Stars and Stripes

The 4th has become a favorite around here.  We parade through our park with our neighborhood posse, play at the playground, toss water balloons, throw eggs at each other, and eat Popsicles at 10:00am.  We then head to our pool for a day of volleyball, stuffing our faces, swimming until our kids literally crash, unable to move or stop crying, and head home.  This year Dude was in Chicago at Camp Nana and Papa.  We ended the day at a private park viewing of some local fireworks and she proceeded to fall fast asleep on my lap the MINUTE before the crash, bang and booms commenced.  We couldn't wake her up.  Pinching wasn't even successful.

 Our smallest parade to date, but neighbor man, Cliff, brought a bounce house from his work, which was a total treat for the littles.  

 I do quite enjoy watching my man play volleyball.  He's quite the attractive athlete in my humble opinion.

Happy birthday USA.  Looking forward to celebrating you again next year.

Denver to Jackson to Yellowstone to Big Sky and Back

Tim and I randomly purchased an auction item at Dude's school event last year that forced us to plan a trip to Big Sky Montana for a 2 night stay and 2 rounds of golf.  It might have been the alcohol talking at the event, but we figured it would give us an excuse to get away this summer.  It worked.  In an effort to save money we decided to drive and then realized just what an excellent decision that was.

We drove 8 hours from Denver to Jackson, WY, which is where Tim spends a substantial amount of time for work.  They have an office there with a beautiful condo atop.  Check.  It was fun to experience a town I hear about so often. We took a 4 mile walk, ate, stopped in at a co-worker's house for drinks and comrade re and called it a night.  Sweet little town.  The next morning we drove another 5 hours through the one and only Yellowstone National Park, passing the IN YOUR FACE, magnificent Teton Mountain range.  Neither of us had been through Yellowstone since we were kids, so this was an absolute treat.  It's remarkable just how much beauty is encompassed in one national park.  Waterfalls, mountain peaks, valleys, ravines, buffalo, bears, bubbling brooks, angry geysers, towering elk, moose, green pastures, boiling hot sulfur ponds...unbelievable.

We ended that day in Big Sky, Montana, which is also crazy scenic and breathtaking.  Our rad cousin, Dan, hooked us up with an upgraded condo unit with fantastic views and lunch at a private golf course...not too shabby my friends.  We took the same trek back to Jackson the following day to eliminate that 4-5 hour stretch on our drive home.  That took us through Yellowstone at dusk, the perfect time to mosey on through.  We made it home in time to pick our sweet Squirt up from saint of the year, Dara, before dinner time hit.  Yes, she took our child for 5 days without so much as a frown. Dude was in Chicago at Camp Nana and Papa, another reason this trip was feasible.  Special shout out to Emily and the Kroms for loving on our teddy bear Enzo.

I went a bit camera crazy, but when it comes to the magnificence of creation, I can't help myself.  I was hanging out the passenger window much of the time.  I hope you can get just a glimpse of the beauty we were blessed to be surrounded by for five days.

 The drive from Jackson to Yellowstone takes you along an open field with THIS on your left for a good 30 minutes.  Bam.

 "I took a walk in the woods and came out taller than the trees."  Henry David Thoreau

Psalm 95:4-5:  In His hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to Him.  The sea is His, for He made it, and His hands formed the dry land.

"There's no app for this."  Some random guy on Pinterest

Psalms 19:1

The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.

 So...it's hard to avoid thoughts of Yellowstone blowing up under your feet as you walk around acre after acre of angry, spewing, boiling hot gassy lakes, geysers and other freakishly random oddities.  It really is mind boggling and disturbing, especially when you're walking on wooden walkways, directly over stinking sulfur fields you KNOW could erupt at any second.  

Psalm 98:8:  "Let the rivers clap their hands.  Let the mountains sing together for joy." 

 

"You can't find wifi in nature, but you're guaranteed to find an amazing connection."  Another Pinterest random.

The angry little friend below announced himself out of nowhere.  He started as a calm, bubbling lake and BAM, he decided to erupt.  Reminded us of our sweet daughter.  

"Don't worry about perfection.  Nature doesn't grow in straight lines."  Liza Lubell

 The chairlift outside our resort in Big Sky.  Not bad.

 A chairlift-side tree with beads and bras.  Didn't realize this was a thing.  I also had no idea selfie-sticks existed.  The Asian tourists have supplied success for selfie stick manufacturers.  

