Ben's Gift of Compassion

It's truly an amazing thing the way God knits each of us together.  One of the most special things about being a parent is that I have the pleasure of watching each of my children grow into their gifts and talents, to become who they were meant to become.

Ben is eight years old but, for a long time now, I've known what his gifts are.  It's not just because I'm his mom either.  Many people--friends at church, family members, teachers-- have pointed out that our boy has a compassionate, gentle spirit and we have seen him in action--being kind to everyone, finding the person by themselves and including them, embracing differences.   What is awkward and stiff for many of us, comes naturally to him. But, to Ben, this isn't anything special. In fact, if you asked him what he was really good at, he'd just shrug and tell you, "Nothing Much."  

We moved into our first house about four years ago and Ben had just turned four.  Across the street from us lived an elderly couple, probably in their 80's.  It wasn't long before Ben made friends with Mr. Jim and Miss Alicia.  Ben spent hours at their house.  Miss Alicia liked to do jigsaw puzzles so he'd help.  She'd bake cookies and he'd help with that too.  Mr. Jim enjoyed showing Ben how to fix things around the house or the car.  They'd talk for hours about all sorts of things.  It soon became clear that Ben had a best friend and he was about 80 years old.

As his mom, it was sweet to watch.  Jim and Alicia had been married for years but had no children together.  Alicia had a son from a previous marriage that was passed on.  I never saw any grandchildren.  They doted on Ben and Ben doted right on back.  Ben doesn't see his grandparents very often. Nannie lives across the country and he doesn't see Grandpa much. So having a set of surrogate grandparents right across the street was a dream come true for him.  Being the middle brother between two brothers with autism naturally comes with more responsibility and it was nice for him to have a place to hang out and relax.

Sadly, late one night in early July, just a few weeks ago, Miss Alicia passed away suddenly. I dreaded sitting Ben down and telling him. Ben has never had anyone close to him pass away before and Miss Alicia was special to him.  I knew he would take the news hard.

The next morning, I snuggled up to him in his bed and told him the news.  He sat up quickly, his breathing turning rapid, but he tried so hard to not show how devastating the news was. "Really?" he asked.  "She really died."

"Yes, she really did. It's okay to be sad about it.  It's sad news."

He nodded and took a deep breath and then curled up on my lap and cried.  I rubbed his back and cried too.

Over the next few weeks, I noticed that Ben was avoiding Jim.  If Jim was outside, Ben quickly headed inside.  If I bought up Jim or Alicia's name, he said he didn't want to talk about it.   I caught him a few times staring out his window at Jim's house with this look on his face. It broke my heart.

"Ben," I'd say. "Why don't you go and say hi to Mr. Jim? He's outside right now."

"I don't want to," he'd say immediately.

Finally, one day, I prodded him to go. I could tell he was nervous. but I also knew he missed his friend. "What do I say?" he asked anxiously.

"Tell him you're sorry and that you'll miss her too," I said. "Say what's on your heart. It will be okay. I promise."

He nodded and walked slowly across the street. Mr. Jim smiled and waved him over.  I watched as they went to sit in front of Jim's SUV where he'd been tinkering with something.  I couldn't see them but I still watched for a moment, to make sure Ben wasn't about to fly back across the street in tears.

About ten minutes later, I loaded everyone up to run an errand and yelled for Ben.  "Coming," he called and ran across the cul-de-sac, grinning.

"Was everything okay?" I asked.

He nodded. "We didn't talk about it really. It's nice to just be friends and not say much."

I was struck by the fact that Ben knew something many of us adults take years to figure out. Sometimes being a friend, showing compassion and understanding, isn't about what you say, it's just about showing up.

I pray that Ben never, ever loses this gentle, compassionate spirit he has and the way he understands things so naturally. It's a gift from God; Ben just doesn't know that yet. One day, he will.  I often wonder if having two brothers with autism contribute to this and, yes, it probably does.  Sibling of special needs children tend to be a rare breed. But, I also think that Ben was given special gifts that are uniquely his, just like each of our children.  Being a parent means I get to see how these gifts play out as each of them grow; what a blessing that is.  

