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Straight Talk Speech Therapy Manual Works!

I wanted to let you know our good results from the “Straight Talk” program.
I was very pleased with the program, the instructional book, and DVD. It was all very helpful. I was a bit uncertain about my ability as a homeschool mother to act as therapist for my daughter’s speech problem, but after 4 weeks of speech therapy, she is doing remarkably well! In fact, she has come to the place where she can say all the “problem words” correctly, if she’ll just remember to think about it.
It was so thrilling to hear her pronounce words correctly for the first time in her life. I almost cried with joy!
She is doing well now on her own, although she’ll occasionally slip up and forget. I thank the Lord for His help and strength through this, and I thank you for making this program available.
May the Lord bless you bountifully for this important ministry,

Lori Bohman elbohman@earthlink.net

Tanzania, Africa

Be A Choosy Homeschooler….like me..!

My name is Jennifer and I am the editor of a new homeschool product review website. I know, I know, there are many product review websites out there, right? However, as a homeschooler I found that when I read reviews of homeschool products on other sites, I didn't know anything about the people who wrote the reviews. Are their values similar to mine? Do their children have the same needs as mine?
We developed our site so that it is easy for parents to find product reviews written by parents who have children with specific special needs. We accomplish this through the use of review "tagging". For instance, if I was a parent of a child with dyslexia, I would post reviews of products I have used and provide information on how well these products worked for my dyslexic child. I would add the tag "Dyslexia" to each of my reviews. So, when another parent of a child with dyslexia is looking for feedback on how well a product might work for their child, they could click on the tag "Dyslexia" and read all of the product reviews written by parents of children with dyslexia. (Please note that this is only one example of tag use. When parents write product reviews, they can assign their reviews with any tags they would like. We hope that our list of tags will grow indefinitely to include a wide range of special needs terminology, learning styles, and religious beliefs).
Our goal is to make our site a valuable resource for parents with special needs children to share their experiences with specific curriculum products (or other tools and services) with other parents who have children with similar needs. We believe that our website can become a very valuable resource to parents of special needs children; therefore we are eager to share this resource.

I invite you to take a look at our website at:

www.ChoosyHomeschooler.com

Pam shares a devotional written by a man who is disabled, sharing from his heart about disability….

Dear NATHHAN families,

My name is Pam. Ziggler98@aol.com

I know a severely physically and slightly mentally handicapped young man who intensely loves Jesus and is great at encouraging people who are ill.
I would like for him to blog his devotions and ideas and hook it up with a Christian group. Is this something anyone would be interested in? I don't want to raise his hopes.
I am sharing a short devotional that he completed. It really touches my heart because I know the road their family has walked and how much they love Jesus.
Michael and Annie were adopted from just after birth with little to no chance of survival. Their adopted father has since passed away from cancer. Michael and Annie are in their 30’s. Their mother has MS and works 1 - 2 days a week at a Christian preschool teaching their Bible class.
Michael and Annie have a rare disease. I don’t know the name of it. He just had an operation a year or two ago that saved his life or his legs, as you will read about in his devotional. I did not edit his work.

Psalms 23 - “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters…”
In the early part of the year 2006, I started to have problems with my legs. It only got worse and worse. I went from doctor to doctor trying to figure out what was wrong with me. The last doctor said, “There was nothing I could do for you.” You have no idea what it feels like when you don’t know if you are going to die or ever walk again. Things went from bad to worse as the weeks went on. It got to the point I could hardly walk. At that moment in time, I thought I was going to die. My mother called a doctor that I knew in my childhood. God in his mighty power had a plan the doctor was in his office the very day that my mother called.
This doctor was in his office only one day of the week. What are the odds in that? About 20% I would say! The doctor said to go to the ER I put up a fight I really didn’t want to go at all. My mother forced me to go. I was 31 at the time. I went to the ER. I spent a night as I never had spent before. I was scared to death. I never cursed God’s name at all that night. The next morning I found myself in a room with a doctor who would save my legs. I said yes to the operation. I love Jesus very much. He is my Lord and Savior.
I really thought that I might see Jesus the next day. The surgery was life and death. I had no choice in the matter. I went through the surgery. I woke in the immediate care center. It was days until I felt my legs again and what a wonderful feeling is that. During the night I heard God’s voice telling me that I will never be alone. That brought comfort to my heart! I started walking again and with much help at the hospital. The best thing being in that hospital was that I was in my own room. So was not that bad. One week went by and I went to the rehab place. This time I was not by myself, I had a room mate.
This is the place where I got a taste what life could have been for me. My roommate was a good man I say for sure. He got me thinking about something. A life of an instant change. He was a healthy man when he was younger. He got into a serious car accident that left him without movement in his legs. I saw kids that will have problems worse than mine. I saw people stuck in wheelchairs and would for the rest of their lives. I did not feel sorry for myself anymore. I did lose a lot. I will not be playing baseball or basketball again. However, after what I saw, I really do not care. I remember the time when I couldn’t feel. At least I walk now and that is all I ask. Thank God for the things he brought into
my life.
Proverbs 3:3-6
Let love and faithfulness never leave you bind them around your neck. Write them on your tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your path straight.

Author of new children’s book on Down syndrome shares her heart and vision…..

Heather heathermomof3@hotmail.com

I want to let everyone know of a book called Meet Annie!

But first, let me tell you a little about myself and my daughter Annie…

Annie was born in September of 2005. I had no idea of the complications she had until after the birth. Even then, it took about 2 weeks until I knew of the severity of her heart condition. Annie has had 10 surgeries, 2 of which have been on her heart. She will have another heart surgery soon and hopefully that will be all, for a while anyway!

Anyway, after her 2nd surgery, I was very depressed. Any of you that experienced that feeling of helplessness know exactly what I mean. Well, when people want to get away from it all, they do all kinds of things. Some drink, hide away, the list goes on and on… well, I don’t do any of those things. I decided to write a book!
This book was meant as therapy for myself, but with my husband’s persistence, I sent it out. After going through a massive publishing website, I picked 5 and sent my manuscript out to them. I didn’t believe in my wildest dreams that my manuscript would be picked out of the tens of thousands that they receive!
I signed my contract in March of 07. the process took a long year and it is now available all over the internet, worldwide. My book is called “Meet Annie” and is based after my daughter. I am hoping that this will be the first in a series (I have 2 more already done) and will be the first special needs series book with the main character having DS. My goal is to see my book in hospitals and clinics around the U.S. My book teaches acceptance through a simple children’s book. I have sold out at book signings, been to schools, “Meet Annie” has also been featured in newspapers and a radio station. I am trying to spread the word. That is why I am writing you all.

I am trying to get my book in the hands of people that can make a difference. I am passionate about this book and hope you will be too.

www.tatepublishing.com

Granddaughter with Spinal Muscular Atrophy, (SMA) brings great joy to family….

