This goes triple for "less than perfect special needs moms;" there's no such thing as perfect people, even weebles wobble!

Amplify’d from www.cnn.com

Less than perfect moms need to unite!

(CNN) -- Glance at any parent's Facebook page, and you'd think that parenthood is a picture-perfect joyride, filled with constant sunshine, never-ending ice cream sundaes and breathtaking double rainbows. With the occasional unicorn trotting by.

Facebook has become the brag book for modern parents to showcase their budding superstars. Only the very best pictures, most precious stories and most flattering videos make the cut. It's the equivalent of not leaving the house without a full face of make up and an expensive designer suit.

But when's the last time you actually saw a mother in a designer suit that wasn't stained with spit or snot? Even if they've gotten the suit meticulously dry-cleaned, the bags and dark circles under their eyes give away the sleepless nights they've spent thanks to bed-wetting and night terrors.

There is no such thing as the perfect parent. Or the perfect child, for that matter. Read more at www.cnn.com

 

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Exemption for special-needs scholarship

I hope his passes and becomes law; the wait can easily be more than a year, since schools go out of their way to drag out the IEP process with SST tracking etc...in order to delay providing services.

Amplify’d from www.ajc.com

Exemption for special-needs scholarship clears House

The Georgia House on Monday approved a measure that would lift the one-year requirement for students to qualify for a special-needs scholarship.

House Bill 181 would let families petition the state Department of Education for a waiver of the requirement that students spend a year in public school under a Individualized Education Program before qualifying for the scholarship that can be used at private schools.

The bill passed 115-33. It now moves on to the Senate. Read more at www.ajc.com

 

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iPhone clock bungles time change

Just for the record, my 1-week old Droid X handled the time-change perfectly. So did our Blackberry Tour. And to think that Verizon tried to talk me into an iPhone when I had to replace my Blackberry last week.

Amplify’d from www.ajc.com

Users complain iPhone clock bungles time change

NEW YORK — It's hard enough to get your bearings when the time changes twice a year. It's all but impossible when your phone starts playing tricks on you, too.

One user complained of missing church, another of almost missing yoga. One called her iPhone stupid and several just asked for help.

It turns out some users' phones fell back one hour instead of springing forward, making the time displayed on the iPhone two hours off. Read more at www.ajc.com

 

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Disabled Student handcuffed seven hours

This is appalling!

Amplify’d from www.ajc.com

Student handcuffed seven hours to file cabinet sues APD, school system

A former Grady High School student who said Atlanta Police officers handcuffed him to a file cabinet for an entire school day filed a civil rights lawsuit Friday against APD and the city school system.

At the time of the incident, Tony Smith was a student with a disability and who received individualized educational instruction, the suit said. Read more at www.ajc.com

 

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Biggest Full Moon Possible March 19

I don't think I'll start blaming all the recent rain on the moon. We're just glad to be out of the years-long drought.

Amplify’d from abcnews.go.com

What Is a 'SuperMoon'?

Biggest Full Moon Possible Will Be Visible March 19

Next week -- on March 19 -- the moon won't just be at its closest approach to Earth in its elliptical orbit, enthusiasts say it will be closer to Earth than it's been in 18 years.

For the past few days, they've not only been buzzing about the mega moon, but the meteorological mayhem they expect it to cause.

Floods! Earthquakes! Volcanic eruptions! To hear it on the Internet, this so-called super moon could cause a climatological reign of terror on the entire planet.

In a blog post earlier this month, Paquette said a new or full moon at 90 percent or more of its closest perigee qualifies as a "supermoon." Next weekend's full moon won't just be a supermoon but an extreme supermoon, he said, because the moon will be almost precisely at its closest distance to Earth.

According to "new age" forecasts, he said, the supermoon is expected to bring strong earthquakes, storms or unusual climate patterns.

See more at abcnews.go.com

 

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Well @DaveRamsey, what do you have to say about this?

Amplify’d from money.cnn.com

Debit cards: $50 spending limit coming?

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- Declined! Your debit card may soon be denied for purchases greater than $100 -- or even as little as $50.

JPMorgan Chase, one of the nation's largest banks, is considering capping debit card transactions at either $50 or $100, according to a source with knowledge of the proposal.

