Megs, Meyme, Meggy

Or you may know her as Meghan! I thought I should do a little blog on my soon-to-be oldest step-daughter. In case you did not know already, Meghan has Autism. Her autism is considered high-functioning as she is very verbal, (did i mention VERY verbal!) Part of being autistic is the inability to be oh lets say "tactful or politically correct" - that part of her brain just thinks very differently. Alot of the time it comes across as rude or abrupt, but, alot of the time the things she says are just darn funny cause - there is no holding back or "impulse control". For example, she told me the other day "Well, when the Preacher asks you and my dad at the wedding if there is anyone who objects to this marriage, I will say I DO!!!" I laughed so hard! CHANGE would be another thing that is hard for a child with autism, the thought of change, the look of change . . . even small things that may change, is hard . . . so, Mike and I (or probalby more I) are needing to be sensitive to her during these next few months of MAJOR change and transition. You can pray for her and for ME as I am one of the "changes" that she will be adjusting to.

What makes Meghan Tick? SCIENCE, MOVIES, TV, FAST FOOD, her PETS, COMPUTER and her Oma's MASHED POTATOES and GRAVY. She has an identic memory which means basically what she watches on TV, Movies, reads in books, finds on the computer . . . STICKS . . . literally word for word, sound for sound, intenation for intenation. So yes, you could sit and listen to her reenact a Veggie Tale movie, word for word, sing every lyric to every song with exact pitch, tone, and wording and do all the voices, or, you could listen to the scientific explanation of DNA or the mating habits of spiders. If I need to interupt her during a "show" then I literally just say "PAUSE MEGHAN" and then once i have done what i needed to do, I can say, "carry on" and she will unpause her memory and keep going . . . without missing a beat - it truly is fascinating!

What are her struggles? Well, she has difficulty with food, which, becomes her parents struggles, trying to ensure she has proper nutrition. Her social ability to fit in . . . that will always be a struggle for her and part of the daily process in working with her. She is VERY tiny which i dont think has to do with autism but nutrition and genetics. She is almost 13, attending a fully integrated Grade 5 class with an aid, but looks the same ages as Sydney and Madison -age 9. She is impulsive . . . like when she tied her sheets together and climbed out the window cause she saw it on a TV show once! or decides to just go somewhere (the flight risk part) without the family knowing (getting better as she gets older, was more serious when she was younger). She can get "stuck" easily or fixated on something and it is hard to get her out of it or to redirect her if necessary - there can be serious struggles during these times - like if she though in her own mind she was getting KFC for supper, and then didnt - YIKES - WWIII! She is definately DRAMA, which totally fits the rest of the dramatic family (have you ever spent time with me - hello)!!

My kids do really well with her and I have been so proud of them . . . she loves Levi and he loves her back. I am learning and growing in my relationship with her - I am a BLACK and WHITE kinda woman . . . I like things done a certain way, you should look, dress, act, and behave a certain way (ok, my way) . . . well, Meghan has thrown some GREY into my world and some pretty VIBRANT COLOR too! Her innocence, her sweetness, her fiestyness and attitude are all what make her MEGHAN!

I LOVE YOU MEGGIE!!