The Mama Ninja Shop

Friday, February 16, 2018

February 16, 2018

For my Son...19 Things I Love About You

19 years ago, the most precious thing happened. I became a Mom. I can't believe how fast the years can fly by.

In honor of your birthday, Chad, I wanted to share 19 reasons that I love you with all my heart.


1. I love how I had to teach you to cry, but you came here already knowing how to laugh.


2. I love how you have showed all those people and doctors wrong and thrived full of life.


3. I love how resilient you are. No matter how many doctors or therapists you have had to see, you kept doing it with a smile.


4. I love your smile.


5. I love your turbo charged personality.


6. I love how you always have something funny to say.



7. I love your laugh.


8. I love your goofy sense of humor.


9. I love your amazing talent of being able to stretch your ears out.


10. I love your clowning around.


11. I love how no one's watermelon is safe around you.


12. I love your country boy style.


13. I love how you find joy in the simple things.


14. I love how much you love animals and babies.


15. I love the fact that you inherited my love for holiday decorating.


16. I love your awesome tower building skills.




17. I love seeing your joy and enthusiasm in knocking them down.

18. I love your hugs.


19. I love you simply because you are YOU!


Happy Birthday, my Chad! May the force be with you always!


Want to know a little more about Chad? Check out the post Night to Shine...A Mom's Point of View!

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Wednesday, February 14, 2018

February 14, 2018

Top 5 Worst Valentine Gifts from my Sweet Husband

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I have been married to my husband for 21 wonderful blissful years! In today's world and statistics, that's quite an accomplishment. Thru those years the holidays have been so magical, memorable, and loving.

Except one...Valentine's Day.
If Barry had an arch nemesis, it would be Saint Valentine. As sweet as he can be for some reason on this one day, he becomes clueless mess.

The first year I figured it was just bad luck.
*****
The second year I decided he was having a bad day.
*****
The third year was starting to really disappoint me.
*****
By the fourth I was googling neurological problems.
*****
And the fifth year?! I was just pissed!
*****

I mean, come on! How hard is it for one day a year to buy fresh flowers, a meaningful card, and chocolates?!


I'm not even that hard to please! I will be happy with a bouquet picked from our backyard and a Hershey bar!

To celebrate today's Holiday of Love, I want to share with you my Husband's all time fails at Valentine's Day in countdown order!


#5 
Barry walked in from work one year and the kids ran to show him their "loot" from the schools Valentine's Party. He runs out the door telling me he needs to run to the store. He comes back proudly with.... Wait for it.....

A plastic rose, chapstick, and a heart shaped box of those crappy tasting chocolates (you know the one, only has four pieces and can fit in your pocket?!) Total spent $4. I know this because he gave it to me in the dollar store bag with receipt stuck to that damn box of chocolates.


#4
I almost thought the bad streak was over with this one. I came in and sitting in my chair is a little wrapped box with a beautiful bow. I eagerly opened it and it was a lovely necklace. After I hugged him I put it on and asked "How does it look?"

Here's how the conversation went immediately after.

Barry
"I need a closer look, I haven't seen what she picked out yet".

Me
"SHE?! Who she, might I ask"?

Barry
(digging hole deeper)
"My sister. I asked her to pick something up for you".

Me
(handing him the shovel so he can dig faster)
"And why couldn't you go and pick out something yourself?"

Barry
(now standing in the 4 ft hole and still digging himself deeper)
"Well, she was going to the dollar store. It saved me a trip. By the way, we owe her $5 plus gas".

** Sidenote** At least it was a step up from the $4 spent the year before!

#3
This is the year he realized he better up his Valentine's game. He went and shopped, and not at the dollar store, mind you! He carefully chose the perfect gift to give to me expressing how much love we shared thru the years. And he was so excited about it, too, bless his heart. The gift was a brand spanking new deluxe model... vacuum cleaner. Yep. You got it!

I told him "You suck"!


#2
This one almost didn't make the top 5 fails! However, due to a series of mishaps (and some bad planning) it sneaked right on up to #2!

Barry was at work that day and it was a Monday, his long hours day. That morning he had purchased a gorgeous, really big, heart shaped box of fine chocolates! He finally got it right! (Well, if he did it wouldn't hit the fail list, right?)

He left it in the car, locked up so that there was no chance of anyone stealing his perfectly thought out, expensive, divine box of chocolates.

Folks, we live in South Mississippi. The weather can be a bit iffy here even on a good day. It's Winter, there could be snow or cold weather.

But, unfortunately for Barry that was not the case that year. The high was 85 degrees, which was reached by 10 in the morning, and a gorgeous sunshiny day. Not a cloud in the sky!

Barry worked a 12 hour shift that day and came home to present to me my gorgeous, big box of chocolate soup. With a side of those little paper wrappers. Ugh.


#1
This is it!
My husband's number one top all time winner for Valentine's gifts!

Nothing. Just nothing. Yep, after all those years of bad choices, poor timing, and unfortunate events, he gave up.

And I'm so thankful that he did! It was getting to where i suffered a migraine every February 15th!

************

Now, we take the effort to express our love for each other on this special day, and pour it on our kids!

Besides, they happen to love those goofy cards and those little four piece heart shaped boxes of damn chocolates!

Happy Valentine's Day from My Family to Yours
(may your chocolate not melt and the gift not suck!)


Want to read more about my sweet husband and the trouble he can get himself into?!

Check out my post Inside Campout Party and find out what 4 little words he said that had a ripple effect for years to come!


