The Griffin Adventures: brody and wendy griffin

Sunday, July 31, 2011

Can opener...

Dear friends and family,

Yesterday morning Brody woke me up with not only the spaghetti oh's but also the can opener. I thought it was so cool that he knew they went together. Last week it was chips and salsa and this week a can and an opener. We should have known it would be food that he started matching. Everyday is a new adventure with him and we love it. I started my twitter account again today @whosbrody and I will try to make regular updates of our family's adventures.

Love to you,

Wendy

Monday, July 25, 2011

Sweet Brody....

One of my favorites...

Reach for the stars...

Me as the model....

Like the butterfly? or the watermelon?

Dear friends and family,

It doesn't take much to make me happy. Today Brody got down the chips, handed them to me and then walked me over to the fridge for the salsa. It was so cool that he "paired" them together. We have always tried to get him to match items together, should have known some of the firsts would be food.

Bubba is working hard on his Lucky Buck Jewelry for the Albertville Main Street Festival coming up on August 6th. He has some beautiful things and I know you will love them! My favorite so far is going to be the one with African trade beads. We have a lot of turquoise to choose from this collection also. Be first to be one of the first ones there to get your favorites before they are gone.

My boss announced last Wednesday that she is ready to sell her salon and so now we start another journey. God has been with us the whole way so we will continue to count on his blessings. I know that there will be a perfect spot for me to call home and hopefully it will find me. I sell Lucky Buck Jewelry where I work as well and I will need a space for my cabinet. Can I ask for your prayers please?

I am including some new pictures of his work that make up Lucky Buck Jewelry.

Blessings,

Wendy

Sunday, July 17, 2011

The Top Ten Things You Should Know About Fragile X Syndrome

By Mary Beth Langan and Sally Nantais

1. It’s genetic.
2. If a woman is a carrier, she has a 50/50 chance of passing it on to her son(s) or daughter(s). 1 in 100 to 200 women are carriers **.
3. If a man is a carrier he will pass it only to his daughter(s), and they will only be carriers. 1 in 800 men are carriers.
4. Fragile X Syndrome does not discriminate; it doesn’t care which ethnic group you belong to.
5. Fragile X Syndrome is a spectrum disorder. Symptoms may vary from mild learning disabilities (including shyness and social anxiety) to severe cognitive impairment (mental retardation).
6. Premature Ovarian Failure, more commonly known as early menopause, is a condition that affects 20-28% of the female FXS carrier population.
7. Fragile X-associated Tremor/Ataxia Syndrome (FXTAS), discovered in 2001, is a neurological disorder that can involve tremors, balance irregularities, difficulty walking and dementia which sadly is often misdiagnosed as Parkinson's and/or Alzheimer’s. This condition is present in some older FXS carriers (typically after the age of fifty), usually in males but FXTAS can also affect female carriers.
8. There are minor physical traits noted in many persons with Fragile X Syndrome, but not in all. These are traits which may also be present within the typical population, nothing unique which would necessarily indicate FXS testing is necessary for your child.
9. When testing for Fragile X Syndrome (FXS), it is critical that the correct tests are ordered – the Fragile X DNA (Southern Blot) and PCR analysis. Inaccurate results occur far too often with the generic chromosomal panel. Test for FXS to obtain a diagnosis or to rule it out. If you don’t have what may be the correct diagnosis of FXS, then you will never be aware of improved treatments or the cure when it’s found.
10. Where to go for the most accurate and up-to-date information on fragile X syndrome:http://www.fragilex.org/, the National Fragile X Foundationhttp://www.fraxa.org/, Fraxa Research Foundationhttp://www.conquerfragilex.org/, Conquer Fragile X Foundation** American Academy of Family Physicians, News and Publications, Vol. 72/No. 1 (July 1, 2005) http://www.aafp.org/afp/20050701/111.html
Mary Beth Langan and Sally Nantais are both Fragile X Syndrome carriers; each has a son with Fragile X Syndrome. They can be contacted at mblangan@hotmail.com and sally_nada@juno.com