MDA Telethon

We flew home from Louisiana (which is also home!!) to Idaho early because Tropical Storm Lee was coming and would prevent us from continuing to harvest soybeans there. Grouchy even came home too!!! So we have about a week to have a "normal" week together as a family before Grouchy has to return to the business.

Since we came home early, I was able to make it to the Idaho MDA telethon to answer phones for a while. It was fun, and I met some more AMAZING families!!!! There is a strong support group here through MDA, and I hope we can get involved. This year, MDA was able to have some great artists on!! I was so excited to see this year's line-up!!! My mom went with me, and she enjoyed meeting people as well. Our phones were not working so well at first, but I think that the MDA staff got that straightened out. Lots of businesses were there to give MDA their checks from their contributions. Problem was, the phones were not ringing very much at all, and that makes me very nervous. Jerry Lewis had been the leader for the telethon for years and years, and this year was the first he was not on. I do think that the telethon has revamped and re-energized, but Jerry will be missed!

This week will be an adjustment week for our family as we send Garrett off to school Tuesday morning and then he has therapy at home for 4 hours, and then we plan to get this year of homeschool underway as well. The first day is always a little stressful as I think I am dreading any whining or complaining from the girls, but they almost always pleasantly surprise me!!! SO I am praying that it goes well and that with Garrett having his afternoon therapy almost daily, we can do better getting our school work completed each day. I know my girls are fine, even probably ahead of some kiddos as far as their learning, but I still always worry I am somehow not getting everything done!! We plan to do a four day curriculum called Sonlight this year again, so when we can do five days of school, we get an extra week of school done every 4th week, so that's cool since soon we will be enjoying snow skiing again!!

My parents.....wow, that's a whole 5-6 entries alone. They were so gracious to keep Garrett for a couple of WEEKS while I was in Louisiana with Grouchy and the girls for harvest. I have always bragged about having wonderful parents, but they get more wonderful each year and I could never thank them enough.
And my mother in law!!! She housed, fed, and kept us in clean clothes for harvest. AND she took marvelous care of Addie and Ainslee!!!

Telethon is still on, so it's not too late to give as of right now!!!!!

On the drive home from the telethon Mom and I had time alone to talk.....really talk. I vented some about the adjustment I go through when I return home after time away from Garrett. She helped me refocus and realize I cannot be resentful to my child and that we just have to move on, move forward.....keep going!!!!! No choice there. We can keep going in a frustrated way, or we can keep our chins up and move forward in proper style!!! But at one point my mom did get frustrated about it all and said, "Of course this is frustrating, but what is frustrating is this $^*^$%^$#%^&^*(*&^%#%%& disease that has taken over this child's body and mind!!!! He did not want any of this and cannot help it, but we have to just love him and help him!!!" And yes, she said bad words and her voice cracked, and it helped me not feel alone in this again. My mom and dad and husband and mother in law and so many friends and relatives are so helpful to get into the trenches with me some days and just be real.....not cheerleading or pitying but reminding me how beautiful Garrett is and how unfair and ugly Mito is. Thank you!!!

Hug your kiddos, say your prayers and get up tomorrow with a smile and a CHOICE to make it a good day!!!

Godspeed,
Clara-Leigh