never a dull moment

The kids and I went to the ETC on campus to pick up something we had painted earlier in the day. Afterwards, Jonah wanted to go on a walk to "get some energy out." Sure.

We decided at Nussbaum that we would run a little around campus. I presented the plan before we began. We would run to the prayer chapel, to Wengatz, to Olson, and then back to our car in the Reade Center parking lot (for those of you not familiar with campus, our path led us on an approximate 600 meter circle, where we'd be visible to one another the whole time). Lydia was running more slowly, of course, so Jonah was ahead of us a bit.

At the prayer chapel, Jonah decided to run BEHIND Wengatz. I kicked myself that I didn't clarify he needed to stay IN FRONT of the dorms. Lydia and I ran behind Wengatz but didn't see him. We continued to Olson and still didn't see him. I was slightly panicked and remember saying things to Lydia like, "That boy!....Doggone it, Jonah!" You get the idea. I headed back toward the car, assuming that he was just really fast, constantly looking all around for the bright yellow boots he was wearing. In front of Nussbaum a nice student with a skateboard asked if I was looking for a little boy. The student informed me that he was hiding from me behind a tree in the field by the lake. So when he ran behind Wengatz, he decided to hide from me.

That was a mistake.

I ran back to my car and headed to the field by the lake. Jonah wasn't there but the boy with the skateboard was near the woods, obviously trying to find him. I drove back to Reade where my car had been parked, looking for his yellow boots running through campus. I could have seen him-- if he was there. He wasn't there.

It was time to include Mike. I went to Mike's office.

Up until this point, I was pretty composed, but I have a tendency to get emotional when I see Mike. "I've lost Jonah," I cried.

"You lost Jonah?"

"Yes."

I took Mike to the lake. He walked through the woods in his suit and tie, yelling his name. I circled campus a few more times. By this time, Mike saw two other men. Before they started looking for him, they encouraged us to call the campus police.

I knew he was okay. Jonah has tremendous courage. It will serve him well later in his life, but for right now, it makes life difficult! At this point, I wasn't worried about someone taking him, and I really wasn't worried that he'd get hurt. I was concerned about the great lengths everyone would have to go through to find him-- and where he'd go.

In the midst of looking, I took Lydia to a friend that lives close to campus; she was getting car sick (what else is new?) . I didn't even ask my friend if she could watch her. I just said, "Jonah's lost. I need you to take Lydia" as I was getting her out of the van. I didn't take the time to look her in the eyes, but she understood. She sent out a text, asking for prayer. I love my friends.

When I returned to campus, it was obvious that the police called the facilities crew to help. Every transportation vehicle on campus was driving the loop-- golf carts, small pick up trucks, 16 passenger vans, etc.

Mike and I found each other again (Did I mention that my cell phone was at home? After all, this was supposed to just be a quick trip to the ETC!) and then saw Jeff Wallace, Chief of Police. He had just said, "I think it's time to send out an all campus announcement" when Mike's phone rang.

A friend found Jonah.

Jonah was on the press box in the football stadium. He thought he could find me if he climbed to a lookout point.

I don't know the whole story. We probably never will. But he said he was in the woods by the lake, on the soccer field (which he may have mistaken for the practice football field) and the president's house. He had to climb a fence to get into the football stadium. I asked how high the fence was. "Eighty-four inches," was his reply. He knows he is 48" and the fence is probably twice as tall as he is. I thought that was a clever answer :)

We set his punishment and loved him.

I'm recovering. I'm about to recover with a big bowl of ice cream and my favorite night of television.

While Lydia was taking her bath I was reading a magazine. Here's what I read:

"God's grace is the foundation for everything we seek to accomplish in our homes and families. We must build our house on the foundation of grace. Let us be like the wise woman of Proverbs who builds and does not tear down her house.

