The Christianville Spirit: New PTLS Family Members in Norway

The Christianville Spirit

The Spirit that Sparks Your Heart

August 31, 2011- TCS # 264

So, The number of people and families with PTLS are growing as we speak; which means that there are new people coming from new countries. Now, My Readers, being a Geography Wiz I have to admit I do have My Favorites including the country I live in. However, My Favorite Country in one of My Favorite Regions of The World got a new PTLS Family. The Region is Scandinavia which consists of Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Finland. By the way, 3 of them being Norway, Sweden, and Denmark are my favorite. So far there is one in Denmark, three in Sweden, and wait for it.. the first in Norway! Now, as you can tell I’m very exited about this one just like I was with the first from Sweden. Norway, though gets my attention for many reasons. The First came after finding out that Norway was near the top of “The Best Countries in The World” List that I discovered in Newsweek Magazine. After that, came a post on Facebook about “The World’s Happiest Countries” from Forbs.com which Norway topped the list. The fact in “The World’s Happiest Countries” article that got me the most was reading that 74% of Norwegians trust each other, that floored me, I was so amazed. Then, out of curiosity I decided to drive around on Google Maps’ Street View, which started in Oslo and turned into a 3 day Cyber-Drive across the Mountains and Fjords from Oslo to Bergen, which by the way in all was a 515 Kilometer drive. After seeing all the Fjords, Mountains, and Pure Beauty; I couldn’t get enough of it. Then, I watched a show called Rick Steve’s Europe, that I had recorded, and it told me that Norwegians love Life (Just like Me), Their Nature Lovers, and they just love the Clean Air and Beauty that Norway is covered with. Of Course, then I did a cyber-drive recently from an Awesomely Beautiful Fjord to a town called Drammen and then, cross into Sweden and drove to a town called Örebro. Now, the Awesomely Beautiful Fjord was so Magnificent with steep hills, a lake in the middle, a road driving along side a steep cliff and a Waterfall coming down the cliff, further down the road; it’s one of those places on earth that gives you an image of what Heaven would be like, it’s that Awesome. Now I can see why Norwegians are Nature Lovers and Why they are so happy, it’s because you have little slices of Heaven only a couple hours (that being 200 or 300 Kilometers, at least) outside of the Nation’s Capitol of Oslo. By the way, I should mention in Oslo that it’s home of the Nobel Peace Prize and They have a Nobel Peace Prize in Stockholm, Sweden’s Capitol too. Now, the only down side that I know of is that it’s Wicked Expensive there (A 50% Tax-rate, by the way), The Food I’ve heard is what alot of people say is dull, and finally, They struggle with acceptance of people like me who have Special Needs. Now, don’t let me deter you or anything but, Norway is an awesome country, I just wish that they’d be more receptive to people with Special Needs. Maybe I need to go over there and help raise awareness and acceptance. That would be one of My Dream Jobs next working with Uncle Brent and his company. All in all, to sum up Norway is like many Slices of Heaven called Fjords and The air is so clear that your lungs will love you forever, in fact it’s actually a Local Joke there; that breathing in and out saying, “ahhhhh” is part of Conversation and a big Phrase.

Thanks for Reading The Christianville Spirit. As along as You enjoy Life, it doesn’t matter where you live. Here or elsewhere.

The Christianville Spirit: My Uncle Craig and Kellie's Wedding

The Christianville Spirit

The Spirit that Sparks Your Heart

August 24, 2011- TCS # 263

Hello There, My Readers, I’m Back! Now, I’m sure that you are wondering why I didn’t write last week. Well, actually, My Mom, My Brother, and I were driving a 17 Hour Drive to Ohio for My Uncle Craig’s Wedding. Yes, I know I didn’t let you know but, I thought it’d be fine to give myself a week off. Anyway, This Trip was quite awesome with a couple twists along the way. Now, I’m going to write to you like I would if I wrote this in a Travel Journal. I would write, “The Trip started by getting up early with My Mom, My Brother, and I to start driving 17 Hours to Toledo, OH”. Now, don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love to Travel but, I’d rather drive only 12 Hours and reach our destination. But, it was fun anyway considering we hadn’t gone on a Road Trip with My Brother in a while; Because usually it’s only My Mom and I due to the fact My Brother is going on a Different Trip or has to work. Anyway, so we figured since we were driving out to Ohio that we’d stop and visit 2 PTLS Family Members along the way. On Wednesday Night, We met My wonderful Aunt Samantha in Nashville for Dinner (I address PTLS Member, Samantha Pennington as this). On Thursday morning we had brunch with The Suchlands and Michelle’s wonderful Mom, Sandy, who later was very helpful. The Reason she was helpful was because while we had Brunch, My Uncle Brian was getting sick and we had to take him to The Hospital and Sandy helped guide us up the road to the nearest major town which was 15 Miles or so away, which wasn’t exciting for me or Will. Anyway, after that My Brother and I drove on to Toledo leaving My Mom, My Grandma Honey, and My Uncle Brian at The Hospital. Once we got to Toledo, we met up with Uncle Craig to get our suits fitted for the wedding. For Dinner that night, we had a lovely candle-lit BBQ Dinner which was quite good. Later that Night, My Mom and Grandma Honey came just in time for Dinner but, Uncle Brian had to stay in The Hospital overnight. On Friday, we drove out to a place called Mon Ami on Catawba Island which is the site of Uncle Craig and Kellie’s Wedding, to rehearse the wedding, which by the way I was a part of. On Saturday was Uncle Craig and Kellie’s Wedding Day and I was one of The Groomsmen, along with My Brother, Kellie’s Brother Matt, and My cousin Taylor as Best Man. The Wedding, by the way, was held at a Winery called Mon Ami on Catawba Island. Now, Catawba Island is also nearby Sandusky, Ohio. The Wedding was really beautiful because The Ceremony was underground in a wine cellar and The Reception was outside. While at The Reception, I worked up the nerve to ask a girl to dance with me, other women asked me to dance with them, and the most awesome part was that they served The Wedding Party, which I was included in, first before they served everyone else. Finally, on Sunday we went to Brunch with The Family at The Yacht Club and then we drove home. All in all, it was a Wonderful Trip and a Wonderful Wedding.

