Thank You!

Warren: Mom, you know I always love you guys, right? Because I feel like I don’t say it enough anymore. You know, with me being a moody, ahem, how do I say this nicely to my puberty side? Rebel? But, I do love you guys. You don’t have to say anything this time Mom, if you don’t want to. This is just my apology/love/appreciation blog to everyone I love. One and a half or two years ago, let’s just say my life didn’t feel like it was worth living. But, after everyone’s tremendous support, including my counselor, I finally got the courage to speak my mind through this blog and let the world know I’m out there. Now, I just consider myself as a humble 13 year old boy from a small town. A lot of you consider me as something more than that. While I really do appreciate that, I just want to be humble and give back to the community in any way I can. I really do love you guys. And I love that I have such wonderful people backing me up and supporting me. I just wanted to thank you for being a part of the ride so far. I hope this happiness and this high note that I’m feeling lasts for a good while. What I’m saying is, and I don’t want to sound cheesy, but it’s true, enjoy things while they last. Because I know darn well that this happiness I’m feeling won’t last forever. But, when you feel happy, savor it. I don’t want to hear that you’re too depressed to really see some good in the world; Because then you will make the exact same mistake I did when I was depressed. So, anyone who is listening, do me a favor please, enjoy life and laugh a little bit. Even if you can only be happy for a minute at a time, make the most out of that minute. Anyway, I hope you enjoy and as always, stay happy!

Moms are Awesome!

Warren: Okay, love. You love your parents a lot, don’t you? Well, if you said, yes, you get a pat on the head (patting you on head). Seriously, your parents are awesome individuals. Well, mostly, I know this isn’t the case for everyone. However, we’re focusing on the good parents, like my Mom. Right Mom? Leah: I try to be a good Mom to you. There are times when I feel like I’m failing at being a Mom. But, I’m glad to know you think I am, because, truly, it’s your opinion that matters most on how I am as a Mom… since I’m YOUR Mom. Warren: I’m holding my Mom’s hand as we speak. I’m trying to love on her, but also, at the same time, I’m making it incredibly hard for her to type right now. But, I just wanted to talk about how I wouldn’t be able to really muster up the courage to do this blog if it wasn’t for Mom. So I just wanted to commend Moms on this blog. I might do something about my Dad next week, who knows. Anyway, Moms are the main guardian of the group. I mean, come on, they literally carried you in their uterus. If that wasn’t proof enough that Moms deserve instant respect, I don’t know what is!? I just don’t feel like enough kids are giving parents, especially Moms, the major, major respect that they deserve. I might sound like I’m being biased to my Mom (and I am), in this particular blog. But, the truth is, I love both of my parents. So, to all you Dads that feel left out, don’t worry, I love and respect you guys too. I just figured it’s only right that we start with the Moms. I’ve gathered, from my Mom, that parenthood is really hard. It probably is. Now, I can hear you Moms saying, “Oh, you have no idea.” And you’re right, I don’t. I try to sympathize, love and cheer up my Mom, no matter what. I mean, every little bit helps, right Mom? Leah: Yes, Warren, it does. I absolutely treasure and appreciate you. I know that we fight sometimes, it’s normal. I know we get moody with each other sometimes, it’s normal. But, no matter what, even in those times, I always love you. Just the same, we laugh together, we joke together, we sing together, we write together, we do everything together and that’s normal too. I love how, not only self aware YOU are, but how you actually SEE me as a person. You don’t just view me as your Mom, someone who doesn’t have thoughts and feelings of her own. You actually see me as the person I am (good or bad) and we relate on that level most of the time. Warren: Some of you can see, through this blog, just how strong our bond is and how strong it’s becoming. So, yeah Moms, this thirteen year old kid, that some of you don’t even know, salutes you!

We Ditched the Script

Warren: Okay, let’s face it, I abandoned the script for this one. So, don’t you hate when kids treat you with less respect when they should really treat you with more? Most adults will know what I’m talking about. Don’t get me wrong, I’m guilty of this myself. But, it still makes me mad. Let’s call these people, ahem, (I’m trying to think of the nicest word possible)... Mom, do you have a word? Leah: Condescending or condescender. Warren: Well, I hate when I have to deal with condescenders. Being a kid with a disability, you get a lot of these people thrown at you. On the annoying scale, it depends, is the person actually trying to be condescending or is everything they say just surprisingly condescending… they actually both rate about 7 out of 10 on the annoying scale. Don’t get me wrong, the condescender may not know me and know how smart I am and feel they have to simplify things for me. No big deal, I’ll just subtly show them how smart I am. If that doesn’t work, I’ll just out and out say to them that they don’t have to treat me like a baby. The most annoying people are the people that don’t even give you a chance. The people that talk over you or tell my own Mother what they think I need. Right Mom? Leah: Ummm Hmmmm. Warren: Is that all you have to say? Leah: My mother told me, when you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all. I’m following my Mother’s advice with my response. Warren: Oh, I see how it is. In truth, I probably don’t even want to know you’re thinking, Mom. Leah: Nope, probably not. Warren: Well, Ima [sic] just gonna [sic] leave that at that. (Leah: Substandard dialogue makes my butt twitch.) Warren: But, don’t you use substandard dialogue sometimes, Mom? Leah: NEVER! Okay, I may use some slang while speaking, but, having to type it out makes me die a little inside. Warren: Okay, I don’t want you to die inside or outside. This has totally gone off script, pfffftttt [sic], as if I had a script from the beginning (totally not flipping through papers, yep, totally don’t have a script). Leah: I think we’d be fired for this script, the way we have totally and utterly digressed from your original thought… or script. Warren: Good thing we’re not writing for a TV show or we’d never make it (totally not reading that off a teleprompter). Leah: The kid has jokes tonight! Warren: When do I never not have jokes on hand? Leah: True story! Anyway, back on track, moral of the story, (yes, there is actually a moral to all of this). Just because someone may be different than you, where you can actually see it, don’t just assume that makes that person “less than” anything or anyone. Talk to them and treat them the same as anyone else and give them the same respect you would want in return. Whatever you do, DO NOT ever try to tell their Mother that you know them better when you only just met them… just saying. Warren: See, there is a method to our madness. Leah: Many may doubt that Warren, but yes, eventually we are able to herd ourselves back to the original point.