I'm On The Journey Of A Life Time

Care to join me?

Remember that song from the television show Sesame Street?  The one about figuring things out through visual observations?

Okay, well sing it with me even if you don't know it.  Humor Me, I deserve it.

One of these things is not like the others,
One of these things just doesn't belong,
Can you tell which thing is not like the others
By the time I finish my song? 

Now, look at the 4 following photos of gorgeous food that I did make all by myself.  I will give you a few minutes to ponder on your answer.  When you think you have it figured out, meet me down below.

We'll see how smart you are.

Did you guess which thing was not like the others?
Did you guess which thing just doesn't belong?
If you guessed the hot dogs is not like the others,
Then you're absolutely...right! 

What do the other three have in common, you ask?  They are all a part of living the Paleo Lifestyle.

Don't have a clue what that is?  Google it...now.

I have been living this way for the past 8 weeks and it's creating miracles in my life that I never imagined.  Part of me doesn't care if anyone ever reads these future posts as that is not why I am doing this.  I am doing it for me.  I am doing it because I did not want to die before I was 50.  I want to document my journey.

There will be good days and there will be bad, no doubt...but if I can help just one person to see there is a better way to live, a way to become healthy, and to once and for all lose what is weighing them down, then it will be worth the experience of exposing my own walk.

I consider it "Paying It Forward" because some people I adore, did it for me.

See you soon.  Promise.

This is Home Girl....welcome to my new hood.

Square Pegs Do Fit in Round Holes

As you may know, April is Autism Awareness Month and I am both thrilled and honored to be writing this guest post for The Cookie Puzzle as she promotes knowledge of what Autism is and is not.  

Autism touches my life in a special way and I thought long and hard about how I wanted to interpret the theme in cookies and in what I wanted to say about it.  

By now, you have heard about what defines Autism and Autistic Spectrum Disorders.  You have been presented with statistics and some wonderful personal stories of people that deal with life that is way more colorful than most.  

I like a lot of color in my world.  

I am the mother of a child that was diagnosed with Pervasive Developmental Disorder at the age of 4.  Her official diagnosis was PDD-NOS (Pervasive Developmental Disorder - Not Otherwise Specified) and it came after many, many testing sessions with a multi-faceted team of pediatric medical specialists at our local Children's Hospital.  

According to the Wikipedia description of PDD-NOS which (I am assuming that you will take the time to read this article) states that this particular population shows some characteristics of Autism, but not all and often milder.  

It was an interesting journey to take with this amazing child, but it was also so difficult.  I mean, I was a first time mother that had to circumnavigate the maze that is the pediatric community.  Holla' if you feel me....

I can honestly say though...I never thought of that diagnosis as an impairment.  Here was this incredibly intelligent, gorgeous child who was deeply immersed in her surroundings and had a difficult time communicating.  She attended a special language immersion program at the hospital three days a week.  She had an IEP even before she was in Kindergarten.  By the time she was in first grade, she was the only child in our school system to have both a Special Education designation AND be qualified for the gifted program.  

She modeled after excellence and life was so much better for her...because of early intervention, she was thriving and growing.  

There are still communicative difficulties that she deals with to this day, but she's gonna be fine.  As a family, we chose to not limit her by ever considering her to be disabled.   She was always treated as if she was perfectly normal because in our eyes, she is.

I have also come to realize that she comes from a long, distinguished line of women who can be diagnosed with the same disorder....

Myself included.

Her Grandmother, definitely.

And most likely my Grandmother, her Great Grandmother.

I took the test of AQ (Autism Quotient) and I scored well within the range of Autism Spectrum Disorder.

When I was growing up, there was only a problem if it was severe as far as pediatricians were concerned.

A Square Peg trying to fit into a Circle.

I will bet you know several people that could fit the same description as a "Square Peg".  You couldn't put your finger on it, but they were always a little different...

Yep, that's her...that's me...and that's definitely my mother.  (I do love you, Mom)

So, let's say YEAH for those that don't fit in, the paradoxes, the brilliant minds... the ones that are a little different than all the rest.  Admit it, we make life more interesting and create really awesome stuff.

This is Home Girl and I'm not a cookie blog....I swear.

Here and Now

When I look in your eyes
There I see
Just what you mean to me
Here in my heart I believe
Your love is all I'll ever need
Holdin' you close through the night
I need you, yeah

I look in your eyes and there I see
What happiness really means
The love that we share makes life so sweet
Together we'll always be
This pledge of love feels so right
And, ooh, I need you

Here and now
I promise to love faithfully [Faithfully]
You're all I need
Here and now
I vow to be one with thee [You and me], hey
Your love is all [I need] I need
Say, yeah, yeah...
When I look in your eyes, there I'll see
All that a love should really be
And I need you more and more each day
Nothin' can take your love away
More than I dare to dream
I need you
Here and now
~

Luther Vandross (1951-2005)

You were totally singing along with me, weren't you?  

Truth be known, this is not my most favorite wedding song.   In my opinion, it's not a classy wedding without an Ol' Blue Eyes remake by Michael Buble'.  You know the one I'm referring to....

This is Home Girl and I loved working on this wedding themed cookie set.  It doesn't mean I ever want to join that institution again, but the thought of just having a reception is pretty fun sometimes.

Those thoughts are fleeting though.  Thank God.