tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45582577872061918412024-03-13T23:47:44.123-07:00More Than WordsWords are but pictures of our thoughts. ~ John DrydenMore Than Wordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11138952283334533183noreply@blogger.comBlogger92125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4558257787206191841.post-47975915622938301312024-02-27T07:20:00.000-08:002024-03-13T10:13:34.464-07:00Palindrome Picture Book coming March 12!<p><span style="font-size: medium;">This author <i style="font-weight: bold;">mom</i> was really on the <i><b>level. </b></i>She had her <i><b>eye</b></i> on palindromes from the start when she did the <i><b>deed</b></i> and wrote her beautiful picture book, <i><b>Was It a Cat I Saw?</b></i> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEimTFVymDJkBKbQcO0HQd30Ei4bjo7IGVim0EQ74kCJII3AZnf6A4bfXLq8kPkgnJzakorFX_tvNbNM_qWiummn1QazhYdh4mmFHXFErPUAx7ejzn9Zy9rI6zRV2Kmswh1FMxsllXvac2-xzN8vDgyQtNL7MDjTkRSCsraAGBsPHP3aQFfToThNrTzpcQs" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="648" data-original-width="648" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEimTFVymDJkBKbQcO0HQd30Ei4bjo7IGVim0EQ74kCJII3AZnf6A4bfXLq8kPkgnJzakorFX_tvNbNM_qWiummn1QazhYdh4mmFHXFErPUAx7ejzn9Zy9rI6zRV2Kmswh1FMxsllXvac2-xzN8vDgyQtNL7MDjTkRSCsraAGBsPHP3aQFfToThNrTzpcQs=w400-h400" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="caret-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.7); color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.7); font-family: adobe-garamond-pro; font-size: 18px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hannah loves palindromes. She even speaks in them! When Otto the cat runs away, Hannah and his owner go on a wordplay-filled quest to find him. But they, too, become lost. To get everyone home, Hannah will need a forward-and-backward-thinking solution. One thing’s for certain: She’s found a new friend—and if she ever asks his name, she’ll see just how well matched they are. </p><p style="caret-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.7); color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.7); font-family: adobe-garamond-pro; font-size: 18px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;">Written by debut picture book author Laura Bontje and illustrated by Emma Lidia Squillari, <em style="overflow-wrap: break-word;">Was It a Cat I Saw?</em> will delight readers who like their language silly and their friendships sincere.</p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Learn more <a href="https://www.laurabontje.com/books" target="_blank">here.</a></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh0z349_n7xsRI2TMUBilFzedBuLEaDkCK1iJS_69F0doCcxy1u88bBQA3jYmy7ajecNG87Xj1NkM1k6ukqfEyeAABW6zSviSDHcl4nfoPloCJKoeJDRQF5BGSnRa2co2G7inMf_X43o3G1L2ASTyBn-R7StqWUfLPHPgyuyF2T2i-VWYAY_aPJqLTr5iI" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1153" data-original-width="860" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh0z349_n7xsRI2TMUBilFzedBuLEaDkCK1iJS_69F0doCcxy1u88bBQA3jYmy7ajecNG87Xj1NkM1k6ukqfEyeAABW6zSviSDHcl4nfoPloCJKoeJDRQF5BGSnRa2co2G7inMf_X43o3G1L2ASTyBn-R7StqWUfLPHPgyuyF2T2i-VWYAY_aPJqLTr5iI" width="178" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>Congratulations, Laura on the release of your picture book! </span><b style="font-style: italic;">Madam, </b>all I can say is <i><b>wow</b>!</i> </span></p><p><br /></p>More Than Wordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11138952283334533183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4558257787206191841.post-3534239922375559622022-05-06T09:10:00.009-07:002024-02-27T14:32:32.799-08:00Hi . My name is Stacey Moffat .<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmFTptEv0FhDodCjIQdVp7TyXUAzP97dt23ib-hfajlFAHVCtTHEp6-PSNxFwKPZhqGN0yr5KRseZRMTuRvwA0ZkFgYRJXLula4UQ-0ecPjCra3lI8bcelLyEwBj-Lb_cauZxVfurA13rIMpVoFwr2L6M59TlXJRpkjfoyUYtCSRBN_KFhQ_G9dC2-/s4521/RWC00073.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4521" data-original-width="3961" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmFTptEv0FhDodCjIQdVp7TyXUAzP97dt23ib-hfajlFAHVCtTHEp6-PSNxFwKPZhqGN0yr5KRseZRMTuRvwA0ZkFgYRJXLula4UQ-0ecPjCra3lI8bcelLyEwBj-Lb_cauZxVfurA13rIMpVoFwr2L6M59TlXJRpkjfoyUYtCSRBN_KFhQ_G9dC2-/w280-h320/RWC00073.jpeg" width="280" /></a></div><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; background-color: white; font-family: Manrope;">I’m a writer.</span><p></p><p></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Manrope;">This is one place where I write.</span></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; background-color: white; color: #0000e9; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="font-family: Manrope;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Manrope;"><i>More Than Words</i> on a page, it’s my creative space for sharing and connecting with others. </span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="font-family: Manrope;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Manrope;">Once upon a time long ago, I was an elementary school teacher. Then one day my husband and I started a family. Things didn't go quite the way we expected. T</span><span style="font-family: Manrope;">here were a few bumps in the road.</span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Manrope;"><br /></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Manrope;">In 2012, I claimed this tiny spot on the web as the place where I would write about those bumps.</span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Manrope;">I shared about my son's disability and his complex communication needs—our journey toward discovering that communication is so much <i>More Than Words.</i></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Manrope;"></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Manrope;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">I've done my best to dance and sing along to the ever changing lyrics of life, all while nurturing my creative and curious spirit through writing. </span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Manrope;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Manrope;">This blog has evolved, and my creative practice has too. I recently shared a </span><span style="color: #0000e9; font-family: Manrope; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://mthanw.blogspot.com/search/label/doodles" target="_blank">cartoon</a></span><span style="font-family: Manrope;">, some </span><span style="color: #0000e9; font-family: Manrope; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://mthanw.blogspot.com/search/label/books" target="_blank">book</a></span><span style="font-family: Manrope;"> recommendations and some </span><span style="color: #0000e9; font-family: Manrope; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://mthanw.blogspot.com/search/label/poetry" target="_blank">poetry</a></span><span style="font-family: Manrope;">. Currently, I'm working on writing picture books and querying my middle grade novel.</span></p><div><span style="font-family: Manrope;"><br /></span></div><p style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Manrope;">I hope you’ll check back often to see what's happening here at <i>More Than Words</i>. </span><span style="font-family: Manrope;">In the meantime, feel free to browse around. You'll find some of my other <a href="http://mthanw.blogspot.com/p/i-also-wrote.html" target="_blank">writing</a> in the menu on the left.</span></p><p></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Manrope;">While you're over there, why not click the Twitter symbol and give me a follow @MoreThnWords?</span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Manrope;">One last thing. Leave a comment. I’d love to hear how you nurture your creative spirit. </span></p>More Than Wordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11138952283334533183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4558257787206191841.post-28465383665329551132022-01-20T12:03:00.004-08:002022-06-02T07:48:27.897-07:00Just My Type<div class="separator"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;">Behold my first typewriter! </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img alt="" data-original-height="472" data-original-width="630" height="240" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-8-njt24tpzk/YeHWet3EZ8I/AAAAAAAACtY/ID4yZ5izfBkRjKG2J_EpFRXUjwcv8d_YACNcBGAsYHQ/w320-h240/mickeydialtypewriter.jpg" width="320" /></div><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: courier;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;">Or was it my brother's? He often got the high tech stuff first, being the oldest.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;">Favourable features:</span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: courier;">1) held paper</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: courier;">2) stamped real ink onto said paper! </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: courier;">Apparently keys were too much to ask for. Instead you turned a dial to select a letter, then pushed down on one large (key-like?) button.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: courier;">During a Kijiji search, I came across several of them for sale. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: courier;">Hey! I thought—as the faintest trace of a memory bubbled up—I had one of those! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: courier;">Don't ask if mine had Mickey Mouse or some other character on its sleek, sophisticated letter wheel. I have no recollection of that whatsoever.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: courier;">The yearning for keys must have gotten the better of me, eventually—or was it that we broke the darn thing? Again, older brother (if you know what I mean)—but when </span><span style="font-family: courier;">Tomy's Tutor Typer arrived under the Christmas tree a couple years later, I was ecstatic.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-WwiKmb6gAj4/Yeh3FkBch-I/AAAAAAAACvE/uKymSkZcjHsO-2y9G8qzh-Tii3EweReqACNcBGAsYHQ/ttt.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="530" data-original-width="530" height="240" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-WwiKmb6gAj4/Yeh3FkBch-I/AAAAAAAACvE/uKymSkZcjHsO-2y9G8qzh-Tii3EweReqACNcBGAsYHQ/ttt.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />Were keys a safety issue back in the day? Tomy Tutor's were a bust too. Don't get me wrong, they were there, and they moved, but they didn't work independently. When you pressed any letter to the left of (and including) t, g, and b, all keys on the left hand side depressed. Same thing when you pressed y, h or n - those and the rest of the keys on the right depressed at the same time. The space bar worked independently, but come on already! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: courier;">Gone were the paper and ink. </span><span style="font-family: courier;">Replaced by a reel-like mechanism that was held inside the carriage behind a clear plastic shield of sorts, you had to bang away on the conjoined keys. Then—surprise, surprise—a letter (along with a word representing that letter) was revealed. From 'A is for apple' to 'Z is for zebra'. In that order only.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: courier;">Returning the carriage to its original position turned a dial, which moved the reel, revealing the next letter. Bang, bang, bang, bang. B is for Bell. Bang, bang, bang, bang. C is for Cow. And so on. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: courier;">Nonetheless, while noisy, it was a learning tool. </span><span style="font-family: courier;">Age appropriate? </span><span style="font-family: courier;">You've got me there. </span><span style="font-family: courier;">After all, how is one to type a letter, when one doesn't know their actual letters?</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: courier;">It too was eventually outgrown.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: courier;">Then one wondrous, magical Christmas morn, many years later, what should arrive under the tree? The most beautiful thing I had ever set eyes upon (well, at least at the time).</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: courier;">A real typewriter! With functional keys! Paper! And ink!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj5kI5KDETuYWJZAEGIYaUcF1XQO7kL-7HQG3Pdhqlgwgcwh7ex2aYp_kaBjCmdZLfkMfvj19XDxBKWn38Ru2v6kJSUinBn2iQCdsFxCvNLdUziRh4VmSKAniTPHXmVwd8Tt6BDMQr8dfkCaSOYIR3XGx2GRi3HzZIRIu-X6KkY-snonOX5jo4zaehZ=s800" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="397" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj5kI5KDETuYWJZAEGIYaUcF1XQO7kL-7HQG3Pdhqlgwgcwh7ex2aYp_kaBjCmdZLfkMfvj19XDxBKWn38Ru2v6kJSUinBn2iQCdsFxCvNLdUziRh4VmSKAniTPHXmVwd8Tt6BDMQr8dfkCaSOYIR3XGx2GRi3HzZIRIu-X6KkY-snonOX5jo4zaehZ=w298-h397" width="298" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: courier;">Naturally, it came complete with a carrying case (for all the trips I would be making from my bedroom to the kitchen table to the desk in the basement).</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjSRJLatvcb7fkh9k4FOikzeJ8lphXkf_Pj_oUMwfvEbpED6b-kD10V5iJS12SPSqIsVct2gnffb1zUdtKJWEKkgGU6pHmbA9fmqHz-NDCA7ysxkEbJ7J1J63ivWcIR-z9nFR38mLz4H-qmi-U2NpAgQnazR-tEPCSG_A3Huv7l-NNMQ-EuEC51RC0a=s400" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="400" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjSRJLatvcb7fkh9k4FOikzeJ8lphXkf_Pj_oUMwfvEbpED6b-kD10V5iJS12SPSqIsVct2gnffb1zUdtKJWEKkgGU6pHmbA9fmqHz-NDCA7ysxkEbJ7J1J63ivWcIR-z9nFR38mLz4H-qmi-U2NpAgQnazR-tEPCSG_A3Huv7l-NNMQ-EuEC51RC0a=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: courier;">What was I writing back then? Probably nothing too sophisticated (although I may have argued that point back then).</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: courier;">I like to think (and hope) my writing has evolved, just as the tools I use have. So </span><span style="font-family: courier;">what am I writing these days? </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: courier;">Drum roll please...</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: courier;">I managed to squeak out the final pages of my middle grade novel before the end of 2021. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: courier;">I had it printed and bound at Staples and it's currently in my desk drawer...lying dormant? Hibernating? Fermenting? </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgXwUj49pCENUEEtK0UrFFjIqW-anEYXzN0YzM60i8TYilES_F3UBCZmd-nLzoKd_Z_GAV63ExQpBBgLCrh3ZFA3LQuyu2pa7ItqacR50Itvrz0Sd97tpCGiI1S9oogF0cDRHkwRLqu-w3D8UwftsUWmcWXNS9VBBnb0i81Qklha1v5iHIogPn4DrJA=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgXwUj49pCENUEEtK0UrFFjIqW-anEYXzN0YzM60i8TYilES_F3UBCZmd-nLzoKd_Z_GAV63ExQpBBgLCrh3ZFA3LQuyu2pa7ItqacR50Itvrz0Sd97tpCGiI1S9oogF0cDRHkwRLqu-w3D8UwftsUWmcWXNS9VBBnb0i81Qklha1v5iHIogPn4DrJA=s320" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: courier;">Meanwhile, I've been on sabbatical—taking a restorative break, away from the material. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: courier;">Over the next few days, I'll be diving back in. Revisions, edits and general improvements will be necessary so that my story doesn't appear to be something written back in the day of my ancient Petite Typewriter (above). </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: courier;">I wasn't sure what to do to celebrate my accomplishment, but I had to do something. I mean, I actually wrote a book! From beginning to end!!! </span><span style="font-family: courier;">Feeling nostalgic, I searched Kijiji and found just the thing to reward myself with. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: courier;">A T Y P E W R I T E R !!! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: courier;">For a whopping $25, the beauty you see below is now mine. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-wl3lk6qv4hU/YehstLRedeI/AAAAAAAACuk/DG6OyCwL6FgiiZJWeU6EJrIbUOb8n5pxACNcBGAsYHQ/IMG_1290.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-wl3lk6qv4hU/YehstLRedeI/AAAAAAAACuk/DG6OyCwL6FgiiZJWeU6EJrIbUOb8n5pxACNcBGAsYHQ/w240-h320/IMG_1290.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: courier;">I doubt I'll write my next book on it, but who knows? I'll at least enjoy clack, clack, clacking out some letters to friends who live in far away lands from time to time. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Seems, that's just the TYPE of girl I am!</div><br /></div></span></div><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span><br /><p></p>More Than Wordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11138952283334533183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4558257787206191841.post-39351669483360422362021-12-01T08:33:00.001-08:002022-05-03T08:08:20.586-07:00Snow Creation, Snow Inspiration<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">There's no creation like snow creation, and here's what it inspired:</div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">Started by creating this...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-nzeXrFThiS4/YaeUfsq91GI/AAAAAAAACqU/mvHODFZ1glIEtoG2Yq1iYirp1iwtl9ihQCLcBGAsYHQ/IMG_1029.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-nzeXrFThiS4/YaeUfsq91GI/AAAAAAAACqU/mvHODFZ1glIEtoG2Yq1iYirp1iwtl9ihQCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/IMG_1029.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Moved on to create this...</div><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-xmTTJCZIKiQ/YaeetTGFZtI/AAAAAAAACq4/soiqicyoQPM1tsCCJyf_XOLAWXv4RezNACLcBGAsYHQ/IMG_1033.jpeg"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-xmTTJCZIKiQ/YaeetTGFZtI/AAAAAAAACq4/soiqicyoQPM1tsCCJyf_XOLAWXv4RezNACLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/IMG_1033.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-e8lNHjA9sl4/Yaeeuu-cTnI/AAAAAAAACq8/sYoHt_Q9kxIvaDqcN4HRRtaOdplr2ae2gCLcBGAsYHQ/IMG_1047.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1319" height="400" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-e8lNHjA9sl4/Yaeeuu-cTnI/AAAAAAAACq8/sYoHt_Q9kxIvaDqcN4HRRtaOdplr2ae2gCLcBGAsYHQ/w258-h400/IMG_1047.jpeg" width="258" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ZTvlCuNDID0/YaeewHOINWI/AAAAAAAACrA/dXvKhnOU4WsLv2rAxwb3y24GDIp4XGIvACLcBGAsYHQ/IMG_1048.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1844" data-original-width="2048" height="359" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ZTvlCuNDID0/YaeewHOINWI/AAAAAAAACrA/dXvKhnOU4WsLv2rAxwb3y24GDIp4XGIvACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h359/IMG_1048.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ofACarvbBSI/YaeXt_7vUoI/AAAAAAAACqo/HdmSgb5kSwAG0SGaCED0BrEFJVkKgVmwACLcBGAsYHQ/IMG_1049.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1491" height="640" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ofACarvbBSI/YaeXt_7vUoI/AAAAAAAACqo/HdmSgb5kSwAG0SGaCED0BrEFJVkKgVmwACLcBGAsYHQ/w467-h640/IMG_1049.jpeg" width="467" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><br /><br /></div><p style="text-align: left;">Does this border on collie-ing myself a cartoonist? A snow-inspired sketcher?</p><p style="text-align: left;">I don't know, but it's fun to play!</p><div><br /></div></div><br /><br /><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-msTuLpZewnk/YaeRwvgc9WI/AAAAAAAACpk/1O8wCIGbM-wsgIZCHQDAQJokF_wCNgO_wCLcBGAsYHQ/IMG_1033.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"></a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-r2zcJIQnoJ4/YaeSGtcM93I/AAAAAAAACp0/6ZSMGtoYnTgkmvWQBtmXPW9-tlOwGD4aQCLcBGAsYHQ/IMG_1040.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div><br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br /><p></p>More Than Wordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11138952283334533183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4558257787206191841.post-68384553341114252242021-11-17T13:40:00.005-08:002022-04-22T13:12:59.791-07:00If a Tree Communicates in the Forest, Does Anybody Hear?<p><span style="font-family: times;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-9JWDMYMZ8ug/YZ6s9re6mYI/AAAAAAAACpQ/Jd-kwhkFNjcYIrsnjQP6rME0xT9tmWWfwCLcBGAsYHQ/forest-3369950__340.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="340" data-original-width="510" height="266" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-9JWDMYMZ8ug/YZ6s9re6mYI/AAAAAAAACpQ/Jd-kwhkFNjcYIrsnjQP6rME0xT9tmWWfwCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h266/forest-3369950__340.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pixabay</td></tr></tbody></table></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-LzdR5clltgk/YZQVuBU7sAI/AAAAAAAACoQ/flB_j-WgMX025qqEsWVWOa7QS6_pNHKDwCLcBGAsYHQ/mothertreebook.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img alt="" data-original-height="447" data-original-width="300" height="240" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-LzdR5clltgk/YZQVuBU7sAI/AAAAAAAACoQ/flB_j-WgMX025qqEsWVWOa7QS6_pNHKDwCLcBGAsYHQ/mothertreebook.jpg" width="161" /></span></a></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I love massive trees that spread their branches like a web of protective arms.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span>The tree pictured above is a Mother Tree. I learned this while searching for a new picture for my desktop</span><span>.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">And I discovered this book by Suzanne Simard, a scientist and professor at UBC who studies trees and how they communicate.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">A Mother tree is networked into all the trees around her. The trees then "interact with each other trying to help each other survive."</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Another unique and fascinating form of communication!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I put Simard's book on hold at the library to learn more, but in the meantime, an <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2021/05/04/993430007/trees-talk-to-each-other-mother-tree-ecologist-hears-lessons-for-people-too" target="_blank">article on NPR</a> tells about Simard's research findings:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; float: none; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.70588235294118; margin: 0px 0px 1.17647058823529em; max-width: 680px; padding: 0px 15px; position: static; vertical-align: baseline; width: auto;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>The trees were sharing "information that actually is important to the health of the whole forest."</i></span></p><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; float: none; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.70588235294118; margin: 0px 0px 1.17647058823529em; max-width: 680px; padding: 0px 15px; position: static; vertical-align: baseline; width: auto;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>In addition to warning each other of danger, Simard says that trees have been known to share nutrients at critical times to keep each other healthy. She says the trees in a forest are often linked to each other via an older tree she calls a "mother" or "hub" tree.