Why? Because of a tricky thing called interchange fees. Read more at money.cnn.com

 

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60-year-old albatross still breeding

Fascinating that they have been tracking this bird for over 50 years.

Amplify’d from news.blogs.cnn.com

America's oldest wild bird is a new mom

e 50,000 miles a year, has had almost three dozen kids – and now she's got

The bird was first identified and banded by a USGS researcher in 1956 when she was incubating an egg, according to the USGS. As the Laysan albatross can't breed before age 5 – and spends much of its life before that at sea –  scientists estimate Wisdom is at least 60 years old. She may be even older, though, as most Laysan albatrosses don't breed until age 8 or 9 after an extended courtship, according to the USGS.

The Laysan albatross mates for life. No word on whether a 60-year-old Mr. Wisdom is somewhere on Midway or whether Wisdom is charting new skies in that area too. Read more at news.blogs.cnn.com

 

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Del Monte says they can do better

What that old saying? It's Not Nice to Fool Mother Nature

Amplify’d from www.11alive.com

Del Monte says they can do better than nature on packaging

ATLANTA -- Where nature has provided a single serve, already wrapped banana, Del Monte says they can go one better -- with plastic-wrapped single bananas for sale. Read more at www.11alive.com

 

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Students disciplined for Facebook posts about teacher. . .parents should be vigilant

Amplify’d from www.ajc.com

Students disciplined for Facebook posts about teacher

Three Douglas County middle school students were disciplined with expulsion or suspension after they wrote disparaging comments on Facebook about a teacher, according to a media report. Read more at www.ajc.com

 

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March In Like a Lion, Out Like a Lamb -If Monday's storm were any indication it will be true this month!

Amplify’d from www.11alive.com

In Like a Lion, Out Like a Lamb

We've all heard the old saying: "If March roars in like a lion, it will go out like a lamb." But is there truly any validity to this old proverb?

March is a very fickle month with a lot of changeable weather, due to the fact that it occurs during a time of transition as our weather is shifting from Winter to the Spring season.

It turns out, though, that the actual saying may be more derived from astronomy than meteorology. During the beginning of March, the constellation Leo (the Lion) is more prominent in the night sky, while at the end of March, the constellation Aries (the Ram or Lamb) is more visible.

See more at www.11alive.com

 

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Sadly, I can believe this!

Amplify’d from www.ajc.com

Code officer among 10 charged in connection with fatal DUI wreck

Douglas County authorities have charged 10 people -- including Douglasville's chief code enforcement officer -- they say helped supply alcohol at two parties attended by teens before a fatal wreck.

The accident early last Saturday morning killed Cheyenne Sauls, 16, a Villa Rica High School sophomore. Her funeral is today.

Douglasville's chief code enforcement officer, Todd McAllister, owns the Sterling Point Drive home that hosted the second party, the Sheriff's Office said. He and his son, Justin McAllister, 17, were among five defendants who appeared in court Friday on charges of furnishing alcohol to minors.

"That's the party they left just prior to the accident," Chief Deputy Stan Copeland said. Read more at www.ajc.com

 

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This should NEVER happen to any child, must less special needs children!

Amplify’d from www.ajc.com

Cherokee teacher pleads guilty to duct-taping autistic student

A Cherokee County teacher who duct-taped an autistic boy to a chair and confined a blind girl under a desk pleaded guilty to false imprisonment and was sentenced to six years of probation and $2,000 in fines. Read more at www.ajc.com

 

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T. Rex More Like Hyena Than Lion

I don't think I will tell the #ASD 8yo Tazmanian Devil that his T-Rex is not the king of the prehistoric jungle. Taz doesn't adjust well to change.

Amplify’d from abcnews.go.com

T. Rex the Killer? Nah. King of Dinos More Like Hyena Than Lion

The blood-thirsty Tyrannosaurus rex of our favorite books and movies may not be so ferocious after all.

According to a team of dinosaur researchers, the so-called King of the Dinos was more like a scavenging hyena than a hunting lion.

