Friday 3 February 2012

Why I am thankful....

This is my second post today(as with all fridays hopefully). For the latest adventure's of Lady Ophelia aka Darcy's Postcard challenge post, click HERE

Rocking my world this week is the new challenge by Ayala to make 29 Faces for February.
It is reminding me that I have so many things to be thankful for, not least of which is my eyesight!!!
Many people are less able than me mobility wise...I can't even imagine not being able to express myself through art.
This pencil drawing is based on a photo of one of my nieces. It is not meant to be a likeness, just a pretty little girl, who is fascinated by something that has caught her eye :D

I am also grateful for my will power!!! My youngest has Asperger's , which means some of his behaviour is a bit weird. One of his foibles(quite a common one amongst sufferers) is that his bed becomes a rat's nest...nicest description I could think of lol. Every so often I brave the nest and clear it out...this pic was taken after I had already removed all the excess bedding.The list of stuff he sleeps on/with(not including basic bed set) is:
2x large fleecy blankets(he sleeps on top of the duvet?)
1x large quilted bedspread
1x fleecy cot blanket(was his, he is now 13)
1x single/ripped flannelette sheet
1x flannelette cot sheet(was his older brothers, now 21)
1x large bit of "sheety"(scraps of flannelette)
2x adult sized dressing gowns(1 fleecy,1 cotton lined)
1x adult sized Slanket(ginormous blankety thing with sleeves)
1x football cushion
3x scatter cushions
6 medium sized stuffed toys
1 large stuffed snake toy
assorted strips of "sheety" and toy stuffing that has escaped
13 small stuffed toys, 1 fleecy xmas hat and 1 pair of felt xmas antlers...and his clock!!
I have been thankful that he is adapting his OCD abilities to keep his bedroom floor visible, but that's because he is piling everything on his laptop table instead...

I am thankful for my ability to think quickly...and scraped it all into a plastic bag for his dad to sort through later lol :D
And this is the arsenal of weapon he "needs" under his bed so he can sleep safely :S Like I'm not scary enough to see off any bogey men :D

The most interesting find was this lump of concrete and wrapper that was a weight for a bunch of helium filled balloons from his gran's 80th birthday party last August(couldn't throw them out til the last one collapsed pathetically to the floor, dragged down by it's dead companions)
And this is how it looks now...won't look like that tomorrow :S
Oh...and does anyone know how he managed to form a "kink" in his memory foam mattress topper??? Just about managed to smooth it out, but he doesn't even sleep on it!!!
Last but not least....I am thankful for an understanding hubby...who spends his free time sorting through bags of junk I hand him, with very little complaint( he's entitled to the occasional tut lol)
:D XXX
Photobucket

20 comments:

  1. Ah bless, gratefuls come in our disguises, I can't imagine how he manages to sleep with all that in his bed, occasionally I have to clear out the zoo of our 11 year old but he seems to have got better with that of late! Hope you have a beautiful and blessed week ahead.

    Hugs

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  2. Love the drawing - she really is fascinated by something isn't she?
    Can't imagine how your son sleeps with all that on his bed...having said that...we can finally see the floor in the boy's room..last seen shortly after GCSE's 7 years ago!
    Have a great weekend.
    Hugs xx

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  3. Blessed be indeed Gina, and lots of hugs to you for staying so positive and supportive of your son. I know Aspergers isn't easy to live with, but I marvel at your approach and it's so great that you channel yourself through your art, which is amazing. I love this sketch, such a pretty girl.
    I hope you have a good weekend.
    luv and hugs {brenda} xoxox

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  4. I am going to be in with you and do a few posts today lol Ithink I am going mad. So well done Gina I love the face you have drawn!!!!
    My middle son is just the same and your post made me laugh because you know he always makes us laugh. He collects the weirdest things. I am not allowed to throw anything away. When he was about 8 he was going to be a writer and wrote little books, hundreds of them...and guess what they were all the same. They are all stacked up under his bed and I love that!!! He is a real pleasure to be with!!!! I miss him a lot as he is now at Uni. Guess what... he took all his extra bedding, cotbumper included but you know he left some of his teddies behind. He is studying Astro physics and I am so proud of him. So thank you for sharing that Gina!!!
    ManonX

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  5. Nice portrait! I like how you did the hair

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  6. That'll be Darcy's challenge then! It was really interesting reading about your son. I remember my nephew protesting when I asked if he wanted anything removing from his bed - I think there was even a box in there! Mind now it is just him, a blanket and the label of his blanket.....My dearest child at 3 has developed no interesting tendencies......yet......I shall be over later this weekend to check out Miss Ophelia :)

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  7. You are a very positive girl! Lovely portrait!!