</i></span></p><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; float: none; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.70588235294118; margin: 0px 0px 1.17647058823529em; max-width: 680px; padding: 0px 15px; position: static; vertical-align: baseline; width: auto;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Trees are linked to neighboring trees by an underground network of fungi<strong style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </strong>that resembles the neural networks in the brain, she explains. <span style="font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><strong style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></strong></span>In one study, Simard watched as a Douglas fir that had been injured by insects appeared to send chemical<span style="font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><strong style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></strong></span>warning signals<strong style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </strong>to a ponderosa pine growing nearby. The pine tree then produced defense enzymes to protect against the insect.</i></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="333" data-original-width="500" height="426" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-jmvfQTRjpc4/YZQf4Dwk1tI/AAAAAAAACoY/i1zhc5vG0D05-SiMMNtKcBW6ohKVuA1tQCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h426/mothertreesun.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pixabay</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-jmvfQTRjpc4/YZQf4Dwk1tI/AAAAAAAACoY/i1zhc5vG0D05-SiMMNtKcBW6ohKVuA1tQCLcBGAsYHQ/mothertreesun.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><span>No wonder I'm struck by the beauty of these awesome trees. A Mother Tree interacting, connecting and protecting her little saplings and other trees around her — what a powerful symbol.</span></span><div><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; float: none; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.70588235294118; margin: 0px 0px 1.17647058823529em; max-width: 680px; padding: 0px 15px; position: static; vertical-align: baseline; width: auto;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><br /></span></p><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; float: none; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.70588235294118; margin: 0px 0px 1.17647058823529em; max-width: 680px; padding: 0px 15px; position: static; vertical-align: baseline; width: auto;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span>Click </span><a href="https://forestry.ubc.ca/highlights/prof-suzanne-simard-talks-about-mother-trees/" target="_blank">here</a><span> to watch a short video on Mother Trees with Suzanne Simard, and to learn how you really say fungi (spoiler alert: she doesn't pronounce it like she's talking about a guy who's the life of the party).</span></span></p><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; float: none; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.70588235294118; margin: 0px 0px 1.17647058823529em; max-width: 680px; padding: 0px 15px; position: static; vertical-align: baseline; width: auto;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><br /></span></span></p><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; float: none; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.70588235294118; margin: 0px 0px 1.17647058823529em; max-width: 680px; padding: 0px 15px; position: static; vertical-align: baseline; width: auto;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; float: none; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.70588235294118; margin: 0px 0px 1.17647058823529em; max-width: 680px; padding: 0px 15px; position: static; vertical-align: baseline; width: auto;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-4ZaKBwKXTZY/YZVOwoanB1I/AAAAAAAACog/rhBNs7-_zLsvR949jdF9Hn2kK0KpKsz3wCLcBGAsYHQ/hidden%2Blife%2Bof%2Btrees.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img alt="" data-original-height="277" data-original-width="500" height="178" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-4ZaKBwKXTZY/YZVOwoanB1I/AAAAAAAACog/rhBNs7-_zLsvR949jdF9Hn2kK0KpKsz3wCLcBGAsYHQ/w320-h178/hidden%2Blife%2Bof%2Btrees.png" width="320" /></span></a></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Here's another <i>poplar</i> <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Hidden-Life-Trees-Communicate-Discoveries-Secret/dp/1771642483" target="_blank">book</a> that will let you <i>branch</i> out and <i>cedars</i> more <i>fir</i> you to learn on this topic.</span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-jVbZ7uCJmG4/YZVtwIS9B4I/AAAAAAAACo4/9UgIKmAEgFQ2zlDBO-2UB5QlchBDkQliwCLcBGAsYHQ/leaves.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img alt="" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="612" height="138" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-jVbZ7uCJmG4/YZVtwIS9B4I/AAAAAAAACo4/9UgIKmAEgFQ2zlDBO-2UB5QlchBDkQliwCLcBGAsYHQ/w187-h138/leaves.jpg" width="187" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>I'll leave it at that!! <br /><p></p><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; float: none; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.70588235294118; margin: 0px 0px 1.17647058823529em; max-width: 680px; padding: 0px 15px; position: static; vertical-align: baseline; width: auto;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; float: none; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.70588235294118; margin: 0px 0px 1.17647058823529em; max-width: 680px; padding: 0px 15px; position: static; vertical-align: baseline; width: auto;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; float: none; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.70588235294118; margin: 0px 0px 1.17647058823529em; max-width: 680px; padding: 0px 15px; position: static; vertical-align: baseline; width: auto;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; float: none; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.70588235294118; margin: 0px 0px 1.17647058823529em; max-width: 680px; padding: 0px 15px; position: static; vertical-align: baseline; width: auto;"><br /></p></div>More Than Wordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11138952283334533183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4558257787206191841.post-22015324240213865122020-11-18T13:18:00.002-08:002022-04-22T13:16:31.142-07:00Reading & Writing . . . so very exciting! <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Books related to disabilities? </span><span style="font-family: arial;">I've read my fair share, t</span><span style="font-family: arial;">o educate myself, and to try and find answers to the many questions I've had over the years about Carter's </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">challenges.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">These three books (that I really enjoyed) have protagonists who use AAC to communicate:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-SdaGuaLUxuE/X7M7udZUA4I/AAAAAAAACfQ/W8Tx7uHqDhkmzqMsRJIojNv5mceAIJyJQCLcBGAsYHQ/ihavenosecrets.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img alt="" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="474" height="149" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-SdaGuaLUxuE/X7M7udZUA4I/AAAAAAAACfQ/W8Tx7uHqDhkmzqMsRJIojNv5mceAIJyJQCLcBGAsYHQ/w157-h149/ihavenosecrets.jpg" width="157" /></span></a></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34042519-i-have-no-secrets" target="_blank">I Have No Secrets by Penny Joelson</a> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6609765-out-of-my-mind?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=tnnqQrz3T6&rank=1" target="_blank">Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper</a> <a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-eSF7-LFWt3Y/X7M7vsrfW1I/AAAAAAAACfU/0wT_FurmNRcC00VJ7YN-wFjmSi9DGp2HQCLcBGAsYHQ/outofmymind.jpg" style="clear: left; display: inline; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1377" height="166" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-eSF7-LFWt3Y/X7M7vsrfW1I/AAAAAAAACfU/0wT_FurmNRcC00VJ7YN-wFjmSi9DGp2HQCLcBGAsYHQ/w111-h166/outofmymind.jpg" width="111" /></a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"> <img alt="" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="134" height="172" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-qTvZ-KVG4nA/X7M7wv2bBXI/AAAAAAAACfY/gK-JbCYXPS8t7ZEkr0lULwS508smAmWvACLcBGAsYHQ/w115-h172/saywhatyouwill.jpg" width="115" /> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18599754-say-what-you-will" target="_blank">Say What You Will by Cammie McGovern</a></span></p><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-f1DzanvwR08/X7NHjlDrzfI/AAAAAAAACf0/Yu4Hi_sx5P8kKO0vDu2SB2g_e02tdbksgCLcBGAsYHQ/wonder.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></a><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-f1DzanvwR08/X7NHjlDrzfI/AAAAAAAACf0/Yu4Hi_sx5P8kKO0vDu2SB2g_e02tdbksgCLcBGAsYHQ/wonder.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img alt="" data-original-height="464" data-original-width="300" height="135" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-f1DzanvwR08/X7NHjlDrzfI/AAAAAAAACf0/Yu4Hi_sx5P8kKO0vDu2SB2g_e02tdbksgCLcBGAsYHQ/w87-h135/wonder.jpg" width="87" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"> H</span><span style="font-family: arial;">ere are a few more I've enjoyed that have characters with disabilities:</span></div><div><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11387515-wonder?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=qAqiUdrRQ2&rank=1" target="_blank">Wonder</a> by R.J. Palacio</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20575434-rain-reign?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=0m932MVCew&rank=1" target="_blank"><span style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="318" height="156" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-NGxmTcBFSBE/X7NH4npfiPI/AAAAAAAACf8/S2YyoNH-ZpcZ4FFyswo-Smc1Zkx4yHjOwCLcBGAsYHQ/w105-h156/rainreign.jpg" width="105" /></span><span style="text-align: left;">Rain Reign</span> </a>by Ann M. Martin</span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-jejl1faztgo/X7NICQizwkI/AAAAAAAACgA/80MFRzVta04RriCkFNafD2-aWnA9ZohDwCLcBGAsYHQ/rules.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img alt="" data-original-height="456" data-original-width="318" height="157" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-jejl1faztgo/X7NICQizwkI/AAAAAAAACgA/80MFRzVta04RriCkFNafD2-aWnA9ZohDwCLcBGAsYHQ/w109-h157/rules.jpg" width="109" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/222458.Rules?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=9rTcj640jo&rank=18" target="_blank">Rules</a> by Cynthia Lord</span></p><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Yes, the disability books I've been reading lately are all fiction: middle grade and young adult novels. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">And why is that? </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Because you're supposed to read what you want to write. And f</span><span style="font-family: arial;">or some time now, I've been working on my own middle grade novel.</span></p><p></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></p><p></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #444444;">Writing a book is a lofty goal. I thought the book I would someday write would be the story of Carter's life. I've told a lot of that here, including his journey with AAC, but I wanted to step away from memoir writing.