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Our Summer, So Far

We're half-way through summer now and that means we've reached the point where I start to panic.  I should start getting ready for school  and yet, I'm pretty sure we haven't done a single one of the things we planned to do this summer because we had all the time in the world to do them.  How did this happen?

I decided to take a moment and reflect upon what we have done.  I thought I'd share the list with you so if you're feeling like summer has almost slipped past, maybe you'll find an idea or two (eh hem, don't hold your breath).

1. Giant water bed.  In a moment of insanity, I hopped on Pinterest and searched for fun summer ideas.  There were roughly 17 million but I chose this Giant Outdoor Waterbed  because it seemed easy (and cheap) and I could get what I needed at Walmart.  For some reason, instead of following the instructions, I folded it like a hot dog instead of a hamburger (my kindergarten teacher will be so disappointed in me) which made it very long (25 feet) and narrow (about 5 feet wide).  It took a lot of tape but the kids loved it.  It ended up being good sensory play activity and, when all the water drained out over night, they used it as a slip-in-slide.  Win-win.

2.  Picnic Dinners.  In an effort to spend some quality time as a family (and save money), we've (um. I've) been packing up a simple dinner and taking it to the park, usually on Saturday evenings.  It's still hot, really hot, but slightly less hot than the inferno it would be earlier in the day.  We've discovered a new park and I've had fun not having to do the dishes. Overall, these have been great memory-making times for our family. 

Taken on one of our picnic lunches.
A favorite of mine.

3.  Cleaned (and made messes) and cleaned. I've been working with the older boys on taking more responsibility around the house.  They've helped with loading and unloading the dishes, taking the garbage out, cleaning up their room, folding clothes, as well as helping in other areas of the house. It's slow going and I need to be more intentional.  Sometimes, it's just easier to do it myself but I know these are skills they need and I need the help!  I am happy to say that Daniel is now vacuuming, which is a big thing for a kiddo with autism.  Noises like vacuums can be very bothersome but he's been a trooper and doesn't seem to mind.  In fact, he asked to vacuum on the day this picture was taken.

I like his style.  Vacuum in one hand; iPad in the other.  Whatever gets the job done!

4.  Withering in the Sun.  It's been hot.  Seriously, seriously hot, sticky, gross weather that only summer in Houston can serve up.  That keeps us inside more than we'd like and when we do go out, well, it's just too hot to do much.

5.  Parks!  We've hit a few parks around town but the key is to go early.  By 10:30, it's already 90 degrees and feels closer to 100 with the humidity.  It makes for very hot, sweaty kids and playground equipment that practically burns when you touch it.  So, we end up exploring more than playing.  

This is one of our favorite parks that butts up to a farm. 

6. Zoo.  The zoo is one of our favorite places to go even though we haven't gone as often as we'd liked this summer.  We have gotten one amazing trip in which you can read about HERE. 

7. A New Pet.  Because I needed one more thing to take care of around here, I let Ben talk me into getting a hermit crab.  So far, he seems pretty undemanding and Gideon has only managed to get in his tank once.  We named him Taco because what else do you name a hermit crab?

Gideon and Ben sharing a moment over Taco.  

8. Swimming.  We are so very thankful to have friends with pools! When we can't get over to someone's house, we have a small kiddie pool in the backyard. These kids are like fish; they'd stay in the water all day long. 

9. Pokemon Go! Yes, we drank the Kool-aid.  It's pretty impressive that a game can make people get out and start moving.  Great for the kids; bad for my cell phone battery. Ben has been the most interested and we've gone out a couple of times, walking a mile or more. We've also met a few new friends from the neighborhood (we live close to a Pokestop).  That being said, Ben won't be doing it by himself any time soon since he pays zero attention to where he's going.  

