifics to teachers and leaders so they won’t feel overwhelmed.

The book ends with more parent and family strategies and advice! Surviving church, teaching prayer, Family Home Evenings, Building relationships, extended families and dealing with Holidays! The whole book is wonderful. I read it in hours in one night, I couldn’t wait to talk to my husband about changes I want to make and ideas I’d like to implement and start!

Danyelle and Lynn are giving away two $25 Amazon gift cards! One name will be drawn for a $25 Amazon gift card on June 30th. Another name will be drawn for a $25 Amazon gift card on July 22nd. Winners will be announced on www.QueenOfTheClan.com They have many ways to enter. Danyelle and Lynn will be keeping track of the entries and picking a winner from ALL of the reviews on this book tour. Leave A comment on the reviewer’s blog letting us know what you’ve done. Include your email address.

1 Entries Each:
- Leave a comment about the blogger’s review.
- Add the book to your “to-read” list on GoodReads
- Follow Danyelle’s blog
- Follow Lynn’s blog
- Follow Danyelle on FB
- Follow Lynn on FB
- Follow Danyelle on Twitter
- Follow Lynn on Twitter

2 Entries Each:
- Tell your friends about (dis)Abilities and the Gospel on Facebook with a person links to Danyelle Ferguson & Lynn Parsons
- Tell your friends about (dis)Abilities and the Gospel on Twitter with links to @DanyelleTweets

5 Entries:
- Interview Danyelle or Lynn for your blog or write a blog post about why you’re excited about (dis)Abilities and the Gospel. Be sure to leave a direct link to your post in your comment so we can visit and say hello!

Filed Under: aspergers, family, giveaway, kids, me, review

It’s a…

May 26, 2011 26 Comments

Yep! Definitely a boy! And even more importantly all the rest of the baby looks great too! Brain, heart, bones, kidney’s, etc… All working and looking good!

The Destroying Angel (new nickname now that she stays dress… in public at least!) was the first of the kids to find out. Not that she noticed or cares. BUT she did enjoy helping me create these cupcakes to take to the other kids at school! She was my cupcake topper put-er on!

The kids were all really excited! The Reader said “I knew it!” Computer Boy said “It say’s it’s a boy because I’M a boy…” it took a while for him to figure out what it really meant!. I think Lego boy’s was the best reaction by far. He said “I LOVE boys!” and knocked me over with a HUGE hug. I think they were more excited to share cupcakes with their classes than they were about the baby. Of course we’ve talked from the beginning like the baby was a boy, we were so sure, so it wasn’t much of a surprise!

We thought it would be fun to tell dad in some fun way (he of course talked to me on the phone and already KNEW, but letting the kids surprise him is for them not him). So we went by a party supply store and I let the kids each pick out 4 different balloons each. They kept popping but we still had enough…

The kids helped me fill his front seat with balloons and a cupcake. Then Lego Boy decided to stay in the car to “scare” dad.

But Lego Boy ended up locking the doors so it didn’t quite work right. When my husband went to open the door it didn’t work! It took a min to get Lego boy to open up! Then all the kids ran out of the van and “helped” dad get his surprise out! In the end it was fun for them which was the whole point. We spent the rest of the day dropping of cupcakes and balloons at all our grand parents and great grandparents houses! It was so much fun for the kids!

The night before I designed these cupcake toppers, ALONG with a girl version JUST in case (knock on wood type of thing). It’s my first print and cut project using the silhouette! I LOVED it and though I would share them both with all of you. These are for personal use, not for sale. If you use them please give me credit, or at least let me know! It’s nice to know when something I made is appreciated in some way.

It’s a boy cupcake toppers print and cut for the silhouette cutter