</span> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Instead, my story is about two young girls who are total opposites. One is a neat freak and the other, not so much. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">It came out of a writing prompt. I started writing and never looked back. Go where the writing takes you (or so they say). That's what I did and guess what? It didn't take me down a path that had anything to do with AAC or disabilities.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Maybe someday I'll try and tackle a story like that. F</span><span style="font-family: arial;">or now, I'm happy to share, promote, and recommend the books above. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I'm also happy to share something very exciting...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">(Drum roll, please.)</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Last year, I submitted the intro of my middle grade novel to <a href="https://www.canscaip.org" target="_blank">CANSCAIP</a>'s Writing For Children Competition and I was long listed! What a huge and wonderful surprise! </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">If I'm ever going to finish my story, I'd better get back to it!</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Happy reading!</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4oZbONtdowc/XgfHoSzmADI/AAAAAAAACV4/OMJOQgoBZ5QT3NEaywcNIb0u1Kfj2VMvACPcBGAYYCw/s616/Screen%2BShot%2B2019-12-28%2Bat%2B4.21.36%2BPM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="299" data-original-width="616" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4oZbONtdowc/XgfHoSzmADI/AAAAAAAACV4/OMJOQgoBZ5QT3NEaywcNIb0u1Kfj2VMvACPcBGAYYCw/s320/Screen%2BShot%2B2019-12-28%2Bat%2B4.21.36%2BPM.png" width="320" /></span></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JqC0Su11Fr4/XgfGa5eXJPI/AAAAAAAACVo/ClbQotI8GromrnBFq4G9kC7g6-lRU_l9ACPcBGAYYCw/s574/Screen%2BShot%2B2019-12-28%2Bat%2B4.16.27%2BPM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="286" data-original-width="574" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JqC0Su11Fr4/XgfGa5eXJPI/AAAAAAAACVo/ClbQotI8GromrnBFq4G9kC7g6-lRU_l9ACPcBGAYYCw/s320/Screen%2BShot%2B2019-12-28%2Bat%2B4.16.27%2BPM.png" width="320" /></span></a></div></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7ysfuRNvVd8/XgfHqa1ZauI/AAAAAAAACV8/QqfWlJ2g6gUmowyexz9E061VI6fBGWypwCPcBGAYYCw/s597/Screen%2BShot%2B2019-12-28%2Bat%2B4.21.55%2BPM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="597" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7ysfuRNvVd8/XgfHqa1ZauI/AAAAAAAACV8/QqfWlJ2g6gUmowyexz9E061VI6fBGWypwCPcBGAYYCw/s320/Screen%2BShot%2B2019-12-28%2Bat%2B4.21.55%2BPM.png" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p></div></div></div>More Than Wordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11138952283334533183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4558257787206191841.post-84072241020206934762020-05-06T12:30:00.000-07:002020-05-07T07:18:21.133-07:00Is AAC Going to the Dogs?Meet Stella, the Catahoula / Blue Heeler. She uses a sound board to talk. <br />
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A dog who uses AAC to communicate???<br />
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Yes, a dog who uses AAC to communicate!<br />
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<a href="https://people.com/pets/dog-learning-to-talk-by-using-a-custom-soundboard-to-speak-im-in-constant-amazement/" target="_blank">This article</a> in People tells all about it.<br />
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There's video imbedded in the article that shows Stella in action, or you can go to the <i>Hunger 4 Words</i> YouTube channel <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4n1G-BIHCYu1suNxLRjcyg/featured" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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You can read more at <a href="https://www.hungerforwords.com/" target="_blank">Hunger For Words</a>, where Christina Hunger, speech language pathologist blogs about teaching her dog to talk!</div>
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You can also follow @Hunger4Words on Instagram to watch Stella do her thing.</div>
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<br />More Than Wordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11138952283334533183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4558257787206191841.post-87982091372800779662020-03-19T12:02:00.005-07:002022-05-03T08:09:09.872-07:00"Pandemic" a Poem by Lynn Ungar<br />
I've seen this posted on a few blogs that I follow. I thought I would share it here as well.<br />
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Pandemic</div>
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What if you thought of it</div>
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as the Jews consider the Sabbath—</div>
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the most sacred of times?</div>
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Cease from travel.</div>
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Cease from buying and selling.</div>
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Give up, just for now,</div>
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on trying to make the world</div>
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different than it is.</div>
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Sing. Pray. Touch only those</div>
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to whom you commit your life.</div>
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Center down.</div>
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And when your body has become still,</div>
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reach out with your heart.</div>
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Know that we are connected</div>
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in ways that are terrifying and beautiful.</div>
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(You could hardly deny it now.)</div>
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Know that our lives</div>
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are in one another’s hands.</div>
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(Surely, that has come clear.)</div>
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Do not reach out your hands.</div>
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Reach out your heart.</div>
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Reach out your words.</div>
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Reach out all the tendrils</div>
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of compassion that move, invisibly,</div>
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where we cannot touch.</div>
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Promise this world your love–</div>
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for better or for worse,</div>
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in sickness and in health,</div>
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so long as we all shall live.</div>
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<br />More Than Wordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11138952283334533183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4558257787206191841.post-52243524928098881132019-11-06T14:21:00.001-08:002019-11-27T11:46:51.786-08:00GOAT CarterCarter is truly the <span style="color: #990000;">GOAT</span> when it comes to loving animals. Hands down (or should I say hooves down), he is the <span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #990000;">G</span></span>reatest <span style="color: #990000;">O</span>f <span style="color: #990000;">A</span>ll <span style="color: #990000;">T</span>ime.<br />
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That's why, when I came across this opportunity, I just had to get <i>farm</i>iliar with the details. Once I <i>herd</i> what it was all about, I knew it would be a good fit.<br />
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Carter's been working as part of the Farm Crew since July. The program offers hands-on learning and future-focused vocational coaching for people with neurodiverse abilities.<br />
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Paul and Audrey, a.k.a. Dynamic Supports, run the program and <i>ewe</i> know something? Carter absolutely loves it!<br />
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Check out these pics of him hanging out with his new friends.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MmEmkQMHLgs/XcMlXp4LhqI/AAAAAAAACTs/aLmlxgDb3rovfw1kbDk0FI6KlrqUknRlgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2019-11-06%2Bat%2B2.52.39%2BPM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MmEmkQMHLgs/XcMlXp4LhqI/AAAAAAAACTs/aLmlxgDb3rovfw1kbDk0FI6KlrqUknRlgCK4BGAYYCw/s320/Screen%2BShot%2B2019-11-06%2Bat%2B2.52.39%2BPM.png" width="314" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Doodle and Carter</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carter chatting with Zeus.</td></tr>
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Despite what it might look like, he's not just <i>horsing</i> around. This <i>kid</i> works hard during his time at the farm. He goes whole <i>hog</i> three times a week and he's building some serious muscle from shovelling. </div>
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There's no sitting on the <i>fence</i> about it. The farm is his new favourite place.</div>
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We're very proud of him and he's pretty proud of himself too. <i>Hay</i>! Why not?</div>
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Keep up the good work, Carter! You'll always be the GOAT to me.</div>
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<br />More Than Wordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11138952283334533183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4558257787206191841.post-80214155460262611252019-07-21T11:11:00.002-07:002022-06-02T10:28:52.071-07:00Oh the Places We've GoneI suppose my retirement is similar to any retirement, really, although I am puppared to admit that my work was much like play. I loved tagging along with my bud, Carter. Oh the places we've gone!<br />
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Oh the places we've gone.<br />
We've been here, we've been there.<br />
We've seen Pittsburgh and Disney.<br />
Good times we did share.<br />
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Yes we had fun, but sometimes things got serious.<br />
Doctors and dentists, they drove C delirious.<br />
He helped in return. Oh yes, yes he did.<br />
Because vets weren't my thing, behind Carter I hid.<br />
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I'm sorry to say so,<br />
But sadly, it's true.<br />
I've reached my tenth year<br />
And retirement too.<br />
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Congratulations!<br />
And happy birthday.<br />
Yes! It's your retirement<br />
Rest easy, we say.<br />
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You have stiffening joints<br />
Your coat's been turned in<br />
You can lay your head down<br />
On your paws, rest begins.<br />