After a 12-year study of dinosaur skeletons uncovered in eastern Montana, the researchers said there were just too many T. rexes for the animals to survive solely on prey killed by themselves. Read more at abcnews.go.com

 

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Amazon Prime now includes unlimited instant streaming of movies and TV shows

Thanks Amazon, just another great benefit of my Amazon Prime membership. Will be comparing your selection to Netflix so keep adding to the free streaming content.

Amplify’d from www.amazon.com

See more at www.amazon.com

 

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Via johnpiercy 'Sister Internet' kicked out of religious order for spending too much time on Facebook

Amplify’d from www.dailymail.co.uk

Bad habit: Nun dubbed 'Sister Internet' kicked out of religious order... for spending too much time on Facebook

For its millions of users all over the globe, Facebook is a fun and harmless way to make new friends and catch up with old ones.

However for Spanish nun Maria Jesus Galan, her online activity on the social networking site ended up costing her job - and her home.

Sister Maria was apparently asked to leave the religious order where she has resided in seclusion for 35 years because she spent too much time on the website, it has been reported.

See more at www.dailymail.co.uk

 

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I'll stick to the $100 dinner and knighting ceremony at Medieval Times for my autistic son's 9th B'Day. . .we don't have to worry about the color of his cake since he has food allergies, and we've already gotten lots of mileage out of an old knight's costume that he still loves to wear.

Amplify’d from abcnews.go.com

Parents Drop Lavish Amounts on Over-the-Top Kids' Birthday Bashes

It's almost expected that celebrities throw their children over-the-top birthday bashes.

But today, even everyday moms and dads are spending big bucks to say happy birthday in style, which is the subject of the new TLC reality show, "Outrageous Kids Parties."

One couple featured on the show, Nicole and Jason, planned an over-the-top party of their own for their soon-to-be 6-year-old daughter Gracie's birthday.

Gracie may not be a real princess, but she might as well be with a party like this. They spared no expense -- from Gracie's spa treatments the day before the party, to the perfect pink dress befitting a princess, to the exact cake of their daughter's choosing.

Not to mention 42 center pieces, 2,000 flowers and 300 costumes. The party's budget? $32,000.

All did not go as well with the cake, however. Gracie began to cry when a bird on the cake was purple instead of blue. Read more at abcnews.go.com

 

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Only used UberTwitter briefly a couple of years ago; did not work well on Blackberry so ax'd it.

Amplify’d from www.ajc.com

UberTwitter, other popular Twitter clients, banned

Users of popular Twitter clients got an unpleasant surprise Friday: UberTwitter, twidroyd and UberCurrent have been banned.

"Today we suspended several applications, including UberTwitter, twidroyd and UberCurrent, which have violated Twitter policies and trademarks in a variety of ways. These violations include, but aren’t limited to, a privacy issue with private Direct Messages longer than 140 characters, trademark infringement, and changing the content of users’ Tweets in order to make money," Carolyn Penner, Twitter’s spokeswoman, told TechCrunch. Read more at www.ajc.com

 

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It's about time. We're there!

Amplify’d from www.accessatlanta.com

Dolphin exhibit at Georgia Aquarium opening in April

After nearly three years of construction and planning, the dolphin expansion at Georgia Aquarium will open April 2.

The $110 million exhibit, formally dubbed AT&T Dolphin Tales, will include a live theatrical show, interactive displays about conservation efforts and a 25-foot-long underwater viewing window.

Tickets are on sale now at the aquarium website. Read more at www.accessatlanta.com

 

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It's about time. We've been waiting not-so-patiently for this event. Just in time for #ASD ds' 9th Birthday.

Amplify’d from www.accessatlanta.com

Dolphin exhibit at Georgia Aquarium opening in April

After nearly three years of construction and planning, the dolphin expansion at Georgia Aquarium will open April 2.

The $110 million exhibit, formally dubbed AT&T Dolphin Tales, will include a live theatrical show, interactive displays about conservation efforts and a 25-foot-long underwater viewing window.

Entry to AT&T Dolphin Tales is separate from general admission; guests will be required to purchase an advance ticket to guarantee a seat inside the enclosed theater that houses the show.

Tickets are on sale now at www.georgiaaquarium.org. Read more at www.accessatlanta.com

 

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This is a no brainer. . .start your kid's on whole wheat breads and grains and they will learn to love them. Never had Wonder Bread in our house growing up.

