tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-240149542024-03-18T12:13:53.202-04:00Big Blueberry EyesKayla has captivating blue eyes...her grandmother and great-grandmother have always said she has these "big blueberry eyes" - and Kayla is now joined by younger brother Lucas; also sporting those big blueberry eyes!Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02441176684416139172noreply@blogger.comBlogger2284125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24014954.post-11649001853898293912022-04-30T21:15:00.000-04:002022-04-30T21:15:09.595-04:00Miss AmazingI am so far behind on updating this blog!
<br /><br /> Back at the end of July and beginning of Aug, Kayla and I headed to Nashville, TN for the <a href="https://missamazing.org/">National Miss Amazing Summit</a>. <br /><br />South Carolina didn't have a state event; instead it was just video submissions. Kayla and another teen represented SC in the Teen category. <br /><br />This was Kayla's first time going to a Miss Amazing event and she had a blast. She enjoyed meeting so many other representatives from all over the U.S. <br /><br />There is also a pretty cool story about the dress she is wearing. The dress has come to be called "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Dress" and it has been passed around between girls in the Down syndrome community with the goal of being worn in every state. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyNRzw-sxqbRaSxAsr4BHCuFD2rTikxbN6c6wHPWH8iHe4BzbX1h390zn5M6oMpw3V94QrgO2Lfd9n8aB4MiDBzjB82fEyl1fxIrvpilPhg0BddRHmLJdXhLG3pH1LmVrMEzYJO95jqJISqe4cFFvvGEFYxSBVQ2CX1lfhgn31Mw31SUbHpw/s4032/20210801_154703.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyNRzw-sxqbRaSxAsr4BHCuFD2rTikxbN6c6wHPWH8iHe4BzbX1h390zn5M6oMpw3V94QrgO2Lfd9n8aB4MiDBzjB82fEyl1fxIrvpilPhg0BddRHmLJdXhLG3pH1LmVrMEzYJO95jqJISqe4cFFvvGEFYxSBVQ2CX1lfhgn31Mw31SUbHpw/s320/20210801_154703.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4i4EtUh_afQHcXf5Q0WKLywT-VdYHKOrAqnp-oK3ow4p47Bq0UuwlnsefAOYySqZDQ-dANhpj8eyNXLdDIXfPuOjOXeV4MN0vIk769exrXipeeblMGvr1C7VSqfrTVXW9MO83_kz5CO9dYZGRDaRovcPZruO8cokEnrjHmWnWYLAvd7aejQ/s4032/20210801_154821.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4i4EtUh_afQHcXf5Q0WKLywT-VdYHKOrAqnp-oK3ow4p47Bq0UuwlnsefAOYySqZDQ-dANhpj8eyNXLdDIXfPuOjOXeV4MN0vIk769exrXipeeblMGvr1C7VSqfrTVXW9MO83_kz5CO9dYZGRDaRovcPZruO8cokEnrjHmWnWYLAvd7aejQ/s320/20210801_154821.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0jiTaPfIglm-37yU5-aDiJSUvbfoih7iJEMuWDPnxYuQH4yjx-eobVo-_ij50X9t9HieLMuKcF2Gujc1gFMoLOzZ4P5RbDZjt3T47cQLKimIKZYwoGcx9PEdJPSh0OVQZIM48yYqDHjRE1yYKu43tBvXBSMiHsS7c1gnfmDW7I7RunBBuRQ/s4032/20210801_154845.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0jiTaPfIglm-37yU5-aDiJSUvbfoih7iJEMuWDPnxYuQH4yjx-eobVo-_ij50X9t9HieLMuKcF2Gujc1gFMoLOzZ4P5RbDZjt3T47cQLKimIKZYwoGcx9PEdJPSh0OVQZIM48yYqDHjRE1yYKu43tBvXBSMiHsS7c1gnfmDW7I7RunBBuRQ/s320/20210801_154845.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL3oHvfrL-NAZpyjsR36f6syRjUSeSppLys6lIAVCY4mnXMT457UWoUdBkvzwsXv3LNy5WG0KQVvJE5kaV6WFABwnQi79rtgG51GyShPdtKabyVfN7prMdii0SgjW5bLlN6s-pyFgHFdyoTDU7T7LLUOWeuwGapVkyZ1Etah872W4AgonwdA/s4032/20210801_160404.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL3oHvfrL-NAZpyjsR36f6syRjUSeSppLys6lIAVCY4mnXMT457UWoUdBkvzwsXv3LNy5WG0KQVvJE5kaV6WFABwnQi79rtgG51GyShPdtKabyVfN7prMdii0SgjW5bLlN6s-pyFgHFdyoTDU7T7LLUOWeuwGapVkyZ1Etah872W4AgonwdA/s320/20210801_160404.