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You're still our good boy, a true family member.<br />
You'll now be our pet, January through December.<br />
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Thanks Big B for your years of service and dedication to Carter and our family. Happy (belated) 10th birthday and Happy Retirement!!!<br />
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More Than Wordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11138952283334533183noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4558257787206191841.post-10351745303712411052019-06-06T11:22:00.000-07:002020-05-21T07:38:20.614-07:00Dear Voice of Carter,<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">You didn't show up.</span><br />
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">For years I</span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> thought you would. Some might say you did, eventually, just not as expected. </span></span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I like to think I’m pretty good at figuring you out, but a voice that doesn't form words is impossible to decipher.</span></span><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> I never get to know the real you. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I wish you'd stop hiding. I catch glimpses of you in Carter’s facial expressions, </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">tucked away behind his impish grin or in the crinkled skin bordering his</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> ice blue eyes. I've heard you in his giggle and in his thunderous belly laugh. H</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">is pantomimes, his flailing about, and his movement to music are your physical camouflage. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Wails and screams of protest reveal your unflattering side. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">You make life mysterious. And puzzling. And downright frustrating. </span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> accept that, begrudgingly, and carry on. But sometimes I just want things to be normal. I want to experience what it would be like to hear you form words instead of grunts and squawks. I want to hear you </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">speak a sentence instead of watching my boy gesture and point. I want to hear the real you, instead of a digitized version dubbed 'Kenny' or 'Alex'.</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">When Carter was outside playing
with Jack <a href="https://mthanw.blogspot.com/2013/04/6-not-being-able-to-talk-means.html" target="_blank">one winter years ago</a>, you didn't help him. Jack came inside. Several minutes passed before I went
to check on Carter. He’d gotten himself stuck, legs first, in a hardened, icy
snow tunnel. I could see how he'd struggled. His glasses were thrown across the driveway. His face was
streaked with tears. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">You didn't protest and ask Jack to
stay outside. Y</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ou didn’t scream out or call for me w</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">hen Carter got stuck. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">You failed him.</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><br />
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">During a <a href="https://mthanw.blogspot.com/2012/03/being-mom-detective-as-mom-to-non.html" target="_blank">family ski trip</a> to Vermont, Carter wasn’t feeling well. He was exhausted from a long car ride and a sleepless night in an unfamiliar bed. By the time he got to his
ski lesson he was hot from having to wait inside the chalet in his snow gear. He tossed his cookies right there on the spot shortly after we dropped him off.</span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">You could have prevented the whole incident if only you'd told the instructor that Carter was overheating. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Again, you failed him.</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><br />
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">How many times have I had to pick Carter up from school because of you? On the other end of the line, the school secretary always giving me the same basic narrative, 'Carter isn't feeling well. Please come pick him up.’ </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Not once have you explained that there was too much noise, or too many people, or just too much
stimulation. You don't provide information to the people around Carter so they can make sense of what's bothering him. He has no choice but to hold his stomach to convince them he is sick - his way of escaping the situation.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">When Carter <i>is</i> hurt or sick, your negligence is deplorable. Carter is in distress. I am distressed. You don't tell me where he is hurting or what's making him feel badly. I have no idea what's wrong and I feel helpless.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Do you know how hard it is for me to send Carter to respite activities, to camp - anywhere with people who don't know him well? Knowing that you won't be there to help him is overwhelming.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">You don't show up.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">You'll never show up. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I’ve done everything in my power to replace you with sign language and gestures, an electronic version of you, but it’s not the same. It never will be. Without you, Carter will go through life being minimally understood. His communication will be slow and inefficient. And because of that he won’t express a fraction of what's running through his head. He’ll be left behind. Misunderstood. Complacent. Vulnerable.</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">If only there was some way that I could bring you here. I’ve tried. Oh, how I’ve tried - with speech therapy, prompt therapy, oral motor therapy, behaviour therapy. It didn’t work. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It didn’t work. </span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">didn't</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">work.</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Do you know what it would be like to hear
you form words flowing from my son’s mouth? </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">What would you say to me? </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The silence has been filled with other noise. It’s so different. It’s not what I expected.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">You didn't show up.</span><br />
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More Than Wordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11138952283334533183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4558257787206191841.post-30240310029110571732019-04-07T14:13:00.000-07:002019-04-07T14:14:30.611-07:00Speechless<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Back in October, I responded to a tweet by Minnie Driver: </div>
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Have you seen her show, Speechless?</div>
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Minnie plays Maya, a mother of three.</div>
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"Maya is a mom who will do anything for her husband, Jimmy, and kids Ray, Dylan and JJ, her son with cerebral palsy." ~abc.go.com</div>
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My family loves the sitcom because we can relate to it. Our family has a lot in common with the DiMeos. The biggest one being that JJ uses <a href="https://www.asha.org/public/speech/disorders/aac/" target="_blank">AAC</a> to communicate, just like Carter.</div>
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I love Minnie's character, Maya. She's quirky, but she's also ruthless when it comes to getting her family members what they need, especially JJ. </div>
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When I received a response from Minnie, I was the one who was </div>
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<br />More Than Wordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11138952283334533183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4558257787206191841.post-43193314065496668932019-01-08T08:38:00.001-08:002019-01-08T08:38:52.713-08:00Book Spine Poetry<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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More Than Wordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11138952283334533183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4558257787206191841.post-81607727994850504522018-07-20T18:48:00.001-07:002022-10-25T11:04:14.426-07:00Words Don't Come Easy<div style="text-align: center;">
On the page,</div>
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From your mouth,</div>
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Symbols, sounds</div>
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That's where they're housed.</div>
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There's more to them.</div>
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Words just start</div>
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The thought process;</div>
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Works of art.</div>
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Do not judge.</div>
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Do not assume.</div>
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Watch closely and</div>
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You'll see them bloom.</div>
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Creativity</div>
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Aptitude</div>
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Shift perceptions,</div>
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Attitudes.</div>
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Ongoing journey</div>
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Unrecognized.</div>
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Relish it</div>
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As it's realized.</div>
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<br />More Than Wordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11138952283334533183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4558257787206191841.post-40294972219715658732018-05-22T09:06:00.000-07:002019-04-07T13:18:17.182-07:00These Days<div class="MsoNormal">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>These days being a mom feels like..</b>.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">stealing a kiss and a hug whenever Carter is near; his legs so long now, bringing him to a height where his cheek meets my mouth when he’s close. I steal those kisses only to be given a sloppy one in return. But I’ll try and savour them, even though he’ll always be my loving guy and, thankfully, won’t outgrow showing his mom his love. He’ll keep his playfulness too, punching me in the car when he sees (or sometimes doesn’t see) a ‘punch buggy’. His knuckles digging a sharp pain into my biceps, but being rubbed out by his open hand when I mutter, ‘ow’.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>These days being a mom smells like...</b></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">hockey.
