We're Learning!

Heart, Spirit, and I went to the lights at Temple Square, but this year things were different. In past years we have gone to the lights (a family tradition since before Spirit's birth) and the night has usually ended with Spirit throwing a fit, in tears, and his mother and I confused, a little frustrated and a lot flabbergasted at what had occurred. Last year didn't end that way, but Spirit's mother and I were still just as befuddled. See my post A Visit To the Museum With the Tasmanian Devil for more details of last year's trip.

As I said this year was different, although my description of the events could be described as identical. Spirit wanted to go to the children's museum atop the Church History Museum. We blew through it in thirty-three seconds, and Heart and I smiled. We took the escalator up, and the elevator down. (A compromise. That's a big deal for you Non-HFA parents out there.) We met Heart's family outside the museum and headed to Temple Square. We decided to go to the lights right after the Thanksgiving Holiday to avoid the inevitable crowds, and to enjoy some unseasonably warm weather. Spirit was on a mission as soon as we passed through the gates, yet there was something different this time. He rushed to the visitor's center making sure to pass by the life size nativity. He noted the beauty of the scene and continued walking. We headed into the Visitor's Center for a quick potty break and then were back at it. A left at the nativity and we were headed toward the Assembly Hall, passing the Tabernacle. A comment about the choir singing and where they sing. Then a left again at the Assembly Hall and off to the plaza for a photo op at the reflecting pool, the podium in front of the grass and temple, and we're done with the lights. Total time approximately seventeen minutes. Heart's family, and Heart, and myself just smile.

Then Guts remembers that there is a Disney Store in the new mall across the street. A quick mention of this and we just bought some more time with a "preferred activity." Once we are at the Disney Store we can focus in on some objects that tickle our fancy. After about eight minutes in the Disney Store we got our first, "I'm hungry, can we go home." Heart lets him know that we are going to go out to eat at one of his preferred eateries. The walk is about five blocks and, of course, we get stopped at every intersection. We make it to the restaurant just in time to get him fed, and it is time to go home... unfortunately we took the train into town, so now we are waiting at a station. This wouldn't be a problem except for the sign. The designers of the train stations we smart men. They decided that it would be easier and more convenient for the riders if they could predict when another train was coming. This prompted the hanging of a digital sign that indicated the approximate time a train would arrive...approximate....time. Autism...meltdown. I don't know if there was a slow pedestrian, a wheelchair that needed to get on the train and took a little more time, or if there was just someone that was extra cautious behind the wheel, but the train was a couple of minutes behind the approximate scheduled arrival time. This was bad enough, but the digital sign that broke the meltdown's back was the popup, you see when a train's time has come, the next trains arrival time pops up. Well my little autistic Spirit freaked out when the train we were waiting for disappeared and the next train's arrival time popped up. KABOOM!

So Heart and I got to ride home with The Dark Lord of the Meltdowns, Emperor Palpatine would be proud Spirit!

Next year no train, I don't want to experience FORCE LIGHTNING, that stuff kicked Luke's trash!