Disability is Natural

Theresa sent me an email from one of her friends recently that really touched my heart. This woman, Kathy Snow, having raised a son with a disability, echoed my feeling so well in an article she had written. I have been so impressed with her website that I thought it would be a good idea for everyone to check it out.

Her first few lines states, "disability is a minority group that anyone of us could join at anytime." I don't think we really realize how important that statement can be. Whether is be from an accident or illness or just getting old, we can or will become a person with a disability.

I remember going to McDonald's to meet Theresa a few years ago. The second I walked in I could tell that a couple of teenage boys had been staring and snickering at Theresa while she waited for me. After I sat for a couple of minutes I couldn't resist going over and asking them what was so funny. I then asked if they thought it would be funny if I dumped their milkshake on their heads. After I said that then I sat down at their table and told them about a little about Theresa and how smart and accomplished she is. I then pointed out to them that tomorrow one of them could get in an accident and would then be a person with a disability and how it could happen to anyone at anytime. This seemed to shock them into the reality of life for people with disabilities. They apologized and then I went back to visit with Theresa. Of course the whole time I was talking to them Theresa was sitting there giggling!

I never think of Theresa, or Rich or Cindi for that matter, as anyone but who they are and so it has been easy for me to do things like teach special needs seminary. But sometimes I have to stop and remember that everyone doesn't have the opportunity to interact with people with disabilities on an everyday basis. We are the blessed ones for having these brave and courageous people in our lives.

Please check out Kathy Snows' website. She does a wonderful job with it and it's very uplifting to read her articles!

http://www.disabilityisnatural.com

My Favorite Time of Year

As you know, I LOVE CHRISTMAS! I love everything about it. I love the shopping, wrapping gifts, cooking, planning parties, but most of all the Christmas decorations. If I had my way I would spend every night driving around looking at the lights and decorations through out town. A favorite memory was the two years before Mom died and we took the kids to San Diego to spend Christmas with her and went to Candy Cane Lane down there. Now they really know how to decorate a house!

I like decorate my house the weekend of Thanksgiving. I have some really pretty fall decorations so like to keep them up for Thanksgiving Dinner. So, as usual the morning after Thanksgiving Theresa, Tera, and I did the madness of Black Friday shopping at 5:00 am. We sure miss having Jana and Brandi with us. Theresa and I lasted until 2:30! She then spent another night with us as she was too darn tired to go home. Part of the fun was helping Theresa buy new ornaments for her tree.

On Saturday I got a good start on my decorating and got both trees up. Monday night found me up on the 9' high ledge in the living room. Tera and TenLee were over that night and TenLee kept climbing the ladder to hand me lights and things and pretty soon she climbed up there with me!!! What a good little helper she is!

Hopefully I will finish my decorating tonight and then maybe this weekend I can convince Frank to help on the outside...