I realized as I made this list that most of the items were free or very inexpensive.  Cheap has definitely been the theme this summer. Sometimes I can't help but feel guilty but then I'm reminded that all our kids really want is our time and attention. Yes, it would be nice to afford to do more but there's something special about enjoying our downtime or not rushing to be somewhere if we don't have to. We'll have plenty of busyness soon enough.  Sometimes it's boring (trust me, I've heard it more than once in the last hour) but being bored isn't a bad thing.  The best kind of things happened when your kids are bored and don't want to be anymore--fort building, play acting, games, reading--and it also makes them appreciate when they get to do something different and special.

So, here's to our slightly boring, inexpensive, hot, but fun summer so far! 

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FAT: My lifelong struggle with weight

June 2015                              July 2016

I showed this pictured to Ben, age 8, today.  "So, do you see a difference?" I asked.

"Yes.  Your hair is longer," he replied.

"What?  Doesn't it look like I've lost weight?"

He grinned.  "Yup but I'm not supposed to talk about anybody's weight, Mommy." (See, he does listen to me on occasion).

I'm not in the habit of showing before and after pictures of myself.  In fact, as I've discussed HERE, taking pictures isn't really my thing. But a couple of evenings ago, I went to the store and I found that dress I'm wearing.  When I tried it on, I was caught somewhere between tears and maniacal laughter.  The dress is an XL. Not a plus size.  Just a regular old XL.  And it fit me!

See, I've struggled with my weight my entire life.  When I say struggle, I'm not talking about an extra five or ten pounds. I'm talking about an extra 50 or 100 pounds.  As a child, growing up with chaos and uncertainty and as an adult under constant intense stress and more uncertainty, food always seemed like the one thing I could control.  Except, it's always been the other way around: food has controlled me.

By the time I graduated from high school, I was close to 300 pounds and my world was not a good one.  Not just because of the weight but because of many things--a dad with a drug problem, lack of money, zero self-confidence.  Moving away to college allowed me to get out from underneath all of that and I began to make changes.,My sophomore year in college, I started walking about four miles a day, rain or shine, every day.  And this was Oregon so, yes, lots of rain. Every day I walked and I began to eat less (sometimes not enough) until I eventually dropped about a hundred pounds. That's losing an entire supermodel.  All of it came off of me.

My mom thought I was dying. I wasn't.  But I looked in the mirror and didn't see thin or healthy.  I looked in the mirror and saw fat. Still.

This is me at my thinnest.  I was in a wedding for a dear (beautiful and thin) friend.  A few months before the wedding, she called and asked for my measurements.  She wanted me to get an actual tape measure, measure parts of my body, and then send her these measurements over the phone.

I was horrified.

I couldn't do that. 

This would prove, in black and white, that I was as fat as I thought I was.

My roommates weren't home so I grudgingly went next door and asked my (extremely petite and adorable) neighbors to measure me.  This had to rank as one of the top most humiliating moments of my life (and trust me, it's an impressive list).  I slunk back home and, with trepidation, I called the bride-to-be back.  What was worse?  That I had to get measured or that I now had to speak them out loud?

I rattled off the numbers quickly and I remember saying something like, "I hope they can find a dress that fits me."

"Oh, please," she laughed.  "You aren't the biggest size even." She probably doesn't remember that but I do.  It's been 18 years and I remember her saying that to me. I thought she was lying to be nice.

I look at that picture now and think, "Huh?  I was kind of cute.  And I looked healthy and happy. Why didn't I feel that way in the moment?  Would it have made a difference?"

My yo-yo-ing weight continued.  I gained weight after I got married.  I lost weight to help get pregnant . . . and pregnant . . . and pregnant.  I never lost some of the weight in between babies.  I had two children diagnosed with autism.  I had financial worries.  I gained and I gained and I gained. Then I lost and we got pregnant again.  Then I got depressed.  Eating gave me a false sense of control, once again.  It filled the voids. But it never filled them for long.  I ate and hated myself afterwards.  I ate even when it didn't taste good and I knew it was bad for me.