I am a 49-year-old Grandmother and until Lizzy came into my life, I was quite content being a sporting goods manager and a weekend biker with my husband, since my kids had all grown up.
My whole life changed very quickly after the arrival of a special little life that stole my heart.
Now I have a lot of grey hair, don’t get out much, gained weight and have a bad back! But the wonderful thing about it all, is that I have the most beautiful, bravest granddaughter in this world and she is doing well!
My daughter Christen was only 20 when she gave birth to Lizzy. Her boyfriend wasn’t supportive and didn't have the means or responsibility needed to help Christen care for Elizabeth. My husband and I took our daughter and her newborn in with open arms.
I knew something wasn’t right with Lizzy a month after birth. She was very “floppy” and could not handle her own secretions. I used a bulb syringe to keep her mouth clear constantly. Her hands turned inward and she grew weaker after birth. Christen was brushed off by a doctor and told that “all kids are different” but eventually we had her seen by a neurologist and she was diagnosed with SMA, type 1. Children with SMA, type 1 are not expected to survive past their second birthday without extensive respiratory support.
I dropped to my knees as if someone pierced my heart with a hot knife. I knew that I could not take this news lying down. I HAD to do something.. Anything! I wasn’t willing to let her go and I was not going to sit around waiting for her to die.
I learned of a clinical drug study at Stanford University in CA geared for SMA type children. I left a message with a Dr. Wang. He immediately called me back and was extremely informative, kind and understanding. He also gave us hope.
With the aid of Mercy Medical Airlift we were on our way to Stanford on June10th. Hydroxyurea, in short, is a drug used to treat specific kinds of cancers in the head, neck, ovarries and Sickle cell anemia. It has also been found to halt Spinal Muscular Atrophy.
We found that other interventions were needed to assist Lizzy and through FSMA and SMA Support, we were able to secure the equipment needed. We received a bi-pap, cough asst. machine, a suction machine, pulse oximeter and Tolerex, so we could begin an amino acid diet.
Elizabeth turned 4 years old on 9-29-07. The drug trial ended October 4th. Lizzy is currently on an amino acid diet supplemented with donor breast milk. We stretch her daily at and continue her physical therapy. Most importantly, Lizzy is extremely happy and bright. She is much loved and is able to color and paint. Like any other 4-year-old girl she loves her makeup, jewelry and dresses.
Her favorite book is “Fancy Nancy” by Jane O’Connor.
We had to decide to homeschool her because of an illness last October that lasted over three weeks. A lot of parents, whose kids go to public school, do not keep their kids home when they are sick. RSV could kill Lizzy. One parent sent their child to school with 102 fever and said she had given him Tylenol. After an hour his fever shot up to 103 and he was sent home. Not even the teacher had known he was sick. The teacher had a new baby and had just come back to school. So all the kids and the two teachers in the class were exposed to that virus. That was the last straw.
Lizzy lives a normal life by any standard and her pediatrician has learned much about SMA through her. He's very proud of her progress and she continues to amaze him at each visit. He has been very supportive and so has all his office personnel.
Elizabeth has a power wheel chair that she does very well in. It's purple and decorated with the Disney Princess window clings. Christen put pink beaded trim around the arms of her chair and her aunt Jessie made a fuchsia colored tu-tu skirt to go around the chair. My daughters and their families are very supportive of Elizabeth and treat her as a normal child with special needs.
SMA is horrifying and heartbreaking, but it can be treated. Elizabeth is doing well now and that's all that counts. We don't know if it's just the Hydroxyurea or the fact that we've not given up. Maybe its the combination of all we do. I thank God we have Elizabeth and I wish doctors would become more knowledgeable in the treatment/management of this disease. I send the specialist who told us to "take her home and love her until she dies" an update every year when her birthday comes . I want him to know how well she is doing and that she has beaten "the odds". I'll never give up and will continue to do all I can to ensure Lizzy remains happy and healthy with many more birthdays and milestones to look forward to.
Elizabeth's mission in this life is to help other SMA children through sharing her story. Her strength, perseverance and will to survive, with God's divine intervention, is what keeps us fighting each and everyday.
Lizzy will have the best possible life she can lead; the smile on her face and twinkle in her eyes says it all. We'll continue this fight and pray for a cure while hopefully helping other families along the way.
Jeanna Huette

For Further Information please visit:

www.our-sma-angels.com/elizabeth

www.caringbridge.org/il/elizabeth

https://www.cafepress.com/b4sma/2107700

www.HopeandLight.org

www.smasupport.com/guestbook/

www.fsma.org

Jonathan Opalka

Letter from Deb Opalka, Jonathan’s mom.

I had to laugh when I read the little article in your last newsletter about our Jonathan. I had written it around Christmas time, ‘07 when he was still scooting around on his bottom. I said he was just taking a few steps on his own but that it must be “so scary for him” because of his visual impairment. (He has no center vision).
Now here it was only 6 months later and I had just gone to our mailbox with Jonathan and received your newsletter. This daily trip consists of a walk down our very long, steep driveway with Jonathan leading the way. I would like to hold his hand but he always says” I do” or “myself” or “Ah Wah Do” (I want to do it alone, thank-you!) Often as we reach the mailbox he says “more walk” then I follow as he hikes down another steep road, sometimes walking another 1 1/2 miles, always leading the way and always very steady on his feet.
The Early Intervention Therapists consider him a “miracle child” (which has been a great opportunity for witnessing). There has been no task, so far, that Jonathan hasn’t aced. He can identify colors, shapes, characters, numbers and some letters (even in small print) in his books. He seems to be able to accomplish just about anything that any normal 2 1/2 year old can (and then some).
And to think that we almost said “no” when you asked if we would consider taking Jonathan. He was 9 months old when we received CHASK’s call and we’re in our mid fifties. We were a little fearful that when we reached our seventies that because of his vision problems, Jonathan would still be dependent on us. Ha! Ha! I wish at the age of 2 he was a little more dependent. Although when it’s convenient or when he gets in trouble he reminds me…”I mommy’s baby.” I know God has great plans for our little super boy.
I would encourage other parents not to fear the “special needs” label. These children are such blessings and God always puts in many extras when they are lacking in some ability.

God Bless You all for your service in Christ.

Deb Opalka.

What a wonderful blessing God has given us - Simon Gabriel Scheck!

Patrice and I flew to San Francisco on Sunday, Aug 10, met Simon's birthparents at our hotel, and were given all the information necessary to take care of him. Simon, diagnosed with Prader-Willi Syndrome, is entirely nourished through a feeding tube in his stomach called a mic-key tube. The birthparents left Simon with us that first night so we could practice. The next morning we all went to the adoption agency together - his birthparents signed the relinquishment papers and we accepted Simon as our own.