Thanks for Reading The Christianville Spirit. Cherish your Family in all ways and Welcome new ones.

The Christianville Spirit: My Birthday Week

The Christianville Spirit

The Spirit that Sparks Your Heart

August 10, 2011- TCS # 262

So, As most of You know, Tomorrow is My Birthday. So, in honor of it, This Year; I’ve been addressing this week as “My Birthday Week”. Now, I have to tell you that the friends that we have here are awesome because they are very giving. In fact, I had to 2 big events yesterday; First, My Mom’s business partner, Kim(who I nickname, Kim Kardashian) told me last week that she had Free Movie Passes that she hadn’t used yet, and she asked if I wanted to go. Then, she asked what Movie I wanted to see. Well, My Mom told her that I would go and told her what kind of Movies I like. Now, of course she was expecting an answer like Action or Horror Movies but, My Mom said “He likes Romantic Comedies”, which by the way, she was floored because it turns out that she likes them too. So, yesterday We went to go see Crazy, Stupid, Love which, by the way, is a really good Movie. In Fact, it is what I refer to as a “Soulmate Movie” which means it explores the idea and theme of Soulmates. Now, about Kim being floored by my answer is because most Men (as far as I know) don’t like to watch Romantic Comedies because as they say, “It’s too girly”. Most Men like Action Movies because things blow up or people are killed, you know what I mean. However I like the idea of Romance in Movies and how Love Stories go. Anyway, later on My Mom and I went with Our Friend, Carol, who took us to a fancy place here in Dallas called The Old Warsaw. Now, The Old Warsaw, I believe has some of the best food. It’s one of those places where you eat a 5 Course Meal very slowly. By the way, it consists of Soup or Salad, Appetizer, a sherbet in between, The Main Course, and Dessert. Of Course, My Favorite is the main course, which for me is a Filet with Crab Meat with a really good sauce. My Favorite Soup there is Brie Soup, which is surprisingly good. While we were there, We had a special Birthday Cake and they play “Happy Birthday” on the piano. Finally, There was something awesome that I got today in the mail. Apparently, My wonderful Aunt Samantha and Aunt Shelly, of My PTLS Family, worked on a project where they had people they know from Other PTLS Family members to people that they know as friends to send postcards from all 50 States to her and then, she put them in a book and sent it to me. And, the Best Part is that all of them say, “Happy Birthday Christian” on the back of them. It was soo awesome to know that she and Shelly have been working very hard to do this for Me, it makes me feel very special. And, all those who took time to go find postcards and send them to her in such a short amount of time, I can’t thank you all enough. Anyway, The Point here is around your birthday, people can show extraordinary kindness toward people on their birthdays. But, the truth is kindness has to happen all the time; not just on your birthday or during a disaster but, most of the time, you should be kind to Everyone. All in All here, My Friends are Awesome and Very Kind. And, I wouldn’t have them any other way.

Thanks for reading The Christianville Spirit. Kindness is a great virtue to have and My Friends have it.

The Christianville Spirit: Job Interview Questions

The Christianville Spirit

The Spirit that Sparks Your Heart

August 3, 2011- TCS # 261

You Know those thoughts that come up at night? Like ideas about something you should do, or in my case, Write about? Well, what I’m going to tell you this week is one of them. So, the other night I thought about Job Interview Questions like “Where do you see yourself in 10 Years?” or “What is your greatest weakness?” and I thought of the answers to those. Now, why I would think about Job Interview Questions, I don’t know, but, My Guess would be because Employers scour The Internet looking for good employees. Of Course, Most People don’t know this, but the employers look all over the internet; From Blogs, Facebook, Myspace, or anything. They do this because they want to find out what kind of person you are. So, to help myself and them with it, I’m going to answer some. Commonly, the first question they ask is usually Tell Me about Yourself; Well, first My Name is Christian, I love Geography, I’m VERY Routine Oriented (which in Corporate America is a very important thing) and yes, I do have Special Needs called Potocki-Lupski Syndrome. Next, the order of questions change but, generally they ask Where do you see yourself 10 Years?; Well, I see myself being successful in anything I do and living with My future Soulmate and living happily. Following that, They’ll ask Tell Me about/What are your Strengths? Geography, Being Routine Oriented, I get along with Everyone, I follow direction, and Have Great Work Ethic. Next, is probably the hardest one to answer because it’s like a do or die kind of question, What is Your Greatest Weakness?; and, I would probably say that I take things too literally sometimes, I do things kind of slow (Now, depending on where your applying, that can Make or Break your chance of a job) and as You can see as My Mom tells me, I really like to use Capitol Letters (which can drive one who likes Good Grammar, Crazy). Now, this question to be honest with you, annoys me when I hear someone ask it but, Why should I hire You? Because of My good Work Ethic, Being Routine Oriented, being Happy all the time, take direction well and I am good about Following Rules and making sure Everyone else does also. Next, the next to last question, What was Your Greatest Professional Achievement? Well, back in High School, I had an Office Aid job at the school, which I delivered stuff to the classrooms or subject offices. But, the highlight was when I was Parking Lot Attendant and I was to make sure that the Staff and Visitors parked in the right places. I had to write down the License Plate Number of the violator car, which as you can imagine got many staff members very upset. I was even getting bribed by My Teachers. But, I stood firm on the rules and as a result I achieved 100% Compliance for the first time in Many Years. Finally, The last question that usually people forget to answer, have enough information, or will ask a friend who works there, Do You have any Questions for Me? This is a good time to ask about Rules, Pay(this is the ONLY time that your allowed to ask that, NOT during the Interview), Schedule and When do you begin working. all in all, This is a good idea to ace your interview and get a job!

Thanks for Reading The Christianville Spirit. In a Job Interview, Always be Yourself and Be Positive.