When the laundry piles up and the dishes remain undone; when the children drive you crazy or disappear for the forty-third time, when the bills are past due and the mail stacks are high, remember that you are exactly where God wants you to be-- dependent upon His grace. Recognize the importance of His strength. Realize that God is at work giving you the grace you need. Step back from the circumstances of today and see God's long-term work in your life.

Someday we will know the reason for the difficulties, trials, weaknesses, and hardships. We will catch up on laundry, the children will grown into godly adults, and our husbands will receive a hot meal in a timely manner. In the meantime, as I receive grace for each day, [we don't need to exclaim, 'I've had it!'] I can exclaim, 'I have it!'"

Legos

He wanted his picture taken with "The White House." :)

please

Please pray your guts out for my little man today.

school + jonah = not good

today

It was a rough morning. I started the day with a long run but went into panic mode when I opened the door and heard Jonah in meltdown mode and Lydia on the steps crying.

Nothing really happened. Jonah was just "tightly wound" from the moment he awakened. It was going to be a long day.

But Mike had a plan.

At 10:15 a.m. he checked the weather for Cincinnati. No rain until 5:00 p.m. I knew what he was thinking.

The boys had their inaugural trip to Kings Island for the season. They decided to go at 10:20 a.m. and left at 10:30 a.m. My parents got them season tickets for Christmas; they were so excited!

Jonah is exactly 48 inches. For those of you that know Jonah well, you know that he's had the height requirement for every ride at Cedar Point, Kings Island, and the Disney Parks memorized for the past two years.

Since he's EXACTLY 48 inches, it was a big deal every time they got in line-- most of the time he was measured by multiple people. But he got to ride EVERYTHING!!!

The Racers, The Beast, The Vortex, The Drop Tower...

It's a monumental day in our house. He cuddled up next to me when he got home-- calmly telling me everything.

I'm thanking God for a good day.

Introducing....

the new Traci Falder Photography!

I wanted a more fresh, modern, clean, simple look that would appeal to brides and high school seniors. I think my talented graphic designer, Ben Wehling, gave me just that. I'm equally exited about some of the branding elements he created on my press printed products-- business cards, notecards, cd holders, etc.

And seriously, I'll shout as loud as I can that my friend, Wally, of Moritz Fine Design is AMAZING and an absolutely wonderful friend. My business would look a lot different without her.

Check it out!

Easter

1000

Some of you know I've been working on a big project for my business. I wanted it to be done in January; it's still lingering....

It's no secret that Mike is a visionary. He thinks big. I love that part of him because I don't think outside of my tiny box often. I think realistically & practically; he dreams. I ran a marathon because he dreamed it for me. I had an amazing Hawaiian honeymoon because he dreamed it for us. I've succeeded in my business because he dreams bigger dreams for me. He believes in me. He's my biggest fan.

And speaking of fans, Mike has made it HIS personal mission to see me get to 1000 facebook fans. I currently have 300. It's seems over the top to me, because, as I mentioned before, I think realistically! Yet his business mind helped me realize that at least 25% of my new clients are a result of "seeing me on Facebook." It's the only marketing tool I use-- and it's free!

Soliciting is not something that comes naturally to me, but it's Mike's job. So I had to laugh at the end of the day when I discovered that Mike's been soliciting Facebook fans for me throughout his day at work. That's when he got the idea for 1000 fans.

Here's how it works. The more fans I get, the more people see my name. The more people see my name, the more it appears on others' newsfeeds, and so on and so on. It really grows exponentially (whoa! did I actually just reference a math word?), and the more people that become my fan by next week, the more people will see the big reveal of the new Traci Falder Photography!

If you'd like to help me reach this goal, you can go to my FB photography page and click on "suggest to friends" under the profile picture. You can pick & choose the friends that you "suggest."

I'll thank you when I'm published in my first bridal magazine.

Saturday

I was testing my light for a photo session. I told them to look at me without smiling.

Okay, where is my baby? He looks so old!

She's such a thespian. She can change her facial expression in a split second. I'm waiting patiently for her freckles to arrive...:)

kindergarten!!