Not six hours later however we had to hit the emergency room because his mic-key came out! Neither we, his birthparents, nor the doctors on duty could get it back in. We ended up getting a temporary smaller-diameter tube in order to feed him. In the meantime, we had wonderful interaction with his birthparents. We scheduled an appointment with the surgeons in the morning to place a new tube, but that didn't work out either. Unfortunately, the next step would be to put Simon under general anesthesia to open up the hole. Due to the considerable complications of Prader-Willi with general anesthesia we opted out of having it done in San Francisco and set up for the procedure when we returned to Colorado the next week. (Back home, they got us in quickly and inserted the tube without needing anesthesia, another gift from God.)
The next hurdle was interstate adoption clearance. We couldn't be away from our two other special-needs children at home in Colorado for too long, and we were warned that it could take up to two weeks for the OK to transport Simon across state lines. But God took care of that one too. While we were driving south from San Francisco to Los Angeles that same day, we were called with our clearance. Both adoption agencies in Colorado and San Francisco worked so hard for us to make things go smoothly. Colorado completed our expedited home study within 6 weeks and San Francisco got us clearance and all the necessary medical records and permissions within less than 2 weeks from our initial contact.

Next was the immediate care our pediatric physician gave us in Colorado. She got us in the same day we had the mic-key tube replaced and set up for all the specialists Simon would require. Adoption is so wonderful, but
everyone teamed up to make this "special needs" adoption something to remember. God was all over this, intervening from beginning to end!

Simon is doing great! We're almost getting enough sleep every night and he just had his 4-month checkup and vaccinations...and he cried. (This too is a miracle. When our son Christopher, also with Prader-Willi, was that age, he wasn't strong enough to cry.)
It was with pride and joy Patrice and I watched Sarah Palin give her vice presidential nomination speech to the world, and she said that people just like us...families with special needs children, may have an advocate in the White House. Actually, an Advocate in Heaven is infinitely better and more practical, but in our simple human understanding it sounded nice.

CHASK, thank you for being a part of God's plan for our family, May God bless you as he has blessed us!

Samuel and Patrice Scheck,

Highlands Ranch, Colorado

Mom feels like homeschooling all of her children, including a son with Pervasive DD, might be too much

Please reply to chaskinfo@aol.com Homeschooling with PDD

I have been homeschooling for 7 years. I am happy to serve the Lord (and my children) in this way.

I am concerned about the siblings of my special needs child, specifically the oldest brother. It can be very aggravating to spend all day with a sibling whose behavior is oftentimes disruptive, disrespectful (as it seems through the eyes of a nine year old brother), loud, out-of-control and so on.

Not every day is bad. Some days are great, but some days can seem so dark, and long, and challenging, that I wonder if my older child is living with too much stress on a day-to-day basis. I’d hate to give up homeschooling, but I want to do what is best for all of my children, for each of my children.

Academically they are excelling (both boys are two years ahead). Their fledgling faith is growing, and they do love each other. I guess the biggest stress is that my nine-year-old boy, who is very rigid in his thinking cannot understand that his eight-year-old brother’s behavior acting out, verbal outbursts, impulsive reactions etc.) are not personal. They are symptoms of his brothers "invisible disability"; Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified. This is an umbrella term for a little bit of everything, but not enough of one thing to have anything!

I have been longing to talk to some families that are equally yoked in faith and lifestyle to share ideas with and hopefully tell me that I am not ruining my children. I want to please the Lord and serve Him in all things and want to be sure that I haven’t fallen more in love with the "idea" of homeschooling than I have with obeying my Lord. Is he telling me to send my oldest child out of the house to public school? Or am I so wrapped up in insecurity (and Satan has had me here before) that......oh, you can see where I am going with this.....around in circles. Thanks Erin

Help for new homeschoolers of children who have Angelman Syndrome.

I would like to avail myself to any parent of a child with Angelman Syndrome who is considering homeschooling. I homeschooled my son for twelve years plus, (graduated in 2001), and it would be my pleasure to be able to be an encouragement to parents just beginning the journey.

Beth Wiechman

P.O. Box 301 Sedgwick, KS 67135

(316) 772-5464

Working from home ideas?
Does anyone have ideas for fund raising or work at home ideas for parents? They have 5
kids, all homeschooled, who recently had a severe injury in their family resulting in one of their children being disabled. They are looking for help with the mounting bills, equipment, and home remodeling needs.
Thanks,
Dawn dawn@bfree.org

In need of a resource for a picture Bible...
I have a 2 year old daughter that is deaf and we are looking for a way to explain the Gospel to her. With our children we simply buy a picture Bible and explain at their level. We are in need of a Picture Bible with signs on the page. Do you know where we can get one?

Thanks, John
emptywithoutjesus@yahoo.com

A Message from Diane MacBeth- A NATHHAN Founder

Diane is raising Robbie, a 32 year old "adult" with Down Syndrome.

Homeschooling With 19 Children….
I could really use some homeschool advice. We have adopted 19 kids in 11 years, most recently 4 from
Africa. There ages are 2,3,3,5,6,6,6,6,7,8,8,8,8,9,
10,10,10,14 and 17. I feel the Lord has called us to homeschool but it seems to be a HUGE challenge at every turn. When we could afford it we hired a teacher, which was a challenge in itself finding someone who felt the same way we did about raising our children for Jesus.
Now.... affording it is no longer an option and I need to find a way to teach them without getting a little crazy myself.
We live in a 6,000 sq. ft. home and just trying to keep it clean, laundry etc. keeps me so busy... and our kids all help with the house and their siblings.
I have seen awesome results with keeping my kids home. Character improvements, closeness as a family, Jesus traits, and the list goes on.
I get the NATHHAN/CHASK News. We are on your adoption list and hear about how wonderful you are constantly in the adoption world. I was just hoping you had some advice.
In HIM,
Tanya - rontanya777@aol.com

A Mom and Dad's struggle with future risky pregnancy...
Is it selfish to desire more children when there are known risks? Due to a translocation I carry, we run a very high risk of having a baby with T-13, better known as Patau’s Syndrome. Our OB suggested termination in this case, an idea we wholeheartedly reject…. Even in our Christian community we are being labeled as "playing with fire" for pursuing pregnancy…”

Please send responses to chaskinfo@aol.com Be sure to label it: Response to T-13 Pregnancy Struggle

Response from the Editor:
Dear Mom and Dad,
I think that all of us who have given birth to a child with a defect go through these thoughts. You are so right about God being the one who creates and allows for His purposes.
Without knowing more about the defect, I am hard pressed to assure you that it probably won't reoccur. However, most chromosomal anomalies are random (with age being a greater risk). I myself had a baby with Down syndrome at age 25. I later gave birth to 6 more children, each being unique and just as special, but without disability.
Some genetic mixes are potentially more prone to specific problems. But God can still intervene. I would hesitate to do anything permanent about having more children. It could be that the Lord needs to do some work in our hearts before we conceive. I know that in each of my pregnancies there was a difficult time, as I was fearful about the future. Yet I can honestly say that the Lord used each pregnancy in a very special way to fashion me to be more like Him. Looking back, I would not have denied myself any one of the potentially difficult situations to make life easier now. Thanks,
Sherry Bushnell

