A day off from school and a visit with my friend.....

I had the day off from school yesterday .... a district holiday .... I slept until 10:45 am and then I went to the Mall. That is pretty much a perfect day for me. I like to hang out there when I don't have school. The food court is a fun place to have lunch. I always run into someone I know or even make new friends.
I have become friends with people just because I visit the mall often - they are called my "mall friends". I actually visited with two of them yesterday!


This is my very special friend Ellan. She moved to this area from Texas about 18 months ago to live closer to her daughter. She has an apartment in a senior housing complex. We attend the same church. About three weeks ago, my friend fell in the middle of the night and hurt her chest very bad. She was in the hospital a few days and then had to go to a rehabilitation center to recover. She fell two more time since then so she is not able to return to her own apartment yet. I went to the nursing home today with my Grandma Phyllis and my Mom to visit Ellan. It was the first time Grandma met Ellan. The four of us had a nice visit. She was very happy to see me and I was very happy to see her. She is a sweet Texas gal with a BIG heart. We are thankful that we have become friends. I hope you are able to meet my friend Ellan some day. It was a good day.

Our Favorite Time of the Year.......Autumn

These are the signs that tell me that the Fall Season is here ...

.....the color of the leaves on the trees are changing in our yard.....

I wear more layers....a blanket on my lap most of the time....cold in the morning....sunny in the afternoon.....



Out comes our fall decorations at home....which does includes a couple paintings that Karen and I created in our watercolor class a few years ago...



My pool is closed for the winter........ :(




The Mums and Fall Flowers are in blossom......



Dad starts preparing for the Hunting Season.....no doubt, his favorite time of year.

Every fall, when we go outside for a walk at school, my friend Karen always piles leaves on my feet and the foot rests on my chair. She believes that everyone should be allowed to kick through a pile of leaves in the falls....so she lets me experience that!!!



Our family enjoyed a color tour this afternoon - to see the wonderful colors that God paints throughout the trees in Michigan. It is so pretty. The weather was awesome - sunny and in the mid-70's. Ride along, won't you........

Make a Smilebox photobook

Check our my school setting

This is my room at school .... it is not your typical school setting but it is perfect for me. It allows me to have a place to land in between my community service, art classes, job sites, etc. Hope you enjoy the tour - it does run a little fast so you might need to stop the slide show and manually go through the pictures so that you can read the text. I love this place and I love my friend that shares the space with me..... Karen - You know "School Karen". Enjoy....

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Halloween Memories

" Pouty Pumpkin"

My Aunt S was decorating her BLOG with Halloween memories and challenged my Mom and cousin to get out some old pictures of Halloween. What a fun challenge, take a look here at my cousins G & K and a smilebox of a few more of my old Halloween pictures

Also see L & B here - in past Halloween fun..they are cuties!!!

I don't really dress up for Halloween any more but it sure is fun to look back and see how much fun Mom had dressing me up....

The funny part of this picture is that I do NOT like candy...

but the wrappers were great fun!!!

Teamed up with my cousin Tyler as "Ann & Andy"

Tell me the Story of Jesus and give me a soft place to land......

This is my mom. She has two main goals in her life with me. Her number one goal is to teach me about Jesus. She prays with me and teaches me that he is ALWAYS there for me when I feel lonely, anxious or just need a friend.

Our lullaby that she has been singing to me since I was a baby is "Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full in His wonderful face...and the things of earth will grow strangely dim...In the light of His glory and grace" This has always been a peaceful song for us. (on my playlist below)

Mom's second goal is to make a soft place for me to land. I have a very busy life and Mom wants to be sure that I'm comfortable, free of anxiety and hunger, she let's me know that I am loved..she gives lots of snuggle time, down time, naps....no worries or pressure!!!

Life is GOOD at our house - my Mom and Dad are a "TAG TEAM" and together they try to give me a great life. I love my Mom and She LOVES me!!! What more could a girl want.....

Did it hurt when you dropped from Heaven ? ? ?

If you have never met this wonderful friend of mine, you are surely missing out!!!!

Her name is Karen. If I am not with Mom and Dad, I am probably with Karen. She makes me SHINE!!! Since our family has three friends named Karen, you might hear her being referred to as "School Karen" but she is much, much more. I do spend my school days with Karen but she also hangs out with me so my Mom and Dad can have a date once in while. We are partners - she brings out the BEST in me. She introduces new, exciting and creative activities into my life. Every day is fun at school because Karen makes it fun. We laugh a lot - like "belly laugh", we snuggle a lot, we serve the community, we paint in watercolor class, we decorate our room to the envy of everyone in the building, we meet new people all the time and we just love being together. Karen understands me - she gets my jokes, she has enabled me to make incredible advances in my communication with others. She is not shy so she just gets me out there... involved and connected.

GOD placed Karen in my life - my school days are amazing now that she spends the day with me. I am so grateful that God loves me so much that he would bless me with such a GREAT friend. Thank you Karen - I love you.