"Fightin' Round the World with Russell Crowe" and other mental flotsam

I can't get this South Park episode out of my head. I think my younger sister started it by referencing 'Gladiator' the other day.

Random thoughts: DH thinks my family would be an interesting case study in genetics. I would be insulted except that the truth is in my face:

Two youngest children, both sons, both born to women well into their 40s (one married, one did not)

Next generation: 5 children, 1 male, 4 females. 1 clinically diagnosed autistic; others dealing sporadically with anxiety and depression

(I did not find out until our 30s and 40s my other siblings had social difficulties in school as well--WHY did we not talk to one another about these things????)

Third generation: 15 grandkids, 5 boys, 10 girls

2 boys have autism
1 boy had delays, but also had an awesome older sib for peer modeling
1 boy has speech delays and sensory issues (but is most emphatically NOT autistic)
(little irony there for those who missed it)
1 boy suspected Aspergers

Among the girls are scattered gifted, LD, and of course we have a phenom.

Coincidence?

Maybe our gene pool needs some chlorine. Dunno.

Definitely something going on with the X side of the equation, but it would be cool from a completely academic POV to find out what.

Of course I would and probably will get beaten up for supposing some of this stuff out loud, but frankly, it's been bugging me, and my scientist husband can't help but analyze the facts in front of him.

Anyway. Other thoughts; sitting in a policy meeting last night, it occurred to me that people would find what I do and where I am boring. Not that I particularly care what anyone thinks. But what a sad little life I lead--breaking down divisions and misunderstanding, building coalitions, trying to get families services--what's in it for me?

Well, the short of it is, I'm at the table. What's in it for me is what will benefit any family going through what we've gone through. Dealing with disabilities is hard--you want to try to make it as simple as possible to get families set up with what they need so their child will have a better shot at adapting to that amorphous thing called 'the real world.'

I look at my older son, who is sharp and savvy, wanting to dress to please his friends, wanting to help his teachers by helping co-teach that which he knows well, wanting to interact with and engage his peers (and how cool is it that he recognizes that his basketball team shirt is a trophy of sorts--he wants to wear it to school because it makes him a part of a certain strata of students. He is sharp like that)

This tall, handsome sandy-haired kid may not be *normal* but he is magnificent.

G is no less amazing. I can't get enough of his sweet face and voice, his starting every thought with "You know, mom....", the fact that he wants to push in and play with the evil neighbor kids (and his persistence and bravery).

They are two very fine boys. I am proud of them both.