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEQVWNN8_rRIT5NVyxC1AwUqnlbIS_r5CRo8bqFGTtmEXd6PQ2bZWlPfr6Us7po-r6JU0Gfrl9lWpUqR5Ng6rpIwk0ef-Q9nzdu5pDkMbad--iS5-75rPWqwQCP6x1Swrkh2uO82dmQCwHoJL3hmUP6mze_rvk5tettOptGWIHTOC8lKg-0Q/s4032/20210801_160437.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEQVWNN8_rRIT5NVyxC1AwUqnlbIS_r5CRo8bqFGTtmEXd6PQ2bZWlPfr6Us7po-r6JU0Gfrl9lWpUqR5Ng6rpIwk0ef-Q9nzdu5pDkMbad--iS5-75rPWqwQCP6x1Swrkh2uO82dmQCwHoJL3hmUP6mze_rvk5tettOptGWIHTOC8lKg-0Q/s320/20210801_160437.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzI4olBSu4jgKRIYzb38ENR8x7tLxGq2e0K8OGWJCBdA6gAbnrGQBr6K_2CNeK_f60s6jTgBnpuCRtm2u1-gZv79atPu0y_X1sKrUvGHXVQYfpr5c3lfducIeafHSihMmRaxj0nNAZ7JddjO0Uhpu-wLQNW7Ap4KhvEyScjT4xuGJMY7bWtQ/s4032/20210801_160438.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzI4olBSu4jgKRIYzb38ENR8x7tLxGq2e0K8OGWJCBdA6gAbnrGQBr6K_2CNeK_f60s6jTgBnpuCRtm2u1-gZv79atPu0y_X1sKrUvGHXVQYfpr5c3lfducIeafHSihMmRaxj0nNAZ7JddjO0Uhpu-wLQNW7Ap4KhvEyScjT4xuGJMY7bWtQ/s320/20210801_160438.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguUfs2zPwUQRe7xnizeh4DRtoIonMQlV_k3p56zqp1zdpnVx3hw-uk5cwDxKgws2VG6eFT8HOB7aJCycpG2eTBx-dtqcykQcMyNXSFCL6SE81KqNg-Sp8H7W7XcKQjZqJsdZx6LF9py7Fbj_ykxurBlxnYodQuERE9u9Gbjjz73YknlnTIEg/s4032/20210801_160452.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguUfs2zPwUQRe7xnizeh4DRtoIonMQlV_k3p56zqp1zdpnVx3hw-uk5cwDxKgws2VG6eFT8HOB7aJCycpG2eTBx-dtqcykQcMyNXSFCL6SE81KqNg-Sp8H7W7XcKQjZqJsdZx6LF9py7Fbj_ykxurBlxnYodQuERE9u9Gbjjz73YknlnTIEg/s320/20210801_160452.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Kayla and Micky bonded over their love of Hamilton (as you can see in their pose below!) <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyUdxC0OYQ1uOu3UAk_bDkVLjfc9tTku8SEa7-0cnvwqYVG54VBcSZoh2hNkZ4aOB2qPm4RLShuvy1dwsgP43yco-y3vNbrinvUTVB5AgErvC_XDkCeqTXmnfkwU0IXHrzIvfIaKoYWp1QUs0c8EDKx2MGkrwHzr3KB-gCjqW-KtCu1Qom3w/s4608/IMG_20210802_124613483_BURST000_COVER_TOP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="2592" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyUdxC0OYQ1uOu3UAk_bDkVLjfc9tTku8SEa7-0cnvwqYVG54VBcSZoh2hNkZ4aOB2qPm4RLShuvy1dwsgP43yco-y3vNbrinvUTVB5AgErvC_XDkCeqTXmnfkwU0IXHrzIvfIaKoYWp1QUs0c8EDKx2MGkrwHzr3KB-gCjqW-KtCu1Qom3w/s320/IMG_20210802_124613483_BURST000_COVER_TOP.jpg" width="180" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlK2pdqjAbkFa8L9LRmmHvMylwuP-4Z_oZYCeJBYkBWC_g7tOXXuCJ-kUxTJvJq46ra9SQgzW_3KG5TcpiEY1SMaTY-TlSnHondmqBC187QGv5FiTaHw6KC5J5cLIcS1fOot3F1-kbf9CJfWH_kKzGFI0BuUo2uOXawpIKTR4VaZU4OcCGPA/s4608/IMG_20210802_124628130.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="2592" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlK2pdqjAbkFa8L9LRmmHvMylwuP-4Z_oZYCeJBYkBWC_g7tOXXuCJ-kUxTJvJq46ra9SQgzW_3KG5TcpiEY1SMaTY-TlSnHondmqBC187QGv5FiTaHw6KC5J5cLIcS1fOot3F1-kbf9CJfWH_kKzGFI0BuUo2uOXawpIKTR4VaZU4OcCGPA/s320/IMG_20210802_124628130.jpg" width="180" /></a></div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl2XQVDe5vP5AD9l9N3EqV-RLQmVOYe2hATDORaB9Limg2Q5mId9tKVB6pWp8CUoxXQkwTmNl_2dXwXTBB7YHg19dXpDSUUGeUHEesO2zgnvxtGt5z6ng1QRUgh1qD801n1nmoJaXHbboOk3zZHKuePBDXQhlqhVx_eUZDHi97LPJ2Uwq5aw/s4032/20210801_183934.