A little piece of heaven

Nathan LOVES his preschool. About 5 minutes after we got there yesterday, one of the kids had figured out that Nathan loves to laugh and was clowning around. Nathan laughed the whole time I was there at the preschool dropping him off (about 20 minutes). The teacher in charge of the class is really lovely, she was eager to get her hands on Nathan and to learn as much as she could about him so she could help him. He’s in a really small class with just 3 other kids, which is good as it will be easier for her to help Nathan. Nathan is the only child with special needs in his class, which is what I’ve always wanted to him – an inclusive environment.

Today when we got to the school, the boys were waiting for him and got super excited when they saw him! Nathan is here, Nathan is here! Right away they pulled out some puppets and put together a puppet show for him! Again they were trying to make him laugh and clowning around for him. It was just beautiful to watch. I feel this is such a perfect complement to his therapy and will make it a well rounded experience – hard work and lots of play! Now if I could find the time to take him to the pool every day we’d be golden 🙂

He continues to progress in his therapy. Every day he gets a little bit stronger. I can’t say he’s making inchstones every day, but I can say he’s making milistones. He progresses a millimeter with every session. At times I get a little frustrated because I want to see inchstones if not milestones, but then I remind myself to be grateful for milistones. Lost of milistones will inevitably have to create an inchstone. Today he sat on a thin board balancing his upper body for about 2 minutes, which is his best yet. He also stayed upright balanced by the belly for about 2 minutes. Go Nathan!

Tomorrow I promise some videos, a wonderful, kind friend loaned me here camera so I can post some footage!!!

I got this in an email and really enjoyed it, I thought I’d share it here:

‘Good friends are like stars…. ….You don’t always see them, but you know they are always there.’

My Name is Rose

The first day of school our professor introduced himself and challenged us to get to know someone we didn’t already know. I stood up to look around when a gentle hand touched my shoulder.

I turned around to find a wrinkled, little old lady beaming up at me with a smile that lit up her entire being .

She said, ‘Hi handsome. My name is Rose. I’m eighty-seven years old. Can I give you a hug?’

I laughed and enthusiastically responded, ‘Of course you may!’ and she gave me a giant squeeze.

‘Why are you in college at such a young, innocent age?’ I asked.

She jokingly replied, ‘I’m here to meet a rich husband, get married, and have a couple of kids…’

‘No seriously,’ I asked. I was curious what may have motivated her to be taking on this challenge at her age.

‘I always dreamed of having a college education and now I’m getting one!’ she told me.

After class we walked to the student union building and shared a chocolate milkshake.

We became instant friends. Every day for the next three months we would leave class together and talk nonstop. I was always mesmerized listening to this ‘time machine’ as she shared her wisdom and experience with me.

Over the course of the year, Rose became a campus icon and she easily made friends wherever she went. She loved to dress up and she reveled in the attention bestowed upon her from the other students. She was living it up.

At the end of the semester we invited Rose to speak at our football banquet. I’ll never forget what she taught us. She was introduced and stepped up to the podium. As she began to deliver her prepared speech, she dropped her three by five cards on the floor.
Frustrated and a little embarrassed she leaned into the microphone and simply said, ‘I’m sorry I’m so jittery. I gave up beer for Lent and this whiskey is killing me! I’ll never get my speech back in order so let me just tell you what I know.’

As we laughed she cleared her throat and began, ‘ We do not stop playing because we are old; we grow old because we stop playing.

There are only four secrets to staying young, being happy, and achieving success. You have to laugh and find humor every day. You’ve got to have a dream. When you lose your dreams, you die.

We have so many people walking around whom are dead and don’t even know it!

There is a huge difference between growing older and growing up.

If you are nineteen years old and lie in bed for one full year and don’t do one productive thing, you will turn twenty years old.. If I am eighty-seven years old and stay in bed for a year and never do anything I will turn eighty-eight.

Anybody! Can grow older. That doesn’t take any talent or ability. The idea is to grow up by always finding opportunity in change. Have no regrets.

The elderly usually don’t have regrets for what we did, but rather for things we did not do. The only people who fear death are those with regrets.’

She concluded her speech by courageously singing ‘The Rose.’

She challenged each of us to study the lyrics and live them out in our daily lives. At the year’s end Rose finished the college degree she had begun all those years ago.

One week after graduation Rose died peacefully in her sleep.

Over two thousand college students attended her funeral in tribute to the wonderful woman who taught by example that it’s never too late to be all you can possibly be.

When you finish reading this, please send this peaceful word of advice to your friends and family, they’ll really enjoy it!

These words have been passed along in loving memory of ROSE.

REMEMBER, GROWING OLDER IS MANDATORY. GROWING UP IS OPTIONAL. We make a Living by what we get. We make a Life by what we give.

God promises a safe landing, not a calm passage. If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.

I came across this blog today, and MAN, was I blown away!

Eva’s – The Deal with Disability

She’s so funny and witty and I love the perspective that she is sharing!

This is an absolute MUST read blog. I think it’s one of my favorites!