Anyone going to a church with a special needs program?...
I am a mother of 6 boys. 3 are married and 3 are still at home. One son has cerebral palsy. Through the years we have attended different churches, yet none of which had anything that met his needs. Don't get me wrong they were all nice to him, but he always looked out of place since most didn't know how to relate with him or were nervous because of his needs. I said all that to say this, I asked my pastor if I could start something for the kids with special needs, so they feel important, feel like they really fit in and their needs would be met, as I share with them the awesome message of how much God loves them and what Jesus has done for them. I am excited about this new adventure yet I am very nervous also, I want to do my best in this area and would really like to know if any of you are going to a church or know of a church that is doing what I would like to do. If so, I would really like to get a hold of whom ever is in charge so I can get some good suggestions and great advice of how to best make this a successful ministry for all the special kids that will be coming.
Any and all information can be sent to me at mrssixkids@yahoo.com
Thank you so much
Rejoice in the Lord always,
Debbie

Concerned mom looking for ways to introduce the idea of a monthly period to her special needs daughter...
I have a daughter who is 11 and will be 12 on Feb. 29th. She is very advanced and we had the "sex" talk and the fact that she was going to start her period at some point way back when she was seven. It was a very easy, light conversation and she understood everything very well.
I have a 10 year old who will be 11 Sept. 15th. She is special education and has just started to learn to read and is at about a first to second grade level. Unfortunately, her body and puberty isn't as behind. I have no clue how to introduce the fact of her period starting. I am not interested at all in doing any type of sex talk like I did with my older one, but I don't want to ignore the problem and have her start her period and not know what is happening. I don't want her to think she did something wrong and she would be apt to throw her underwear in the trash and not tell anyone. I was looking for some assistance in introducing this to a child that isn't quite academically there on understanding.
The two sisters are both very close and the older sister does do a lot to help her younger sister understand things. This is our first year homeschooling. She's attended child abuse and stranger seminars in public school and at church, but I'm not sure how much she understands.

Thanks, Concerned NATHHAN Mom
Please send any replies to: chaskinfo@aol.com Don’t forget to label it “Concerned Mom and SP Girls and Their Monthly Cycle”

Response from the editor:
One of our daughters, who is mentally and physically disabled, was 15 when her period started. We decided that from the beginning our goal was to have her able to handle her menses independently. This took a few years to implement.
1. It was a big step just to get her to tell mom when her period started. Then when she did catch on, she did so none to discretely at first... but our boys were patient...
2. One of her sisters offered to help her get her pad in and panties on, adjusted right. At this point, her periods were fairly light.
3. We taught her from the beginning, the proper way to dispose of the pads. We walked her through the steps, the same way each time.
Find pad in cupboard (same place each time, fully accessible).
Open package, take stick-um off back of pad, place pad in underwear, adjust.
(Changing pad) take pad out of underwear, place in paper lunch bag, fold down top several times.
Place in trash.
Clean toilet, floor and self, if needed, with damp washcloth.

This is all done in a "get-the-chore-done" type manner, matter of fact, no scolding, just a “get-it-clean” type attitude.
After 2 years, as of right now, we still need to bring her attention to an occasional mess on the toilet and floor once in a while. The mess is understandable, because she is fully disabled (does not have the use of her legs or left arm or hand). She must get on and off the toilet from the wheel chair and staying clean is harder. Her moderate autism is the greater handicap though. ~ Sherry Bushnell

“...God decided that this child with Osteogenesis Imperfecta type II would survive and thrive…”
I am very interested in being a resource to any mommy that has a child with a prenatal diagnosis of lethal skeletal dysplasia.
Our son is 7 years old and was born with Osteogenesis Imperfecta type II which is supposed to be lethal. We took him as a foster child who we were planning on caring for until the Lord took him home.... At this moment, he is sitting in the kitchen decorating Christmas cookies. We finalized his adoption when he was 3 years old. He still breaks his bones frequently and has dwarfism, but is the biggest joy and greatest gift that God has given our family. His is the happiest of all of our children! The doctors now say he has Osteogenesis Imperfecta type III severe because he survived. I guess they can not accept that God is Great and He alone decides who survives! God decided that this child with OI type II would survive and thrive.
I belong to a yahoo group of other parents who have children with this disorder and we offer hope to new moms with a difficult diagnosis. Some of those babies do not survive, but lots do. It is hard work and heartbreaking at times to parent these fragile angels, but if they choose to stay here and be so happy, we need to smile right along with them and walk on this journey hand in hand, with joy and love of the Lord.
Feel free to use this letter, or any other information from our family and our story to help other parents. If it will save one child, or if God chooses to use our family as the home of another child with this disorder, we are willing to do whatever He asks of us. I am including some websites that have information on us, and our dear Jacob.
Sincerely in Christ,
Jeannie and Family
Send any replies to: grysland@grics.ne
www.geocities.com/grysmom
www.gopetition.com/online/11829.html

That Egg and I - Jacob Bushnell
Breakfast around our house is pretty much “on your own”, so yesterday I fixed up some leftovers and sat down to eat. My six-year-old little brother Jayben was cooking some hardboiled eggs and gave me one. I cracked it open to eat while he was looking on with great anticipation, hoping I would enjoy it. Unfortunately it hadn’t been cooked very long... just enough to turn the egg white to a pale, jelly-like whiteness...rather runny. The yolk was just simply warmed up….Oh no!
Here I had on my plate, a most disgusting egg…. and my little brother looking on with rapt pride at his ability to cook for big brother! What could I do... but eat it? I liberally anointed it with salt, closed my eyes and bravely gulped down one half, gagged and swallowed. He, seeing that I was enjoying my food, went to cook himself another one. As soon as his back was turned, I quickly slipped the remaining half into the trash...and made a hasty exit to work before he could offer me another!

Remember the unwanted embryos in the last NATHHAN / CHASK NEWS with possible special needs?
A Mommy For Our Embryos!
Hi Sherry, Great news!
We received an inquiry from a family who would like to adopt the eight embryos featured in the newsletter.
Both the adoptive family and the donating family have reviewed each others’ profiles and determined this would be a good match for each of them. I’m sending them the application and we have noted that no fees are being charged.
I am so grateful for your help in reaching out to your families on behalf of these embryos. They are getting the love and the chance at life they deserve. Thank you. Please let me know if there is anything you need from me at this time, or anytime in the future. Sincerely,
Megan Corcoran, Snowflakes Program Director
NightLight Christian Adoption
714-278-1020
megan@nightlight.org

Response from the editor:

Praise the Lord for His Faithfulness! What a blessing to see Him at work in this powerful way! Our blessings go out to the family!

