Different, Not Less

As a rule, I don't cry. Well, maybe at the end of It's a Wonderful Life at the line, "To my big brother George; the richest man in town!"

However, tonight I cried like a baby. Himself and I watched the movie Temple Grandin on HBO. Claire Danes performance as the title character was brilliant.

Temple Grandin is a woman with autism. She didn't talk until she was four years old. Now in her early sixties, she graduated college, earned a Master's degree and has a PhD. She is a highly respected scientist and advocate for autism.

Why was I crying? Because the sky's the limit for my Isabella! She may never be a scientist or have a PhD but, although I have always had hope for her, this movie gave me even more. We don't know what is going on in Bells' mind; how she processes information. Hopefully, like Dr. Grandin, she will be able to tell us one day.

Don't give up! As Dr. Grandin said, people with autism are different, not less.

Thank you, HBO.

With faith and hope, g

A Dizzy Day Entry

Have a bit of vertigo so...

Thank you, Peggy.



FOR TODAY... from gail's Daybook






Outside my window...a chilly February day


I am thinking...I'm so glad I don't have nausea with this bout of vertigo I am experiencing!


I am thankful for...the little girl who is sitting beside me keeping me company


I am wearing...jeans, orange top

I am remembering...my room mate from one summer of college


I am going...to pick up something from a freecycler for my niece tomorrow if I can drive


I am currently reading...The Apostle by Brad Thor


I am hoping...to get a lot of sponsors for our Autism Speaks walk in May


On my mind...using the Lent timeline to do something about weight loss


Noticing that...I don't recognize myself in the mirror any more


Pondering these words..."I haven't a clue how my story will end, but that's alright. When you set out on a journey and night covers the road, that's when you discover the stars. Quote by Nancy Willard..(thank you, Lisa)


From the kitchen...a defrosted chicken and vegetables waiting to be made into soup which will have to wait until tomorrow


Around the house...clean laundry eveywhere needing to be put away



One of my favorite things~a little girl's warmth as she leans on me




I really want to keep up with my blog so, if it takes using something like the daybook, so be it.

Be well, g

Simple Woman's Day Journal

January 25
Simple Woman's Day Book
From blogspot.com


The Simple Woman's Daybook~January 25th Edition


Outside my window...a very wet day

I am thinking...the lie down I just had is doing me a lot of good

I am thankful for... my comforts

I am wearing... a brown 3/4 length sleeve top and blue denim jeans

I am remembering...my grade school years

I am going... to have my hair done tomorrow and play with my great niece and nephew

I am currently reading... back issues of my one magazine subscription

I am hoping... to see resolution to Isabella's school situation

On my mind... how to get some things off my mind

Noticing that...Bells answered my question about what she did in school today

Pondering these words..."whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy- think about such things."

From the kitchen... a cold stove that needs my imagination and heating up

Around the house... attention is needed

One of my favorite things~ seeing progress in Isabella


Hoping you all have a wonderful week, g

One Big Family

Isabella didn't want to go to school this morning. This is not a common occurrence so I played it down by not mentioning it for a while.

When it was time to get dressed, she fought me a bit as she loves her bathrobe and doesn't want to take it off. Slippers are big in her world, too. Once it was time to go, all was well with the world...

...until it was time to go into the classroom. Blessedly, the pre-school autism class has its own outside entrance. Bells stood there not going to go win. Her teacher said, "Don't you want to see your friend, L?" In she went!

Next, M didn't want to go in. "Don't you want to play with the train, M?" asked one of the wonderful aides. "Train!" he repeated as he ran into the classroom with a big smile on his face.

M's dad and I smiled broadly at how his son and my granddaughter responded so well. His son had barely any speech before he started school and Isabella had little discernible speech. We rejoice together in the progress of our beloved "special" ones.

The more I read the comments of parents and loved ones of people with autism the greater a bond I feel with them. No one else understands our hopes and fears; our heartbreak and joys; our feelings of failure and of triumph. It is a kinship.