I visited Jonah's school last week to take some pictures of their fun afternoon before spring break. I'll have to post more later, but I think this is my favorite from the afternoon.

Tae-Kwon-Do

Swimming, Gymnastics, Horseback Riding, Karate

They're the four sports that Jonah's OT has recommended for him. We so want him to have a niche-- something he can be good at since the typical sports probably won't work for him (we've got our fingers crossed for football-- tackling, hitting hard, being hit. I think it could work).

Anyway, there's a Tae-Kwon-Do school near us. Our friend takes lessons with his son, and I thought it would be a great idea for Mike to try it with Jonah. Yeah...that wasn't really what Mike had in mind! He stalled. He avoided. He grimaced.

But guess who loves Tae-Kwon-Do now?????

Yep. Mike does.... and Jonah! They tested for their first belt last Sunday and my heart was full. I was smiling from ear to ear watching them do it together.

I have a great husband who would do anything for his son.

Studying before the test began.

Because Jonah's under the age of 12, he gets a "coach" to work with him during testing in case he has a question or needs guidance.



It's official. They have their first belt.

Our New Pet

Can you see it?

That's Big Brain, our new fish.

He's been asking for a long time-- for a fish tank in his room. He's proud of it.

And we're proud of him.

Save the Date

What: Matilda Jane Trunk Show

When: Thursday, April 8, 5-7 p.m.

Why: I realized recently that I need to do a better job of coaching my clients on how to dress for their photo sessions. So here's my big hint-- Matilda Jane clothes. They photograph GREAT!!!! They will transform the way your pictures look. Seriously.

How it works: It's an open house at my home. Come, shop with your daughter, and leave. There will be girls and women's clothes. They have a reputation of combining patterns with a vintage feel, but they also have plenty of modern, trendy looks too.

Check it out.

If you live out of town, check out the website. You can place your order by sending me an email.

connecting the dots

I took time off of work in January & February. I intended to relax, rest, watch TV, etc. That didn't happen. Instead, we spent that time moving two steps closer to understanding our son. Let me explain.. and stay with me; it's therapeutic for me to write!

When Jonah was a year old, he was diagnosed with sensory processing. The psychologist at Sparrow Hospital was the person who originally told us, and with great relief we started to do some research. I didn't mind the label. I was glad there was a reason that life seemed to be so atypical. And so our journey began....

At another appointment, the same psychologist asked if he drank a lot of milk. "Definitely," I replied. He drank tONS of milk, and actually, I was proud of it. He wasn't a juice drinker. My boy drank MILK.

"You may want to look into that..." was all I remember her saying. I did a little research about consuming too much milk but didn't really find anything. I had him tested for allergies later; he wasn't allergic to any foods. I moved on...

Last year in preschool, he just glided through. There's always struggles and problems with him, but as far as school, he appeared to be "typical." So I didn't give his teacher this year much warning when school began. I wrote her a letter, explained SPD, told how she could calm him, and gave her some warning signs to look for when he's getting overstimulated. Shame on me. It's been a long year.

AFter being in the principal's office two or three times at the start of school, after running out of the school building, after countless times hurting other kids in his class, etc., etc., etc., we're finally at a point where progress is being made.

Jonah's teacher loves him, thankfully. She "gets" him. And I can confidently say that, in our situation, to be understood is the most loving, compassionate gesture that someone can show us. Don't pretend to relate. You can't. Don't try to give advice. It won't work. Don't think you would do it differently. You couldn't. (Whoa! That's obviously my soapbox!)

Okay, back to my story :) Here's what we've discovered this past month. Jonah cannot properly digest dairy products. Dairy forms peptides in his body which act like opiates. The peptides then alter his behavior and responses to his environment. The doctor actually summarized it by saying that milk products act like "heroin" to him. Wow.