''No matter how severely multiple-handicapped a body is, as long as the heart beats, we have a duty to respect and serve this life, for life is the most precious gift we receive"
~ Mama Anne ~

Christian in Muslim country seeking help for families dealing with special needs.
Hi my name is Kristen. I am an American Christian living in Morocco. I have been using your Straight Talk book with my 5 year old over the last year. I have found it very helpful and practical.
I have some Muslim friends I am sharing your information with, and I am hoping that the Christian emphasis in the included newsletter will spark their interest in Him. I shared recently with one of them Psalm 139- as she is pregnant.
Also, I have a British Christian friend who started a school for children with special needs here in this Muslim city. Children with special needs have traditionally been locked away or even chained up at home, so it is exciting to see more and more things done for them. This friend has created Redouane Center, where the children learn how to communicate with pictures if they are unable to speak while others are doing more advanced things. I have been meaning to ask if there are people in the U.S. who would be interested in helping this center out in anyway, or if you have unused materials that could apply to Arabic/French speakers. I will talk to the British friend again to see what needs she may have, but I was just curious if this would be any interest to you all.
Thank you so much for what you are doing!
God Bless you

Kristen
bcairns@a2bmail.net

Handwriting Instruction Service Provider
Of interest to homeschoolers with handwriting concerns:
Kate Gladstone, director of the Handwriting Repair handwriting instruction/improvement service, travels nationwide and internationally assisting homeschoolers and others by:
— Evaluating and improving handwriting skills of children/teens/adults

— Evaluating and improving handwriting skills of educators (including homeschooling parents)
— Providing individualized services in curriculum recommendation, selection, and modification. (The handwriting program that suits one homeschooling family or child may not suit another. Even the top-quality program that you have selected may need modifications and individualized changes to work best with your child or children:
handwriting programs come "out of a box," but children do not.)
Like anyone else, Kate has her preferences in handwriting style: like many of her clients, she has a love for Italic handwriting. However, she works with any approach or program preferred by the homeschoolers
and other educators who seek her services, and will make recommendations/suggestions for improvements specific to any selected
program. When you want to enhance, simplify, or modify an "out of the box" program so that it will completely meet the unique needs of YOUR child or children , call on Kate.
To reach Kate —
PHONE: 518/482-6763
E-MAIL: handwritingrepair@gmail.com
WEB-SITE: http://www.learn.to/handwrite
ADDRESS:
Kate Gladstone
6-B Weis Road
Albany, NY 12208-1942

Question concerning cerebral palsy therapy
Tami Harriman
nealsnews@peoplepc.com
I am an adoptive mother and have contacted you before about my daughter and some problems we were having.
Now I have a question for someone else. We have friends that are in the Kyrgh Republic. They are working in an orphanage there and have a little girl who is 5 who has cerebral palsy. It is a very mild case and has just affected her right side. The doctor there said that she needs therapy to help her, but they are in a very remote location and there is no way to get her to a therapist.
Is there somewhere we can find a manual to send them so they can do physical therapy with this little girl. My nephew has cerebral palsy and I remember my brother having a manual with pictures of balls in it, etc. and detailed explanations of how to do things with them to help their spasticity. My nephew is long since grown and the manual gone, but I thought possibly some of the parents in your organization would know and could help me get the needed item to this couple in less time.
Thank you for your time and help.

Travel by car needed for mom with child who has cerebral palsy.
My name is Cinderella Brown I live in Baltimore, Maryland. I have a 12 year old daughter who has Cerebral Palsy. She is the sweetest and most loveable little lady that you would ever want to meet. My question is, Is there any organizations that helps parents in need of a car so that they can get the kids around to different events and things like that? I know that the cars are not brand new, but one that can get you from point A to point B will truly be a blessing. Can you email me back at this email address? Thank you for any information that can help me. My email address is cbrown@amertechcorp.com

Help for Behavioral Issues
Debra Ropp, OR
berdrr@yahoo.com
We have 5 adopted children from Korea, ages 12, 10, 9, 8, and 6. All have special needs. My most special needs one, though, is the 12 year old who has been tested for everything from ADHD to autism / aspergers, depression, and everything else under the sun, but no help. I am in desperate need for answers for this child. It is behavioral issues and more towards mom and a sister than dad or anyone else in the home. Thank you for being there.

Top 5 Adoption Transition Tips (Used with permission from Home School Enrichment magazine www.HomeSchoolEnrichment.com)

#1: Set your top family rules. Decide on your top family rules and commit to sticking to them from day one. If it is important to you that no one wears shoes in the house, for example, on the first day of arrival, explain this to your new child/children and enforce it from the outset. Do not cause confusion by having a few “special” days and then laying down the law.
#2: Establish a schedule for your home. Begin following your routine before new children arrive. This does not have to be an hour by hour list of events, but a general flow for how your days will work. When the new child enters the home, you can discuss the daily routine with him, and he will feel some comfort in knowing that he won’t have to figure out all the rules on his own. The other children will find comfort in having a schedule they are used to when their family begins to change.
#3: Allow all the children de-stress times You can do this by having 15-minute alone times on certain days or a special Saturday morning breakfast date. All the children need some time alone with Mom and Dad to express their frustrations and find ways to cope, as well as being reassured of Mom and Dad’s ongoing love.
#4: Don’t forget to de-stress yourself! Adjusting to the issues of a hurt and possibly traumatized child, dealing with homeschooling and trying to lead the family in bonding and attachment—you need to recharge your batteries. Do what will help you rest. Sit in a library for an hour, go to a local coffee shop, or take your spouse out for dinner. If getting out of the house is not feasible, then make an agreement with your spouse to have an hour alone for a nice bath, nap, or walk.
#5: Have family fun times. Good family memories are important to everyone. Visit the zoo, play catch in the backyard, take everyone to the park for a picnic. Physical activity helps relieve stress, and having Mom and Dad in on the fun is a great bonding activity for everyone.

