Deweybarn Holiday Season 2010

Last weekend we attended a special Santa greeting organized for children on the autism spectrum. Sam, Mae and I had fun decorating cookies, making ornaments and new friends. Mae enjoyed playing at a sensory table filled with various treasures buried in rice. It wasn't long before she lured in three kids to play with her. Two of them seemed anxious when they arrived and I think non-verbal. "Here ya go", she said to one boy handing him a cup full of rice. Another boy sat down with his dad and Mae engaged both of them by sharing trinkets she found in the rice. I got choked up watching her work.

Chico waiting for Santa

Christmas morning Sam and Mae decided they should stack everything from under the tree onto the table. Sam found a stray bow, placed it on his head and said, "Look Mae, I'm a present!"

Burgermeister, Meisterburger

We watched the old claymation holiday show "Santa Claus is Comin' to Town" a few times this past week. There is a scene toward the end of the show when the Bugermeister's portrait falls off the wall. The narrator, Fred Astaire explains the Burgermeister fell out of power and soon people forgot him and his laws.

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The headline in today's paper read: 'Don't ask, don't tell' policy to end. Reading the article, especially statements of those opposed to repealing the law, I thought about the scene when Burgermeister's portrait fell from the wall. "The Burgermeister, (Don't ask, don't tell) fell out of power and soon people forgot him and his laws."

Metamorphosis

Chico on June 29, 2010

Chico December 16, 2010

He's friggin' huge! He is also very smart, sweet and affectionate. He is going to be an amazing police dog.

I Was Powerless

I went to buy wool socks for Sam this afternoon. Wandering around a store without a deadline or anyone tugging on my sleeve was wonderful. I spotted these little beauties in Mae's size. On the way home I called Dave to tell him about my purchases. He thought we should wrap the bounty and put it under the tree for Christmas morning. I said, "They are six and four! They don't want clothes, socks and shoes for Christmas!" His logic was more things to unwrap on Christmas morning. I hate to, but I concede when it comes to the shoes.

"Mama, It's A Wild Tree."

This year, we harvested a tree from our property. Once it was up, Sam and I discussed what we like about our tree. Our tree grew naturally, not on a farm. A seed simply dropped from another tree and grew on its own. We love that our tree isn't groomed. It was shaped by where it grew without human intervention. "Mama, it's a wild tree."