The Christianville Spirit: Travel in The US

The Christianville Spirit

The Spirit that Sparks Your Heart

July 27, 2011-TCS # 260

So, The other night I was watching TV and nothing good was on. It’s usually like that on certain nights. Anyway, I found a show called 21 Hottest Caribbean Escapes which I knew had been on many times on The Travel Channel but, I’ve never watched it. After a while, I was thinking, “I want to get a stamp in My Passport from somewhere.” I saw all the places on it, and thought, “I want to go there, there, and there” but, then I thought, “There are great places here in the US that are very pretty too.” I asked My Mom about it and she says, “it’s more about the thrill of being in a Foreign Country instead of your own.” And, you know she’s right. But, watching shows like that on Travel Channel, which by the way is one of My Favorite Channels, puts you in what I’ll call an “I really want to go there daze” otherwise known as “The Travelers Daze” and that’s kind of the point of Travel Channel which I like and don’t like. But, anyway, When seeing all the other places in The World and thinking about Places in America, it takes a reminder for even someone like me to think, “What’s so great about America?”. Well, actually, there’s a lot to love about the USA that’s equivalent to things found elsewhere. And, yes, even places in America that won’t have a lot of commercialism. For example, instead going to The Bahamas or Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic, you could go to Key West, Florida; Puerto Rico (which is Owned by The US) and My Favorite Place I want to go, The USVI(or United States Virgin Islands for short). Why? they have somewhat the same culture of The Caribbean, They speak English, and of course the Turquoise Water. And, in case if your wondering they do have turquoise water in Key West. Anyway, if your a History Buff as they call them, instead of going to Roma(Rome) or Berlin, Germany, You can go to one of the many Civil Water Sites dotted all over The South and there are even ones in places like major cities. For Example, in Atlanta there’s the Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield just west of Marietta. Next, if you love Nature, instead going to Norway’s Fjords(which by the way is on My List), You can go to the Adirondack Mountains/Park in New York State; Yosemite National Park in California; and, Baxter State Park in Northern Maine. Now, if you ask me, My Favorite location would be the Adirondack Mountains or Baxter State Park, even though I haven’t been yet, based on what I’ve read their both are really awesome. If you love Culture, instead of going to Thailand, China, or Brazil. You can go to The USVI(US Virgin Islands), Puerto Rico, Alaska, Hawaii, and New York City. For example, in New York City there’s many cultures in many parts of Manhattan especially in Lower Manhattan or uptown in Harlem. If you like to see how a country works, instead of going to Roma(Rome), Beijing, London, or Oslo. You can go to Our Nation’s Capitol, Washington D.C. In Washington D.C, you can see where The President lives at The White House; Where Congress makes laws at The US Capitol; see all the Monuments and finally, see all the Museums of The Smithsonian.

All in all here, There are many alternatives here in The United States you or I can go to and best of all it’s not that expensive to go.

Thanks for Reading The Christianville Spirit. The sites of America are closer than you think. You just have to Book a Flight or Hop in The Car and Go!

The Christianville Spirit: The Study and A Surprise

The Christianville Spirit

The Spirit that Sparks Your Hearts

July 21, 2011- TCS # 259

Hello, My Readers. Yes, I know today is Thursday and I’m a day late. But, after I tell you what happened, You’ll know. So, for those of you who know me well, I have Potocki-Lupski Syndrome(PTLS). When I was 4, I was diagnosed. I went through the first study for this duplication when I was 9, which at that time was unintentional because My Mom knew that I had something but, she didn’t know what. Anyway, so the study was actually about the opposite of what I have, to make a comparison. You See, Potocki-Lupski Syndrome wasn’t what it is today. In fact, it was just know as A Duplication of Chromosome 17(or Medically know as dup.17p11.2) and they were doing a study of a Deletion of Chromosome 17p11.2 or also known as Smith-Magenis Syndrome(SMS). Anyway, Dr. Potocki decided to have me go through it again, only this time as a Young Adult. So, on Monday Night we drove down to Houston for the study, which would happen on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Then, on Tuesday Morning we had to be at Texas Children’s Hospital at 8:00AM. After long discussions that were really good, We decided to redirect the study for another time. So, on Tuesday Night while we were waiting to go have dinner with another PTLS Family, that we’ve met many times before, that lives in Houston, I had the biggest surprise. You See, I watch this show on TLC on Tuesdays, ironically, called The Little Couple. It’s about two wonderful little people named Bill and Jen. Anyway, Jen, the star of this show, works in the NICU and Simulation Lab at Texas Children’s Hospital. So, My Mom apparently set up a surprise meeting; so, around 6:00PM she came through the doors to the research area where I was and she drove by in her fancy wheelchair, because the hospital is so big and it helps her get around quicker. When I saw her, I thought, “Wait a minute. Is that Dr. Arnold?!?” I walked out to see if it was her and that’s when I heard her voice when she was asking where I was, and I knew it was her. I said, “Hey Jennifer” because I knew that was her name. As she walked over, My Mom introduced us and she said, “Hi, I’m Dr. Jen Arnold”. So, My Mom and I got to talk with her for a short time, because we knew she was very busy.... And it was so awesome! When I saw her, I thought she was coming for another patient or something. But, little did I know, she was coming to see Me and best of all she knew my name. Now, I know I sound Starstruck, which I was. But, when someone that you watch weekly and are a Fan of knows Your Name, it’s very special. Anyway, she gave me her card with her and Bill’s Signature and I gave her a book of some of My Newsletters. I told her about PTLS and I told her how I see the world through My Eyes, which is Special. So, I asked her how she saw the world through her eyes, so I showed her what I meant by getting down to her level. She told me that she has to looking up a lot and it hurts her neck. She gave her really great giggle. She smiles all the time which is really wonderful to see. She also said we could be Friends and I could send her My Newsletters I write. After we talked with her and she left, I couldn’t stop smiling, even at dinner with the PTLS Family, which we did afterwords. To this day, I’m still smiling because for someone I so admire, and Inspires many people, for her to take time out of her busy 24 Hour day to come meet me is Awesome! After we hugged and posed for a picture. She had to rush home to get dinner for Bill who was at home watching Rocky and Maggie, their dogs. We certainly stay on touch!

So, on Wednesday Morning we had a nice final discussion with Pilar, the genetic counselor, and then we drove home. On the way, we stopped to visit my Aunt Cindy and Uncle Mike in Huntsville. We had an awesome visit!