Amplify’d from www.cnn.com

Whole grain fiber linked to longer life

(Health.com) -- Eating a diet rich in fiber - especially the kind of fiber found in whole grains - reduces the risk of dying at an early age from a range of causes, a new government study suggests.

Fiber's beneficial effects on heart health have been known for decades, so it wasn't surprising that eating a lot of fiber was associated with a lower risk of death due to heart attack and heart disease. But fiber intake also appears to lower the risk of dying from respiratory diseases (such as pneumonia and chronic bronchitis) and infectious diseases, the study found. Read more at www.cnn.com

 

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I got a Charming Devil for Valentine's

He's got the best pick-up lines:



Do you believe in love at first sight or do I need to walk by you again.



I'm glad I brought my library card because I'm checking you out.



Do you have a license because you're driving me crazy.

Amplify’d from www.gemmy.com

Charming Devil

He's a sharp dresser, a smooth talker, and a hilarious gift for your funny Valentine. Read more at www.gemmy.com

 

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Roses for Autism: Check out this great site #ASD

Roses for Autism was the inspiration of a father of a teen with autism.



Roses for Autism not only provides individuals on the autism spectrum the chance to learn the skills necessary to maintain meaningful employment, but also serves as a model that can be replicated nationwide to develop unique opportunities for them as a whole new competitive workforce.

Amplify’d from www.rosesforautism.com

We grow amazing roses with amazing people. With every purchase you will help create job opportunities for people with autism! Read more at www.rosesforautism.com

 

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Feeding babies solids too early may make fat toddlers

Just for once, I would like to see the American Academy of Pediatrics make recommendations for babies who cannot be breastfed. . .preemies, babies with allergies, adopted babies and mothers who cannot breastfeed. Both of my kids were premature and on special formula w/o any choice.



It's not what babies eat at 4 mos that makes them gain too much weight; it's what they eat at 18 to 36 months.

Amplify’d from pagingdrgupta.blogs.cnn.com

Feeding babies solids too early may make fat toddlers

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that new mothers breast-feed their babies for at least six months and introduce solid foods between 4 and 6 months. This new study finds that among formula-fed babies, those who were given solid foods before age 4 months had a higher risk of becoming obese.

But Dr. Frank Greer, former chairperson of the AAP Committee on Nutrition, is puzzled by the fact that the researchers didn't find an increase in weight gain in the children who were introduced to solids early.

"They didn't show that there was any increase in rate of growth in the formula-fed babies before that {age 3}. It makes me wonder if this is just a marker for people that introduced solid foods between 2 – 4 months, that their overall diet is poor in general," suggests Greer. Read more at pagingdrgupta.blogs.cnn.com

 

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Vaccines did not cause my children's autism. They were born with it and it was more than likely genetic in our case. With my son's asthma, he could die from the flu. So we get the shots each year in addition to everything else.

Amplify’d from www.cnn.com

Bill Gates: Vaccine-autism link 'an absolute lie'

Davos, Switzerland (CNN) -- Microsoft founder Bill Gates sat down recently with CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Sanjay Gupta in Davos, Switzerland. The billionaire philanthropist was attending the World Economic Forum to push his mission of eradicating polio by 2012. Gates, through his foundation, also pledged $10 billion to provide vaccinations to children around the world within a decade.

Gupta: There has been a lot of scrutiny of vaccines recently -- specifically childhood vaccines. There has been a lot of news about is there a connection with autism, for example. What do you make of all that? Dr. [Andrew] Wakefield wrote a paper about this [in The Lancet in 1998] saying he thought there was a connection. And there were lower vaccination rates over a period of time as a result in Britain, then the United States. What are your thoughts?