The stink of hockey hair from a smelly helmet, hockey hands from sweat soaked
gloves, hockey equipment draped in the bathroom downstairs, oozing out the
stench of my boy giving it his all on the ice. His determination, his drive,
his dedication to the sport he loves, drips from him in a sweaty mess. But when he’s showered
after his practises and games, the masculine smell of his shampoo reminds me
that he’s on the verge of becoming a man and I want to slow down time and keep
him close, keep him little, remember back to when I had to go into the dressing
room to tie his skates and help him with his equipment. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>These days being a mom sounds like...</b></span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">an
excited, loud girl on the end of a long distance line. A routine conversation
consisting of mostly the same information, the same questions, the same
responses each night we chat. But the anticipation of speaking and connecting
to home is a must, even if it is the same every time.</span></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">These days (and all the days of being a mom)...</span></span></span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">have music in them; dancing with the kids when they were babies and
then toddlers, holding them in my arms and blasting the music. Now, I hold Carter’s
hands and dance with him in the kitchen in an awkward effort to reenact our
dances of years gone by. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Carter's got the music in him, his shoulders shimmy when a
funky beat plays on the car radio. His brother belts out the words in his off
tune voice that makes my inner musician cringe. That voice drowns out his sister who carries the tune beautifully and who knows the actual words. As long as we’re sharing music, that's what's important. It is our connection. It is our outlet. It brings laughter
and silliness. We sing like nobody’s listening and dance like nobody’s
watching.</span><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span><b>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">These days being a mom means...</span></span></span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">facing constant challenges</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">and embracing ongoing changes.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>These days being a mom means...</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">utilizing my fierce determination to get for my kids what they need most.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span></span></span><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">These days being a mom means...</span></span></span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">celebrating small victories</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">and accepting things as they are.</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Written Oct.2/17</span></span></span><br />
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More Than Wordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11138952283334533183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4558257787206191841.post-28712003522054342142018-02-20T11:06:00.000-08:002019-06-06T10:45:18.466-07:00Just Keep Swimming<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I remember the colour of the pool that day
when I watched you stand in the shallow end, fall forward, kick your legs and
swing your arms as you swam through the cobalt blue water toward the ladder in the
deep end. The sun glinted off the ripples you made as your body moved
awkwardly, but successfully to keep you afloat and move forward. The air tasted
thick with heat. The green backdrop of our yard and the surrounding trees that
hugged our pool area in a protective, supportive way was fuzzy because my eyes
were hyper-focused on you. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This was the moment we’d all been waiting for. You’d
been working so hard and your bravery and determination would now shine
through. Your giggling laugh risked the possibility of you taking on water as you swam beside
your brother whose encouraging shouts kept you moving. And when you finally
reached the ladder how many times did you climb up and return to the shallow
end splashing back in with an abandonment that sent water all over the slate
grey deck? Once, twice, and on and on to the fifth and sixth ‘lap’ from shallow
to deep waters. </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There was no stopping you now that you knew you could do it.
You were a big guy now, just like your brother. The
deep end was yours and you had conquered it. And that’s what is so beautiful
about you. It takes you longer to learn things and to summon up your courage to
try things, but once you’ve got them, you’ve got them! And you do learn.
You do accomplish. You do conquer. It’s just all on your own time, and in your
own way. When given the opportunity you never fail to amaze us. </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Oh, how you love the water. It frees you and allows you to be in your own world doing your own thing. Presume competence because competent you are. Look at you go!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(click <a href="https://youtu.be/-zQNMsGU05o" target="_blank">here</a> to see the video or click below)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/-zQNMsGU05o/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-zQNMsGU05o?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">(video taken Aug. 3, 2014)</span></span><br />
<br /></div>
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More Than Wordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11138952283334533183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4558257787206191841.post-31431334372026682932017-10-31T13:37:00.004-07:002018-09-25T06:19:10.382-07:00Halloween Throwback<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: left;">We needed a little magic in our lives during the period of time when the picture below was taken, but no, this genie didn't appear by rubbing a lantern. Her name was Bea and she was one of Carter's nurses at McMaster Children's Hospital. She didn't grant us any wishes, but after a three week stay at McMaster what we'd been wishing for finally came true. We were able to take Carter home!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The pictures below were taken <b><i>fourteen</i></b> Halloweens ago! Carter was just eight weeks old. He was diagnosed with failure to thrive because he was having a lot of trouble coordinating his eating and his breathing and he just wasn't gaining weight. So, he was admitted to Mac where he got a heap of attention and some fancy shmancy tubes to help him breathe and eat. As a result, he finally gained weight!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">You can read more about his early days <a href="http://mthanw.blogspot.ca/2012/04/looking-back.html" target="_blank">here</a>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Carter settled in for a nap just in time to head home. I couldn't have been happier.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Fourteen years later, here's 5'4", 100 lb Carter!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Sorry, no Halloween costume (he's not into that anymore). But, if you'd like to see some Halloween posts from days gone by, you can click <a href="http://mthanw.blogspot.ca/2012/11/life-lesson-reminder-halloween-style.html" target="_blank">here</a>, and <a href="http://mthanw.blogspot.ca/2013/11/bentleys-biz-howling-halloween.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;">Happy Halloween!</span></div>
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<br />More Than Wordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11138952283334533183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4558257787206191841.post-33232440293114833812017-07-07T12:15:00.001-07:002019-03-21T06:37:19.109-07:00Speak Up and Be Heard<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>I was browsing through some old material and came across this post that I wrote for <a href="https://wrfn.info/" target="_blank">WRFN's</a> blog several years ago. </i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>I couldn't help but smile (in an ironic sort of way) as I read over the article. May and June were challenging months as we struggled with the school board to resolve issues around where Carter would attend school in September. </i></span></span><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">He graduated from grade 8 at the end of June and </i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">I advocated strongly to ensure that he receive</i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> the best possible school placement in order that his needs be met. In the end, we were very pleased with the result.</i><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>The information that I wrote (oh so long ago) still remains relevant. So, I'm posting it here again in hopes that others may find it helpful.</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Over the past seven years [<i>actually thirteen now!</i>], I have attended a number of appointments and meetings related to my son’s therapy, education and medical needs. At times I've been outspoken. I’ve expressed my opinion and gotten questions answered. Other times, after the fact, I’ve kicked myself for not speaking up about my concerns or for not saying enough. I'd then be left wondering why I didn’t make the most of the situation when I had the chance.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It’s rarely easy dealing with issues regarding a child who has special needs. How does a parent find the confidence to speak up and be heard, especially when dealing with professionals who can sometimes be quite intimidating? How does a parent know what to push for and how hard to push? How do we keep all who are involved up to date about the goings on and the changes occurring with our kids? Unfortunately, there isn’t a one-size fits all formula for dealing with all the extra (and sometimes unexpected) issues that go along with raising a child with special needs. One thing is certain: we want to ensure that, as parents, we are doing everything we can to promote the best treatment for our children because they deserve no less than that. To do so is not easy. Like most things in life, experience can often be the best teacher.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Here are some things I’ve learned along the way. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><strong>Parent groups are an excellent source of information and support.</strong> There are several groups within local communities across the province that are set-up to help parents who need help navigating the world of special needs. The family network that I volunteered for offered a parent mentor program. The program matched a parent mentor volunteer with a parent(s) whose child had similar needs and was seeking support. It can be empowering to speak with someone who has been down a path similar to the one you are on. If a parent mentor program is not offered in your area, look for a parent support group. You can usually find information about these types of groups through your local doctor's office or at your local child development centre. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><strong>It helps to be proactive.</strong> Boost your confidence by educating yourself as much as possible about what is going on with your child. Sorting through the vast amount of information on the internet can be intimidating, but you may discover helpful resources and information that you didn't know existed. Beware of Dr. Google though. There is a ton of information on the web and it can become overwhelming. Try to stick to the websites of well-known organizations. If you feel overwhelmed about searching the internet, ask a friend or family member to fill this role. They can share with you the pertinent information they find.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><strong>It is helpful to provide relevant information beforehand to doctors, therapists, teachers, camp counselors or anyone else who is working closely with your child.</strong> Providing information in advance shows that you are organized and prepared when it comes to your child. It also gives professionals a glimpse of who your child is and what they’re all about.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><strong><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></strong><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><strong>Ask lots of questions and don't stop asking until you have all the answers you need.</strong> Have you ever heard the saying, <i>The only stupid question is the one that isn’t asked?</i> If you don’t speak up, you may end up leaving a situation wishing that you had. Better to have asked than to continue to worry about something because you were afraid to speak up.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><strong>You are stronger than you think you are. </strong>Even if it’s not in your nature to be outspoken and you feel you lack confidence when speaking with professionals, reminding yourself that this is about the needs and the best interests of your child can help you to overcome those feelings. Remember to write down important points and any questions you have before a meeting or appointment. Take notes during meetings and phone calls and write down any new questions that may arise.