Why am I telling you all this?  I've never really told anyone these things.  It's been a kind of secret shame.  In the last two and a half months, I decided to lose weight again.  Next month, I'll turn 38 and both of my parents were diagnosed with diabetes before age 40.  I'm not ready for that and I have to give myself a chance.  The decision to lose weight meant saying no to not just food, but yes to me.  To buying better food, to making better choices, to spending time exercising, and, finally, to making myself work though why I do the things I do when it comes to food.

Right now, I've learned three things.
1) I'm worth it.  I cannot take care of my family if I don't take care of myself.  I have to remind myself of this daily.  There's no one else that will make me do this.  I have to do this myself and, ultimately, for them too.
2) Looking back is important.  I need to see that I have made progress but I also need to remember how my thinking has changed.  A year ago, I felt hopeless. Three months ago, I wasn't sure I'd really follow through with this.  Today, I know I can.  Tomorrow, I might not feel that so much so it's vital I can look back and know I have have been successful.
3) It's about the journey.  Yes, I know it's cliche but it's really, really important and I think that's why this time I lose weight will be different.  Before, I've focused on my endgame.  I've never stopped to think about why I eat and how deeply my relationship with food is so ingrained in me.  I have to pick it apart, take it out, and examine it, find out where I went wrong and try to make it right.  I have to look at why I struggle to find the beauty in me.  I have to answer the hard questions: Do I think I'm not worthy?  What do I turn to when I want to turn to food?

If you've never struggled with your weight or body image, and I mean, really struggled, all of this might not be making sense to you.  You've grown up confident in yourself and in the way you look. Your confidence comes from somewhere deep inside you.

When people say things like this to me: You're beautiful,  You're cute.  You look great. I smile, sort of, but I don't believe them.  That's not how I feel inside.  That's not what I've learned my whole life. That's my truth.  That's what I'm working on right now and that's why I'm tell you all of this.  I've always been quiet about my weight.  I'd quietly lose it, not make a big deal of it, and then within a year or two it's back.  But I'm sharing with you now because you've become, for better or worse, silent therapists.  I'm not really sure how many of you read my words but, in some ways, it doesn't matter.  Getting this out there, down on paper forces me to focus on my thought process.  I hope I'll find the glitch.  I pray this time, the weight loss will stick.  I know it's one pound at a time but the important part, the part inside of me that no one sees, that's the part that needs to change the most. 

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His Provision: When I'm feeling discouraged

I have been in such a discouraging (and difficult) mood of late. My anxiety and fear look like anger.  My depression looks like exhaustion and procrastination.  I've not been fun to live with.  It just feels like the harder I try, the more I seem to fail. It's one thing when I just have to worry about myself but feeling like I'm failing my children? That's gut-wrenching.

I was working on a blog post about how I'm feeling (blogging as therapy, right? Cheaper than the real thing) and started looking up verses about how God is our provider. This one hit me upside my head:

Who provides for the raven its prey, when its young ones cry to and wander about for lack of food? (Job 38:41)

It seemed particularly pertinent to our situation since we're trying hard to give to our children what they need, things like therapy for their autism and help for Ben's dyslexia. I am not sure why we are in the situation we're in. My husband and I have always worked hard to listen to God, to be "good Christians." And yet, two of our children have autism. Why does it feel like God made our burden so heavy?

Feeling this way has accomplished nothing except making me feel sorry for myself and has taken my focus away for what I know to be true. So, I forced myself to make a list of how God has provided for our family in very specific ways. Sometimes simple things like this help me to gain perspective on my circumstances. When I finished, I felt lighter, like God was whispering to me, "I've got this."

This is the list I made. Some things may not make sense, some things are small, some things are big but all of them were provided by God.

