Multitude Monday

24.  A "White Christmas"

25.  My father visiting over the holidays

26.  Staying home for Christmas for the first time in 14 years...it was heaven!

27.  Willow getting better at her Grandparents house

28.  Her Grandparents understanding the need for us to relax and being accomidating.

29.  Family traditions

30.  My daughter and I praying the Rosary to help her sleep.

31.  My son Alex getting jealous and insisting I pray it with him too.

32.  A rich prayer life

33.  My mother showing me the meaning of unconditional love.

34.  The ability to show it to my own kids.

35.  Our family service projects at The Day Center for the homeless and Catholic Charities.

36.  My toddler still wanting to sleep with me and being jealous of my husband.  I fall asleep with him nuzzled up to me.  I am relishing this.  Sadly, this could be my last baby!

37.  Daddy being jealous of my toddler...hey, at least he still wants to spend time with me!

38.  Him caving every night because secretly, I know he enjoys him too.  Especially when he won't go to bed without Chris being in bed with us too!

39.  My kids playing together.

40.  My daughter bragging about how every time she has to be away from us "I miss my brothers and sisters so bad.  I'm so lucky I'm not an only child."

41.  Yes, she is.

White Christmas

I tried to get a Christmas photo for you...

It just didn't work out the way I thought...

No, she is not trying to choke him!

Then we tried some Christmas crafts...

It didn't work out so good either...

Don't get the wrong idea.  Christmas wasn't all bad.  Something miraculous happened.  We made it to Mass.  We survived.  Barely.   It was amazing.  When we got out we had a white Christmas!   One thing that my family really knows how to do...

Is have FUN!!!!

Landons first snow...

He was having so much fun...

this was how we got him in!

A snow Angel.

Merry Christmas from our family to yours.

Multitude Monday

1. My Family.  The miracle of all of our children.
2.  The incredible blessing of being married to my soul mate.
3.  My best friend of 20+ years Donetta
4. My friend Angela Gardner
5. My friend Jennifer Sartorius
6. My friend Ginger Mitchell
7. My friend Stefani Nolan.  My family away from family.
8. My friend Rachel.
9.  The fact that our family members are some of our closest friends.
10.  My mother.  Also my best friend.
11. My friend Christa
12.  All of my daughters therapists: Cheryl, Lauren, Rachel, and Amy.  I love you.
13.  The blessing of being married to a man of faith and his unfailing support of my vocation as a mother.  Also, his willingness to follow church teaching. 
14.  Did I mention my kids....?
15.  The Helow, Person, and Foss families for showing the many blessings living a life of "openness" gives you."
16.  My faith.  Which should be number 1.  I wouldn't have all of the other blessings without the Father.
17.  My landlords Richard and Theresa Cooper...for giving us an opportunity to go to JSE and their support.  We love our life here.
18.  My neighbors.  My babysitter Lizzie keeps me sane.  She doesn't charge me.  The most Godly teenager I know. 
19.  Autism.  The lessons it's taught me and for the amazing people it has brought into our life.
20.  The Millers.  For giving us the support we needed while in FL.  Like family.
21.  For my father and the lessons he has taught me.
22.  For my brother and his friendship.
23.  For my Sister-In-Law Stephanie...who has endured my gripe sessions for years.

Crushed

I have been feeling a little "crushed" this week...and then I found this quote.

"When we are crushed like grapes, we cannot think of the wine we will become."
Henri Nouwen

Autism Rates By State

This is an interesting article I happened upon. I have always heard Autism affects 1 in every 150 children. That is actually an average. It really depends on what state you are in.  Minnesota tops the list with 1 out of every 67 children.  Oklahoma has one of the lowest autism rates.  Our rate is 1 out of every 309 children have autism.  Willow was born in Florida and their rate is 1 out of every 155 children.  Hmmm.  Alex too.  Oklahoma is ranked 48th out of all 50 states. Go to http://www.fightingautism.org/idea/autism-state-rankings-prevalence.php
for more information.