 I rode along for 9 of the 18 holes in Big Sky with my Tim and another random man named Tim.  It was beautiful and, as much as I love watching my sexy golfer husband swing a club, the flies were breeding on every inch of my body.  I said goodbye to the Tims and the flies on the back nine and read my book in the clubhouse. 

"The earth has music for those who listen."  Shakespeare

"Take vacations.  Go as many places as you can.  You can always make money.  You can't always make memories."  Tim's work computer screen saver.

  These guys forced us (and 20 other cars) to pull over and just gaze at their large, head butting selves.      

We're so grateful to my parents and to our Dara for loving our littles and offering us piece of mind to get outta dodge and re-connect with nature as it was intended to be.  The fresh air was just what we needed.  Uninterrupted sleep certainly added to the experience as well.  That's a trip we'll repeat. Some day.    

From the Cry Room to Center Stage

I registered my kids for a bible camp this summer- a Vacation Bible School type of camp on steroids. Main reason being it was Monday-Friday from 8:30-3:30.  A week of solo sanity sounded too good to be true.  It was held at a church we hadn't ever been and it was a huge camp, filled with energy filled kids and energy filled activities to match.  I dropped Squirt off in her quiet area for the little campers first and walked away feeling confident in her comfort level and ability to roll with the camp punches.

Next I brought Dude to the sanctuary...the loud, energy packed sanctuary.  We found his group, The Ark, and I sat him down with 15 other Arkers and two counselors.  I explained to them that he has high functioning Autism, but he typically adjusts quickly and would be fine.  His face was puckered and his hands immediately went into his mouth (of course I forgot his chew necklace, essential in situations like this one).  I decided to sit off to the side to observe for a bit and when he saw me I got a scowl of death.  He was so incredibly uncomfortable in his surroundings and was starting to hunch his body to avoid exposing himself to the chaos any more than he had to.  When the man in the gorilla suit started running toward him I decided to act.  He and I sat in the back row, he looked at me and said, "MOM, did you see the gorilla running at me?  I thought he was going to eat my face!  This place makes my body very nervous."  Then he started weeping in my shoulder and I felt like a complete failure as his advocate and mom.

We left the sanctuary and sat on the stairs while he cried.  With perfect timing, Squirt walked by with her group all smiles and giggling...a reminder of just how different my kids are.  Dude turned and saw the room labeled, "Cry Room" and decided they had made a room just for him and that's where we should go.  It was a welcomed solution.  We watched the chaos of the sanctuary for 45 minutes, listened through the speaker system, talked through his body's reactions to what was going on and came up with a Plan B for the week.  The Cry Room would be his safe haven.  The director of the camp, an amazing new friend, came in and talked through this plan with us and assigned some high school volunteers to be his buddies.  They would sit with him in the Cry Room in the morning and at the close of camp.  He could rest assured that the chaos could be avoided and he would have a place of his very own where his body felt at ease.

After an hour of finding a Plan B and delivering Dude to his first breakout group, I left the building feeling somewhat confident in his camp week but keeping my phone very close.  When I came to pick up my littles, Dude was securely in the Cry Room with his new friends.  The day was good and he smiled with excitement for the next day of camp.  I breathed more freely.  Plan B worked.  Squirt was melting down, but that's normal for my emotional sleep deprived 4 year old.  The day was a success and that felt great.

We followed that plan through Thursday and Friday was the performance for all the parents.  My friend, Dara, and I arrived early and took our seats in the sanctuary.  I wasn't sure what to expect, but I knew Squirt would be on on stage with her group of little people and I had my camera ready.  The kids all filed in and THIS is what my little eyes saw.  THIS is what made my little eyes tear up over. And THIS is what made my heart soar.

 He joined his group in the chaos.  He started in the aisle, dancing like a little fool. 

 He turned around a number of times to find me, looking for my pride.  He knew it would be there.

 

 Toward the end, my son ran on stage and lead the entire camp in song.  The lights were bright, the noise was loud, the visuals were complex and he thrived in his passion for praising Jesus, despite it all.  Not because of me - because of himself.  

 
Plan B provided the security my kiddo needed and the rest he was able to accomplish on his own. We do have to be selective in what situations we force him into, but he proves to us, over and over, how joyful he'll be if given a fair chance to participate in ways that work for his sensory sensitive self.   He needed me that first day.  Sometimes I forget how essential it is to be by his little side through life, but I also forget just how resilient he is and how far a Plan B goes in his world.  Camp High Five was a week that will remain in my heart as a triumphant A+ for my little man (and his Mama).