1. Our house: It is exactly what we asked for.  Big enough for all of us, large backyard, not a busy street, in a quiet neighborhood and under budget.
2. Our health insurance
3. My husband's job:  
4. Two paid for vehicles:  Sure, they aren't pretty or new but they get the job done.
5. Enough money for the boys to continue occupational therapy for the next ten weeks.
6. ABA therapy for the past seven years.
7. Our church family: They've loved on us and taken care of us more than I could ever say.
8. On more than one occasion, an anonymous gift card or cash that was just enough to see us through.
9. Air conditioning in our minivan (and the provision for having it fixed).  
10. Friends who are like family
11. Therapists with hearts and passion for working with children with autism
12. Buddies at our church to help the boys  participate in Sunday school
13. Case managers at our insurance company that have listened and advocated for us.

I'm not going to tell you my discouragement and fear are gone. That would be a lie. But I can look at this list and take a breath, find a moment of rest in the knowledge that God has always been faithful to me, even when I've doubted. Maybe especially when I've doubted. He won't fail me now.

My list is far from complete. There are many things I can add and more to come. How God provides for me is still a mystery. It may not look like what I think it should or be the answer to prayer I was hoping for.

Instead, it's better, it's bigger, it's perfect. It's exactly what I need.

How has God provided for you recently in a very real way? I'd love to hear about it!
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I've been struggling about adding this next bit. I've added it, erased it, added it, erased it, published and now I'm back. We have recently started a YouCaring campaign to help pay for some medical/therapy bills for the boys. I"ll going to leave the link to the campaign here. Please do not feel obligated at all to donated (and I hope I haven't offended anyone). I know many families, both those with children with autism and without, are struggling right now.

We've love it if you could share the link and we covet your prayers most of all! I will only share this once and not bring it up again. Thank you so much for reading anything I write. It means the world to me!

YouCaring Campaign for the Boys' Autism Therapy

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A Moment of Light: A lesson from my son with autism (VIDEO)

I was looking through some old videos of our children today (because, you know, I needed to get a good cry.  They were so little and cute!). I stumbled across this video I'd almost forgotten about and wanted to share it with you.  It was a moment I think many people will remember if they were there that day in church with us. But it's also a moment I needed to revisit.

This video is from four years ago when Daniel was six.  We were still dealing with lots of behavior issues related to his autism.  Sometimes, it felt like we were never making progress and it was discouraging.  The smallest thing seemed to be a challenge and it was exhausting to work on the same behavior or skill over and over again.  As an autism mom, some seasons are like this.  It feels like your child is standing still while every other child around you is moving at lightning speed.  In these seasons, for me, it's difficult to see our boys around other typically developing children. The differences are so obvious, so glaring.  It made church a difficult place to be for me.

And then there are times like this.  A moment of light when you're in a dark place. Acknowledgement that your child is there and growing and learning and making progress.  That progress might be tortoise-slow but slow and steady still means moving forward. One of these moments happened on a regular old Sunday in church for us.

For a few months, we'd been working on Daniel sitting in church with us for the first 20 minutes.  Sitting in church is not an easy task for any kid, let alone one with autism.  There's the sitting.  There's the quiet.  There's the being still.  To say this skill was a work in progress (is still a work in progress) is putting it mildly.  But sat with us, he did.

Almost every Sunday, our church recited The Apostles' Creed as a church body.  (If you aren't familiar with the Creed, you can read it about it  HERE). The words were printed in our church bulletins and on the screen in front of us. This particular Sunday, we sat in the middle of the sanctuary and, as the entire congregation began to recite The Apostles' Creed, little six year old Daniel did something pretty amazing.

Out of nowhere, he recited the entire Creed with the congregation.  His voice was pitched just enough that you could hear it throughout the entire sanctuary, from the pastor at the pulpit to the family in the back row. He wasn't scripting.  He was saying it with us. Together. We hadn't been practicing this; we did not even expect that he was paying attention each week.  And yet . . .  he nailed it, word for word.  Heads turned towards us, people smiled.  There was something very special about this moment and everyone knew it.

For me, the reasons were twofold.  First, sometimes when we hear the word "autism," we immediately assume a person is "checked out" and that they aren't listening or paying attention.  We might think they can't understand us and they don't care to be apart of anything we do.  Stop thinking that.  Daniel and his brother are always paying attention.  Always, you guys.  They hear every single word being said.  Whether those words register then or later, they have been spoken and filed away.
Remember this if you're talking about them like they aren't in the room because they are soaking up every word you say.

