Tuesday, August 6, 2013

thank you

Your talent is God's gift to you. What you do with it is your gift back to God. Ronald Pratt


What is this? I held the frame my sister, Lisa had written the quote on, complete with my Dad- Ron Pratt's name, laughing. 

It was something Dad said once that I really liked.

LISA! Maybe he said it- but Dad didn't come up with that quote! It's like- famous. 

It is? She said, and we both died laughing.

And for those of you curious, it was actually Leo Buscaglia who came up with it. Thank you for that Google.

But that's just the thing, it's not unreasonable to think that my Dad could have come up with it because sometimes he says really amazing things. My Dad has a way about him--he doesn't talk a whole heck of a lot, but when he does, it's often important. He's taught me so many lessons I still think about today. Like never quit a job until you have another one lined up. Save some, spend some, give some to church. Leave things cleaner than they were when you got there. Be true to your word and don't hide who you are.

See- He's a very smart man. He is a great Dad. I'll let you in on a secret though- he is not even a little bit perfect. I think about how hard we beat ourselves up over some parenting choices. All the reasons we find to feel not good enough. My Dad had a temper that scared the skin off of me with just a look. He was very impatient. He didn't ever change diapers. He was an alcoholic for years. And the funny thing is- I had to dig down deep into my memory to recall the imperfect things about him. They were never the attributes of his that stood out. They were the things that made him perfectly human. I hope I am able to teach my children to accept me exactly for who I am too. I can start by learning to accept myself too.

I'm positive I like people that have an edge the most. People that know that Life is hard but love it anyway. All the pain and sadness can either make you cold and angry or break you wide open to all the goodness and realness in the world.

Blessed are the cracks for they shall let in the light. Groucho Marx

I think that Fathering has had it's own revolution. Back in my Dad's day- Fathers often didn't change diapers or stay up with sick babies. They went to work. They paid the bills. They ate the dinner that was on the table. Now days many Fathers are much more involved. They change diapers and wake with babies, and go on outings and give baths and so much more.

Sometimes I get really mad at Michael for working. I get mad that the majority of the time, I take care of the kids. I get mad at him for going out of town every week for work. But I know that none of those things are his choice. He doesn't want to be away from us so much.He has to work to support our family financially. I'm lucky I have a choice to stay at home with my boys. I have plenty of other things to be mad at Michael for, so I will try to stop being mad at him for something he has no control over. I will try to be more grateful for working so hard.
____________________

Super Power Parents- you are amazing- you are awesome. You are strong and brave and do things no parents should ever have to. You work harder than anyone I know.

These next words are for everyone else: Thank you. A million trillion thank yous for being here. For reading. For caring. For a willingness to learn more about autism which will then gift your life in so many ways. It will help you focus on what really matters. It will help you see beauty inside different. It will help you support others going through hard times. It will help any interactions you have with someone with a labeled disease, condition or disability. 

I am in no way in line with many of the autism awareness messages I read. 

 photo ignorance_zpsb9be9a7e.jpg

 photo keep-calm-its-only-autism-its-not-contagious-your-ignorance-is_zps546a6bec.png

Don't even get me started on the lack of apostrophe in the it's.

They make me sad. If I walked into a store with a sign that said, You break it, you buy, I would leave that store without buying a thing. Because here's the thing, if I would have broken it, I would have insisted I pay for it. That's who I am. That's what the Igonorance Awareness signs feel like to me. It's not just autism- I've seen this message parlayed into other medical conditions. People are so ignorant about blank.

To me it's the equivalent of saying, HEY STUPID, come listen to what I have to say now.

I don't think the world is ignorant about autism. I think unaware would be a better term. Just like I was before it affected my life. Why would I Google something that wasn't a part of my Life? If that were the case I would have to spend my nights Google'ing all the terrible diseases, disorders and conditions as to not leave any group out. 

I think that there are some conflicting messages being shared, which can make things confusing too. I think there's a lot of sadness that ends up coming out as anger directed at you. Just because I have two boys with autism, I don't think it's YOUR job to learn about a condition that doesn't affect you. I think it is MY job to teach you in a kind and real way. You being here, reading- is not MY right. It is my honor to share awareness with you. It is my job, my heart, my passion and my love for my boys that trickles out my fingertips and runs all over the world, even when I sleep. It gives me chills sometimes. 


 photo kindness_zps53f9d4ca.jpg



We had a day today. Quite possibly the boys had my Monday.

 photo _MG_7015_zpsd4bcb9e2.jpg

 photo _MG_7017_zps7101e9f5.jpg

 photo _MG_6990_zpsef58225f.jpg
Grey during Behavior Therapy. YES I'LL PLAY BUT I DON'T WANT TO

Greyson is continuously taught to try and play the appropriate way. Which now sounds funny as I type. Why can't he just play the "wrong way" because clearly he likes it better and it makes more sense to him? He would prefer to hold cars, line them up, or spin and stare at the wheels versus putting them on the track or making them go vroom. He doesn't want to interact with anyone either.


 photo _MG_6994_zps513c22f0.jpg
Doodle liked the play part though.

 photo _MG_6983_zps8cb7b765.jpg When Grey is in a funk, swinging and being squeezed help. This swing is a double whammy.

