Where to stick our faces?

So it's here, you know the season to send cards to friends, family and fellows (ok it's the only word I could come up with that fit the pattern)
Well I have been bouncing around sites to find the "perfect" card for this year. Oh and it must be a photo card. Why? Because the family needs pics of the kids and it is so much easier to make that part of the card.
Well I have scanned through a good 4 sites, and a quadrillion sample cards to fine THE card. I have now determined it will not happen, because I have too many I like! If I could get about 20 of 3 different designs I might be happy, might being the operative word.
One of the sites, and one that may give me 50 free cards for blogging about it, is Shutterfly Christmas cards. I have been through the cards and here are my top group to narrow down from...
The first I noticed was "Picture in Landscape".  This one is basically a picture only front and then you personalize the inside. I really like this one because we had GREAT family pics done by a friend. I want the pictures to speak for themselves, maybe even put in a frame later. I also have an "inside" I have already penned a few years ago that I would like to use. So that is why the plain one is in the line-up.
Number 2 in the Shutterfly Christmas Card line up is "Oh holy night", I love the black back ground and the reference to the Holy Night of Jesus Christ's birth.
Then there is "Three kings journey" it has a black back ground too. So, I think any second, I will find a setup that I like....
"Three wise men", and "Christ's Wishes" now those are getting closer to my tastes.
"Retro red diamond" is really nice and the fact that part of the proceeds go to the American Lung Association, now that hits close to home.
Now the winner of the Shutterfly Christmas Card "wish I could" is......(drum roll please)...  



Can this really be any harder?





The "Rough Edge" because you can put several photos on it, more in it, and I will use my own greeting! Then again the "Classic Scarlet" may be a choice.... Oh no, now I have seen the Shutterfly calenders...will those be gifts????

Now if this is 150 words long I have completed the back bend to get free ones... The problem is I don't want to count all these words. So, I tried and I have picked out my Christmas Card for this year!

Progressive Christmas?

I have been thinking a lot about Christmas and how to let it all sink in. So after reading "The ADVENTure of Christmas" by Lisa Whelchel for several years now, I had a neat thought. What if we have a progressive Christmas Tree.
Here is my idea, first we will spend the day on a part of Christmas traditions, for example, the reason for an evergreen tree. We can study about how the evergreen reminds us that though Christ was murdered on a tree he continues to live. So that day we will get out the Christmas tree and set it up.
The next day, maybe we will study about why lights on the tree. We will learn about the true light and how someone saw the twinkling of moon light through the branches of trees at night. Then we will put the lights on the tree.
We will also do this with Christmas cookies, outdoor lights, and I have an idea for popcorn! (Maybe you will get that later)
So finally we will have a decorated home and Christmas tree by Christmas and then we can celebrate Jesus' Birthday with a bday party and scavenger hunt! We shall see......

Quirky, Spectrum, and my Grandmother

Do you ever get a chance to see your family member in your child's mannerisms? I have been blessed to say yes. My grandmother doted on my oldest daughter. She could not stand if I expected her to walk somewhere at 3. She made sure she was given whatever she wanted to eat. She didn't like her to be disciplined much. She would always try to change her focus with a silly sound when there was a chance she would cry. Such fond memories of a quite quirky lady. She would also carry any leftovers from a restaurant home with her. She collected coins. She would buy extra of something to stash away for a future gift. She would often sleep on the floor. She ALWAYS had a plethora of food in case someone was hungry. She loved to sit and watch people at the mall. She could also be generous and manipulative all at the same time. She is with Jesus now but I see her everyday in my youngest daughter. Oh how I loved her!
You see my youngest daughter is quite quirky as well. She collects coins, rocks, acorns and other tiny objects. She will bring home food from a restaurant to eat later. She has her own "style" of clothes, that it what ever is comfortable at the moment. She is manipulative at times. She is a sweet girl that loves to give kisses. She is also, as I am learning, on the spectrum.
Recently I had a talk with a friend of a friend about how my daughter thinks most clothes are uncomfortable. She said "That's real, clothes can hurt some kids". WHAT? Are you joking? That's crazy! Really? You mean she could really be hurting? She is not just trying to manipulate me? Whew, she is not out to get me. Oh no, what a terrible mom I am. In a matter of milliseconds, I went from "HA!" to humble. Really Lord could it be that she can't help it? Could she just be wired differently? Oh the horror of disciplining a child that did not willfully disobey.
And so... I have spent the last 2 months in observation mode mostly. Watching. Learning. Seeing. What makes her come to a halt? What makes her come unglued? What makes for an easy day? What makes a day difficult? When is she happiest? When is she easy?
Most of the answers, I did not like. Most of the time, it was ME! If I was procrastinating like I usually do, then trying to rush out the door...unglued. If I was a bit hormonal and resistant...a fit. If I was irritated...uncomfortable. Was I the problem? No. My reaction was the biggest problem. She was just herself. Do you see it? God made her the way she is and I was pushing her buttons and making that which irritated me most to come out.
She is quirky... or has spectrum issues. Depends on how you look at it. No wonder 1 in 110 are being diagnosed as Autistic. Some are just quirky too. Some are severe cases. But really the main idea with a spectrum child is the same...change your behavior to minimize the blowups, learn the best way to teach them what they need, and accept them, just as God made them. *Now I don't know if Autism is always natural, but I do know God is in control. He knows if they will be on the spectrum or not, and regardless He had a plan for my life by giving me this child.*
I can see so much of my grandmother's quirkiness in her. I like it. I hope I learn more and am able to help her move past these hurdles. I hope she will be someone else's quirky grandmother someday. For now, she is my gift from God. A gift I have yet to finish opening, but one I know will change me.