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In order to keep the lines of communication open, you will need to remain polite. Speak firmly and directly but remain tactful when stating your point or asking your questions. Polite yet assertive is a winning combination.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And finally:</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">You are the expert when it comes to your child.</span></strong> Your child deserves a voice and you need to be that voice because no one knows your child better than you do. So speak up and be heard!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>More Than Wordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11138952283334533183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4558257787206191841.post-77091790989323144412017-03-13T13:12:00.001-07:002019-04-07T13:18:39.699-07:00Coming Home to Writing<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Last Thursday was the final class for the <a href="http://fireflycreativewriting.com/" target="_blank">Firefly Creative Writing</a> workshop I participated in. It was called, <i>Coming Home to Writing </i>and it was like no other writing experience I've had before. I really enjoyed it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The facilitators were amazing. Midway through the seven week session they even mailed out some awesome treats!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I've cut and paste some of the nuggets that I wrote during the workshop (below). I wanted to keep them somewhere other than in a dusty, old word file that will soon be lost or forgotten on my computer. </span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Some of the writing starts with a prompt given to us by our facilitator, some of it is poetry built from our own writing or from a poem read to us during class, and some of the writing was prompted by looking at a picture.</span></span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">These days I’ve been thinking about...</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">These days I've been thinking about writing. It got away from me for a while and I want to get back into it. I’m doing just that tonight with my fellow Fireflyers. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">I was going over some of my writing today and thinking about what holds me back in my writing. It’s the thought of having to have direction and purpose in my writing. The feeling that I have to become published, or recognized in order to be successful in writing. But my first few sessions here with Firefly have shown me that writing is very therapeutic and it’s okay if that turns out to be the purpose behind why I write. I believe that it may lead to more, but if that’s what it is for now, I am going to work very hard to accept that.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">It doesn't have to be... </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">It doesn’t have to be perfect. Whatever it is that you do, you need to accept that you are not perfect. You have flaws. You make mistakes. You are human. It doesn’t have to be the same as everyone else. Everyone’s situation is unique. Everyone does things in their own way. Everyone is different. Do what is right for you. It doesn’t have to be measurable. It can just be. It can happen without being rated or compared. It can just be.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Bear with me I want to tell you something
about...</span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><br /></span>
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Bear with me I want to tell you something about life. It has a way of knocking you down, of blindsiding you, of taking
your planned destination and putting up a roadblock. Just when you think you’ve
got it all, you get sent in a totally different direction from where you
thought you’d be going. You discover a road less travelled and on that road
there are stops along the way that you never would have seen had you followed
the planned route. You meet people you never would have met and you have
experiences that change you and shape you and build you up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><o:p>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">(Haiku about Carter)</span><br />
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<br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><o:p>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">When I see the words <i>take my hand run away</i> I think about running away from it all, from
the struggles and monotony of everyday life, from the never ending demands and
neediness of others. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">If only for a moment. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">To catch my breath with you again. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Take my hand and run away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">But if we ran, we would come back, wouldn’t
we?</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><o:p>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</o:p></span></div>
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0HE0c31Z2j8/WMbxolHDGHI/AAAAAAAAB2Q/cbFzYniJQtwYMU2GP_-Zcmn9U2hQtY9lgCLcB/s1600/bentley%2Blake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0HE0c31Z2j8/WMbxolHDGHI/AAAAAAAAB2Q/cbFzYniJQtwYMU2GP_-Zcmn9U2hQtY9lgCLcB/s200/bentley%2Blake.jpg" width="200" /></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">I see myself in this picture. My boy
Bentley watching out for me. He’s got my back. He’s my sounding board. He’s my
companion, my pup who pushes me to get out the door and get moving, to take
care of myself so I can take care of everyone else in my family.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Bentley is the pup who loves
unconditionally. He gives me so much, but what I love the most is that he gives
my boy a best friend. When my other two are off on play dates or at birthday
parties Bentley is the one who is here giving my boy what doesn’t come to him
like it comes to my other two children. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Boy’s best friend indeed.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><o:p>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Where the singing resides is where I go to unwind.
The dancing often follows. It is in this place that I let it all go. I stop the
world around me and let the music take over. I sing like nobody’s listening and
dance like nobody’s watching. Music becomes my escape, if only for a few brief
moments of release. And then I get back to it all again, this time with a skip
in my step, and humming a tune until it becomes time to unwind again.</span></div>
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More Than Wordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11138952283334533183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4558257787206191841.post-31648406919318079672015-07-02T19:53:00.001-07:002018-04-30T08:01:01.553-07:00Our New Family Room<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yFVwVtocwvY/VZH-I7Gbn-I/AAAAAAAABdo/IeepMIAnyhM/s1600/2015move.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yFVwVtocwvY/VZH-I7Gbn-I/AAAAAAAABdo/IeepMIAnyhM/s200/2015move.jpg" width="150" /></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I'm sitting in our new family room remembering back to when I first started this blog. It was shortly after <a href="http://mthanw.blogspot.ca/2013/02/carters-story-part-5-big-move.html" target="_blank">we moved away</a> so that Carter could attend a private school where he would receive more individualized attention for his communication and educational needs.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Our new family room is geographically closer to the very thing it's named for: family. A week ago we moved <i>back</i>, closer to our support system and closer to work for my husband. No more commuting across the GTA (insert smiley face here).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: center;">Our new family room is a bit smaller and has some different features than the one in our last house, but what the room is named for is what's most important. Our decision to move was based around what we felt was best for our family at this point in time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Come September, Carter will start back into the regular school system. He's a much different boy than he was when we left the public school system four years ago. But, I won't lie, I'm still a bit nervous about the upcoming school year.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For now, I'll focus on enjoying the summer. We're getting to know our new neighbours and our new neighbourhood. So far so good. We're enjoying this place we hope to call home for many years to come. And as I look around, I realize that as much as I'll miss our old family room, this new one is really starting to grow on me.</span></span></div>
More Than Wordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11138952283334533183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4558257787206191841.post-70872990585327914722014-07-27T08:09:00.001-07:002018-04-29T07:59:55.717-07:00Living with a Bunch of Animals<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So far, the kids and I have managed to keep busy this summer and can you believe it? We're almost at the midway mark. We're halfway through and I'm still sane. But, earlier this month, I did a not so sane thing. I took all three kids to Serengeti Bush Camp; a one night stay at the Metro Toronto Zoo. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We had a walking tour of the African Savannah where we enjoyed a behind the scenes look at the rhinos (who we later 'had dinner with'). At dusk, we scampered around doing a scavenger hunt. And after finishing our night off with songs and stories by the campfire, we </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">followed a moonlit path to where we would lay our tired little heads for the night. Then there was nothing between us and nature but the canvas of a Nairobi safari tent!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">All three kids had a blast, but being the animal lover that he is, Carter was particularly in his glory. And now that I'm caught up on my sleep, I can happily admit that it was tons of fun, something we will always remember.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Click <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=6&v=2IIYbQBGK6c" target="_blank">here</a> or below to take a look:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/2IIYbQBGK6c?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We've been home from the zoo for some time now, so why is it that I still feel like I'm living with a bunch of animals? Ah well, <i><b>Hakuna Matata!</b></i></span></span>More Than Wordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11138952283334533183noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4558257787206191841.post-66868215318948829542014-05-14T12:02:00.002-07:002018-04-30T08:02:43.388-07:00A Year in Review (Happy Belated Blogiversary!)<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GiGhy8Xkzw0/U3OijzgutJI/AAAAAAAABOk/0ELg-d_IEUI/s1600/happy-2nd-birthday1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GiGhy8Xkzw0/U3OijzgutJI/AAAAAAAABOk/0ELg-d_IEUI/s200/happy-2nd-birthday1.jpg" width="133" /></span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Throughout the busy-ness of winter, I missed my blogiversary! It was on March 25th, but I was in the middle of my TESL course at that time. So, without further ado; happy belated blogiversary to me (cue the party streamers and confetti)!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As I look back over my second year of blogging, it's with some regret that I didn't stay fully committed to my <a href="http://mthanw.blogspot.ca/2013/03/on-inspiration-and-perspiration.html" target="_blank">blogging goal</a>.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I did however, manage to get <a href="http://mthanw.blogspot.ca/2013/07/sweating-me-too-but-not-about-falling.html" target="_blank">twenty-five posts</a> written for my <i>Not Being Able to Speak</i> series and I'm proud of those posts.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It was around this time last year (June to be more specific) that I stopped contributing to my <i>Not Being Able to Speak</i> series. I <a href="http://mthanw.blogspot.ca/2013/07/sweating-me-too-but-not-about-falling.html" target="_blank">blamed summer</a> because let's face it, when you've got three kids around all the time it's more challenging to get anything done let alone be able to write on a regular basis.