White Crazy Mormon

I was just standing there. I had stopped to let them pass. They, him and his therapist, stopped and were looking at me. I was a little trapped between a closed door and them.
"What?" I asked.
"Nothing....mumble, mumble..."
"What did you say?"
"Nothing..."
I looked at him...thinking about what I thought I had heard.
"Did you just call me a white crazy Mormon?"
"Yes." I think he was worried he was in trouble.
"You should have been more specific by saying I am a white crazy female Mormon."
....no, he was okay with me being the white crazy Mormon...all the other white Mormons that work with me aren't crazy....according to him anyway.... I got a good laugh out of that one for a couple of days.

that could be my but

"I so love cheese cake."

I left it hanging. Apparently my tone and delivery made it sound like it was going to be followed with a "but..." That was made a apparent when the individual sitting at the lunch table with me asked "But what?"

"Nothing, that was all I was going to say."

I continued to enjoy my cheese cake as others came to join us at the table. Others at the table comment on how good the cheese cake was. I then made the comment that I can only eat so much cheese cake in one setting. I then turned to the original man I was eating with and said "That could be my but." He look a little confused and then made the connection. I so love cheese cake..but I can only eat so much in one setting.

Apparently leaving an oral "that could be my but..." can get interesting reactions...

...can't get a date...

Last week I took Boyd to school to help with a lesson. On Friday one of the boys noticed the picture on my door, "I met him," he said pointing to Boyd.

"Yep," I said, "and that's his cousin Claire." As I turned to return to my desk I heard him say... "I know why you can't get a date...you worry to much about your cow and his family."

Cheese stricks in a Waffle Cone?

"Treats on the Beach" is the place in New Smyrna, FL for ice cream. Being our mother's daughters Bonnie will always go for ice cream. Being of the practical mind set we got a 3 scoop order, chocolate peanut butter (for mee) rocky road (for Bonnie) and chocolate (for Ally), rather than 3 1 scoop orders. With that we also ordered mozzarella sticks. The girl taking our order asked if we wanted in a cup or waffle cone???
With a confused look we asked her to repeat that. When she said it again we told her we clarified our request for mozzarella sticks.
"Oh, I thought you said twist." Oops.
After finalizing the order, and I am sure feeling a little silly, she looked at us and said..."I wonder what cheese sticks would taste like in a waffle cone?"

...as brave as you are.

I once had the opportunity to work with a young man with Autism. He struggled with change, and needed time to prepare for new routines. It was decided that this young man who had been prepped all summer by him mom to go to one room should move to my classroom.
We started with small steps. First, one out of eight classes. Then, three out of eight. He gave him a cubby in my room for him to move all of his stuff to my classroom. Then he started beginning and ending each day with us.
He wasn't very aware of other people or how his actions affected other people. We worked on helping him to be quite while all of the students, including himself, were working. One day, towards the end of the school year he was making enough noise to distract his classmates while they were suppose to be working. While I walked by his desk I reminded him that I needed him to be quite for at least 10 more minutes.
"But, Miss G. I am just trying to be as brave as you are."
Ah...


Do we ever realize how hard life can be some days.

What, its over...

As previously mentioned I am assisting with doing some of the groups at work. One of the group members has not been shy about his desire to not be in one of the groups specifically for those who are "lower functioning". He had talked to his counselor, talked to the group counselor, and even been disrespectful towards peers to the extent of being excused from the group for a period of time.
One day something happened as we were going to group and he wanted to refuse to come. He came. Once we got there he sat by the far wall rather than join the circle. Given the option of joining the circle or leaving all together he decided to join the circle. Upon joining the circle he participated without distracting peers.
On this particular day group had to end early. I had lost track of the time. Upon noticing movement from the adjacent room I asked if some one had the time. It was time to be done.

"What, its over, I don't want it to be done." When I looked at the young man who said it all I could say was... I am going to quote you on that.

...so when YOU were in school.

It had been quite a week. Everyone was struggling with their behaviors. I sat down to talk with the class. All of the students recognized there were things we could all work on to do better. I was actually very impressed with how willing everyone was to give suggestions concerning a possible positive behavior plan.
One of my students had stood up in the back of the room, wondering a bit. We wasn't distracting anyone. He was still able to participate in the conversation. All of a sudden I realized he was raising his hand patiently waiting (this was impressive) for mee to call on him.
When I did he informed mee that he was going to take down the chalkboard behind me and replace it with the whiteboard in his hand. When I asked why he said, "A chalkboard was so when you were in school."

That one got a good laugh....a really good laugh.