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  8. I hear you about your boy-I have one like that too-except he likes to keep apack of cards-to shuffle-helps him think. I clean his room and it's like a bomb site again within minutes!

    Anyway-love your drawing-love the orientation!

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  9. Bless him, how on earth does he sleep on top of that lot?! Well done to you for sorting it out for him, and well done to your husband for accepting his role in the bed sorting operation!
    I have absolutely no idea about the memory foam mattress question - it's a mystery!
    Lovely pencil drawing, her hair and steady gaze are done particularly well.

    Have a lovely weekend,

    xx

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  10. The drawing is so sweet & that insight into your son's room is interesting, it looks like my younger daughters who sleeps on top of her quit with extra pillows blankets & stuff stuffed all around I usually leap over the floor to say goodnight... I think though in her case she may just be one of the untidiest kids on the block, my other daughter who's 17 makes her bed every day... me I'm somewhere inbetween... you & your husband do great teamwork!!!! I think the 'memory foam' matteress may have been used as a folded plush trampoline ;)

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  11. The drawing is really sweet, and I had to bring my partner over to see your son's bed, because we have a 13 yr old autistic daughter and she LOVES to steal every piece of bedding in the house and bury herself under them in her bed, along with about fifty books and two dozen plastic toy figures, and she insists on sleeping in her jeans and shoes. We have to excavate every couple of weeks or so!

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    Replies
    1. It helps to know that we are not alone in our chaos :D

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  12. My middle daughter is a nightmare for her bedroom. Every few months my OH and I have to brave it and go in with black sacks. She is just terrible. It does make you wonder how they sleep doesn't it?

    Bless his heart, that arsenal under his bed... my eldest at 14 still makes me check every corner of her bedroom and her wardrobe at night before I'm allowed to turn the light off. She gets so upset calling herself a baby (she got much worse when her friends decided to scare the poop out of her with urban legends about child stealing clowns that hide in bedrooms!) but it's like I told her, we all have our fears. I don't know what MY excuse to keep the landing light on will be when they all move out!

    Love your drawing too :) Have a wonderful week Gina.

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    1. aaaaw bless her little soul...sometimes we have friends who we could do without. A thing I used to do with my kids, was to get them to draw the thing that was scaring them...I told them this would get the thing out of their heads. They could then choose to keep the image and remove it to my room at night or burn it and remove it forever...it's worth a try with your daughter :D

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  13. O lovely Gina, it was so heartwarming to read your blog today. Can´t understand all of your texting, because I have sleep in scool, when my englishteacher speaks to us...anyway the pictures have his own language... so lovely!

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  14. A wonderful portrait, you are very talented!
    My daughters bed look somewhat similar with 3 throws, a millon cuddly toys bits of tissues, a DS console, at least 6 books, etc, etc! Bless him with all his weapons under the bed as well.
    Hope you have a good week x

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  15. I don't have a diagnosis as of yet, but I can so sympathize with this. My little one must have the "main" 7 in her bed, near the top and the remainder near by. She wakes with blue lips sometimes from cold, but manages to get out from under the trappings; no matter how many times we cover her. Thanks goodness for understanding spouses and an occasional glass of red! ;)

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  16. oh my lord that looks just like my 9 year old's bed! well done you for tidying it up so well. although, as you say, it won't last :)

    have a good week

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  17. It's a wonderful portrait, love the eyes. I think it must be very uncomfortable on all these things. But isn't he sad after you've sorted the things out?

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    1. He is always sad bless him, though you wouldn't know it. To a stranger he is the happiest livliest child they ever met...but inside he is always sad :S

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