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JONAH'S HEALTH HISTORY

Friday, August 30, 2024

SO LONG SUMMER!

 


Another wild, crazy, fun and fast summer in the books!

School starts the day after Labor Day.

One final weekend to clean up from our past week of camping, hopefully swim in our pool one last time, and prepare the boys for school.

Here are a few glimpses of our summer adventures:

Free Beatles Cover Band concert at Manitowoc park

Another season of Miracle League

Sprucing up our latest lawn ornament 
(the windmill- not Lydia.  She's repainting some parts of it)

One of many Beatles campsite concerts

Very impressive sunset!

Golfing a 3 hole course with Stephen

One of many camping trips

Another season of Rocket football for Jonah.
For his special activity this summer/fall, 
Ben is participating in Special Olympics bowling.

















Friday, July 5, 2024

LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR CAMPING VERSION

When you camp, you never know who will end up being your neighbor.  So far, in all our camping over the years, we have always met very nice people at the campground.

Yesterday was no exception to that.

The past few days, we have been camping with another family.  When we camp with them, we decide to "hover" a bit less when our boys want to explore the campground by hiking or biking because this family has boys the same age as ours.  And one of their boys has Down syndrome so what better leader could there be? :) 

So yesterday the gang took off to bike around the campground.  

Ben came back early to give us reports on what the other bikers were up to.  His first report was that Jonah was lost, however, when I got up to look, Jonah was biking right past our campsite.  Second, Ben reported Jonah was bleeding which again turned out to be a false report.  Ben's third attempt to create drama and prevent me from sitting down and relaxing was that Jonah hit a car.  However, when I got up to check, Jonah was pedaling his bike towards me looking perfectly fine.  

When Jonah returned to the campsite a few minutes later, he came up to me breathing heavy and wanted to tell me something.  Jonah tends to be dramatic so I told him he had to wait until I finished the conversation with my fellow camping mom.  

He asked me to follow him, and he was saying something that sounded like "I hit a post".  When we walked out onto the road I did see a small post along side the road.  I asked him if he hit that.  He shook his head emphatically and said, "I hit a bush".  My response was, "You hit a bush?"  

At this point a woman across the road was smiling and said, "He actually did.  My husband had to pull him out the bush by our campsite."  

I looked towards where she was motioning and finally figured out what happened.  When Ben reported Jonah hit a car, he was probably trying to say that Jonah almost hit this couple's parked car.  To avoid it, he rode his bike into the bush. When I went to check on him after Ben's report (which lacked a few crucial details), Jonah had already been rescued and was his way back to tell me of his bush adventure. 

I told the woman to thank her husband for his rescue.  It's probably a sight they don't see often- boy on a bike caught in a bush- but with our boys, anything is possible, right?

So what is the moral of this story?  As the Bible says, "Love your neighbor as yourself".  The camping version of that is if you see someone stuck in a bush in your campsite, pull him out!  His parents will greatly appreciate it!


Monday, June 17, 2024

NEAT IDEA FOR ADULTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

Milwaukee area organization is hoping to develop a housing community that would include adults with special needs surrounded by neighbors who can support and encourage them in their independence:

VISION

Provide independent apartments and community homes within a supportive wraparound neighborhood where adults with autism and others with similar intellectual & developmental disabilities have purpose through living and engaging with others. 

Click HERE for Crocus Website


Wednesday, June 5, 2024

LIFETIME PARENTING

 

When we were thinking about adopting a child with special needs (over 15 years ago now!), one thing some people mentioned to us was that it would mean lifetime parenting.  

Yes, because our boys both have Down syndrome, we will most likely be involved in most aspects of their personal lives for the rest of our lives.  This can feel overwhelming at times for many reasons: lack of our own personal freedom in our older years but also worries about who will care for our kiddos when we are gone.

It's true these concerns are not present with our kids without special needs.  With typical adult children, they can manage their lives on their own with parents playing the role of advisor and encourager. 

At least that's what our older kids think.  They think we as parents can just calmly sit back and watch our kiddos embark on life on their own with no worries or concerns on our part because our job as their primary caretaker is now over.

No. Way.  Yes, that's how we try to present, but realistically most parents of older kids have to work really hard to let go, step back, and not have an anxiety attack-haha.  

In other words, I think all parents are lifetime parents because we never stop loving and caring about our kids no matter how old they are.  

