It's time for me to do another giveaway! My September giveaway went so well, with nearly 70 entrants for the apron and apron pattern from Amelia's Aprons, that I'm thinking I might try to make this a monthly thing. We'll see how this one goes :-)

Up for grabs this month is the hardcover book with CD All in One Curriculum for Pilgrim's Progress from Answer's in Genesis!! I have been wanting a study to go along with John Bunyan's book for a while and I finally found one!! At the end of the giveaway, the winner will need to provide me with a shipping address and I will have it shipped straight from the Answers in Genesis store. 

So, all you have to do to enter is leave a comment, and if you want a second entry, then post about the giveaway on your blog. You can even use this snazzy little giveaway graphic that I made if you want!!

Just copy ALL of the following code to place it in your blogs sidebar or a post to get that second entry:

<a href="http://www.angelfire.com/sc/anderklan/seasidetales/index.blog/1343095/october-giveaway-pilgrims-progress-allinone-curriculum/" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v404/anderklan/pilgrimsprogressgiveaway.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

Thanks for entering and sharing!! Have a blessed week!

Sallie

Sallie

Happy Columbus Day everyone! Mike went hiking with the boys early this morning. They really enjoy that!! We will probably all going hiking together again this afternoon. It is so nice to be in the middle of the forest with all its little hills and gullies and trails right here on base. It is at least very convenient!

I was making buckwheat pancakes for "brunch" but Caleb loves to be in the kitchen and cooking so I'm letting him finish up. I think it is very important to make sure your boys know how to do their own cooking and laundry while still living at home. They might not always live at home, yet they might not have a wife right away either. There are just a few things that are good to know no matter what gender you are :-) Right?! Anyway, for a topping we always add a bit of water to strawberry preserves (or plum, yum!) and microwave it to a syrup consistency and use that to top our pancakes and waffles. I sometimes buy syrup (or make my own) but I like buying things that do double duty. The leftover buckwheat pancakes will be good for peanut butter sandwiches later this afternoon, or as a side to dinner tonight.

I have been lacking in the sleep department lately. Many nights I just can't sleep and so I haven't been my full self in recent weeks. I didn't fall asleep until 4 a.m. Sunday. I was so tired but I had promised to fill in for Mrs. Sarah in Sunday School as she and Pastor were out of town for a wedding. I loved it! It was so awesome talking with the boys and girls about Abram/Abraham and what it means to be a patriarch and how he was in Jesus family tree. We talked about our homeschool because one of the verses this week happened to be about Abram and Lot and not quarreling. They were all so sweet and I had such a good time with the class :-) Church service was awesome and we had a powerful prayer time for one of our older gentleman who has a back problem (a growth on the bone is basically breaking his back). I love prayer time! We didn't do anything after church except rest and I ended up going to bed about 4 and sleeping until 6:30 this morning. Now that was refreshing!!

Today I am cleaning our office/music room and I will paint at least one of my small tables. I WILL, I WILL, I WILL!!! I hope you all have a blessed day :-)

Sallie

Life with Asperger's Syndrome can be very confusing. Many days, Caleb is very high functioning and you would never expect that there is something different about the wiring in his brain. Other days, it's quite obvious that this child has some real issues.

Caleb continues to mature and grow and his bad days are few and far between now. However, one bad day in particular always comes to mind when I think back in time for an example of Caleb's bad days. It must have been about 3 years ago. He was about 11 years old and everything, and I mean everything, had been going bad that afternoon. Add to it that I was on my high horse (not exactly sure of the reason but probably something to do with Mike being in Iraq I'm sure) and that I was meeting out direction and commands to everyone who would listen, and you soon realize that nothing good could come of the situation. Eventually Caleb reached the melting point of having too many directions thrown at him at one time and his wires pretty much got fried.