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl2XQVDe5vP5AD9l9N3EqV-RLQmVOYe2hATDORaB9Limg2Q5mId9tKVB6pWp8CUoxXQkwTmNl_2dXwXTBB7YHg19dXpDSUUGeUHEesO2zgnvxtGt5z6ng1QRUgh1qD801n1nmoJaXHbboOk3zZHKuePBDXQhlqhVx_eUZDHi97LPJ2Uwq5aw/s320/20210801_183934.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div>Kayla's "Passion Performance" was dancing to "My Shot" from... yep, Hamilton! <br />I just love her confidence on stage! This video was from her rehearsal:<br /><br /><br /></div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/i3JLZho7QlE" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02441176684416139172noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24014954.post-89407158231202725512021-07-15T21:42:00.002-04:002021-07-15T22:07:22.187-04:00In The Blink of an Eye, She's Eighteen<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHJDC1LGoAslVgsUeEHZCGV6m2HEjnYpI8zmuXOluvs2sQXa3qDfD5kVs6k0qzr0QuZotCKMZ3ndEMnboRhIqBozcTzc3dvs7Z5rWsiAeVK-R1lkjfCs2RlFoZsZxupm6RxbAl/s1920/IMG_5143.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHJDC1LGoAslVgsUeEHZCGV6m2HEjnYpI8zmuXOluvs2sQXa3qDfD5kVs6k0qzr0QuZotCKMZ3ndEMnboRhIqBozcTzc3dvs7Z5rWsiAeVK-R1lkjfCs2RlFoZsZxupm6RxbAl/s320/IMG_5143.JPG" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"> Yes, my little "Blueberry Eyes" - the girl, not the blog - is eighteen years old today. <br /><br />How can that be? How can it be 18 years since I took this tiny little human home? </span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwo50JppUDQebyCcME_g8NsOFC3w4bSMOogadieGuah0c1GXkWJu175rs4e3S-UnsIeMqWcX-brIM07vZ6MBadfA6XG7d69ZM4blm69lyofhAlg7tNlD112pXddjAUrlj9xT8d/s1024/1072664_10151546313633067_565993911_o.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwo50JppUDQebyCcME_g8NsOFC3w4bSMOogadieGuah0c1GXkWJu175rs4e3S-UnsIeMqWcX-brIM07vZ6MBadfA6XG7d69ZM4blm69lyofhAlg7tNlD112pXddjAUrlj9xT8d/s320/1072664_10151546313633067_565993911_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">On her third birthday I wrote the post <a href="https://mdbeau.blogspot.com/2006/07/guilt.html">"Guilt"</a> that later became one of the stories included in <a href="https://amzn.to/3emitDQ"><i>Gifts: Mothers Reflect on How Children With Down Syndrome Enrich Their Lives</i></a>. <br /><br />As her birthday was approaching I've thought about that post, and her birth day, and how I felt and handled the realization that she was born with Down syndrome. In that post I said that I hoped writing it all down would lead me on a path to healing and forgiveness. All these years later I finally realize that I have nothing to forgive myself for. <br /><br />Do I wish that I hadn't zeroed in on her face in those first moments of her birth and hadn't seen "DOWN SYNDROME" flashing at me in bright lights? Of course. <br /><br />Do I wish I was as oblivious about the signs of Down syndrome as my husband was and all I could see was this little human being we had created - our first child, my daughter? Of course. <br /><br />Do I wish that one of the very first things I said to my mom as I basically thrust Kayla into her arms before she could get a good look at her wasn't "They think she has Down syndrome?" Of course. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Do I wish that I was crying tears of joy and happiness instead of sobbing alone over the sink hoping no one would see me like that? Of course. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">But all of that happened naturally and organically and they were the thoughts and feelings I had at that time in those moments - and I don't need to forgive myself for that. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicLahDwhTjpcskD2EZiYpu2b-_GwLGFB_Ar0nJW-jB7wsXAxnMaM2gKTHdSWhjWX_7qc6pFDx-nysW3TJ2zpT2eVI59tmFL_KGvFR1rYaM-kUxU_CyvQu3rS61VyMe6qjWGmEF/s2048/20210715_111709%25281%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1866" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicLahDwhTjpcskD2EZiYpu2b-_GwLGFB_Ar0nJW-jB7wsXAxnMaM2gKTHdSWhjWX_7qc6pFDx-nysW3TJ2zpT2eVI59tmFL_KGvFR1rYaM-kUxU_CyvQu3rS61VyMe6qjWGmEF/s320/20210715_111709%25281%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">What matters more than those first few moments of shock I had upon seeing her face and feeling an out of body experience is what came after. What followed in the 18 years since has been love. So much love. Like with raising any child, as I've always said, comes joys and challenges and raising Kayla hasn't been any different. There has been so much love, joy, and adventure in our life with Kayla. </span><span style="font-size: medium;">I had a chance to get to know her - the person, not the diagnosis.</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgARiiFl6RFlypVc3NbDFbZoOPDAtqyP1YKPx_Y78WSLfLEDSFUsnNfSj-1YSPj8L1Mcoc7tk0cSL0-L29FjFUxYheIcpVvLJFE5Jki9On0RnqKsPLn-3sNC91qDWt6bYiCZIH5/s2048/20210715_111745.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgARiiFl6RFlypVc3NbDFbZoOPDAtqyP1YKPx_Y78WSLfLEDSFUsnNfSj-1YSPj8L1Mcoc7tk0cSL0-L29FjFUxYheIcpVvLJFE5Jki9On0RnqKsPLn-3sNC91qDWt6bYiCZIH5/s320/20210715_111745.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">Kayla loves big. Feels big. Laughs big. Lives big. She loves family and the connectedness of the extended family and having aunts/uncles/cousins. When we went to my grandmother's funeral she greeted everyone as if she had known them for years - even if she probably didn't really remember some of them because she was so young the last time she saw them; and even the ones she had never met before. "Kayla this is your great-great-uncle so-and-so." Kayla, "Oh! Hi Uncle!" followed by her signature big hug.<br /><br />She finds joy in all of the little things. She's just as excited for your birthday as she is for her own. She's full of life and she loves to experience life. Kayla is outgoing and so social. She's got the biggest heart, has the kindest of souls, the biggest of smiles, and can be the most awesome-est of friends - and I wish more people would see that and appreciate that about her. She can still light up a room with her energy and personality. </span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtvriv7F32-gQuqeMYYLEInxTM_XewRX1pClJjRx-_GooQ-9TQeUozX4LvapKwQpXKsADsa7y0bakRdGgg1p_d7FnQg8f24HZ-Esu4akC9x7o4DM6YpOHMhKdMppHhNcQE9yPV/s1920/IMG_5159.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtvriv7F32-gQuqeMYYLEInxTM_XewRX1pClJjRx-_GooQ-9TQeUozX4LvapKwQpXKsADsa7y0bakRdGgg1p_d7FnQg8f24HZ-Esu4akC9x7o4DM6YpOHMhKdMppHhNcQE9yPV/s320/IMG_5159.JPG" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">She has confidence in herself that I wish I had. She doesn't care how others might see or judge her - she just goes out and does her thing. <br /><br />She still loves coloring - she can sit and color those adult coloring books for hours! Other hobbies are still