In The Autism World Lately

Spencer

I have a funny story to tell you.  

I've mentioned before that a couple of months ago we 

started having the boys sit with us during church instead of

in the balcony with one of their volunteer aides.

They have a class that they attend with their peers

and then they meet us in the sanctuary for the worship

service.  It's been interesting to say the least!

  They are used to sitting  through the service, 

 just not with us.  But they wiggle, hum, rock and

 things like that which we try to keep under control.

A few weeks ago I glanced over at Spencer just in time

to see a nose bleed start.  I quickly grabbed a tissue,

hoping that it was a short lived one.  We were sitting in

the middle of a pew and it would have been difficult to

get out, crawling over people and I knew Spencer would

drip blood on someone before we were out the door.

But it was not short lived and had quickly soaked the

three tissues from my purse.  Fortunately, the lady

sitting beside me noticed our predicament and slipped

out to the restroom and brought back a box of Kleenex.

After the fourth tissue, The Mister said he would take

him out.  Whew!  They returned a few minutes later,

all cleaned up.  I spent the rest of the service trying to

get Spencer to leave his nose alone....it must have felt

itchy or messy and all he wanted to do was stick a 

finger in it!  Sigh!

The next Sunday proved to be a much better service 

over all for us.  The boys didn't make as much noise

and sat still for the most part.  Although Harry and

Alex do rock.  Not simultaneously, but in opposite

rhythms.  I swear our whole pew will get sea sick!

The two of them seem to close their eyes and just

wait out the time, but Spencer looks around and takes

in the whole room, people included.  I didn't realize

how much he noticed until this.....

Half way through the service he stood up and looked as if

 he was trying to leave, crawling over the people sitting beside 

us.  I pulled his hand trying to get him to sit back down,

but his other arm was long enough that he could reach a man

 sitting in front of us but further down the row!  He pinched a

huge mole on his neck, trying to pull it off!  Oh. My. Gosh.

It all happened SO fast but I managed to pull him back into

 his seat and whisper, "What are you trying to do?"

It was a large black mole, about the size of a dime.

 And then I got the giggles... you know...the kind

you had in church as a kid when the more you tried to be

quiet or think of something else, the more you were tickled

and if you didn't get it under control, you would be rolling

around with tears streaming from your face.  Those

kind of giggles.  Oh the innocence of autism...the

lack of social skills.  Sometimes it just cracks me up! 

The poor assaulted man is in his nineties.  He reached up

and rubbed his neck and glanced back at the poor innocent

couple sitting behind him.  He had no idea it was Spencer.

The whole thing happened in about 3 seconds.

I'm not sure who was more mortified...me or the couple

that got the funny glance from the old man!

Spencer wasn't mortified and The Mister didn't know

what had happened.  And I just concentrated on 

keeping the giggles under control and making sure

Spencer didn't move an inch the rest of the service.

During the benediction, the couple and the elderly man

both left, so there wasn't anyone to apologize to afterwards.

The sermon?  No, don't ask me what it was about.

I have no idea.....ha.

Oh gosh!

See...there is never a dull moment.  Never.

♥