They both finally found their happy.

 photo _MG_7052_zps0c69b873.jpg




 photo _MG_7123_zps51ec08fd.jpg
Our NEW favorite toyJumping, mouth open FLAPTASTICNESS.

 photo _MG_7101_zps09af1261.jpg

This evening I had an amazing sitter come over. I was too tired to do a thing, so I went to my room to regroup and relax.  I gorged myself on Princesses:Long Island, Real Housewives of New Jersey AND Real Housewives of Orange County all in one sitting. Oh, and can you believe The Bachelorette Finale? I can't even BELIEVE I still watch that one. Ughhh. I have saved a little Interior Therapy with Jeff Lewis for tomorrow. (Dad- those are all reality shows. I don't want you to be confused right now). Refueling is a VERY important element in world changing.

I felt so much saner about my Life when I heard this quote from Ashlee, one of the Long Island Princesses who was preparing snacks for a slumber party with her girlfriends.


I got all different cheeses but it's all mixed. I'm not serving mixed cheese. That's disgusting. I feel like poor people mix things.


Wow. Just, wow. And just to be clear- that quote did NOT come from Ron Pratt




A special Thank You to my 3,569 Facebook Friends helping me change the World. Without your sharing, I'm just a girl and a computer.



So Much Love,

Chrissy

12 comments:

  1. Very funny about the quote at the beginning. I was about to google it then saw you did that already ; )
    Your boys are adorable, I feel like I can see their personalities through these pictures and your words and they are wonderful. The world is blessed to have your family, and to read your words.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thank YOU, Chrissy, for sharing your gifts with us. :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thank you, sweet momma. For sharing & letting us know it's ok to think this is sometimes hard and overwhelming & helping us remember it is also beautiful and amazing.
    Love & happiness to you, Jennifer

    ReplyDelete
  4. I sincerely love that you write all these beautiful and deep things that make me stop and think, and then wrap it all up with the reality TV. (Still a "Bachelorette" follower, myself!). Thanks for another great start to my day! Hope you all have a good hump day. XO

    ReplyDelete
  5. Chrissy-Just wanted to say hi and that I so enjoy reading your posts. They make me smile from ear to ear. You remind me that Life is Beautiful! Every single wonderful, messy, stressful, blissful moment! Seeing the adorable pics of your kids crying reminded me that I used to wonder when there would come a day when there would be no crying. Kids without super powers cry daily too. I finally realized we are there. But then the game changes-instead of crying they tell me I am the meanest mom in the world because I won't let them do this or that. We have entered the tween years and I have no idea what I'm doing. I'm just swimming along trying to do the best I can. So thank you for reminding me that it is enough to be just showing up, doing the best I can. Because I'm not perfect, that's for damn sure but I know I try with all my might to do my best! Love you, Karen from Memphis

    ReplyDelete
  6. i know I say this every. single. time. I comment, but I cannot even get over how beautiful these boys are! I have beautiful boys. I know from where I speak. =)
    Keep on keeping on, mama, love your voice, love your heart.
    Sarah

    ReplyDelete
  7. I don't "do"Facebook so I am not counted as one of your friends. Please know that I DO read your blog every day so you can count me as one of your blog friends. You, your husband and your 2 superheros are VERY special people. Don't ever forget that. YOU ALL ARE LOVED.

    Luanne

    ReplyDelete
  8. THANK YOU Chrissy. The gifts you share with all of us are so special. And your Dad. Your Dad sounds as special as you!
    xo

    ReplyDelete
  9. Love your blog. Love that your name is Chrissy. Seeing all of these pictures of your boys makes me want to buy more of my boys' clothes at GAP :)

    Crissy

    ReplyDelete
  10. Ok. So Parker doesn't always smile. But his smile lights up my heart, as I am sure it does yours.

    No one can really smile all the time. But that is why should help our kids be interdependent and not just independent.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You are so cute. Your comment the other day made me so happy- and it made me appreciate that he really is a HAPPY guy!!! XOXO

      Delete
  11. Thanks for offering another great perspective as I start my day! And, thanks for sharing the crying photos....that's Reality!

    ReplyDelete