dancing/singing (Hamilton soundtrack on repeat!), being involved with Summerville Miracle League baseball (as a player and a volunteer and Junior Board Member), Special Olympics golf and track and field, and her favorite: archery. <br /><br />I so enjoy watching Red Sox baseball with her and how enthusiastic she gets. I love that she knows the players. "Come on JD!" "Yes Bogaerts!" "Devers got a home run!" <br /><br />So. Eighteen. Adulthood. While the concept of adulthood, independence, and her future still scares me in some ways, I'm not going to dwell on it in this birthday post! She still has one more year of school to go (she repeated Kindergarten). Her future is bright; a lot brighter than I probably thought it would be in that delivery room. <br /><br />She is happy. She is loved. She is amazing. <br />She really is. </span><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ-Vxqa62GZZg1X4RWOlUOwegPG4NO_vAc7NrNCJC5HTcUmK4XL3mw3yXg_JJ3k8WUnLaOgym0zPj6Uy3Ktw6j85aYz0KFkKC3N32bE_wVjcaNWVvyHYgcu2mP1i3jHvDr_Vzc/s2048/20210715_112217.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ-Vxqa62GZZg1X4RWOlUOwegPG4NO_vAc7NrNCJC5HTcUmK4XL3mw3yXg_JJ3k8WUnLaOgym0zPj6Uy3Ktw6j85aYz0KFkKC3N32bE_wVjcaNWVvyHYgcu2mP1i3jHvDr_Vzc/s320/20210715_112217.jpg" /></a></div><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Happy 18th birthday, Kayla!</span></p>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02441176684416139172noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24014954.post-88985813129781505732021-03-16T22:29:00.002-04:002021-03-16T22:38:47.849-04:00A Dystopian Year In Review<p> <span style="font-size: medium;">March 16, 2020. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">That was the day South Carolina 'shut down'. That was the day schools closed and work from home orders were given. It was so surreal, wasn't it? We thought: two weeks. Two weeks and they'll be back in school. How little did we know and how quickly things changed. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">In the week leading up to that date Lucas had a soccer game. I remember watching from the sidelines as the ref called the 2 captains over for pregame stuff and then indicated a handshake...I thought to myself, "Ugh. Why? The kids have been hearing in school and on the news and at home to forego handshaking." After the game the parents lined up on the sidelines like we had been doing after each game, the players would run by and slap hands with all the parents. But this time we just raised our hands in the air and cheered for them as they ran by.<br /><br />Lucas' 12th birthday party was the weekend before at Stars and Strikes: an entertainment center that featured bowling, among many other activities. I look at pictures from that party now and think, "I can't even imagine." South Carolina had the first 2 cases of the virus and we were stressing hand-washing and elbow bumps. <br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfC7_NtBLIKNfBeVxNzFdrRSqlccaflq9zLgPMDbYU5c82lhHybFKb2Fsy1FIMhknW7t8fqBF7I-tZFHjXqGsB8g_HTfUuRKr6a8rcZ4lP4XEO_iHuDNZ6tBhXIOOX3PAGq34i/s2576/20200307_184144.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1221" data-original-width="2576" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfC7_NtBLIKNfBeVxNzFdrRSqlccaflq9zLgPMDbYU5c82lhHybFKb2Fsy1FIMhknW7t8fqBF7I-tZFHjXqGsB8g_HTfUuRKr6a8rcZ4lP4XEO_iHuDNZ6tBhXIOOX3PAGq34i/s320/20200307_184144.