Gates: Well, Dr. Wakefield has been shown to have used absolutely fraudulent data. He had a financial interest in some lawsuits, he created a fake paper, the journal allowed it to run. All the other studies were done, showed no connection whatsoever again and again and again. So it's an absolute lie that has killed thousands of kids. Because the mothers who heard that lie, many of them didn't have their kids take either pertussis or measles vaccine, and their children are dead today. And so the people who go and engage in those anti-vaccine efforts -- you know, they, they kill children. It's a very sad thing, because these vaccines are important. Read more at www.cnn.com

 

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A New Study Links Maternal Employment to Child's Body Weight

This is a lot of bunk: Children are getting fatter because of what they feed their children, not whether or how much time their moms work. Plenty of stay at home moms frequent McDonald's, Burger King and Chuck-E-Cheese. How about praising working mothers whose children do exercise and eat properly?

Amplify’d from abcnews.go.com

New Study Adds to Working Mother's Guilt

A New Study Links Maternal Employment to Child's Body Weight

Just today a new study twisted the scissors in a little deeper. It reported a link between the length of maternal employment and childhood obesity. For each year a mother continues to work, University of Chicago investigators found, her child's body mass index (BMI) creeps up a small but statistically significant percentage. Read more at abcnews.go.com

 

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No Pain No Gain

We're now in Week 6 of Financial Peace University and are struggling to get through our first full month on a "count every penny" budget. It's not easy, especially, when we've gone through most of our food and gas budget only half way through the month.

Why?

Well, we've got an almost 15yo who plays soccer 4-5 days a week at fields that are anywhere from 20-50 miles from our home each way. We also have an 8yo on the GFCF diet, who refuses to eat "rice and beans" because of sensory issues.

Oh and did I mention the cost of feeding a teenager, who plays sports and exercises at the gym and on the track during all of her other free time. It's like feeding a football player. I make enough rice and beans for 8 and we rarely have leftovers.

So for the first time in my life, I truly understanding the meaning of NO PAIN NO GAIN!

Our daughter, Jessie, who is autistic and has a major speech deficit, is frustrated, because she has to work twice as hard as everyone else and, as a 9th grader, she can't even begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel - a soccer scholarship.

Our son, Taz, who is also autistic, is frustrated, because he's lucky if he gets one day a week when we dedicate time to him and he's lost his usual pursuit - Michael's craft making - due to the lack of creative funds in our budget.

And most of all, we're frustrated! Budgeting every penny BITES!

And yet. . .

We can't quit!

We couldn't quit when God gave us two special needs children, we couldn't quit when we found out their infant health issues were nothing compared to dealing with autism and we can't quit now.

We can only continue to take Baby Steps forward as Dave Ramsey calls them, so that some day we can Live Like No One Else.

You'd think we would be used to that by now, since parents of autistic children have to Live Like No One Else, whether they want to or not.

So it's time to suck it up and remember Erma Bombeck's poem "The Special Mother."

Finally He passes a name to an angel and smiles, "Give her a handicapped child . . . I will permit her to see clearly the things I see . . . ignorance, cruelty, prejudice . . . and allow her to rise above them. She will never be alone. I will be at her side every minute of every day of her life, because she is doing My work as surely as if she is here by My side. . .

Nianya

P.S. Taz is learning to adapt. He's making his own creations from plain copy paper, markers and Dollar Store paints and he's very proud of his little pumpkin, which he bought with his chore money.

Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University and Parenting Special Needs Children

My husband and I are parents of two children on the autism spectrum. We are in week three of Financial Peace, but we have been following many of Dave's guidelines for the past 3 years, since the recession cut our income considerably.

I decided last night, in class, that I would blog about Dave Ramsey and special needs parenting for the duration of this class, because the class does not address this topic and how to help parents who face such extraordinary expenses.

It's easy to say have a 3-6 month emergency fund, but it's almost impossible to predict some medical expenses, especially when one child has had 6 surgeries in 8 years.

We have good insurance and we set aside the maximum allowed for extra child care and out of pocket medical expenses, but it's never enough. We eat rice and beans, we don't eat out, we shop only at wholesale stores, even for milk and eggs, we have no car debt, we own no big screen or HD TVs and we don't take vacations.

We both work full time and can’t take on second or third jobs when we have therapies to go to.

This pretty much sums up our lives in a nut shell.

Don't get me wrong though, we a very blessed in many ways. We belong to a great church, both kids attend great private schools on the Georgia Special Needs Scholarship, we spend more quality time together during day trips and staycations and we are not deeply in debt, because we cut our expenses to the bone when we realized we had to to survive in the current economy.

