Wordless Wednesday

Word Filled Wednseday

Family California Vacation Day one

We had the car packed the night before and left at 4:20 a.m.
After the breakfast, morning chores and all it was only an hour before we were on the road.
The whole trip the kids were so amenable and easy.
Driving straight through with the stops to stretch and refresh took around 7 hours.
We arrived at the beach Friday just before noon.
It was so beautiful!
A balmy 78*?

The Beach
We went to Balboa Beach
Mercy had it that we found a parking spot after only one time around the loop.
It was packed with traffic!

The kids were stunned by the ocean.
It had been 6 years for any of us to have witnessed that wonderful splendor.
How awesome!
We had a grand day gathering shells and finding treasures.

Dove asked Daddy man to use the camera and snapped a shot of a happy Mom.

It felt so good to get out and walk.

Of course the customary rolling up of the pant legs was in order knowing full well that it was an act of futility :)Oh they were having a BALL!

Daddy Man even sank his feet in.
By draping all the towels over the back window and the wind shield we made a makeshift changing room.
They were off!

Dove could not get enough of the waters intensity.
IT WAS COLD!!!!

It was so fun watching her.
She so wanted us to join her , but it was so cold that non of the rest of us could take it.
She just doesn't mind the cold at all, never has.

Dash after several t shirts found a beach buddy (sea weed) and never let it (her) out of his sight!
This was drug up and down the beach over and over and was fought for with a vengeance.
She wound up in a bag in the trunk only to be thrown away at the hotel (stinky!)

I am telling ya he was infatuated with this sea weed!

Steve and I just marveled at the joy he has finding in dragging It (her) all over.

We searched for sea shells and found two angle wings.
I found out later that she was threatened by the class girls with rejection if she did not bring them all one. This became an issue for we had to leave after some time to find food to eat for lunch. We were heading out to find a nice fresh seafood meal. I really wanted to have so me fresh seafood.

Well after dusting off and loading up we were off
It was on the way out of the area when we spied the turn for the restaurant and between me saying "there's the turn, turn there" and as Steve puts it "strewing up and turning into another lane of traffic this happened.

This was the other car
We were at fault for turning left they were out of sight at our right.

This hit us

we cleared the intersection and pulled over.
The other folks were so gracious.
They were Asian and I lowered myself in humility as I approached.
I apologized to each of the three, and confirmed they were alright.
A woman approached and said " I SAW THE WHOLE THING!"
Steve came to them and said "IT IS MY FAULT".
...well the witness dropped her jaw as well as her defensiveness and said
"OH , Oh alright then..." and then left.

Funny thing how humility brings peace.
I got the kids out and onto the curb they were totally undone.

Poor things.
Daddy man had given himself a tongue thrashing and they herd
"I ruined the trip".
Dash could not get those words out of his sweet little mind and would not be convinced otherwise for some time. Oh mercy that poor baby was undone.
So picture this...
Steve with the officer and the other party.
I on a curb with to freaked out little special needs kids who were totally undone.

Well God sent two women who really helped.
One who was able on my left side to convince Dash that the car was not "ruined", and the other to softly calm Dove while I helped Dash to hear the other woman , as I calmed Dove and introduced ourselves to the lady on Doves side all of this on knee at a grassy (thank God) curb.
Then Dove rallied and cheered up Dash.

Sweet Dash gave the Elder gentleman a few fresh picked dandelions and apologized that we wrecked his car. He smiled and bowed to the child. He spoke no English, but we all know that universal language of love.

The rear of our car damaged at the bumper, trunk, door and quarter panel.
It was however a very soft impact.
It was however an awful thing to have happened to my sweet husband.
We were too tired, hungry and just plain out of familiar territory.

We were able to hook up the bumper with a bungee cord I had "just happened to toss in the trunk".:)
We were given favor and we were not sighted!
So we limped into the hotel via a stop for duct tape, I called a claim in while my devastated sweet husband went in to get tape.

Well once at the Hotel we found out that the travel agency sold us ONE king bed for the 4 of us!
The hotel caught it and was going to set us up in a 2 queen room, gracious enough , but I had requested a KING and bunk beds and was under the understanding that that was what I had purchased.
I was calm and had discussed this over the phone when I confirmed. Steve and I had prayed for favor. Well Yep! God is gracious to us and we were given that favor and more.
Tired kids were thrilled to find two stuffed toy in the room and popcorn for the Free movie of our choice. However that TV was faulty so we watched snow ( no complaint) we were grateful!

