Merrill and Roberta Simon and Family

This life of ours....it is just nuts at times....I mean nuts by our normal standards. To be honest, that is crazy. We have been trying to find out a better way to help the children. We have done counseling for so many and to be honest, it does not work. We mostly deal with major behavior issues and that is not something that seems to work itself out while in a counselors office. So after many years of knowing that something out there had to be better, we managed to find a great team approach. Now a therapist comes into our home for about 8 to 10 hours a week. She works with the kids and Merrill and I in our real and natural environment. There is no hiding what is going on. She sees the good, the bad and the downright ugly. She has worked with Merrill and I to learn how to take care of ourselves so we can be there for the children. We now have a date night about 3 times a month. With her encouragement, I have taken on CURVES...one baby step at a time there. She is a real bless...

So here I sit with a new program and trying to see if I can actually figure this out. Everyone who knows me, knows that I am not all that computer literate, so I stumble my way around and figure things out. This blog is important to me. It is my way of sharing my family….the good, the bad and the ugly. It is a way to show that adopting 21 children is nuts, but it what we have done and we are proud of who we are and we are willing to put ourselves out there so others can share this journey with us. That brings me back to this new program. I just need things to be a bit easier. So this is my first attempt at using it. We shall see.   ..

I love Walmart. Really, I do love Walmart. When I go there it seems like I know more people than I don't know. The cashiers asked me about the kids when they are not with me and when they are, they know a lot of their names. It is just like an extension of our family. Merrill and I talked about how much easier our life would be if he just has direct deposit to Walmart. When McClain was little, he always said he wished his bedroom was Walmart. You see, we really do love Walmart. So, that brings me to today. Joey and I had had a really long day. We left the house at 8:30 am with the entire family. We did a few bigger things with everyone like speech and OT, then Mordachi's birthday partly at Roundtable....which by the way was a ton of fun with family and friends. Then Joey and I had to go our own way. Off to Reno we went. Counseling, shopping, gas and last but not least the Walmart run through. We were doing great. We were going fast. It was all good. Then it hit me....I had to g...

I have read the above quote many times and in many different ways. I have no idea who said or wrote it first, but I am thankful it has made it's way many times over into my life. Our family life is different than many...maybe even different than most. I have always said that it is hard when some of our friends have just decided to walk out but it is such a blessing when you find the ones who are busy pushing their way in.  The reason the above saying has taken on such powerful meaning to me is the family dynamics that I have sadly had to deal with mainly since Joseph's burn event. For whatever reason, my brother was upset with my sister over a family painting. She has it and he wants it. There is so much more to the story, but it is all hearsay as I was not in on any of the conversations. What I do know is it all came to a head about the time Joseph was care-flighted to Shriners. During the course of those early, hell filled days, my sister somehow came up with the money to dri...

                                                            Our life as parents to special needs children has never been easy. To be very honest, it is usually hard, still we have stayed committed to the process. Still I find myself wondering why, why we must advocate for every single thing the children need....not even want....just need. School is really never easy. It is nearly an unbelievable task to say on top of each and every child to make sure that they are doing their best and that at the same time their IEPs are being followed.  Medical, you find the best doctor for them and she retires...in due fairness to her, she had been with our kids for twenty years. Then you find a new doctor and I'll be a monkey's uncle, she up and quits. Oh sure, she has her reasons and my guess is they are good, but you must once again find a new do...

Merrill and I are so blessed to have people that love us and care for us. We do not get away often, but this time each year we have come to look forward to and enjoy our yearly trip to Lake Tahoe. We have our little cabin in the woods at the most wonderful bed and breakfast. we have come often that the owners and wonderful staff ask about the kids and share our story with other visitors. Better yet, they all know we are going to do nearly nothing. It is perfect for us. We spend extra time sleeping, time just doing a few things we want to do, and face each day with nearly no plans. I think this time away mentally prepares us for the next year ahead. we worry about the caregivers...will they still be speaking to us when we get back home....lol. It is one thing to know the kind of life we live, it is another to live it for four or five days.

WOW, I have been unable to get into my blogger account for a long time....I think it is about me and not about Blogger. There has been so many things I have wished to blog about, but when you are unable to get on and you are my age....well, lets just say those things go somewhere else. So here we are, Day One of the New Year...2013!!! I am excited about many things. I feel that we are all given a clean and fresh start at this life journey we are one. I am not one to make New Years Resolutions. I just see those as the fast track to failure. But I have been putting a lot of thought into what I want for this year.  I want a healthier life. I want to get my focus back on that part of my journey. I got very sidetracked with at least two big life altering events....adopting three very young children and also dealing with an internal fistula. I am now working with my surgeon to get that focus back. Part one of this will take surgery....and I am not to kee...