Help for Classic Child with Dyslexia
Jennifer jenmary@verizon.net
I read your letter in the NATHHAN NEWS about your daughter. Is your daughter homeschooled? I have a 10-year-old daughter with reading problems and wanted to share my experience with you and what I am doing to help her. First, if you haven't yet, you should have your daughter read to you out loud and see what mistakes or problems she is having.
Example: 1. Does she have trouble sounding out words? 2. Does she skip words or lines when reading? 3. Does she turn letters around? an example would be to read the "ar" sound as "ra" 4. Does she have vision problems? 5. Does she combine two words together (vision problems) or stick letters from one word onto the next?
I brought my daughter to an eye doctor to check her vision first of all. Her vision turned out fine.
I then had her tested by an educational eye doctor that tests for dyslexia and other visual problems related to reading. He said she needs vision therapy. Her eyes have trouble tracking. We only went to a couple of therapy sessions. It was too expensive and she hated it, so we stopped. I found that books with a little larger print help her and also reading a little and taking a break when her eyes get tired and then starting again a little later. And also reading at a level below her grade level for gaining speed in reading and working on tracking. Even letting her read simple easy readers and a lot of them will improve her vocabulary and spelling. Sometimes she reads level 1, 2, or 3 of easy readers in between her grade level reading. My daughter writes backwards sometimes also. Today she wrote "bed" as "deb". When I asked her to read what she wrote she did notice it was written wrong. Because of that she has a hard time remembering phonics. Since "ar" will often look like "ra" to her, she doesn't make sense of the phonic rules. I was told she is not dyslexic and most of the time she gets it right now, but it still comes back in her writing and reading sometimes.
I have bought "reading rod” (www.learningresources.com) books for my younger daughter. They cover one phonics rule for each book. Book 1 covers short “a” words. It has 16 books in each box. They are very, very simple reading. I have decided to have my daughter read a book a day and then dictate the words and some of the sentences in the book that she has read. It is simple dictation, but she sometimes forgets how to write simple words. Today she read the long "O" book and I dictated words like rose, hole, pokes, boat, coat, goes and some simple sentences.
    Then I started reviewing "Little Stories for Little Folks" from Catholic Heritage Curricula" (www.chcweb.com) first grade phonics. They are a really good phonics review of the basics. In the back of the pamphlets it has rhyming words that I dictate to my daughter. One of the pamphlets has; soon, noon, moon, spoon, and hook, cook, look, book. Another booklet has badge, fudge, budge for the dge words. The idea is that I am reviewing one phonics rule at a time and then dictating the words to her and dictating sentences with the words in them. This is just a review for her because she is reading at a 5th grade level, but she sometimes forgets her phonics and has trouble spelling. I try not to tire her though. When she gets tired her brain works slow and even things she knows well she forgets when she is tired.
    "Explode the Code" are a series of books I have used with her as well and am considering getting them out again and reviewing certain pages. They give a lot of practice on each phonics sound. Some children need things broken up into one rule at a time and need a lot of practice instead of the typical spelling book that covers many rules in one spelling test.
    I have found that she needs that for math also. Our math book has her do a whole page of multiplication problems in 10 minutes. She was tired and frustrated. I finally realized to have her study one number times table per day. Her 9x's tables one day and then I make a page of 9 times tables mixed up and she has to do that in 10 minutes instead of all the time tables together. Then the next day I go to the 8's for a couple days, then the 9's and 8's together, etc. My daughter is now learning her times tables the same as if she followed the book, but has it broken down into an easier way of learning them.
    I would rather my daughter get 100's in work that is a little below her grade level than c's or d's in her grade level. Then I can spend a couple hours each day getting up to where she is supposed to be in the summer.
Maybe she also needs to read to you out loud every evening so you can check for errors and help her pronounce difficult words and remind her of her phonics rules. God Bless, Jennifer

ABeCeDarian Company
Michael Bond, Ph.D. (607) 266-3310
I was very interested in your letter about your daughter's academic challenges. Smart in math, smart in general life skills, slow in reading? Have you considered dyslexia? She sounds like a classic dyslexic. There is help and hope. Dyslexic children generally are of above average intelligence, and with the right help they can learn to compensate for their reading challenge... It takes a lot of patience, but it is possible for them to succeed. Spelling may never be her strong point but she should be able to master reading.
I have found Pathway Readers the best source of stories for oral reading practice because they use a lot of simple wording and reinforce what the students already know before advancing to a more difficult level. This is precisely what a dyslexic reader needs ... the feeling of "I CAN do this! I am not dumb!" Don't push ahead until your child is THOROUGHLY competent at her current level of work. Patience is the most necessary thing if you want to help her succeed and win.
Dyslexic children struggle with the intense frustration of a brilliant mind trapped in an uncooperative body. They are SO intelligent, yet why are some things SO hard?
One suggestion to simplify efforts at reading: take a large index card and cut out a hole that will allow only one line of print about 2 inches long, to appear, and slide this along over the page as she is reading. This allows her to zero in on decoding about 3 words and their own gymnastics, without the rest of the page dizzying the matter.
Another suggestion is to read out loud to her any work that is not specifically designed to judge or sharpen her reading abilities. THIS IS NOT CHEATING!! It may unlock her genius and allow her to make grades that more accurately reveal her true level of comprehension. It is also acceptable to write down the answers as she dictates them. She should not have to fight through the frustration of trying to decide how every word is spelled on every assignment all day every day.
One suggestion I got from an older teacher was to practice spelling, spelling words orally, front wards and backwards, using the pictorial memory. I do this using small flashcards with one spelling word on each card. I had printed them in large print, bright colors, with each syllable a different color. I told them to study the "picture" until they could close their eyes and see every part. The results were amazing. It takes a lot of time. We would only tackle 3-4 words each day. It was SO worth the extra time and effort!
So many parents refuse to admit that their child has a challenge and go on prodding them to keep up with others their age, and it is so unfair. In effect it educates the child that they are just lazy and dumb and if they really tried they could be like everyone else... causing so much needless pain.
Susanna Tate tatemishawaka@aol.com

Blog entry by mom who has adopted a baby through CHASK!

I just wanted to let you know that I wrote a blog entry today about CHASK and our daughter we adopted. I put the link to your website on my blog site and am hoping that it will generate some interest. I include CHASK in my blog entries regularly. We are so thrilled with all that you do to help give all children the "right-to-life" Thank you for your hard work, tireless efforts, and great example. We are always encouraged by your letters and updates. God Bless, Elizabeth Goulding

Our Family Homeschool Blog: http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/HouseFullofJoy

“The Hamburger Story” by Ruth Mast

Yesterday was one of those “work outdoor times”, so not having the time or energy to cook, it was decided to have our son Lyle (with special needs) grill hamburgers. Dad had picked up a smoker grill at a thrift store and bought a new rack for it. Now Lyle was itching to try it out. He cut up some pear branches to use for smoking, anticipating some delicious burgers.

At suppertime, Lyle brought in a plate of juicy burgers wafting with the wonderful aroma of smoke. We quickly built our whoppers. The taste was great! But……. Lyle wasn’t so happy with his treat. “Something is gritty in here,” he said… “Maybe the turner touched the dirt.”

Michelle and Mom split a second burger and proceeded to eat (without a bun). Hmmm….this one was gritty too. Michelle looked down and declared, “There’s legs on my plate!”

Rhonda quickly tore open her sandwich and screeched, “There’s legs and a BODY in mine!”

Quietly Lyle stated, “There was a mud dauber nest in the grill lid. Maybe the heat made it fall down.”

A quick inspection of the burgers revealed the HEAD, too! Mom was struck funny and began to

laugh and laugh.

Minutes later, after using a brush, running water, and a microwave, Lyle chewed his burger and declared, “This tastes pretty good!”