The new additions to the family of stuffed toys in center

The Hotel was the CARTONA in Anaheim.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

view from our room
the best room in the house!!!!!!!!!!

Perfect view of the Disney fireworks

Swimming was a joy to them and we unloaded and rested.
We ate our meals in the room.
It had a refrigerator and a microwave oven.
Two rooms

after pool time...
We all showered and I popped the corn and we watched a movie together on the big bed and cuddled.
Nice peaceful end of the day.
We had all made an agreement to intentionally forget about the accident until after vacation!
We all stuck to it.
We chose not to LET IT destroy our time.
The children very respectful of the loss of spending money due to the pending deductible never begged for one thing!
We did the whole trip for under $1200. that's 4 days three at Disney for 4 people, trolley to park was a three day pass. We ate just the one meal at the park. Everything else was packed in, including the case of water a few at a time in a back pack. The locker was $7. a day for a full day(you could get in and out of it for 18 hours).
We only really needed it the two days.
It was so hot!!!!!!!!!!!
95* one day and the next I was told it was over 100*
We left mid morning, returned to the hotel until night fall.

Wake up sweet children.
Adventure ahead...
we began the new day with a wonderful FREE breakfast in the lobby dining room. Funny how it reminded me of Russia. It had just about anything you might need for a simple breakfast.
This was a $30 a day at least savings.
we loaded up the water and snacks....
Take at least a case of bottled waters. They are sold there at $3 each!
Burgers in the California Land side are the best buy at $40. ish for 4, but that is with a nice fixing bar of tomato, lettuce and such. No refills o $$$$ drinks.
We packed in lunches and kept them in the lockers, this included a can of soda or juice.

to be continued...

Home from Disneyland

Hello all,
We are home.
We were watched over
Protected
Given favor over and over and over and over and over again.
We came home a car limping as it is,
Bless God for DUCT TAPE!!!!!!!!!
For the first day we were in a car accident near the beach
The others involved at the seen was respectful,
The kids an emotional mess.
Sweet angles were sent to help me calm them.
No One was hurt.

It was wonderful at the beach
The wonder of the little ones was priceless
We were given favor by a stranger when our time had run out on our meter they inserted coin just prior to the meter attendant.
While parked at a Wally World Steve purchased the Duct Tape while I called claims.
We now have much to face including a $1000. deductible.
We were at fault :{

We Limped on into Anaheim, parked the car and
CHOSE TO FORGET ABOUT THE ACCIDENT AND GO ON!
Frugality a must
we had incurred the deductible


Our lodging gave us a upgrade for free ($35 savings x4)
The travel agency set us all up in one king bed!
an extra stuffed toy for free
wireless for free
a safe for free
Kindness unmeasurable!

Disney pictures to come as well as trip pictures.

I have THE most amazing children ever!!!!!!
Folks not one time did my kids ask us for one thing that we did not offer them!!!!!!
NOT ONE TIME!

We ate one meal in the park and out of the hotel room all the rest.
We back packed in water and snacks from home.
NOT ONE TIME DID THEY WINE OR BEG ABOUT ANYTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OVER and OVER
We were given unprecedented favor at Disneyland.
Personal attendance, grace and favor at long lines
taken to the FRONT of lines!!!!!!!!!
Given gifts!

Only once was a disappointment when we were forced to tell Dove no to a character meal $$$$$$$$$$
So We all held hand, prayed that God would make a way
SHE GOT THE SIGNATURE SHE WANTED!!!!!!!!!
SHE GOT THE HUG FROM AERIAL!!!!!!
Greater yet she saw GOD meet her hearts desire!!!!!!!!!!!
all character signatures were acquired and the kids were satisfied and very happy!

The very hardest thing of our trip....
We were faced with the severity of Doves Special Needs.
Having her in school, and only home on a schedule, well we forgot.
We forgot about her emotional status.
Her sensory, panic, social cognitive, and well just sweet beauty broke our hearts.

We told her she did not have to ride anything she did not want too.
However very first ride
WE screwed up!
We were almost at the head of the line after an hour and a half wait.
She given all the chances to wait with me , she not wanting to DISAPPOINT!
We (forced) convinced her to go, her and I both HATED IT!
Indiana Jones ride.
The boys have a separate taste than her and I.
The park was ruined for her after that!
My consequence for being selfish and not walking out.