I do believe that very few of us would refuse a cure for autism. Some might but I know I would jump at it if it wasn't dangerous to my Isabella. Would I love her more? How could I. Would I love her less? I don't believe that could ever happen.

I still laugh nearly every day I am with Bells. We are blessed that she is not inside of herself all of the time but able to take part in every day tasks such as "helping" me in the kitchen and picking up after herself.

What would my life be like without her? I don't ever want to find out. Thank you God for my little Boo.

Thankful Thursday

January 07
Thankful Thursday

In following dear Meg's example, here are things I am thankful for:

a roof over my head

clothing on my back

food in my belly

health in my family

progress in Isabella's cognition

cars running well

chocolate being healthy

parents being alive and well

God in me

Can you add to this?

Just Don't Know

Just don't know what to make of what has been going on around here. Wisdom and discernment are needed and I am waiting upon the Lord to guide me.

As I am sure I have mentioned in the past, being a parent lasts a lifetime. Doesn't matter what your child's age is you still are happy when they are happy and sad when they are sad.

I've been blessed to quite often be able to learn from other people's mistakes. Don't get me wrong; I have made some of the stupidest mistakes in the past. What I am saying is that, had people not kept their counsel before I jumped in I might not have taken the plunges that brought me such pain. Telling me afterwards did no good.

Now I find myself weighing my words with my children; especially my daughter. I do speak up but it falls on deaf ears - or so I think. So much unnecessary pain. It hurts me.

Having a grandchild changes how you act toward your grown child, too. Her welfare needs to come first and, if I don't think it is, I want to jump right in. Tact is much more difficult.

Ugh. I am so happy I have prayer to help me through. I don't think I'd be alive without my faith. I'm not all that strong without God's hand holding me up.

Have you ever felt like giving up and running away? Oh, yes. I am blessed that I have a couple of places to go overnight if I feel I am going to burst.

If you have a child or children and you knew then what you know now would you have still had them? I love my children so much. That being said, there is only one way to get grandchildren...

Do you realize that those "perfect" families you see all around you aren't? Perfect, that is. Took me a while but yes, I realize it. I have found that, after getting to know them, I am happy to come home to what I live with.

Are you sick of holiday sweets yet? Just when I think I am I get a yen...

In saying the new year, are you saying "twenty-ten" or 'two thousand ten?" I want to say the latter but am afraid of being lazy and saying the former. I have a keen sense of being appropriate. heavy sigh

Be well, gail

Miracles and Such

There are skeptics among us but I believe in miracles.

This afternoon I sent out a prayer request to heal my migraine and it is gone. I put my hands on my niece's swollen, nine months pregnant baby belly and felt my new great nephew moving within her. At one of my Tuesday night meetings (group of women from my church), a members hands got hot and she touched several of us and we were all healed by the next day of what was ailing us (I was healed within an hour or so).

The greatest miracle of all that I have experienced was that God took a piece of Himself, came to earth and became human so that I might never be able to say, "Lord, you just don't understand." Not only that, He became sin whilst on the cross so that we could have a relationship with God and spend eternity with Him.

Can it get any better than that?

I no longer try to picture what heaven is like. There is no way my limited mind could ever do it justice. I tell my children what my mother told me: when you get there, whatever makes you happiest is what heaven will be like. As a child, I used to imagine unlimited boxes of Whitman samplers (chocolates). Himself hopes for reenactments of the miracles in the Bible like the parting of the Red Sea. Now, I am waiting in anticipation for when I join my Lord and savior. I know with everything in me that no joy on earth can compare.

In a few days, we will be celebrating the birth of that bit of God sent to earth. Technically speaking, shepherds don't watch over flocks in December so the actual date is up in the air. Does it really matter when Jesus Christ was born? I don't think so. All that matters was that He WAS born and why. Born to die that I may live.

My greatest desire is that all I know would come to know Jesus for their own. Sometimes I ache with this desire.

May the honoring of God by remembering Who He gave us be of the utmost importance in your life this week and always.

blessing, joy and peace, g