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">On March 15 Lucas was invited to a birthday party at the very same place he had his party a week before. I was surprised it hadn't been cancelled. Stars and Strikes, like many other places, were already instituting more stringent, and frequent, cleaning protocols. They also had hand sanitizer located throughout the facility. I dropped Lucas off with a reminder to try not to touch too many surfaces, no high-fives, and use that hand-sanitizer. By the time I picked him up the school closure had been announced. <br /><br />He's been home ever since (as has Joe, working from home). His school did have an in-person option the start of the new school year, but he wanted to try homeschool, so here we are. <br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvzoj64eByTG1qYyNXpaV4RZBfxc1oqqWj0Oe1lbbnFOKkr4kbqUmW3OyBYGrN7q54hTglLgL8ggFOAdSBvc0MSU4sRlZE8PMfWWAn-DIwPDgbtN8E9pI69S4bO7yyYGRUAKaU/s2048/20200320_130318.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvzoj64eByTG1qYyNXpaV4RZBfxc1oqqWj0Oe1lbbnFOKkr4kbqUmW3OyBYGrN7q54hTglLgL8ggFOAdSBvc0MSU4sRlZE8PMfWWAn-DIwPDgbtN8E9pI69S4bO7yyYGRUAKaU/s320/20200320_130318.jpg" /></span></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Right after schools were closed and the 'work from home' order was given it wasn't long before I was taking an eraser to the calendar as one-by-one things were cancelled: archery tournaments, soccer games, chess club, etc. <br /><br />When I needed to go to the grocery store it felt like Hunger Games. I needed to get in, get out. Get the bare minimum. Don't linger. Don't touch more than I needed. Keep my distance. All to avoid this invisible enemy. Hoping that I wasn't bringing something back to my family. <br /><br />The grocery store was where it really started to feel like a dystopian world. Announcement and signs to "keep 6 feet apart". Store workers standing by the carts and wiping them down for you. Empty shelves. Signs on shelves "1 per customer" on cleaning/paper products and "4 per customer" on canned goods. Partitions (or sneeze guards) going up between customers/employees. Coin shortages. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Did anyone else watch a movie or old TV show and internally cringe at how close people were? I would see a crowded subway scene and think, oh gosh, that wouldn't be happening now. Or, yikes, they are way too close together. Haha! </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">We didn't do any major house renovating projects, or pick up new hobbies; although Kayla started doing Zoom dance classes and Lucas did grow watermelon. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiekMt_eIU8w1HvBJbc764ZjyHxm3ZVXtGfSQIggDLhAgoPxjq9b3K7EyFVcZYaJITkHioRCocrA0aETEckRgvpTVrXKiQ2RSaiLextjlZ0i6hJmcM2e7bg0Hwz1s0tDpYXEiJH/s2048/20200921_172505.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiekMt_eIU8w1HvBJbc764ZjyHxm3ZVXtGfSQIggDLhAgoPxjq9b3K7EyFVcZYaJITkHioRCocrA0aETEckRgvpTVrXKiQ2RSaiLextjlZ0i6hJmcM2e7bg0Hwz1s0tDpYXEiJH/s320/20200921_172505.jpg" /></span></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">We did walks, bike rides, geocaching and just got out in nature so we wouldn't feel 'stuck at home'.