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Monday, February 12, 2018

February 12, 2018

Night To Shine...A Moms Point of View

Being a mother to special needs kids is both rewarding beyond measure and terrifying at the same time. There are so many "What ifs?", "Will he ever?", and "Will she be able to?"

Knowing that your child may miss out on some of life's milestones can be heartbreaking.

Let me introduce to you my son, Chad, who is fixing to turn 19. He is full of life, personality, and tenacious!

He, also, will probably never drive a car and never completely support himself independently.


He was born with a translocation of chromosomes 10 and 22.

Basically, what that means is that those two chromosomes swapped some genetic material and lost some genetic material. 

We have joked around as a family that the lost genetic material is in his one toe that hangs down farther than the rest LOL!

  • Is there a name for his condition? No, but we call it Chad Syndrome. 
  • Was it genetic? No, as his parents, we were tested. His genes just decided to do their own thing, much like Chad does!

I can go on and on about my Chad
(you can read all about him by visiting my Meet Chad page!),
but I want to get to our Night to Shine Prom experience!

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You do know who Tim Tebow is, right?!

What you may not know is what an amazing humanitarian that he is! He started the Tim Tebow Foundation where their mission is to celebrate people with special needs. What an inspiring organization!

The foundation sponsors a world wide prom for those adults with special needs. The idea is not to only celebrate these wonderful souls but to give them a light to feel good, socialize, have fun, and to SHINE!

Over 90,000 people attended this year in over 540 churches with over 175,000 volunteers! All on the same night around the world!

That in itself is a staggering feat! 

But I want to share with you exactly how magical this event is to the attendees and their parents.

In our area, the prom is hosted at Temple Baptist Church in Hattiesburg, MS.

This loving church, along with countless others, pour their hearts and souls into this event every year. It is the second year that Temple has hosted, and they did an unbelievable job both years.

The church is beautiful and you can feel God's love as soon as you step in the door!

So, let's go to the Night to Shine Prom!

Upon arrival, you are greeted at the front door by the warmest smiles and hand shakes. Making our way in, we are shown to our registration table.

Our registration was all completed online, so there was very little wait (a major plus for Chad!) He is given his name tag, on a shining cord, and presented to his buddy for the night.



I have to tell you, the volunteers that serve as buddies are simply the purest of hearts. Each prom attendee is assigned a buddy for the whole night.

The buddies make sure they accompany their attendee to the various activities, fix them a plate to eat, make sure they are having loads of fun, and dancing with them! In Chad's case, the buddy needs to, also, be prepared for running from activity to activity or across the dance floor at top speed (well...Chad's speed!)

And JR was up for the challenge! He was so kind and attentive to Chad, I couldn't have asked for a better buddy.

Chad meets Seymour the Mascot from the University of Southern Mississippi, while waiting in line with JR, his buddy. Go Eagles!

Now, it's time to enter the prom, on the red carpet, of course! The carpet is lined with fans and paparazzi, screaming their name and cheering them on as the announcer introduces them. The walk is exhilarating!



On to the dance floor, where the first stop is to receive their corsages or bouteneers. Second, prom pictures! Then the attendee can dance, get a bite to eat, or just sit and enjoy the music and atmosphere!






For some, the main floor can be overwhelming, as was the case for Chad.

His buddy saw that he was uncomfortable with the loud music and suggested they go and explore. A hostess led the way to the Sensory Room.

How amazing is this! There are separate rooms with alternative activities to the main attraction of dancing!

The Sensory Room was full of bean bags, giant teddy bears, quiet board games, a Disney movie playing, and (Chad's favorite) electronic tablets to play games on!

There was even food here, as well, in case it was too loud at the main buffet!


The other rooms included a karaoke room  where guests could sing along with their favorite songs, and the applause was tremendous after each set!


JR sang along with Chad

If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands! 

The last room we entered was the Game Room. Now, you will see what I mean when I thought we had shrunk upon entering! These were massive games! Even the bubble machine worked in overdrive!


Chad showing us how much bigger the cards were than his head!

Took a while to shuffle these

So, JR helped






In addition to all that (as if that's not enough!), outside are limo rides. A full stretch all decked out limosine! Awesomeness!

There is, also, a parents lounge. 

This is a place where parents can relax and socialize while their kids are having a ball.

There was a full catered meal that was beyond delicious, a dessert bar, and a flavored coffee bar. I felt like royalty!

Up the gorgeous staircase to the Parents Lounge

The Parents Lounge overlooked the main dance and eating area

Close to the end of the prom, all attendees are crowned Kings and Queens! And before they leave, they are presented with a goodie bag, complete with a Night to Shine cup, the picture that was made in a silver frame, handwritten Bible verses, and other wonderful items.

The outpouring of love, devotion, and passion for others will take your breath away. As a Mother, it will bring you to tears.

Every detail is researched and thorough to benefit the attendee. To show them how much they are loved, to allow them to let loose and have fun in a safe environment, and to provide them an evening that allows them to shine.

And shine they did, each and every one of them!


If you need more information on Night to Shine, please visit their website at The Tim Tebow Foundation

And consider volunteering, giving, or nominating a church near you for next year's Night to Shine. You will be blessed beyond measure for doing so!

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Feel free to share this wonderful and amazing event with others and help everyone have an opportunity to SHINE!

To read all about my Chad, go to the Meet Chad page!



About



Hi, there! My name is Shannon Dewease and I'm so happy you found my blog. I am from beautiful South Mississippi and live here with my family. My life can get a little chaotic, comical, and down right complicated, as you will find out. I can't wait to begin sharing my misadventures with you!

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