All in all, It was a great visit. But, what more could you ask for; A Personal Hospital Section, A Personal Room, A Personal Nurse(Mindy and Rosa were great), and A Reunion with Dr. Potocki and Pilar, A great dinner with Laura, Laura, and Allison and all topped with seeing my new friend, Dr. Jen Arnold. Maybe Bill will join us next time. Thanks Jen!

Thanks for Reading The Christianville Spirit. Friends come in all sizes and differences. What a beautiful view of Life.

The Christianville Spirit: My Legacy

The Christianville Spirit

The Spirit that Sparks Your Heart

July 13, 2011- TCS # 258

You know those Thought Provoking epiphanies that occur in Your Life. You Know, the ones that make you see the meaning of Life or more along, Your Life. Well, I had one a couple days ago and it was about My Legacy. You See, I’ve heard about these “meaning of life” or “What in the world is My Life about” kind of epiphanies, Rumors says that like Every big thing that happens, seems to occur in Your 20’s. Just like your 20’s, you tell your parents about anything and everything that’s every happened as well as anything that has ever bothered you. Anyway, This Epiphany came about because I was thinking some of My Family’s Legacies and Believe Me, the Smith Family has led many great legacies including My Grandma Honey helping teenage unwed mothers in Maine to her great work-ethic. Of course, the Legacy of The Smith Family can’t forget Popi, My Grandpa who was, to say the least, A Great Man. But, then I thought, “What in the world is My Legacy?” and God in my head spoke, “Your Legacy is to help The Families and to Inspire them”. Of Course, I knew what he was addressing. He was addressing My great PTLS Family and that I need to help them. Now, by “Help” I believe he means not necessarily Support them because That’s up My Mom. But, to Inspire Them. You Know, back when I was in Senior High School, My Friends and I would occasionally sit in this Garden area which was a little walk from the Cafeteria. Anyway, there was this Plaque that read “Friends will come and go, but good friends will leave a foot print on Your Heart that will last forever”. At that time, I sort of understood what it meant and I thought it was sweet. But, I didn’t really understand what it meant. Today, now thinking about it, I do. You See, In a way I’m leaving my print on Many Hearts of members of My PTLS Family and the truth is their doing the same to me. All in all here, We all have legacies that we are here to lead, as little or as big as they may be.

Thanks for reading The Christianville Spirit. Here’s a rare-double dose Inspiration. Find what Your Legacy is and lead it. The Second, is from the Plaque with a little twist of mine “Friends and/or Family will come and go. But, good Friends and/or Family will leave a print that lasts forever.”

The Christianville Spirit: Independence Day!

The Christianville Spirit

The Spirit that Sparks Your Heart

July 6, 2011- TCS # 257

So, as most of you know, the other day was The 4th of July or technically known as Independence Day. Independence Day is our National Holiday which was the day that we got the freedom we have today. So, what does it mean? Well, if you’ve forgotten, it’s actually about the day The Declaration of Independence was made on July 4, 1776 from Britain. You See, at that time there were just the 13 Colonies and we were under rule of Great Britain (or England). But, we newfound Americans wanted our own freedom and our own country so we wrote the Declaration of Independence. Anyway, I believe that not only should we celebrate our freedom but, also we should celebrate The States that make up this country because without The States, we wouldn’t be The United States. I celebrate not only our freedom but, also our states. In fact, it would be awesome if during The Fireworks in Washington that they said the name of each state and showed their flag; like if they said them in alphabetic order like “Alabama!, Georgia!, North Carolina!, Texas!”. By The Way, I call it Independence Day because it seems more important than calling it 4th of July. So, what did you do for Independence Day? All in all, Independence Day is an important day for all of us and it’s makes me proud to be American.

Thanks for Reading The Christianville Spirit. Be Proud to have the freedom that you have and to be an American

The Christianville Spirit: Dream Wreckers

The Christianville Spirit

The Spirit that Sparks Your Heart

June 29, 2011- TCS # 256

So, I was watching Glenn Beck yesterday because I’m always curious what he has to say about things when He told us a story that happened yesterday night that touched My Heart. You See, during the Summer in New York City they have Movie Screenings in Bryant Park every couple nights. Where everyone grabs their family and a nice blanket and Watch a Movie after the Sun sets. Well, He told us that he had been dreaming about going to do that with his daughter since she was little. Today, he says she’s in her 20’s. But, anyway his daughter thought they should go on Monday Night and she would hold his seat when they got there. So, after he did his show he went to the park and then, it happened; People started to find out who he was. As time went on, it got worse because People were whispering and pointing at him AND His Family, even one person said “I Hate Conservatives!” to his wife and daughter which upset the daughter. After several other things like someone spilling wine on His Wife they left a couple minutes before the movie was over and the people around him clapped. While Glenn Beck was telling this story, I was thinking, “Talk about a Dream Wrecker”. Now, My Readers, This is not about the fact that he’s Glenn Beck and yes, Everyone has their own opinion. But, this touched me not because he is who he is; it’s more because those people wrecked his dream. Of Course, one would think that a simple Movie Screening wouldn’t be a dream but, it was. As I was describing to My Mom, It’ll be like, let’s just say I had a dream of doing something like that and I was Famous like him; That would be like hundreds of people pointing me out, calling me the R-Word because I have a unique “Intellectual Disability”. The point is that this simple Movie Screening in the park with His Wife and Daughter was his dream and NO ONE should have or even should wreck someone else’s dream. Because if you do, then it could happen to you. All in all, Learn to be nice to others and You don’t have the right to wreck others ‘ dreams.

On a Lighter Note; In one day, sheep’s gas can power a truck for 25 Miles.

Thanks for Reading The Christianville Spirit. Don’t destroy others ‘ Dreams, whether You agree with them or not.

