It is very late and I am one worn out mommy but while it’s quiet I wanted to share a few pictures of our first day. I’ll blog more about everything later when I have time to do it justice but I really had to share these tidbits, especially for a very special someone who made this all possible.
Deeds was smiling all day!
It was a magical day for us today. Deeds just thrives here and I think he would wait for hours to meet a character (I didn’t expect that). When we got ushered into a room to meet Mickey Mouse he screamed “ITS MICKEY” and my mommy heart melted. We were the last ones in the room so Mickey actually got on the floor with Magpie and my little boy and made his day. I didn’t cry at the time since I was too busy smiling but I am now as I think of what a wonderful memory it created for my kids.
Little sister loved Minnie Mouse and it was actually one of the few characters she clung to. Both kids loved the Little Mermaid ride so much we went through the line and rode it four times and then we could only get them off if we promised to ride it again tomorrow.
This picture is truly priceless.
I can’t wait for the next two days. I’m worn out but my heart is overflowing.
Today I was at the university all day. While studying for my last final I was able to attend an autism conference. It was pretty amazing to be able to take study breaks that included wonderful breakout sessions on many different topics in regards to autism. Even included lunch and the best part was that since I am a student I got in free. YAY!
When I got home tonight I asked Deeds how many days till Disneyland and he gleefully replied “TWO!” I asked who was going with us and he listed off all of us but forgot Magpie. He always includes her so I prompted him and asked who else was going. He then shouted “MICKEY MOUSE!” I chuckled and was just thrilled he was so excited to go on Monday. We’ll see how excited he is after the long drive out there.
Mommy goofing off after work in Peter Pan's Flight at Disney World twelve years ago.
This mommy is getting really excited not only because it is a dream coming true but also because once we start that drive it means I’m actually done with Chemistry! We will be leaving in the morning on Monday right after I take my final.
We will be taking the computer so I’ll try to make sure we blog every night so that you can follow Deeds and Magpie on their first trip to the magical land of Disney.
While taking a study break from my finals a friend shared this video clip with me.
A short while into it I was crying quite a bit. The hardest part of school for me is being away from my children, especially while studying for finals but I have to remember that I’m sacrificing right now for them so that our future may be a bit brighter.
I was touched to be able to remember all the moments that matter most to me with my family. We tend to treasure many moments more dearly because of adversity. Autism, epilepsy and mommy having cardiomyopathy have all taught us to cling to those memories. To laugh together and treasure the moments that sparkle. To unplug and just be.
Be with each other, be attentive, be responsive, be loving. I know we share these moments that matter the most, and because of that my heart is full of joy as I approach this hellish week of finals.
Next week it will just be us. Our family, sharing even more moments that matter thanks to a help from our Fairy Godmother. Even if it weren’t a trip to Disneyland I’d be so excited to be able to spend the entire week with Jeremy and the kids with no homework, or work hanging over our heads.
Here are a few pics from April that I haven’t had time to put on here from some of our moments that matter the most.
Deeds actually LET Gwen sit with him on the ride.
Captured moment with Deeds talking to Magpie.
Daddy helping the kids dress up at the museum.
The kids laughing and actually playing together!
I love the constant reminder my children give me to stop and smell the flowers.
Unbridled joy at conquering the toy at the garden.
Deeds teaching Gwen how to smell the tulips. It had me almost in tears it was so sweet.
Yesterday while video chatting with family in Texas Deeds surprised everyone by saying the alphabet backwards. Today he’s been doing it all day so we decided to catch it on video. I don’t think I’ve even tried to do this before. Such a smart kid, I love the way he sees the world from a totally different point of view and then shares it with us.
Saturday night we got the opportunity to go to a benefit concert put on by the Neon Trees for Deeds autism school. One of the 36 students at this amazing school happens to be the son of the bass guitar player in the band. How amazing that they would take the time out of their busy schedule to come and put on this concert, especially since they are promoting their second album that hits stores on the 17th!
You probably know them best from this hit:
I wasn’t sure how he would do with a rock concert but we decided if we were going to go we were going to give it our all. We got there early and they had seats set aside for Deeds school. We chose to sit in the front on the side so that if things went wrong we could quickly get out of the auditorium and it gave Magpie a place to lay down. Before the concert Deeds and some of his other friends had a lot of fun bouncing around dancing while waiting for things to get started. The only clean pair of jeans I had for Deeds were WAY too big for him so sadly he spent most of the time trying to hold them on. I’m surprised he didn’t just take them off and bring them to me. Once the bands actually started to play Deeds wasn’t so sure how he felt about it so I was glad we had the iPad and ear phones for him.