We also learned that Jonah has increased levels of many brain chemicals. This gave me scientific evidence for everything I've ever known about my son. Norepinephrine is the brain chemical associated with heightened states of emotion; it's the transmitter responsible for "flight or fight." Your daily levels should be 35-45. The reference range was 4-93. Jonah's level was 113. Wow. Jonah has always had a problem with aggression that doesn't match the consequence. For instance, Lydia may pick up a puzzle piece when he's working on a puzzle, and he'll hit her over and over again for doing it. It's never made sense, and discipline has never changed what he does in these situations. It's almost like he's out of his mind. Now I see-- his brain goes into "flight or fight" for everything-- even all those little things that his little sister does to annoy him.

We were able to take this information a step further. Shortly after I explained these levels to my brother who's currently a counseling grad student, he read where trauma victims are affected neurobiologically. There's evidence that trauma changes a victim's chemical makeup. In Jonah's case, his brain had to produce so much norepinephrine to keep him alive when he was first born that it became the norm.

So how has this information changed our life? Jonah is currently taking some supplements to decrease anxiety. It's not medication but rather a holistic approach to change his brain levels. Between the non-dairy and supplements, we've noticed a slight change-- nothing drastic-- but I feel more comfortable with this approach. His personality is intact and life is a little less tense.

We've also been working closely with the school to get Jonah an IEP (Individualized Educational Plan). The school initially said that he couldn't receive an IEP because he wasn't behind academically. In fact, he's quite the opposite, but FUNCTIONALLY school is not an appropriate place for him to learn-- and so the law did help our case. The other hurdle has been that because Sensory Processing Disorder is not in the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual) yet, the government doesn't acknowledge it as a disability that requires school systems to provide accommodations. He needs one DESPERATELY so that he can receive accommodations at school-- primarily a consistent adult who is aware of his sensory needs and can help him meet those needs in order to comply with school rules and respect his classmates.

We got good news a few weeks ago. Jonah will have an aide working with him at school! It's a huge answer to prayer for us. It's been an exhausting few months of researching, reading, and praying. I was emotionally spent. Not any more though. I'm just SO THANKFUL.

It hit me again. Jesus loves Jonah more than I do.

Oh, Girls!

Our Weekend

We spent the weekend at Pop and Grammy's house.

Yes, she's shaving Pop's head. And yes, she's enjoying it.

Look at how she moved his ear :)



a little cookie with her icing...

Calais

Isn't she so sweet? We're excited about our new niece and cousin!

Happy Valentine's Day!

What do you think?

I'm getting closer to revealing the project I've been working on for the past month with TF Photography. I need opinions. Which one do you like best?

authentic life. captured.


your authentic life. captured.


authentic. life. captured.

DNA

"Mike, look! That looks just like me."
"It is you."
"Oh yeah. I mean, I look just like Lydia! Uh, I mean, Lydia looks just like me!"

a little update

My daughter is developing a personality. It's oozing from her these days.

Here's how Lydia has made me smile this week:
1. She wants to read books constantly. She makes up the stories. They are very involved. My favorite so far is when she was reading "Sleeping Beauty" saying something like, "And then Wendy and Jon went and said, 'Christ is Lord!'..."
2. She's fascinated with her baby right now. She's named her "Rocka." I finally figured out that it probably came from the song "Rock a Bye Baby." We change Rocka's diaper, feed her cheerios, give her toys, and tuck her in at night. She actually sleeps in Mommy and Daddy's room because it's quiet. Last night Lydia interrupted her bedtime story and nervously exclaimed, "I forgot to put Rocka to sleep!" I told her I'd do it for her but laughed when Mike and I were getting ready for bed, and I was covering up Rocka in my room with her blanket and toy just the way Lydia would want it to be.
3. She had a playdate with a friend from preschool yesterday. She'd never been to her house and didn't know her mom. I told her I'd stay if she felt uncomfortable. After 10 minutes she called down from the top of their stairs, "Mom!" (yes, I'm "mom" now) "You can go now," she said.

And to think she used to be "quiet."