I remember him distinctly walking up the stairs to do something I had told him to do while I was still dishing out more commands and he just lost it. All control was tossed out the window as he screamed "Dammit, woman!" at the top of his voice! In a flash, all of the other children scattered faster than a car traveling on the autobahn. "Oh my!!" was the only thing registering in my brain for several seconds! The look on his face was priceless. Seeing it, I instinctively knew that Edvard Munch must have used a child with Asperger's to create his famous painting, The Scream. I witnessed that stricken look of horror on my stairs as Caleb shrunk into a ball on the stairs and started bawling. He knew he had crossed a barrier with disrespect that should have never in all that is holy been dared to be crossed.  

There could be no punishment dished out this day. I had exasperated my child and I knew it.  I am commanded not to do that just as much as he is commanded to honor me as a parent.  I sat beside Caleb on the stairs and we both cried and held on to each other for comfort. I sought his forgiveness as he continued to say "I'm so sorry" through his tears.

Everything stopped that day. The chores were put on a back burner. We ordered out for dinner and we sat together as a family and watched a movie and played games. There are always things to accomplish but there are some things that are just stopping points. This moment was one of them. We all needed to regroup and put each other first.

As a parent of a special needs child I have learned that I must command authority and respect. I can not let my child use his diagnosis as an excuse to misbehave on a daily basis. I see that all to often in society and I do not want that to happen within my own family. However, I also realize that there will be some days that are just bad days with wrenches thrown into the mix that make everything go cattywompus. Unfortunately, I realize that sometimes it is of my own making and I have to correct myself in order to correct my children, especially Caleb.

I would never exchange Caleb for a different child if given the opportunity. He is the blessing that God gave to our family and there has never been a day that I thought I could live without him. That thought actually brings tears to my eyes! There is not another child in this world who can make the sound effects he can make (think cross between any of George Lucas' characters and Rowan Atkinson ). There is not another child who can give me hugs the way he does. And, yes, there is not another child who can stop me in my tracks with the things he says... good or bad! My life has been made extra special by the son God gave me. I thank God for His most generous blessing each and every day!

What are some life lessons you have learned from having a special needs child? I encourage you to thank God everyday for the blessing you have been given...

Sallie

I'm afraid of painting furniture. There, I've said it. I have everything I need. I even have the garage prepped to do the deed. But, I feel like I'm gonna break out in hives or a cold sweat every time I have a free moment to paint. What's up with that?!

Is there a name for it? Perhaps paintaphobia? Should I be on drugs? Is there a cure? Am I destined to never get my stuff painted and my house finished like I want so that I can be excited for company to come over? My heart is palpitating just thinking about it.

I mean, it's not like I've never painted my furniture before because I have. Several times. I wonder if living in military housing for F-O-R-E-V-E-R has diluted the creative, painted furniture sensitive side of my brain. Please, say it isn't so!

Maybe the fear is more in the color choices I've made. Or the style I'm going for. Painting things a white, distressed, antiqued, shabby chic sort of finish wasn't too hard. Of course, it doesn't hurt that you feel sort of like you can't really screw up with that style choice either. Pretty much anything goes. To a degree.

But this time I want something smoother. Elegant. Stylish, even. Maybe I'm afraid of taking the plunge. Maybe I'm afraid that once I move over to the dark side of elegance that I won't be able to move back to the side I love. Farmhouse style... country style... casual style. Maybe I'm afraid I can't mix the two together and still have that great eclectic look that we've always managed to achieve. Maybe I'm afraid I'll like it.

Whatever the reason might be, I have to get over this fear and just do it. I mean, good gracious me, people, I've even cleaned in my free time to avoid this job! Enough procrastinating already. It has to be done!

Pray for me. I might just come out the other side a changed woman!

Visit Rachel Anne's Home Sanctuary to join other Company Girls for coffee this week by clicking here. Now, there's a gal who isn't afraid of painting. She's so unafraid that she had her head in the clouds this last week. Go take a look and see what I mean :-)

Sallie