Always assume competence.  Always assume your words are heard and understood.  You always have the power to affect lives of all people, not just people with autism, with your words.  Make them positive words.

Secondly, on a deeply personal level, how could I not thank God for this moment?  How could I not acknowledge that His hand was on this child and that these words were placed in Daniel's heart?  I'm not saying he understood every word he said but I know with a fierceness I can't describe that God holds Daniel and Gideon in His hands.  When I was in a season of discouragement and disappointment, God knew exactly what I needed to hear.  It's amazing how God works, how He uses words, songs, and little guys with autism to remind me that He is always with us, always faithful, always true.

This video was made when we got home from church and I asked Daniel to repeat it.  There are a few stumbles and mumbles and a forgotten words or two.  Nevertheless,he does an amazing job.

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ZOO! Our Latest Trip and My Five Tips to Make the Zoo a Great Experience

Each year for Daniel's birthday in May, we renew our yearly family zoo pass.  The price seems a bit much all at one time but, after doing the math, it pays for itself in about two trips.  Our children love the zoo.  It's probably their most requested "thing to do" so that family pass comes in handy.  But, look, with two kids with autism, crowded, busy, public places are kind of. .  . well, a nightmare.  It can be sensory overload times a thousand on a sunny Saturday at the zoo.

But, you all, I've discovered a secret.  This is how we make trips to the zoo manageable and fun for everyone.  Here is is: we plan our trips for the last two hours of the day.  You will not find us lining up at the gate when the zoo opens.  Instead, we'll be there for the last two hours before it closes.

"But, that's only two hours of zoo time.  You can't see everything in two hours."  I know and that's okay.  We see what we can see in two hours and then we save the rest for another day. Before we even get there, we ask each of the kids what they'd like to see that day and we make sure we get to those exhibits.  We also get zoo maps for the older two and let them "navigate our course."  This is fun for them, great for me (my sense of direction is broken and my map skills are questionable.  You do not want to be lost in the forest with me.  We will die), and, although the kids don't know this, it's educational too. Two hours is also the perfect amount of time.  When we got to the zoo, they kids were excited and ready to explore, but around the two hour mark, they start to look like this:

Two hours seems to be about everyone's (parents included) threshold for zoo fun.

But wait, there's more (yup, I totally sound like an infomercial). The last two hours of the day are the best two hours of the day.  Seriously.  First, living in the Houston area in July means temperatures in the 90's and humidity of 150% (you think that's not possible but come here in July and you'll see I'm not making that up).  In the evening, things start to cool down a bit or at least become slightly less inferno-like. Parking is also much more readily available in the late afternoon. This also means the zoo itself is noticeably less crowded.  There aren't hordes of people to contend with and that immediately makes the trip smoother for us. Less crowds and noise means more fun for our family!

Now, 5 p.m. might be close to dinner time for most of us.  Make sure to bring snacks and water, lots of water.  Our zoo recently installed water bottle fill up stations, which makes refills a snap. As for snacks, pack things that are individually wrapped and easy to eat while walking.  It never fails that five minutes after we've arrived (anywhere, it seems), someone is hungry.  Throw a granola bar at them and proceed to the bears.

Speaking of bears and lions and cougars and giraffes, you'll get to see all of these at the zoo.  Even better, guess what happens at the end of the day?  Feeding time!  But also, the nocturnal animals that always seem to be sleeping when you're at the zoo?  They're awake!  The animals showed up in a big way this trip.

In just two hours, we saw bears play-fighting:

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Cougars stalking our children:

A giraffe that would have licked Daniel if there wasn't that pesky glass:

An ostrich giving my husband the stink eye:

And we took mildly inappropriate pictures of the kids pretending to touch animals' bottoms.(We are that family).