Not sure what I was thinking but after the openers when the Neon Trees got on the stage all the teenagers rushed the stage and of course it sent me scrambling to move Magpie and Deeds behind a row so they wouldn’t get stepped on. Poor Mag’s wasn’t visible at all thanks to being a black dog. I should have known it would happen, I just haven’t been to a concert in such a long time it slipped my mind. It actually made it a lot of fun because then the band could feed off the excitement of the crowd.
Deeds and Magpie hanging out before the concert.
Deeds playing the iPad during all the commotion of the concert
A few songs into the Neon Trees set Deeds noticed some of his friends were dancing on the side of the stage so he headed over. The rest of the show he had a lot of fun spinning, flapping, and dancing with the other kids with autism. At one point I hopped up there to sit next to and block a big speaker and it was at that point I realized why the kids loved it up there. They could feel the stage just pounding with the music. Deeds came and snatched my phone from my hands and went to take pictures of the band. Here is his first attempt:
One of the band’s crew that was standing there chuckled at poor Deeds trying to snap a picture and only getting his hand so he helped my little man take this shot.
Neon Trees
It was really sweet to watch this stranger help my little guy. I guess Deeds decided he was a good guy because he then watched the band next to him for a while and then went and got his iPad and sat on the stage behind him playing.
Deeds watching the Neon Trees from just off the stage.
Just chilling during the concert
The concert ended up being sold out and I am just so happy for Deeds school! At the very end Deeds got to go dance on stage while they played Animal. He was SO excited, sporting his new shirt from the concert and kept bouncing around. I got a video but since I was RIGHT in front of a speaker the sound is terrible so I suggest just muting your speakers. He is the little guy with the buzzed head jumping around.
After the concert we got a chance to meet the band. They were signing some of the other kids shirts but Deeds didn’t want them to draw on his new shirt so he had me give them his favorite autism one he wore before he changed. They had a lot of fun signing the shirt and Deeds was grinning so big the entire time! He even let Tyler, the lead singer rub his arm and talk to him. Such a good night. Deeds has been asking for their songs all weekend and LOVES their upbeat music. He knows all the words to their new single already and we’ve caught him repeating it to himself multiple times. I must admit daddy and I like the music too and we’ll be buying that new CD when it comes out in a week.
Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the Neon Trees.
Neon Trees, thank you. Awesome memories, and I can’t believe my little guy had so much fun at your concert. Your fans were respectful to us and our little kiddo and you are our new hero’s! Thank you, thank you. Hoping the Karma train hits you with this next album, you guys deserve it.
Deeds wants to wish everyone a very Hoppy Easter! He came home from school looking like the cutest bunny in the world yesterday and wouldn’t let us wash his face until bedtime. We had to go somewhere last night and he screamed in the car for almost 20 minutes because I wouldn’t turn around and go back to the house to get his ears. It was a long drive, it’s amazing how he attaches to things sometimes. Even when he headed off to the bus this morning he had to wear his ears.
We decided it was the perfect time to color eggs as well since Daddy now has Thursdays off and was home. I didn’t have food coloring like I thought so I ended up using a little icing gel paste coloring and it worked out really well. I almost wish I’d boiled more eggs so we could have tried out more colors. They were really vibrant and we had only let them sit for a second or two in the colors. I would squirt a bit of the coloring in a cup then use 1-2 tablespoons boiling water and stirred until the color was dissolved. Then we added 2 tablespoons white vinegar to each color and filled the cup the rest of the way up with hot water. I probably could have used 1 tablespoon vinegar but I’d read that someone else online said that they had the colors stain everything so I was hoping it might help to add more. It didn’t stain anything but we were also pretty careful. Deeds would freak out if he got any on his hands so daddy and mommy did most of the coloring and he would supervise. I also used our cheap little children’s Ikea cups for the colors which worked perfectly since they were just the right size to cover the entire egg AND I put the corresponding color in the matching cup so the kids could really tell them apart. We’ll be doing that again next year and as a matter of fact when the kids outgrow the cups I think I’ll just put them in the Easter box to use from now on.
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Daddy now works during the weekends so grandma and grandpa are going to go to the egg hunt tomorrow with us. Grandpa is going to bring his nice camera so hopefully we can get some fun pictures. We woke up to snow today but it’s suppose to get nice again tomorrow so we will cross our fingers and toes.
Deeds, Magpie and mommy also get to go to a Neon Trees benefit concert for his school tomorrow night. If you are in the area come have fun with awesome music and support our little dudes school! Click the link on their name for tickets.
Once again from our home to yours we wish you a Happy Easter. Gwen and I found this video and I hope it touches you the way it touches us.
This blog is dedicated to JD and his journey with Magpie, his Seizure Alert and Autism Service Dog. If you would like to read more about him and his diagnosis of autism you can start at the "JD's Story" page.
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To donate to Deeds and Magpie's fund, click on the paw. This will go towards medical expences.
