Saturday, February 3, 2018

Max's talk

While driving to Max's dad's office he shared his thoughts about when you want to eat seafood you have to fish for it and you also have to fish for money to buy it because it's expensive.
He sure knows how to keep us laughing. 

Max still tells me everyday that I'm beautiful and often I tell him, thank you, and other times I tell him I don't feel beautiful at that moment.
He always comes back with, "Mom you are always beautiful."

Last Sunday Max gave an amazing talk in Church on how he recognizes God in his life. My eyes watered watching and listening to him share his thoughts.
Never ever did I think he would be capable. 

He shared his thoughts about one of his favorite people, Brother Irvine. Brother Irvine has touched our family's life and we will never forget his influence on our family. He came to both my parents funerals to take care of Max while I spoke at their funerals. Both him and his talented, beautiful wife always came to our rescue.

Max also got his Duty to God award Sunday. Its an award that boys ages 12-18 can earn by reading  scriptures and doing service projects, plus many others things too. It was difficult for him to achieve, but he did it. I'm so proud of him. This month he is going to have his Eagle project. For his Eagle project he will help lead with Coach Eve, from Special Olympics, by running a Basketball event for special needs people. 

Max wanted to do an Eagle project that was connected to Special Olympics because he feels blessed with how Special Olympics has, and still does make him feel like he matters.
Special Olympics Rocks!

Max shared with my husband (Max's father) and I for two hours what he wanted in his talk.
Then, Max's father and him typed it. 

Max's talk he gave Sunday 

Recognizing God in our Lives

When I was young I had a difficult time communicating until I was over 5 years old.  I don’t remember much from that part of my life, but I remember one person, Brother Irvine.  Brother Irvine asked our Bishop for the opportunity to work with me in nursery. After his call to work with me in Nursery he attended primary with me until we left that ward when I was six years old.  I remember Brother Irvine was different than the other teachers.  He helped to calm me and even took me on walks and taught me about all the things that were around the church.  I remember asking him one time what happened to your hair, he was bald.  He told me that an ant eater ate it all. 
Brother Irvine still visits me and when I got the assignment to talk today on this subject, of recognizing God in our lives, I remembered how I believe Brother Irvine was sent by God to help me.  Brother Irvine is a brilliant man, he’s an engineer for NASA and he is autistic like me.  I believe God had his hand in putting Brother Irvine in my life and my family’s life.

When I was young I use to escape out of my house and dart for the main highway. My mother was grateful that one of our neighbors found me walking alone in the middle of the road and brought me back to my home.  I know God had his hand in my life.
Last year, Mom and I were in a rather serious auto accident.  It was discovered because of that accident that Mom had some serious medical issues that needed to be dealt with.  If the accident would not have happened, Mom may have still not have known about the issues.  I know God had his hand in my family’s life.
Fifty-five years ago, Roger was a milk man in Prescott Arizona and was impressed by a gas station attendant that was always happy.  He got the courage up to ask the man; “Why are you always so happy?”.  That is the start of my Mother’s parents learning about the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  I am a part of the third generation in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  I am sure God had his hand in that man being an influence in my Grandfather’s life.
Doctrine & Covenants 59:21 
And in nothing doth man offend God, or against none is his wrath kindled, save those who confess not his hand in all things, and obey not his commandments.

Moses 1: 39 For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.

God’s entire work is helping us to gain eternal life and I know he puts people in our life to help us to get back to him. 
I hope I will always be able to recognize his hand in my life. 
I never want to offend my Father in Heaven. 
I know he loves us and I love him.

Wednesday, November 15, 2017

Max's Experiences


Max had his last high school invitational meet and
he was not happy with how he swam.
He had a cough that dragged him down. 
He kept asking me if I thought he would go to state for the high school.
I knew he wouldn't, because of how he came in last in every heat. 
All because of his nasty cough he had. 


Max at the invitational meet


Max in Coach Eve's Jacuzzi.

Behind him is Coach Eve and Coach Jonah 



Max got his Wisdom teeth pulled on Friday November 11th






Max did awesome with getting his IV in his arm. 



The drive home


    


Max coming out of the anesthesia



Here is Max with ice packs on his cheeks. 



Saturday, October 21, 2017

Max got his braces off

On October 11th. Max got his braces off!!! He had them on since March 2016. 
This last year and half have been difficult with brushing and flossing.
I flossed his teeth for over a year and decided I needed to find another way
to help him clean his teeth.
So we invested in a water pick which was a life saver.


Before braces off.



Max with his orthodontist and braces off.



High School last Swim meet










 



Max got 3 gold medals at State Special Olympics 2017


Max freestyle 100




Max Freestyle 50





Max Butterfly 50



Max was disappointed that he didn't get to swim the relay
with his team members.
We did get a picture of them together. 


Friday night Special Olympics served dinner for the athletes and had opening ceremonies.
Max got be in the torch run. 



Thursday, October 5, 2017

YoU aRe BeuTiFuL


Several times in a day Max will tell me I'm beautiful.
He tells me in the morning while eating breakfast,
he tells me when I pick him up from school.
He tells me when I'm ironing his shirt and
he tells me while we are sitting in church.
One day I counted how many times he told me I was beautiful.
I lost count after 27 times. 

The picture below is with his Grandma Reynolds.
 Max is her youngest grandchild .


Max's grandma is a British lady who grew up and married in England
and is the oldest child of 12. 
Max looks at her with compassion and love.
He also tells her she is beautiful. 

A month ago we were over visiting his Grandma
and she was watching a show that he did not like.
It was a scary show to him and he asked her to turn it off. She wasn't happy about it,
but she did.
On our way home from her house he said,
"Mom that show Grandma was watching did not bring a good spirit."

Max believes that any show that is scary is not one that brings a good spirit.
She wasn't watching a bad show just not one he approved of. 

When Max was little I never thought he would be able to say, I love you or you're beautiful. 
For those who have special needs children who deal with Autism you can relate to the pain of wondering if your child will ever be able to express their thoughts and opinions.
And Max was able to express his opinion on the show Grandma was watching. 

Max still copes with explaining homework assignments, a activity he went to
or what happened that made him upset or happy. 
I have to second guess his experiences of what happened when he is away from home.
And email his teachers for homework. 

I try not to compare him to others his age. It would be wrong of me as a mother.
How many 17 year young men tell their mother they are beautiful 27 times a day?

I have been blessed with five amazing children.
Each one of them has given me more
than money could ever buy. 


I thank my Heavenly Father for letting me be the mother to five wonderful children. 

I have been blessed. 

Oh, Max said yesterday. "Lets skip Halloween and have Thanksgiving and Christmas. 
Max does not like Halloween and hasn't since he was young. He doesn't like candy and he does not like it when I put up Halloween decorations. I have decided to get rid of the Halloween decorations and put up fall decorations instead.