Trevor's Sweetheart! By Debbie Mills

“Do you have a sweet heart Trevor?” I was half teasing and half cajoling him for information as we drove down the road in my car. He sat in the passenger seat giggling and admitted that “yes” indeed he did have a sweet heart! Ha-ha! I thought, wondering who she could be. “Is she pretty?” “Is she tall?” “Is she nice?” I asked, thinking it was a particular girl he knew at St. Madeline Sophie Center (SMSC) adult day program. He nodded and continued giggling. “What’s her name, Trevor?” I queried. At that point he just smiled and turned his head away from me to look out the window. “Hmmmm….Trevor has a sweet heart…” I mused.

As the SMSC Valentine’s Day dance approached, we had caught glimpses of Trevor attempting to dance in the privacy of his bedroom. He was always a wallflower and never a dance-participant at these social events, yet I knew in my heart that Trevor really did want to join in the fun with his friends. So thinking that I could help him get over the fear of dancing at the party, I asked Trevor if he wanted me to come to the Valentine’s Day dance with him. And to my surprise he said an enthusiastic “Yes!”. He usually didn’t want me to be at SMSC. St. Madeline’s was his place and in his mind, my place was at home . But this time, he really wanted me to come. “Oh darn!” I thought, “I’ve got a million other things to do today.”

That morning as I helped him get ready for his day, Trevor insisted upon wearing his black church pants, a hot red and orange dressy shirt and his church shoes. “Okay….this is different,” I thought. As he got on the bus to go to the program, he was excited to tell his friends that his mom was coming to the Valentine Dance. And as usual, they all laughed hysterically about it, as the bus departed. A few hours later, I left for the party wearing my “church” clothes, too.

I arrived to find St. Madeline’s beautifully decorated with red, white and pink balloons. Tables were set with festive place settings and centerpieces. The staff was serving lunch to the consumers and their guests. I found Trevor at a poolside table sitting with some friends, including the one whom I suspected might be his sweet heart.

They had been friends for quite a few years, even before SMSC. Her parents had been part of our Special Children support group. She is the same age as Trevor, their birthdays falling in the same week. She also has the same interest in cars that Trevor has. She was “tall”. She was “pretty”. And she was “nice”… “Yup!” I thought, “Gretchen, must be the one!”

Shortly after lunch, the DJ arrived and the party began with the sounds of rock and roll! Trevor got so excited that he jumped up, and grabbed my hand. We literally, ran down to the Giho room where the loud music was coming from.

Upon entering the auditorium, I noticed that something very different was going on in there on that dance floor. The first thing that I noticed was all the consumers and staff in a dancing frenzy! Upon second look, I noticed the uniqueness of each individual. There were wheelchairs with whirling passengers and people rockin’ with their walkers. Dancers gyrated in pairs and groups or moved to the music alone, while others slipped out of their wheel chairs and “stood” on their knees to move in time to the beat. Then there were the “smooth movers” gliding across the floor, twirling and dipping with their partners. Never before have I seen a group of people get to that level of excitement and action so fast; AND without the aid of intoxicants. The fun of the event was intoxicating enough. It was wild!

I asked Trevor if he would like to dance and we tenaciously stepped into the mix of people. We held hands and sort of bounced at the knees. Trevor and I both laughed and enjoyed being part of it all. This was a first.

During the break, it was time for sweet heart photos. We had our picture taken, then I suggested that he and Gretchen have one taken together, and they did.

The music began again and so did the energetic dancing. Near the end of the hour the music slowed down. Lights were dimmed as the DJ announced the last song, a recording of Anne Murray singing “Could I have this dance?”

Trevor and I stepped on to the dance floor, he slipped his arm around my waist and held my hand. We swayed to the music, my eyes welling up with tears as I listened to the lyrics…

I'll always remember the song they were playin', The first time we danced and I knew,

As we swayed to the music and held to each other, I fell in love with you.

My thoughts floated back in time to when I first held him in my arms as a little baby boy. I fell in love and knew that my life would never be the same.

I’ll always remember that magic moment, When I held you close to me, ‘Cause

we moved together, I knew forever, You’re all I’ll ever need

I reflected upon all the growing years between the then and now, remembering all the love, the daily care, and assistance that has been required to bring Trevor into adulthood.

Could I have this dance for the rest of my life? Would you be my partner every night? When we’re together, it feels so right. Could I have this dance, for the rest of the night?

I thought of all the continued care that he will need every day for the rest of his life. And as the words of the song asked for a lifetime commitment, my heart burst with love for my son, knowing that we would be dancing this dance for a long, long time.

The dance ended. We got into my car. As we drove down the road, I asked Trevor if he had a good time at the dance. He smiled and nodded that he did. I was still wondering about his sweetheart. So I asked him directly, “Trevor, is Gretchen your girl friend?”

He laughed at the prospect and responded with an emphatic, “No mom, I don’t have a girlfriend! YOU are my sweetie!” He had told me this before, but I guess I didn’t really believe him until then.

I've read your piece, "Maid or Mother" with interest. I don't know how you've survived this all, that long. But many do and many disappear also, so you'll get lot's of mail now I bet! They are miracles for sure and it's always so good to know that we are not alone in this.

Here is a therapy link that I used for our little girl, Miranda. It worked so well and actually fast, but then every situation is different. Although they claim it works fast always, depending on a few things. I'm very excited to be able to pass this on. I didn't get extra help, only the information of where to find the books, etc. And it is expensive but well worth your money! www.theraplay.org

Thank you once again! god Bless you all,

Peter and Carrie VandenBurg

P.S. The picture on the cover of your last magazine was just adorable! :)

Greetings in the name of Jesus our Lord!

We need some help here...I know a woman who wants to relinquish her parental rights on her 6 year old adopted daughter who shows signs of attachment problems. My husband & I are considering to adopt her. She was adopted by the couple from another country when she was 17 months old . The mother is overwhelmed with her life situation and the special needs child just has become her target.

I have read that conventional therapies don't help RAD children. If she is assessed to have RAD, what type of therapy is successful with these kids? Is there hope for a child with attachment issues? Is there still anything like this Hope For Children Act to help someone like us in adopting a special needs child? (We were planning on doing this privately, if that is possible. We are waiting for a lawyer to get back to us. We contacted 2 different lawyers that we got off your website link.)

I doubt that she has RAD but I am not a trained therapist. I just see the girl longing for a mother, as she is not loved and accepted by the adopted mother, and never was.

Please pray for us to have wisdom and to hear God's will in all of this.

Thanks for any help you can give! God bless, Diane.

Editor's Reply:

Dear Diane,

Thank you for your letter.

The question would be, is whether the daughter would show attachment symptoms after she has been in your home as her authority figure for awhile. If the child is truly attachment disturbed, she would not be a good project, unless you are ready and willing to accept the consequences of living with a child who will never be truly attached.

Wishing a child to recover from attachment problems will not guarentee recovery or satisfactory ability to healthfully live within a family without causing major upheaval.

If she is simply special needs and not making progress and a target for mother's failure, then a year or two or more would show great improvement in the daughter's ability to obey without argument, accepting physical affection, not being obnoxious to siblings and returning emotional kindness. (such as doing kind things for others, initiating special drawings for mommy, ect..)