<br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicTJPaGcL8-4YK3rQIxabNLPDeDO61_fG_RwqY0R8N-D2ezOi8aQ_nm3BNpZ7uXDu8f5009DqSaV3kInhLJSXWBXVpobHizK3VwoDWbBswTCtfIEOcUc1ujCgFqHgEdRD8DBY3/s2048/20201018_125038.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicTJPaGcL8-4YK3rQIxabNLPDeDO61_fG_RwqY0R8N-D2ezOi8aQ_nm3BNpZ7uXDu8f5009DqSaV3kInhLJSXWBXVpobHizK3VwoDWbBswTCtfIEOcUc1ujCgFqHgEdRD8DBY3/s320/20201018_125038.jpg" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMjT7LtKCQPBf9la9x3z32iWltvN5eZssOuKjACHvRGCdKuwUUXbqADSzkrXqNnObH3C0FR0bs4WpQDIx0rvwIb3qpHTRzkW-oyxSi98jZWkQq1hza_BW8AHLMLArbjja_gQno/s2048/20200323_103551.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMjT7LtKCQPBf9la9x3z32iWltvN5eZssOuKjACHvRGCdKuwUUXbqADSzkrXqNnObH3C0FR0bs4WpQDIx0rvwIb3qpHTRzkW-oyxSi98jZWkQq1hza_BW8AHLMLArbjja_gQno/s320/20200323_103551.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div></div><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFS30MA0osIn8DBAREGHYF-mNhyGJgRbNCRYsYI1haKYbdjPe2CH6ZZ5QnevsDhyphenhyphencIuzDbVtUDUnsnp278F3MqWa1x_yxr23frFEcCTLYgwSkt4cyqF8DTSAPbSB_KE5oRQtTn/s2048/20200907_150602.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFS30MA0osIn8DBAREGHYF-mNhyGJgRbNCRYsYI1haKYbdjPe2CH6ZZ5QnevsDhyphenhyphencIuzDbVtUDUnsnp278F3MqWa1x_yxr23frFEcCTLYgwSkt4cyqF8DTSAPbSB_KE5oRQtTn/s320/20200907_150602.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjScZJ08dGVQsty0B3AI33YxWwCx-qDr5LqKS5LvBBH16Yxf0m8rfzoSug3HWLQ3gyaCBZDvNQaPOnbbbQWU8I6vJnmOj8PkYRZ5gRY4q3ZiY6kiZ_NW6XusRtIC4O6nug_1f5l/s2048/20200907_121529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjScZJ08dGVQsty0B3AI33YxWwCx-qDr5LqKS5LvBBH16Yxf0m8rfzoSug3HWLQ3gyaCBZDvNQaPOnbbbQWU8I6vJnmOj8PkYRZ5gRY4q3ZiY6kiZ_NW6XusRtIC4O6nug_1f5l/s320/20200907_121529.jpg" /></span></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium; text-align: left;">They did summer camp at home.</span></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu-BbxcX830kdpiEFdJUuQgvbRcD59LmeR2UNwWx4JoQwZhpTcITmsxFpENRGFINV5-ko9yx6PxiQbdR5UZRP91JDAIQXklrBiEifVlUSCXKmvQ9r2cY14ahEWjbhUr6EMuImX/s2048/20200616_143525.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu-BbxcX830kdpiEFdJUuQgvbRcD59LmeR2UNwWx4JoQwZhpTcITmsxFpENRGFINV5-ko9yx6PxiQbdR5UZRP91JDAIQXklrBiEifVlUSCXKmvQ9r2cY14ahEWjbhUr6EMuImX/s320/20200616_143525.jpg" width="320" /></span></a><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="text-align: left;">Kayla, Lucas, and I haven't had a haircut in over a year (Joe just shaves his off!). </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgLOU6zz7t5oxv7_G9Q3OjrolOfhWPJmF131EYZ9rvv1rQWgl8J7_x_9lCQ1U7HZBHhih026dl6IM4YYZllXI-Ynwg0GVJ6wmEL6Wd8Ai587eQtObTX9uT2OjBwW4xz98VuIaJ/s903/20210218_164951.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="903" data-original-width="508" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgLOU6zz7t5oxv7_G9Q3OjrolOfhWPJmF131EYZ9rvv1rQWgl8J7_x_9lCQ1U7HZBHhih026dl6IM4YYZllXI-Ynwg0GVJ6wmEL6Wd8Ai587eQtObTX9uT2OjBwW4xz98VuIaJ/s320/20210218_164951.jpg" /></a></span></div><p><span style="font-size: medium;">And here we are a year later; adjusted to this new normal. The new way of life. We are slowly trying to get some of that old life back though. Lucas joined Kayla on the archery team since he homeschooled this year. They only had one tournament though; but Lucas did great for his first-ever tournament with a score of 237.