We only had one escaping child (not anywhere close to the gorillas) but he only made it as far as the carousel (which we got to ride for free because it was late in the day, there wasn't a line, and the attendants were awesome).  By an hour or less until closing, all the food establishments are closed and the zookeepers have completed all their talks.  But the lack of crowds far outweighs those things for us.  I can see it in our chldren too.  They are calmer. They have more time to see the animals they'd like to see. They are enjoying themselves more.  Gideon, in particular, seemed to have a wonderful time.  He was fascinated with the animals and engaged and mindful of what was going on around him.

Gideon, checking out some ducks and turtles

Going on outings, for our family, can be very challenging so it's important for us to find ways to make it easier.  We go on these excursions knowing there will be mishaps.  We go, as parents, knowing that it will probably not be fun for us at all.  But we go because these experiences are important to the kids.  Why not try to make them as fun and enjoyable as possible?  Just making a few simple changes to our schedule or remembering to pack an extra snack can make all the difference for us.

Here's what I've found to be my top five tips for the zoo:

1. If you can swing it, get a year family zoo pass.  If you plan on going to the zoo at least twice in a year, it's paid for itself.  We try to go at least once a month.  Your zoo pass also gets you discounts on food and at stores in the zoo.  Plus, many zoos participate in a nationwide reciprocity program.  My zoo pass also allows me entrance into over 150 other zoos for free or at half price.  How cool is that!?
2. Take your trip to the zoo the last two hours of the day.  Check your zoo hours and also makes sure to check the cut off time for allowing visitors in.  (For our zoo, it's an hour before closing). I promise there's better parking and less crowds.  We find a noticeably less busy zoo on any day of the week but Monday thru Thursday seem to be even less crowded.
3. Take snacks and water.  Hydrated kids with full bellies are way happier and more fun. Not many food establishments/snack shacks/etc will be open that late in the day so make sure you're covered.
4. Give your kiddo a map of the zoo and have them plan out your course. Maps seem to be something my oldest son with autism is drawn to so this helps to keep him involved and interested. Plus, if you can sneak some good skills practice in there, all the better.
5. Have each child choose the one animal they need to see and make sure you get to see them that day. Then relax and enjoy yourself.  Don't kill yourself trying to see everything at once. Your trip will be rushed and less fun for everyone.

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Mommy/Kid Photo Challenge, Days 13-20

Here's my weekly round up of pictures from the photo challenge. Some of the pictures are terrible quality but I've had so much fun taking pictures with the kids this week.  We've made so many great memories!

If you want to read more about the challenge and why I challenged myself, click here: Memories and Photographs

Day 13 (It's a selfie, so bear with me).

Katherine: You jump on the trampoline with me. 

Me: Mommy has a headache. 
Katherine: I kiss it.

All the feels . . . . Yes, I jumped. 

Day 14

Here's one of me and the Gideon-Monster (and apt and well-earned nickname. He's the the cuddly kind of monster though).

Ps. I apologize for looking like I'm about to scold you for talking too loud in the library.

Day 15

I know, I know. It's another foot shot but one of those feet is me (and, keep in mind, I wear a 9.5) and the other foot is my just-turned 10 year old son. Daniel officially has bigger feet than me.

How did this happen?!?!?

Day 16 

Family dance party while dinner is cooking. A favorite pastime in our house.

Day 17 

We got a few new books today, one of which was "Cinderella." Katherine and I read it SEVERAL times. She also would not let her brothers touch it, under penalty of certain death.. . 

Day 18 
A perfectly imperfect picture of me with the kiddos at the zoo yesterday. This is one of those pictures that sort of speaks for itself.  Seriously though, we had a great time . . . .

Day 19

Bedtime snuggles with Katherine. 

Day 20

Just me and some cuties I found at the park.

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Guess what?  A Stone's Throw from Perfection now has its very own Facebook page.  It needs friends.  Can you help?  Click here to join: A Stone's Throw From Perfection Facebook page

Did you enjoy this read?  Want a good place to start?  Click here: Telling the Truth