The Christianville Spirit: Conversations with Your Child

The Christianville Spirit

The Spirit that Sparks Your Heart

June 22, 2011- TCS # 255

So, I know a lot of You parents are wondering about all the things that We talked about in Raleigh. Well, The truth is we talked about a lot of things but, to help you, I’m going to tell you about one of the most important things we mentioned. You see, If you ask any PTLS Parent about it, They really want to say something about it but, it’s something on the list that a little hard to talk about. This is Talking, as in the following question that concerns many PTLS Family Members, “Will I ever get to have a full-length or at least A conversation with My Child?”. Now, when I was there I know alot of parents had it on their mind but, It was hard for them to ask that. Of Course, If I were in their shoes, It would break my heart to ask that sort of question. Now, of course the answer is Yes and You will in fact have a Conversation with Them. Then, the one thing that slows them(The Parents) down is the next question of “When?” and “Oh, Shnikes. What are they/will they say to Me?”. Now, Usually, as I heard somewhere, “The Golden Rule” as we’ll call it happens in their late teens or Around Their 20’s. Now, don’t get me wrong, The Kids will be talking way before that time but, what I mean is that, that’s when the stuff about how they felt about this or how they felt that. Also, a bonus is that they’ll be able to express themselves about certain things. Now, by now after telling Parents all about Conversations and Talking, they are floored. Then, comes the big fear and they shudder, “OHHH, I don’t want to know about How I did this or How I did that!” and “It’ll break my heart to hear some of the things that My Child will say!”. Well, whether you like it or not, it’s going to come. So, when Your child hits about 18 or so, then just ask or wait for “The 20’s Golden Rule”. Now, of course the advantage of this “20’s Golden Rule” is that not a lot parents both Normal and Special Needs know about it. As My Mom says, “it’s one of those special things between You and Your Child” that is as My Mom and I say is in “ The Book of Moms”. Anyway, The bottom line is that Yes, Your Child WILL talk and You WILL have a Full-length Conversation with Your Child. All in All, Be Patient because once Your Child begins to Talk, They will have a lot to Say.

Thanks for Reading The Christianville Spirit. Keep Your Mind and Ears Open, Be Ready. Beautiful Words are coming your way.

The Christianville Spirit: PTLS Gathering 2011

The Christianville Spirit

The Spirit that Sparks Your Heart

June 15, 2011- TCS # 254

So, You wouldn’t believe the excitement that happened this week. It was actually so exciting that I thought again about writing this newsletter a couple days earlier. But, I decided to stay on routine. You See, This past week was what I call “PLTS Week” or also known as the Annual PTLS Gathering. I call it “PTLS Week” because last year’s PTLS Gathering in Atlanta (even though the PTLS Family came for a Weekend) we stayed in Atlanta for a week. In this case, it took a week to get to Atlanta, get to the “Host City” of this year’s PTLS Gathering, back to Atlanta, and then back home. But, there were good things to come out of the drive like on the way to Raleigh, NC (The Host City) I made a list of Places that I had to go see which was including the first trying of North Carolinian Barbecue and Welcome Centers of the 2 New States of North and South Carolina that we had to travel through of the 6 States we drove through. Anyway, about the BBQ; being born and raised in Texas, you have Texas BBQ and ONLY Texas BBQ but, I decided to go against that rule so, I could try a different BBQ which was from Pork instead of Beef like Texas. Little did I know that the North Carolinians like their BBQ in different ways, like in Eastern NC, they like a Vinegar-based sauce and Western NC likes a Tomato-based sauce. Anyway, back to the PTLS Gathering; it was really awesome to talking to all the my PTLS Family Members and give all the parents hope. On the First day of The PTLS Gathering we hung out at the Hotel Pool which was really nice and we had a Pool Party. On Saturday was the biggest event; You See, the hosts of this, My PTLS Aunt Beth(Mrs. Griffin) and PTLS Uncle Tim(Mr. Griffin) got together with their church’s youth group and had a really organized events schedule. For example, they had a time to talk with The Moms and The Dads. As for the Kids, they had, what they called a “Monstrosity” which was a Bounce House, connected to an Obstacle Course, connected to a Slide. We all had Lunch and Dinner paid for by The Church for both The Kids and The Parents. The Parents however went out to Dinner away from the kids so that they could talk. Then, came to one of the many amazing moments of this trip. On Sunday Morning, the last day of the PTLS Weekend, we had breakfast with The Mueths and The Belts. Their PTLS daughter Madelyn who is normally quiet, talked to us and made us laugh the entire breakfast. Following that, My Mom, Grandma Honey, and I walked to pool expecting maybe one or two people and we’d say goodbye, then, leave...but, little did we know that Everyone was there. When I saw that, I immediately thought of the last episode of Boy Meets World (SPOILER ALERT) where Mr. Feeny(The mentor of the characters of the show) walks in the classroom and sees the kids of the show right before they go into The Real World. Then, the moment came when I said Good Morning to everyone; I swear to you, if there were Subtitles in Life it would say either ”ALL: Good Morning Christian” or “ALL: Hey, Christian!”. It was so awesome! So, after about 2 Hours, unknown to me, we all said goodbye. Now, of course this didn’t come without tears from everyone including parents and yes, even myself; However, mine came after we left. Now, the reason was just being touched by how well known I am to This Family and Loved by This Family. but, it was more the fact, I realized just how important I am to The PTLS Family. It’s just one of the moments in life where you realize how important you are. Now, as I tell my PTLS Aunts and Uncles, We may not be blood but, we are Family. Because if we’re not Family, then we’re just people or strangers who hang out with each other. Now, for those who think we are strangers, we are actually a Family and I wouldn’t like it any other way. Now, as far as the trip going back, on a lighter note here is that I saw The World’s Largest Chair in Thomasville, NC and The Giant Peach Water in Gafney, SC. All in all here, This was a Beyond Awesome Trip and yes, I declare myself a Travel Geek.

Thanks for Reading The Christianville Spirit. We are Family. All My Aunts, Uncles, Cousins with Me!