I also have fun hunting for bargains and stocking up the pantry when I find a really good deal on staple items. We love going to the Dollar Store and finding new items each visit and we love being able to pick up good quality designer clothes at Sam's Club and Costco for a fraction of the price.

It's not enough though. We found that all of our cost saving practices were not enough to keep us out of emergency debt. Thus my top five reasons for needed Financial Peace University:

• 5 - You know you need Financial Peace when your health care reimbursement account runs out and you haven't set aside enough money to cover $300 per month in medication and medial copays for the remainder of the year.
• 4 - You know you need Financial Peace when you have to put new sets of tires on both your paid-for cars at least 10K miles before you should have needed them only because you forgot to keep your tires rotated and your cars in alignment.
• 3 - You know you need Financial Peace when your husband fractures his shoulder from falling off a ladder while cutting the tall bushes himself, rather than paying a professional, who would also have pressure-washed the house and cleaned the gutters all for the same low price. . .especially when the professional fees would have been less than the medical copays for the broken shoulder.
• 2 - You know you need Financial Peace when you're so stressed out and tired that you file an extension on your taxes, even though the government owes you money back.
• 1 - You know you need Financial Peace when your washing machine dies and you're walking around Sam's Club looking for a $400+ item to buy in addition to the $260 washer, because you have to buy at least one item costing at least $400 in order to get the 18 months same as cash deal on both.

Yup, this sums up our life in a nut shell.

Nianya

P.S. If my child can fight this hard to get a soccer scholarship (see photo at top), I can fight even harder for financial independence.

Nianya's Law for Special Needs Parents: If anything can go wrong, it will, at the worst possible time. . .

I've written about this law in the past and it bares repeating on a regular basis. This week has been a perfect example.

• First week at a new school for 8yo ASD Taz;
• First week with both kids home after Taz returned from his summer with Grandma, SIL and cousin;
• Bad week at work for me with two many necessary people out;
• Cast on my right arm;
• Major computer failure

I thought I hit the limit of my tolerance on Tuesday night after a difficult day and night dealing with two especially needy special needs children. Then again, I should know by now that especially needy applies 24/7 in our house, so I should be totally up with that by now.

Apparently not. . .

Nothing like going upstairs with a headache after a very LONG and HOT day, with the full intention of getting on Twitter and asking when I get a turn to whine, only to find out that my computer is dead and I can't even get online, much less tweet about my trials and tribulations.

It was one of those situations when you either laugh or cry, unless, like me, you're too tired to do either.

By the time I set up my old back-up computer and got back online, I realized the message God was sending me. It was basically the special needs parenting version of "Don't sweat the small stuff."

In other words, dealing with my special needs kids on days like this should be no big deal. After all we've had much worse days. . .surgeries postponed due to asthma, croup and pneumonia. . .emergency hospitalization for youngest child, the day after I had oral surgery. . .flat tire on the way to the ER at 1 a.m.

What could be worse?

Obviously losing 6 mos. worth of files that were not backed-up, even though I have a Tera-drive connected to my laptop.

Yup, that's worse!

So after a night of practically no sleep, because I was just plain too lazy to remember to back-up my files, I thanked God for reminding me not to sweat the small stuff.

And, sure enough, my prayers were answered. . .my song came on the radio on the way downtown to get an emergency back-up laptop. And when my song comes on the radio, it always means something is going to be alright.

And it was. . .

Turns out only the laptop power cord failed. . .and the first thing I did when I got my laptop back up and running was back-up all my files.

Note to self: Never sweat the small stuff, because God never gives us more than we can handle and even at the worst of times, he's there with us. And, of course, I have added a recurring reminder to my Google calendar. . .back-up computer at least every two weeks.

Nianya

God will never take us through a time of testing that is too tough for us to deal with. No matter how difficult your trials, you can bank on His promise. No trial is too great for us with the power of God. He will give us a way to endure it, to resist it, or to get through it. Right from the Heart Ministries

Summer in Chattanooga - the Tennessee Aquarium

Atlanta area families can enjoy a fun day in Chattanooga this summer for less than a 2-hour drive. Visitors can enjoy Lookout Mountain, Ruby Falls, a thundering 145-foot waterfall located deep within Lookout Mountain, the Chattanooga Market, which opens weekly on Saturdays from June through September and features live musical entertainment, fresh produce, herbs and cut flowers, and last, but definitely not least, the Tennessee Aquarium, located on the banks of the Tennessee River.