This week I was bombarded with some great resources about parenting older kids which I would like to share:



Post I came across on Facebook:

BOY MOMS Someone shared this with me and i knew i needed to share it with you. No truer words. Deep breath. Here we go. You always hear about a girl’s daddy “giving his daughter away” on her wedding day. I had never thought much about the mommas and their sons. But y’all mommas give away something too. Something just as precious. Something I knew I would never get back. I gave away being the one he hugs and kisses I gave away being the one he looks for in a crowd I gave away being the first person he turns to when things get tough I gave away being the one he makes laugh in the middle of day I gave away being his number one girl I gave away a piece of my heart I gave away my son Deep down I know he will always love me but I also know he loves her more. He loves her more than his momma and that’s ok. That’s how I knew he had found the one. But isn’t that what we want? We want them to marry a girl who they will put first even if it means we become second. Mommas, Love him while you are still first Kiss his sweet baby face and linger in those lanky teenage hugs Drive him to school even when he is grumpy and doesn’t say a word to you Listen when he needs to vent and blow off steam Love on his friends Bring the motrin to school for the 100 thousandth time. He may have a headache OR he may just want to get out of class and chat with you for a minute. Sit next to his hospital bed even though he screwed up Soak up every minute under those Friday night lights. Love him, forgive him and forgive yourself for the things you didn’t get right Because one day, you will give him away.... You will stand and watch him give his heart to the love of his life. You will dance and he will say the sweetest things about who he has become because of you. He will hug you tight and it will feel a little bit like a goodbye. You will become his second best girl and it will be so dang HARD. Author: Alyssa Becnel 💙

So in the end, I believe there is the challenge of lifetime parenting for all of our kids.  It just looks a little different depending on the kiddo:

1. Special Needs: they will always need me but I might not always be there for them

2. Typical: they will not always need me but it's hard to not always be there for them


Wednesday, May 22, 2024

LET IT BE

At the beginning of the 2nd semester, Jonah, on his own, composed a note to his choir teacher asking her if the choir could sing a Beatles song.  

She very nicely agreed!  

At the spring concert the other week, the combined 7th-12th grade choirs along with the audience performed "Let It Be".  

Jonah, who can get stage fright, powered through his nerves and started singing a few moments into the song.  

Ben, who either also gets stage fright or just doesn't like to sing :), was impressive because he sang through the entire song.  Good job, Ben!

And now without further ado...



Sunday, May 19, 2024

A VERY SPECIAL DAY


Yesterday the boys competed in their first ever Special Olympics competition for Track&Field: Regionals at Ashwaubenon High School.

Ben placed 
1st (Long Jump)
5th (100 m)
3rd (Mini-Javelin)

Jonah placed
3rd (Long Jump)
3rd (100 m)
5th (Softball Throw)

Their placements in long jump and mini-javelin/100 m qualify them for the State competition in Whitewater on June 6th-7th-8th.  However, because Andrew can't get off of work for that Friday competition, we are not having them compete.  This is their first time participating and truthfully, they don't quite get the excitement of competition and winning.  We'll let someother kiddos from the team take their spots this year.  Hopefully the boys will have another chance next year to get to State since we heard it's a pretty incredible experience.

Having said that, yesterday was a really great experience too.  From the opening ceremony with the boys carrying the team banner and the lighting of the torch by athletes accompanied by policemen to the award ceremonies for each event.  It was really cool to see so many happy and energetic athletes with differing abilities be able to compete and be honored and celebrated!  So grateful for Special Olympics and our coaches and volunteers who made this day possible!











Jonah stopped midway in his run to look across the field :)



We didn't stay for the mini-javelin award ceremony- it had been a long day and very hot so we were all ready for air-conditioning and a Culvers treat!







































 

Wednesday, May 15, 2024

THE POWER OF BEN


Here are some observations of Ben these past few days:

1. During the children's message at church on Sunday, Ben was almost successful in leading the entire congregation in clapping for me.  When the question was asked "What do you love about your mom", Ben raised his hand.  When it was his turn, he made a heart sign to me and then waved his hands for everyone to join in him in a ovation to me.  What. A. Charmer.

2. Last night at the boys' choral concert, Ben sang thru most of the songs.  This is a huge improvement from past concerts where he usually looked a little stage shocked and just stood there.  Good for him overcoming his nervousness and joining the performance!  

3. Previous blog of how Ben tricked me with the mouthwash!

These 3 observations showed me the resilience of Ben- he's always thinking how to promote himself to others and also has great determination to be the best he can be.  

This reminded me of a hilarious story from a photo we received of Ben before we adopted him in 2016.  


Ben is holding the hand of the president of Lithuania when she came to visit his orphanage sometime in 2015.  At the time we saw this photo, before we met Ben, our thoughts were "Isn't that sweet", and "How cool the president is holding Ben's hand"

Once we got Ben home and started to learn his personality, we had different thoughts about this photo.  I don't think the president initiated this interaction.  I think Ben marched up to her and grabbed her hand because it's what he wanted to do, and he knew it would be charming and self-promoting.  

Ben is one determined little fellow.  
This is also what probably helped him survived his first six years in a orphanage.  

The power of Ben.  

It has the possibility to get him in great trouble, 
but it also has the possibility to lead him to great places.    

That's what makes parenting him such an great responsibility- 
trying to do right by him and channel that power in the right direction.