The Christianville Spirit: Sevens Everywhere

The Christianville Spirit

The Spirit that Sparks Your Heart

June 7, 2011- TCS # 253

Hello There, My Readers. Yes, I know today isn’t Wednesday. But, that is because What I want to tell you is by all means very Strange. You See, It started a couple weeks ago, after what I’ll call the “Harold Camping Phase”. I started see the number Seven, everywhere. On The News, Seven People Dead in some event; Reading my Maine Travel Guide, Seven Best Places to go in Maine; The thought of Seven Days till’ PTLS Week or Seven Days till’ a Show premieres on TV. I saw the number Seven so many times that I began to wonder, “Why am I seeing Sevens all the time?” and it even got to the point where I googled it late one night just wanting to know why I kept seeing Sevens. Of Course, I even wondered if that was even a Search Term on Google and surprisingly it was. It was in the form of other numbers like 11 or just the general question pertaining to it. Anyway, I scanned the site that it gave me which was A Numerology Site and it told me that Seven meant many things but, it’s main meaning was that My Soul Guiders were teaching me a lesson that I needed to learn. At that time of Night, I just thought “What does that mean?”. The next morning, I told My Mom and she agreed with it and said “Boy, have you ever”. Referring to The Lesson I learned and She knew it. I finally realized it after a while that My Soul Guiders were saying “Follow God and Only God”. After a while of thinking about all this, I thought “How did I get stuck on an idea like that prophecy?”. I remember for reading from a link to a site My Mom gave me about Autism Dating and it said “People with Autism are very gullible” meaning they’ll believe anything that is said because as My Mom puts it, “You Guys, see the best in Everyone and There is No Filter”. She is right thought, but I know what’s Right and Wrong. But, I think my lesson was not to believe everything that people tell you and “Follow God and ONLY God”. All in all, I told you that I learned My Lesson and I guess my Soul Guiders wanted to make sure that I was paying attention.

Thanks for Reading the Christianville Spirit. Sometimes, the Universe can show you signs, Keep Your Eyes Open.

The Christianville Spirit: An Amazing Moment in Time

The Christianville Spirit

The Spirit that Sparks Your Heart

June 1, 2011- TCS # 252

So, A couple weeks ago I was watching Glenn Beck and he was talking about his trip to Israel before things started happening there. Anyway, He said something that caught my attention that I didn’t even know was possible. You See, There is a holiday in Israel called Holocaust Remembrance Day(or Ha Shoah in Hebrew). It’s equivalent to our Memorial Day. But, there is something about this “Memorial Day” in Israel that amazes me. at exactly 11:00 AM, the sirens go off all across The Country and Everyone in the ENTIRE COUNTRY stops what their doing, stands at position, and for 2 Minutes reflects on The Holocaust and whatever you feel like. After 2 Minutes, The Sirens stop and the people continue on with their daily lives. The amazing part of it is that People even stop in middle of The Highway. Yes, Even in Major Cities like Tel Aviv and Jerusalem on MAJOR HIGHWAYS. Now, Imagine if that could happen here in The US, it would take hours or days to get people moving again. Not Only that but, a huge amount of accidents. But, on the other hand it would really be amazing to see all of America do that. Back to Israel, It’s amazing that the whole country goes quiet and stops (except for the sirens, of course). but, it’s what it means and what people do that amaze me. All in all, Maybe The US should take note to what their doing.

Thanks for Reading The Christianville Spirit. We need stop and Reflect on our lives like they do in Israel.

The Christianville Spirit: God Freeway

The Christianville Spirit

The Spirit that Sparks Your Heart

May 25, 2011- TCS # 251

So, I’m sure that you’ve heard about this preacher named Harold Camping who claimed he “Knew” when The Rapture was to occur. Well, here’s my view on that. You See, I actually did believe it; from the January when I was curious to the 20th of May. It started as just hearing about it on The News, about saying, at that time, that a bunch of Math Experts thought that The Rapture was to occur in May of 2011. Well, that caught My Attention and a bit of curiosity. So, I did a ton of research on it, and this guy from a Religious Radio channel, called Family Radio, predicted that The Rapture was going to occur on May 21, 2011. So, as time went on I started to see signs that I thought related to it, like the dead fish everywhere, the unrest in Middle East, and other things. Along with believing in this came questions like “Why Now?”, “Why in May?”, “What will Heaven be like?” and, of course will I still be the way I am, Special or at least still have Special Needs because I love who I am. As it got closer, I started counting my “Lasts” like The Last time I’d get to see International Planes come in at the airport, the Last Saturday, and even the Last Newsletter Day. Now, I’m going to tell you something that may or not make sense. You See, there is a Highway called “God Freeway” that you’re supposed to stay on. The days of each month are numbered by the date being an Avenue, with the Month at the end. For Example: today would be 25th Ave. May. Anyway, I believe that You have to stay on the Main Lanes of God Freeway so that God can lead you in the right direction to put right people, things, and places in your path. Now, of course their are Access Roads on the side the highway but, those are only used if you need something like Food(Faith), Gas (The Push to move Forward), and Go to The bathroom (A break from Life and/or a Vacation). But, other than that, God says that you should stay on the Main Lanes of God Freeway. Now, How that has to do with The Rapture, Harold Camping, and May 21 is that I did the complete opposite. So, As I was casually driving on God Freeway, jamming to My Favorite Songs, I saw billboards advertising Harold Camping’s prediction of May 21, 2011. It drew me in like those of The Thing? And Wall Drug Store meaning it sounds exciting but, all it is, is a Tourist Trap and a bad one at that. So, about the Exit Sign for 16th Ave. May, I got on the Access Road and at 18th Ave. May, The Access Road changed it’s name from the usual “God Pkwy.” to “Harold Camping Ave.” So, Harold Camping said that The Rapture was going to occur at Sunset, Jerusalem Time on May 20, which meant 9 in The Morning my time. So, As a result I had a hard time sleeping that night thinking that The Rapture was going to happen overnight. But, I woke up and found I was still here. Then, “The End of The World” was the talk of News and it made me nervous. At the end of The Day, Harold said that it would now occur at 6pm starting in New Zealand and The next day(May 21), My Mom got me up and said “everything is fine right now”. After 6pm Eastern, I was worried about Grandma Honey so I called to make sure she was still here. So, after it didn’t happen I got upset, not because that it didn’t happen; but, I felt as if I was “Pulled Over” by a False Prophet and that got me angry. I’m sure that got God angry too. So, after all this I asked “How do I get back on God Freeway?”. So, I found a road back to the Access Road and got back on God Freeway. As for the lesson, I’ve got 2. One is never trail off God Freeway and Second, You know that “Matthew” Verse in the bible that says “No MAN knows the Day or Hour....” .....He meant it! All in all, Stay on God Freeway until the last exit, Heaven.

