The world would be better off without us...

I woke up this morning to read this article... http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20091220/sc_afp/lifestyleclimatewarminganimalsfood
Perhaps it is just me, but why in the world did God give us animals, if we are not supposed to have them? Maybe it is like the whole forbidden fruit thing, and we just don't know it? I don't think so, the Bible that I have read tells me that He made animals to be our companions. Adam was told that he could name them as he pleased. God realized that the animals were not enough for man, and then he was given woman. Wait!!! That can't be right! God didn't give Adam another man? He wanted man to have a companion and He gave him woman???

I don't know what the world is coming to, but I can tell you that it would be a much better place if we just listened to what God gave us. It seems like our whole lives are devoted to trying to make everything fit how we want. Bending the rules, and becoming "tolerant" of differences. Concealing hatred by labeling people as "prejudice" if they choose to follow the plan that is set out for us to follow. We should just be more understanding of the folks that choose to find ways to make sin acceptable in man's world. There are many examples of what happens to those people also if you take the time to read the Bible. I don't want to be one of them.

I am not perfect by any means. I make mistakes and I don't do everything that I should. I just know that I am terrified by what I see the world around me turning into. I want to find a way to make the world a better place. The world that God intended us to live in.

End of rant for today, I guess.

It's that time of the year again...

Today was Ben's annual ARD at school. Over all it went pretty well. I think that we came up with some pretty good ideas.
The psychologist is going to work with his teacher to make him a visual schedule with digital pictures and Velcro so that things can be moved if need be, and she is starting a social skills group. (I have only begged for this for 4 years now, so it is a record in speedy response...)
I was pleasantly surprised by the idea that we try to wear under armor to sleep in opposed to a weighted blanket. This will be about $250 dollars cheaper than a new weighted blanket, and he can wear it to school under his uniform... I was even more pleasantly surprised when I borrowed a shirt from his more athletic brother, and he LOVED it when he put it on.
I had to make a choice between crying and laughing when we addressed the OT's goals for the upcoming year. I chose to laugh. They consisted of... writing using a proper tripod grip on the pencil, learning to write the letters a-z correctly, and proper word orientation on the lines with proper use of the margins. Hmmm... thousands of dollars and years later,we are still working on the same goals. Come on folks, it isn't going to happen. I did get a tiny little blurb actually written into his IEP this year about using the typing to learn program. I guess that is actually a step in the right direction. I am sorry, but it just seems like when he can't write after 6 years of therapy, perhaps it is becoming more discouraging to him, and could be causing him to have lower self esteem. Let's try to change gears and work on something else that he might be able to do well.
There was another major melt down this evening. He tried to bite me, and ran out the door screaming that he was going to run away. He came back really quickly when I went out the door carrying the phone and told him he had to come inside, or I had to call the police. I thought that getting through puberty was hard with an ordinary child, it is going to be a life changing experience with Ben...
Overall, I guess the summary of the day is this. I have made it through another one. All of my children are home and in bed asleep. They all have their fingers and toes still. The favorite khaki pants are now in the dryer. Everyone ate dinner and did their homework. So I guess that I must have done my job pretty well today. We'll start again tomorrow and hope for a tantrum free day.

Another Ben story....

We had some friends over for dinner and a game Friday night. As we sat at dinner, and we had conversation, it turned to our guest's new wedding band. There was discussion of what kind of metal the ring was made of. He was telling us that he had developed an allergy to gold, and was unable to wear his wedding band, so his wife had bought him a new one. He took it off to read the inside and tell us. The writing was too small for his eyes, and Ben sitting next to him, asked to see if he could read it. When Ben couldn't make it out, he got really excited when he remembered that he had a survival tool around his neck. He broke out the magnifying glass inside of it. "It says something about China!" he announced. And of course all of us started laughing. "What! It does!" he yelled, just to be met by more laughter.
Ben went to bed that night not knowing what was so hilarious to all of us. What a curse for someone that struggles so hard to understand humor.

The poll is over and the verdict is in!

So the name is Cujo! She is so vicious that she chases my 20 pound cat around the house!

It's time!!!

The new puppy arrived home last night after an exhaustive day at the air show with the kiddos.

We are all so excited, I don't know if I might be more excited than the girls even...

She slept in Sato's crate last night since she was too tiny to sleep in anything bigger. He laid in front of the crate twitching his tail for the longest after we got him to get out. I know, only Ben would have a cat with an identity crisis so bad that he wants to "kennel up". The night was peaceful with little crying and two trips out to the potty. We actually woke up for an hour before she was ready to wake up.

In Lucie's happy tradition, we have decided to put up the final names that have been selected for a vote. If no one votes, then I have the say. The first 4 are Japanese names. Akiko means Autumn child. Kioko means adored one. Kumiko means companion child. Keeki means cake. That one is because Sadie kept saying that she wanted to name the puppy strawberry cupcake, so we shortened it. Jordan was what Sadie was calling the puppy this morning when we woke up. Ben wanted Cleopatra, which I don't want because my sister has a cat named Cleo. Chris suggested Ping Pong. I have since wished that I had put Pumpkin on there. We had also tossed around Wednesday, Morticia, and Elvira since it is almost Halloween.

Thanks for any help, and let the voting begin!!!

Janet Reno's Dance Party!!!

Nothing like a rainy day of dancing it up...

Puppy week two pics

We all can't wait to see her with her eyes open, but here are the newest pics of her. Still searching for names. Sadie wants to call her Strawberry Cupcake for some reason... I think that we will probably go with a Japanese name, but I am still not sure. Got 4 more weeks to think on it...