The aquarium opened in May 1992, with a freshwater and saltwater aquarium building known as River Journey. The aquarium opened its second building, the Ocean Journey, in 2005 to stay on a competitive level with the then-planned Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta.

The aquarium is home to more than 10,000 living animals and holds more than a million gallons of water. It is also the highest rated aquarium in the USA and one of the country's top 10 tourist attractions for overall guest satisfaction. And, the aquarium has a 6-story IMAX screen - the only one big enough to show a life-sized blue whale as big as a school bus.

Most importantly, the aquarium and it's surrounding shops and outdoor areas along the river are a great place for families with special needs children to visit.

Membership for a family of 2 adults and all children or grandchildren is only $115, $75 of which is tax deductible. There are separate member entrances to the River and Ocean Journey buildings and members receive discounts in the gift shops and on Imax 3D Theater Tickets.

Membership also gives special needs families a great deal of flexibility. If your child can only visit a few exhibits, you can always come back again and see more.

Aquariums in general can provide a wonderful calming experience for autistic children, if parents visit during less crowded hours, let their child lead the way toward the exhibits that he/she finds interesting and let their child decide when he/she has had enough.

At the Tennessee Aquarium families can see most of the exhibits in the two buildings in about 2 hours, if just walking through, and kids can take a break and enjoy fun open play in the outdoor stream and fountains that snake around the two aquarium buildings. While the kids play outside, parents can enjoy food, snacks and beverages from the various surrounding shops and vendors.

Two words of advice, though, bring a change of clothes or have your child wear a swimsuit underneath. If they enjoy playing in water, and most do, whether special needs or not, they will get wet. And, bring lots of quarters, because there are a number of parking meters around the aquarium, which will get you 2 hrs of time for only a couple of dollars vs. the pay for the day parking lots at $9 to $10 each.

Links:

More Tennessee Aquarium Photos

Aquariums may help autistic children

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A great day in Atlanta for Autism Speaks Georgia

Today the annual fundraising campaign for Walk Now for Autism Speaks Georgia culminated in the 2010 Walk at Atlantic Station.

Walk Now for Autism Speaks is the signature fundraising event, which brings together hundreds of thousands of participants annually across the United States and Canada with a common goal of supporting Autism Speaks.

This year the combined Georgia teams raised over $516,000 and hundreds of adults and children poured into Atlantic Station this morning to take part in the annual walk.

The Atlantic Station headquarters hosted numerous tents and booths filled with sponsors, kid friendly activities and information on resources and therapies for autistic children, including:

• Camp Dream, a barrier-free recreational camp for Georgians with disabilities, which was created through a partnership with the Roosevelt Warm Springs Institute for Rehabilitation and is located just 80 minutes southwest of Atlanta.
• Big Thinkers Science Exploration, which offers science shows, after school programs, summer camps and birthday parties. Today's hands-on slime-making experiment was a huge hit.
• Sensations - Therafun, a multi-sensory activity center in Atlanta, featuring a climbing wall, zip line, mini trampolines, monkey bars, swinging rings, ball pits, exercise mats and more, as well as a large art room for painting, drawing and crafts.
• Driving Magic Inc., a non-profit in Duluth, GA, which provides therapeutic and recreational activities for people with disabilities and which focuses on carriage driving, horsemanship programs and community outreach.
• The Adaptive Learning Center, an inclusive preschool program for special needs children.

The festivities began at 8 a.m. this morning, giving walkers plenty of time to enjoy all the activities before embarking on the 2.2 mile walk around Atlantic Station. After the walk, many of the participants enjoyed lunch at the various Atlantic Station restaurants, including the Fox Sports Grill, featuring delicious turkey burgers, blackened children sandwiches and barbequed chicken nachos.

All in all, it was a beautiful day in Atlanta and a great day for Autism Speaks Georgia.