Thanks for Reading The Christianville Spirit. Stay on the highway God paved for You.

The Christianville Spirit: STW Road Trip

The Christianville Spirit

The Spirit that Sparks Your Heart

May 18, 2011- TCS # 250

So, A couple weeks ago, I was reading through My Facebook News Feed when I came across something that amazed me. You See, on Facebook I’m subscribed to Spread the Word to End The Word or What I’m now going to call STW. Anyway, on one of STW’s Status Updates, It mentioned that 3 College Girls named Sarah, Samantha, and K who are going on a Cross-Country Road Trip this summer to help support STW and do presentations at everywhere from High Schools to Community Centers about how the “R-Word” is hurtful and How it Makes people with Special Needs feel excluded in The World when they should be a part of our society. Also, these College Girls after their presentation, they see how many will sign the pledge to not say the “R-Word” anymore and end the use of the “R-Word”. Anyway, it makes me very happy and very proud that they are doing this because I think that this word should be ended; Because this word is hurtful to me whether it’s directed at me or said just to be funny. So, all in all if you want to get involved with Spread The Word to end The Word, go to www.r-word.org and Sign the Pledge and if You want to read the blog of the STW Road Trip check out,http://stwroadtrip.bestbuddies.org.

Thanks for Reading The Christianville Spirit. The “R-Word” is very hurtful to people with Special Needs. So, We ask that you don’t use it.

The Christianville Spirit: How The States Got Their Shapes

The Christianville Spirit

The Spirit that Sparks Your Heart

May 11, 2011- TCS # 249

Do you know why Ohio and Michigan hate each other during the University of Michigan and Ohio rivalry? Well, I’m going to tell you why. You See, I learned this from a show on The History Channel called How States Got Their Shapes and a New Series just like it called How The States Got Their Shapes. Now, about the Ohio and Michigan, You see there was a stretch of land that goes from the Present Day Michigan-Ohio State Line, 25 Miles or so to the south in which was going to be part of Michigan, which includes My Mom’s hometown of Toledo. You see, there was a battle (not a bloody battle) that concerned the Back-then rich Port of Toledo. Michigan wanted it as a great port and Ohio wanted it as more of Lakefront property but, they wanted it as a Port also. So, as a result, Ohio got the Port of Toledo and Michigan got the U.P of Michigan which, at that time was worthless but, now it’s full of Tourism, Better Economy, and Industry. But, that is only one of the many things I’ve learned from this show. Something Interesting, I learned on this show is how the Northern border of Georgia with Tennessee was drawn wrong. You see, when the surveyors drew the lines in Original 13 Colony Days, they meant to draw it on the 38th Parallel but, they missed it by a half-mile. Even Today, The State of Georgia wants to redraw the Georgia-Tennessee to what it’s supposed to be because of one thing, Water. You See, The City by which I really want to move to, Atlanta; wasn’t very smart when it was built because when Atlanta was growing up it was meant to be a connecting railway town so, it wasn’t built near many water sources. Now, Atlanta does have a couple water sources like Lake Lanier and the Chattahoochee River but, there are 2 Issues, one is that Atlanta is a very thirsty city and second is that Alabama wants some of the water from the Chattahoochee River down near Columbus. Now, what’s funny about this water war between Georgia and Tennessee is that on the border of Cooper Hill, TN and McCaysville, GA, there is a bar that sits on the Tennessee-Georgia line. The funny thing about it is that The Bar Area is in Tennessee which is in a wet county while the kitchen and the bathroom are in, Georgia which is in dry county. So, you can’t take your drink to the bathroom because you can’t drink in Georgia. So, they have a table at the state line that you put your beer on. So, the final thing I’ll tell you that I learned in the show is how the State of Nevada got it’s shape. The first reason is because California wanted all of it’s gold to itself and that’s the Western border but, the Southern border has an interesting twist. You See, back in the Civil War, Nevada ended several miles North of present-day Las Vegas but, because the Arizona Territory sided with The Confederacy. Congress let Nevada extent down the Colorado River and Nevada gained a Water Source because they get the least rain in the country. All in all, There’s a lot to learn about how our states got their shapes. It is said that we take the shapes of our states from granted but, there is alot of history behind the borders of each state.

Thanks for Reading The Christianville Spirit. Learn the History your State, You might be Surprised.

The Christianville Spirit: The Fun of Journaling

The Christianville Spirit

The Spirit that Sparks Your Heart

May 4, 2011- TCS # 248

So, Late the other night, I was going through the stuff I had put in a Pizza Box I had decorated, back in Middle School as part of a little project I had to do, when I found a journal from back when I was in 7th Grade. You See, I have this box that I made in the 7th Grade that I call My “History Box” that has things that pertain from My First Job to Elementary School. I put some of the projects that I did and of Course, a Journal that I wrote in for an English Class in the 7th Grade. This English Class was actually, one of my favorite classes because I got to write in my journal, about a question I had to answer and what I thought about it or sometimes, what our teacher Mrs. Daniels called “Free Write” meaning you could write about anything you wanted, and if you wanted to share what you wrote, you were more than welcome to. Journaling in that class was soo fun that I would get excited to walk in to class, look at the board, and see what the topic of the day was. Of Course, the “Free Write” were the ones that I loved. but, Anyway, I decided to read the things I wrote because I was curious again about what was going on with me at that time. I also wanted to see if I wrote on September 11, 2001 but, I remembered that I was in 7th Grade a year earlier. So, I just kept reading and I found what I wrote that I was thankful for, and I chuckled at it because some of them I mentioned I don’t mention Today, but that doesn’t mean that I’m not thankful for it. Like for example I was(and still am) thankful for God. Other things I was Thankful for was Mac and Cheese, because then it was all I ate. Of Course, I was thankful for Nice Teachers, Friends, and Family. I was also thankful for The Weather, States, Georgia, Countries, Cities, Myself, Texas, and Dallas. Next, I was also Thankful for Living and Living in The United States. Also, I was thankful for My old Dog Sophie, our former-cat Honey, and many other things. Another thing that got My Attention were the places that I was interested in. Like I was interested in the following places:

• Houston (because My Half-Sister Hope lives There)
• Jackson and Hattiesburg, MS (I think because of one of My Teachers and it’s way south of Christianville)
• Atlanta(Because Family lives there)
• and, finally Paris, France(Because apparently at the time, I really wanted to go there)

The Final Thing I wrote about was about a new show on The Weather Channel (which I loved at the time and still love) called Atmospheres and how I really liked it. At the time, it was one of My Favorite Shows besides those on Disney Channel or Nickelodeon. All in all, Journaling is something that is fun to do but, even more fun to look back and read later.