Love,

Sherry Bushnell - NATHHAN /CHASK

Dear CHASK;

Thank you for your work in stopping the injustice of abortion and prompting birth parents in crisis to seek your help. I deeply appreciate your work because I am adopted, and through organizations like yours, children-who cannot have the voice to provide themselves and equal opportunity for life- have a voice. Although I am not a child with special needs, my sister and I were blessed with life through an adoption agency. I researched your organization for a paper i wrote for my Faith and Justice class at De Smet Jesuit High School in St. Louis. My assignment was to find an organization that works to end an injustice that is particularly important to me, and I thank you for your information. I was glad to get to know your organization and I hope that you and everyone involved in your work will continue to be blessed by God.

Sincerely, Matt Nahrstedt

Mom with 2 ADHD boys:

We have two boys we adopted from Russia - ages 8 & 10. They both have ADHD and the older one is very developmentally delayed. I am having difficulty with managing free time. They seem to only find things to get into trouble with when they are playing alone.

Do you have any suggestions of materials that discuss how to structure life and play outside of the time we are in school?

I am somewhat organizationally challenged myself so this has been challenging. Thanks!

A Circle of Love By Cheryl Haskell Whitten

Here is a story I wrote about our son, Jimmy, who has Down Syndrome.

The immunization clinic waiting room was packed. Mothers sat on hard plastic chairs, trying to corral their children with low spoken words. The television blared a loud dialogue, and children’s voices filled the air with a din that ebbed and flowed as parents tried to hush them.

None of the mothers there were there because they liked it. No mother worth her salt likes to see her child hurt for even an instant, but they all felt that the vaccinations were necessary to keep their children healthy.

Older children sat nervously, knowing what was going to happen, but the little ones played in blissful ignorance. I am sure that some of them noticed that some of the children who walked through the door on the left side of the room returned whimpering, while their mothers tried to wipe the tears away. Sometimes the sound of screams could be heard coming from somewhere beyond that door.

David sat with 7 of our children in that waiting room. The older ones were quietly bickering with each other, but 3 year old Jimmy was unaware, and chatted happily with Daddy or spent his time flirting with other babies.

Jimmy has Downs Syndrome. We adopted him when he was 7 weeks old. He was born with several complex medical conditions that required close attention and ‘round the clock’ care. Although we did not require it of them, all the children had learned to listen for the apnea monitor, to clear his airway when he had reflux, and to alert us when the colostomy bag needed attention. Thankfully, most of these problems were resolved by surgery when he was almost a year old. Helping to care for Jimmy’s needs sealed a tight bond between him and the older children.

When our family was called to go through that door, some dragged their feet and had to be hurried along. In the back they lined up for their shots, oldest to youngest. Some took them in stoic silence, frowning or wincing. Others whimpered a bit. Emily cried for a couple of minutes then calmed down.
When it was little Jimmy’s turn, the nurses expected a fight. They were surprised by what happened next. As the nurses prepared to give Jimmy his shots, the other children encircled him. Gentle little hands reached out to turn his face away so that he wouldn’t see the needles. Others massaged his back and tenderly reassured him that it would be over soon and that they loved him.

When the shots were given, Jimmy did not scream or fight. Encircled with love, he winced and then flashed a smile at his loving siblings.

Home schooling mother and doctoral student is looking for parents IN TEXAS who home school children with autism spectrum disorders (ages 6-11 years) to complete an ANONYMOUS questionnaire for her dissertation. Please visit www.adaptedpeconsultant.com for more information. If you choose to participate, you can receive a free booklet containing easy-to-use physical education activities for children with autism.

Hello. We are Charles and Vivan King. We live in South Arkansas. Charles is 54 and Vivan is 49. We have been married for 30 years. Charles is retired from International Paper Company, his trade being a machinist, and Vivan has always be a stay-at-home mom.

We have 5 children at home. Altogether we have 13 children, 10 who are adopted and 3 biological. Let me introduce you to the ones at home:

Kimi is 16 years old. We adopted her from Texas when she was 8. She has fetal alcohol syndrome and Down syndrome, but is very high functioning. She is so sweet and helpful.

Bethany is 12 years old. We adopted her from California 5 years ago. She has cerebral palsy; wheel chair, total care, but gives lots of effort to help. She has some speech but is hard for some to understand her.

Preston is 11 years old. He is a shaken baby. We got him when he was 2. He doesn’t speak but has a laugh and a smile that makes up for it. He is total care.

Carson is 23 months. He has cerebral palsy with cleft lip and palate. We got him August 28th through CHASK. He is doing really well. He has adjusted well and is learning to entertain himself (not cry and scream so much). He is gaining weight. He has some upcoming surgeries. The first one will be to repair his nose to open his nasals.

Addie Mae is 8 years old. We adopted her from Alabama. The Bushnells, Tom and Sherry, from NATHHAN called us about her 6 years ago. We brought her home when she was 1. She is Cytomeglovirus CMV. She is total care but has eyes and a smile that no one can resist. She is tube fed as well.

Isaiah is 2 1/2 years. He is from Texas. He also is CMV but gets around in a walker. He is Hispanic and has eye lashes an inch long. He is a very happy boy.

We have wonderful workers that help us with the children. Our older children who are on their own are very supportive.

Our home is a 2 story wood frame on 6 acres in the country. We have a milk cow, milk goats, geese, dogs, and cats. We raise a large garden. We have 7 bedrooms, 3 baths, 2 kitchens and a playroom, schoolroom (we homeschool), living room, 2 wheelchair ramps and large decks. The children love being outside. They have their own bathroom adapted for their handicaps that includes a large shower with a bath chair, changing table and a lift. Bethany and Preston share a room and have a ceiling lift in it to help in getting them in and out of their wheel chair and into and out of bed.

The rooms in our house are large enough that we can have some of them in the kitchen to watch or let them be a part of what we are baking, cooking, etc. Though they may not have use of their hands, they still enjoy being in there with us.

We have an above-the-ground pool that the children love to swim in. We are in the process of getting a ramp, deck and lift added on to it, as some of the children are getting bigger. It will be a wonderful asset in help.

We live a simple, plain life, with lots of children to keep us young. We believe in good nutrition and natural health products to add more quality to one's life.

We have a van equipped with a wheelchair lift. The children see several doctors at Arkansas Children's Hospital in Little Rock. It is a very wonderful hospital. We have a wonderful doctor in town as well that loves the children and is very helpful in all their needs.

We have therapy services available for the children. Charles and I keep updated and informed on services, therapies and support groups that will help us help our children at home. We want to learn all we can to do what we can for them at home.

We take family trips or go on small outings. They also enjoy the farm animals and heading out with us when it is feeding time.

Our family is not wealthy, yet we believe God has led us in this path and He meets our every need. Some of our children are in contact with their birth parents by letters and pictures.

These children have touched our lives as well as those they come in contact with. We have learned so much from them.