We (I) was/were mostly forced to walk around with her the whole time.
She was over stimulated and cried and wept, and was just plain terrified.
She felt so bad about herself too (that was the worst part to me).
I spent almost the whole three days holding her at my side.
It was only perhaps a total of 4 hours we even got to see her smile.
It was really heart breaking.
I sobbed my eyes out this morning in the shower at the hotel just to release the stress of it.
It was really so hard.
She clung to me , yes clung!
Even on the little train!
It took me a day to regain her trust, three days for Steve.
What is scary to her was nothing to his mind.
So he simply did not understand the magnitude of it.
He felt awful too, we did not save 6 years for a trip to see our baby so distraught.

She did however love the pool.
At times we simply could NOT get her out of charater (fictional) when she was playing with her brother. It really is so hard to put into words what we expiernced that so opened our eyes. Steve and I both see it however and he suggested we make notes of it to have to get the help we may need for her. The education we need to help her as well.
I am so grateful that she is a happy child.

God has cleared the haze and now I must again face this sweet babies needs.
I must now become a mommy bear for her.
We do not know what her future holds, but we do know who holds the future.
Case in point...she cried and wept and was terrified to go into "its a small world".
It took almost half the ride to see a smile on her face.
She was just panicked!
We tried ear plugs it helped a bit.
The sounds , sights and sensory was just WAY WAY TOO MUCH for her.

Next vacation THE FOREST!

Now we felt this way six years ago (the last time we went).
I remember telling Steve NEVER AGAIN!
WE "thought" it was just her needing to out grow the 4 year old (at 6 years of age) inability of fact/fiction delineation.
She is now 11....
She is not just two years behind in the academics,
she is special needs in the other ways they tried to tell us about.
We just too easily became blind to it.
I listened too much to my critics and began to believe them that I was just making too much out of it, that "what do those professionals know anyway" "that's how they get their money out of you"...and all of that.
I fell victim to listening to all those well meaning nay sayers who lovingly wanted to just make us feel better. Maybe I needed too for a while, I just got so tired.
She really can't function normally.
My Sweet Lord she is still 4.
She is a grown up in body. A young lady who is only maybe 4-5 emotionally.
It really is sweet and beautiful to have her so full of that simple wonder.

Oh when she was happy !!!!!!!
It was mostly the sweet baby rides, and three outdoor roller coasters.
Only an outside coaster, the rush of movement was good.
An out side car, the tea cups.
Any heavy physical sensory movement with NO other stimulus.
It stimulated her sense's in a pleasing way.
EVERYTHING else was tears and trembling!

She may not "grow up" out of it.
We have work to do, more to learn and prepair for.
GOD will make us able , but we are both so stunned and deeply moved by the reallity of it.

Pretty big gift for us huh...

Dash had a blast!
He sucked it up!
Only thing was....His special needs....he can't take any physical free fall feeling and HATED roller coaster type rides!!!

Go figure...

Steve and I saw very little of each other.
We took turns with the kids.
Mostly though I kept Dove, for she was glued to me.
Dash wanted time with his daddy.

We enjoyed being with our children.
we are blessed!

Thankful Thrusday

We leave in the very early a.m. tomorrow.
We have a dear friend to tend the estate.
He has been recently blessed with employment at my husbands side.
30 years ago they once worked side by side.
Brothers and friends.
Amazingly he starts when we return.
It is so good to know that he is here for the life we leave behind as we are free to set off.

Oh Joy!
Small children await the day as they anticipate a journey.
The sensory issues faced them a bit.
I found sweet Dove asleep this morning
"IN HER CLOSET".
Change is a process when you have special needs darlings.
Slow transition called to wisdom to keep them home today.
Their little hands to fold the clothing to take.
Their little minds to process what is going on around them.
At their own pace they this day will prepare for a change, a different bed to sleep in.
They will anticipate sand on their toes and if that will feel nice or harsh, will the air be cold on skin or just right.
Noise and lights to consider as wisdom reminds me of my bag Of tools, tricks of the trade for this mother of special needs children.
Time to pause and reflect , watch for the next vision of action to take.
Made able for this task am I.
Made able.
Not able alone or on my own.

"This is not my mother or this is not my father HELP!",
rehearsed into a jubilant force of power!

I will flow into the end of my day.
This day that like my land , no more belongs to me but to the Love of a Father.
All the rides have been viewed on U tube.
The preventives measured and readdressed.
Open for question, rehearsing the trip.
It is like taking it thrice or even more.
Once there then....calm can easily be restored if need be.
They have played it out before.
Oh, but this day...
This day is new.
This day has begun.
Oh the joy.
Oh what fun.
They are so happy.
They are doing their laundry HAPPILY!