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Then came my <a href="http://mthanw.blogspot.ca/2013/09/family-friends-fun-at-40.html" target="_blank">40th birthday</a> (yes, I'm that old!), and with it a renewed <a href="http://mthanw.blogspot.ca/2013/12/my-communication-journey.html" target="_blank">desire to do something more with my time</a>. I volunteered, I job searched; I even submitted a few resumes, but to no avail. And then I made a very last minute decision to <a href="http://mthanw.blogspot.ca/2014/02/back-to-school.html" target="_blank">go back to school</a> in January.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I finished my course on April 11th and successfully obtained my TESL Certificate for teaching English as a second language. While I would like nothing more than to move on to the next stage of my plan (get a job), we are once again at that time of the year when I will soon have three sets of feet stomping through the house; three active children out of school and looking for things to do. So, I'll continue to be patient and hopefully find employment in September.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">People always say how time flies and it's true. Through this brief overview of my year from March 2013 (my 1st blogiversary) to March 2014 (2 years since I started this blog - unbelievable!), I've realized I don't alway recognize the changes (big or small) that are happening around me until I consciously reflect on things. I'm grateful that this blog forces me to do some purposeful reflection because it helps me to see the progress that Carter has made. He's come a long way.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Carter has been in his <a href="http://mthanw.blogspot.ca/2013/02/carters-story-part-5-big-move.html" target="_blank">new school</a> for three years now and he continues to surprise us with his accomplishments. He's becoming quite a young man whose sociability continues to grow. He wants to be included in everything and he loves it when he is.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A huge highlight for Carter this year was being part of Jack's hockey team. The team got him a jersey with his name on the back and he was given #10 in honour of his tenth birthday. His job was to high five all team members before they went on the ice at home games. He loved it and so did I. It. Was. Awesome.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Here are a few more pictures from some events with the kids that I didn't get a chance to post:</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Happy 9th b-day Jack. Leafs vs. Detroit</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://mthanw.blogspot.ca/2012/05/evolution-of-lawn-mower-play.html" target="_blank">Lawn mower season</a> is back! Sweet new lawn mower, Carter!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Big B spent a lot of time in various arenas this winter - that look says it all (bring on summer already).</span></td></tr>
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More Than Wordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11138952283334533183noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4558257787206191841.post-10660636525706940362014-02-27T05:20:00.002-08:002018-04-28T16:54:28.848-07:00Back to School<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; text-align: -webkit-center;">It's a biz-busy time of the year. </span><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; text-align: -webkit-center;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; text-align: -webkit-center;">With the kids and my hubby</span><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; text-align: -webkit-center;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; text-align: -webkit-center;">And back to school for me, I'm trying to stay in good cheer. </span><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; text-align: -webkit-center;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; text-align: -webkit-center;">It's a biz-busy time of the year. </span><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; text-align: -webkit-center;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; text-align: -webkit-center;">It's the cray-craziest time of them all.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; text-align: -webkit-center;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; text-align: -webkit-center;">With readings, assignments and placements and testing, </span><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; text-align: -webkit-center;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; text-align: -webkit-center;">It feels like I may hit the wall.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; text-align: -webkit-center;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; text-align: -webkit-center;">It's the cray-craziest time of them all!</span></span><br />
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In my <a href="http://mthanw.blogspot.ca/2014/02/breaking-bad-does-aac.html" target="_blank">last post</a>, I mentioned my busyness and I eluded to the fact that I would be taking an exam. Yep, I did it! I registered for the TESL (teaching English as a second language) program at Seneca College. It was a six week long adventure!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I wrote the exam on Valentine's day and I've been enjoying two weeks off ever since. But, on Monday I start back for another six weeks to complete part two of the program.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Once I'm done that, I'll be able to teach ESL to adults!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I won't lie, juggling school full-time and all things family wasn't easy. It felt like we faced every challenge known to families during those six weeks. Weather, sickness and injuries were a few of the highlights that resulted in bus cancellations, traffic jams, and visits to the walk-in clinic and emerg. But, I lived to tell about it and in the end it was worth it (I think). I'm looking forward to starting part two of the course because when I finish, I'll be that much closer to getting back to teaching with a renewed focus on communication.</span>More Than Wordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11138952283334533183noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4558257787206191841.post-28802976240457421652014-02-08T09:31:00.000-08:002018-04-30T08:03:22.371-07:00Breaking Bad Does AAC<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I've been meaning to write a post with an update on what I've been up to lately, but what I've been up to lately has me so busy I haven't had the time!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So, in a week or so (after my exam - oops, did I spoil it?) I'll fill you in. In the meantime, I'll leave you with something else I've been meaning to share.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Have you watched the Emmy award winning series, Breaking Bad? We quickly became <i>addicted</i> in this house, after watching just one episode. We're anxiously awaiting the release of seasons six on Netflix (or for the DVD fairy to drop it on our doorstep).</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Not only is Breaking Bad a wildly popular series, it has won points with disability advocates everywhere thanks to RJ Mitte, the actor who plays the son of main character, Walter White. RJ is a phenomenal actor who just so happens to have cerebral palsy. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But here's what got me: Breaking Bad actually features a character using AAC!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Take a look at <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGQapTlrsR4" target="_blank">this scene</a> where DEA agent, Hank Schrader has been brought in to the station because his colleagues believe that Hector Salamanca, former high-ranking drug runner with the Juarez cartel (rendered speechless due to stroke) is going to reveal critical information about a current drug ring. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Hank should know better - Salamanca is old school and wouldn't be caught dead snitching. His message put a smile on my face though as it showed AAC (with a little reading between the lines) in its true form: being able to say exactly what you want to say when you want to say it.</span></div>
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More Than Wordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11138952283334533183noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4558257787206191841.post-64431597091525587842013-12-09T08:56:00.003-08:002019-04-07T13:17:30.988-07:00My Communication Journey<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">It's funny how life unfolds depending on the hand you're dealt. Carter </span></span><span style="line-height: 20px;">has </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">influenced my life path tremendously. He has take me on a unique and exceptional journey. Having a son with a disability has opened the door to a whole new world of people and organizations for me. Because of that, I've had some pretty interesting opportunities. To name a few, </span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">I've volunteered with the WR Family Network, the Abilities Centre and most recently with the <a href="http://mthanw.blogspot.ca/2013/05/17-getting-your-message-across-however.html" target="_blank">Aphasia Centre</a>. It's not likely I would've gotten involved with any of these organizations had it not been for Carter.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">Through Carter, I also discovered my passion for communication. I believe very strongly that c</span><span style="background-color: white; text-align: center;">ommunication</span><span style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"> is a basic human right. Some of us need help getting our message across, but we all have the right to be heard.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Several weeks ago, I sat down at my computer to investigate what it would take to become a speech therapist. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">I mean, why not? I'm immersed in the world of AAC thanks to Carter, and as a result I've attended several workshops and learned a ton of stuff about AAC and language development. Maybe that's the career path I was meant to take. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">But, after quite a bit of research and personal reflection,</span></span><span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">I decided that as passionate as I am about communication, being a </span></span><span style="line-height: 20px;">speech therapist isn't really for me. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Instead, I found my research turning toward how language is learned. That lead me to</span><span style="line-height: 20px;"> several websites for TESL programs (teaching English as a second language). Reading about that</span><span style="line-height: 20px;"> got me excited. It's</span><span style="line-height: 20px;"> an offshoot of my teaching qualifications and it's related to communication, but it's separate and very different from what I experience with Carter. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">I started volunteering with the LINC/ESL continuing education program t</span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;">hree weeks ago. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 20px;"> Once a week I help out in an adult ESL classroom for two hours in the morning. After lunch I wheel the </span></span><span style="line-height: 20px;">library cart (full of levelled reading books) to three different classrooms, stopping for 40 minutes in each to read with the adult students and support them in learning English.</span></span></span><br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QOUHx86Euzw/UqEA0AZXE5I/AAAAAAAABK0/TXtIzCu_ofA/s1600/atlas-62742_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QOUHx86Euzw/UqEA0AZXE5I/AAAAAAAABK0/TXtIzCu_ofA/s1600/atlas-62742_640.jpg" width="200" /></span></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">Under one roof, I have been exposed to people from across the globe; places like; Vietnam; Guinea; Libya; Saudi Arabia; Afghanistan; Hungary; Poland; Ukraine; Congo; Iran; Honduras; to name just a few. I find it fascinating.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">I've been immersed in the world of special needs since Carter was born. As a result I've met some amazing people and had some very unique experiences. I'm grateful for those experiences and credit them somewhat for my arrival back to the classroom with a renewed passion and interest. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">Although my classroom time is much different than when I first started teaching</span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">,</span></span><span style="line-height: 20px;"> I'm enjoying my new volunteer position.</span><span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span><span style="line-height: 20px;">How things unfold from here remains to be seen, but the research I'm doing these days is around what it will take to get my TESL qualifications.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">I'll be sure to keep you posted so s</span></span><span style="line-height: 20px;">tay tuned!</span><span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span>More Than Wordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11138952283334533183noreply@blogger.com2