Thanks for Reading The Christianville Spirit. Life is truly a Wonderful Journey, full of Journaling.

The Christianville Spirit: Forgive The People

The Christianville Spirit

The Spirit that Sparks Your Heart

April 27, 2011- TCS # 247

So, Let me ask you a question. If the World Ended Tomorrow, Next Week, or in a Couple Weeks, Are you on Forgiving Ties with The People who did you wrong. In other words, Have you forgiven anyone who wronged you like Parents, Grandparents, Friends, and Ex-Boy/Girlfriends? Well, with all the negativity going on in the world, one would think that the world is coming to an end and it probably is. But, My Friends I’m not trying to scare you about the end but, I do think that whether the world’s ending or not, we should Forgive people to least have good ties with people who Wronged. Now, The word “Forgiving”, a lot of people assume that it also means Forgetting but, that’s not true. I mean, if your willing to forget then that’s ok too. However, the point is to Forgive. Also, You can Forgive someone but, not forget what they did and if so you can still be angry with them. But, that’s your choice. Now, of course I’m sure your wondering how to Forgive. One way is that you just have to let go of what they did and think, “I Forgive Them” in Your Heart. Another way to do it is also talking to that person directly and tell them first what they did to make you upset at them(without accusing them) and then, end with “But, I Forgive You”. Now, whatever they may say afterword can be either Positive or Negative. So, It’s beyond me. Now, as for Me, I’m not one to Confront people so, I would go with the first suggestion. All in all, We all people we need to Forgive. So, give it a try.

Thanks for Reading The Christianville Spirit. Try to Forgive someone for what they did.

The Christianville Spirit: Born This Way

The Christianville Spirit

The Spirit that Sparks Your Heart

April 20, 2011- TCS # 246

So, Do you remember when I shortly mentioned about something called “Spread the Word to End the Word”? Well, This Week I’m going to go into detail about it. It is a Program called Spread the Word to End the Word that was created by the CEO of the Special Olympics, Timothy Shriver. Now, What word do they want to end, The ultra-dissing word of people with Special Needs, the R-Word as I call it or to be precise (excuse me for My Language) Retard or Retarded. Most people use this word as “That’s [so]Retarded” or “Your[so]Retarded”. Anyway, You get what I’m saying. On the website for this campaign, www.r-word.org they list how hurtful this word is, along with as they refer to as “Cheers and Jeers”. Cheers meaning people who support this campaign and who think we should end the “R-word” like Me and several others including Johnny Knoxville and Stephen Colbert just to name a few and Jeers meaning the people who still haven’t stopped using the word. Anyway, I’m so thankful to this campaign to stop using the “R-Word” because it hurts me when people say it whether it’s toward me or not. And, as they say it’s hurtful to Special Needs People if you use it in front of them or not. The funny thing is, is that the word “Retarded” or “Retard” back when it was first used wasn’t really directed at Special Needs People, it is supposed to mean making an object smaller such as Meat or Bread. Then, some hater must have saw someone with Special Needs, thought of the word, and then it spread like wildfire. Anyway, I’m proud to have this program protecting me and I am pledged to be a part of it. By the way, if you want to Pledge, go to www.r-word.org, Read all about it and Pledge. On a side note, Lady Gaga’s song “Born This Way” inspires me because I was “Born This Way”, to be Special to Everyone and God himself. All in All, I am happy to have Special Needs and Share my Love and Knowledge to everyone.

Thanks for Reading The Christianville Spirit. Be Special in your own way because YOU were Born This Way.

The Christianville Spirit: Celebrate Life

The Christianville Spirit

The Spirit that Sparks Your Heart

April 13, 2011- TCS # 245

So, This Week from Yesterday to The 17th is a celebrative and bittersweet time for Us in the Smith Family. You See, Over the past couple years, dear great family members of The Smith Family have passed away during this week. The strange thing though is that they died 2 days apart but, in different years. I know that our dear family members have passed because we have a Calendar that we’ve had for years that mentions everyone that we know’s Birthdays so, My Mom, Michael, and I don’t forget. Also, though we put the dates that our family members pass away so, that we can remember them too. To make it sound less sad on our calendar, We address the date as their “Homecoming”. Their “Homecoming” by the way means that on that day they went home to Heaven. Anyway, I’ll show you how strange it is of how our family members passed away 2 days apart in different years. First, Grandma Mimi who was as I referred to as “The Healthiest Person in The Smith Family” because she never got sick and she was quite a strong women. Though she passed on April 11, 2010. My Great Grandma Mimi who I refer to as “Grandma Mimi” lived through everything from The Depression to World War 2. After 2 days comes Uncle Doc’s Homecoming on April 14, 2007. Now, Uncle Doc was married to Aunt Ginny, Popi’s Sister and lived in San Antonio. So, Sometimes we would go visit Aunt Ginny and Uncle Doc before or after we visited My Dad. I think I remember that we even visited Uncle Doc before I had my Eye Surgery. He was a great Physician, Uncle, and Father. Finally, 2 Days later from that is Popi’s Homecoming on April 17, 2008. Popi was an awesome dad to My Mom in her early years and a great husband to Grandma Honey, as I mentioned last week. Popi was very funny and very smart. So, as you can see April isn’t the greatest month for all of us in The Smith Family but, we remember to celebrate their lives. About a year ago, We planted a Tree in our backyard that We named our “Life Tree” to Celebrate our life and others. All in all, Life should be Celebrated, Living and Dead.

Thanks for Reading The Christianville Spirit. Cherish The Family Members you have.