</span></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7qKA7nObunDA7oVxgPcYMVf8DKqHpBSgsMwd3ma0BFtYOTZIz63wSrLVjcykgNEUtJ030w8ossPzq2c1hQuEKqtjpwRAneCsCboZnI6LH1W9NXwOpx-hPHnLqdzqgJocnftM5/s2048/20210227_132649.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1152" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7qKA7nObunDA7oVxgPcYMVf8DKqHpBSgsMwd3ma0BFtYOTZIz63wSrLVjcykgNEUtJ030w8ossPzq2c1hQuEKqtjpwRAneCsCboZnI6LH1W9NXwOpx-hPHnLqdzqgJocnftM5/s320/20210227_132649.jpg" /></span></a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfuRQIts42o1sWCJRw0WNMwzWdwXszItWi_O4rDKtNzc1bIPgGzQacYNzyFrAF9ruyxfgFYenRBTjAxAeTX6pmaMFmU8YzgTB95jZdfoN0RyvdYHx31k-BSaTw9wfWWfj-SoJc/s2048/20210227_125558.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1939" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfuRQIts42o1sWCJRw0WNMwzWdwXszItWi_O4rDKtNzc1bIPgGzQacYNzyFrAF9ruyxfgFYenRBTjAxAeTX6pmaMFmU8YzgTB95jZdfoN0RyvdYHx31k-BSaTw9wfWWfj-SoJc/s320/20210227_125558.jpg" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Soccer just started back up for Lucas, and Miracle League baseball for Kayla. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv079TjaCA0ZZ1QGkD5YdQNl9A-sKDSfeZ0hR9xH8-s4tq-_Yz9Llz3SXXSdZZV-1dECKo4fKS7gUonXEJHz4zaULajQKDefTLQo3PBJNlgMWfjOb6tujn6-xzIapxx9pU5_AY/s960/161378824_3846174835465364_5223861332324229203_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv079TjaCA0ZZ1QGkD5YdQNl9A-sKDSfeZ0hR9xH8-s4tq-_Yz9Llz3SXXSdZZV-1dECKo4fKS7gUonXEJHz4zaULajQKDefTLQo3PBJNlgMWfjOb6tujn6-xzIapxx9pU5_AY/s320/161378824_3846174835465364_5223861332324229203_n.jpg" /></a></span></div><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Here's to hoping we can continue on this path to reclaiming the normalcy we once had. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8w05OK1jreu4w9XTb46rDv2RaghWTMjOB8P-Q22QGhXgvIdEgngEI1RIiMaxct_MV60FGD1vQkLDMbc-oHF3jd9FPQfE04KNMp9qMpCueiM55F7Yl2ELLXUBanfWo2rrq5Iqf/s2048/20200924_190401.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8w05OK1jreu4w9XTb46rDv2RaghWTMjOB8P-Q22QGhXgvIdEgngEI1RIiMaxct_MV60FGD1vQkLDMbc-oHF3jd9FPQfE04KNMp9qMpCueiM55F7Yl2ELLXUBanfWo2rrq5Iqf/s320/20200924_190401.jpg" /></a></div><p></p><p></p>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02441176684416139172noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24014954.post-78897663577180033642021-02-23T16:12:00.001-05:002021-02-23T16:13:38.771-05:00Entering the Teen Years!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My 'baby' turns 13 today! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEwJgbqinxf26I-R-lPF4da57I5NmXOG4rjRLmRd-Z5TEL2KcKedMpISj6Gd54iqiSP3gnWnVGNF9yV7g2RzpeW4bqWJ4TOGtWwatL12gPwg1k3w2dbhLPQFa72E7Zdrf7w8UN/s903/20210223_104410.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="903" data-original-width="508" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEwJgbqinxf26I-R-lPF4da57I5NmXOG4rjRLmRd-Z5TEL2KcKedMpISj6Gd54iqiSP3gnWnVGNF9yV7g2RzpeW4bqWJ4TOGtWwatL12gPwg1k3w2dbhLPQFa72E7Zdrf7w8UN/s320/20210223_104410.jpg" /></a></div><p> I can't believe I have two teenagers now. As much as I've stressed to Lucas how exciting turning 13 is and that it's a milestone birthday; he just isn't buying it. He thinks there is nothing unique about 13 - despite it signifying the start of the teen years!</p><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCMujgzL9hnPlEXRIHNjfCnUs78sv1iwy-8PdXOw4ty8fep_Ta_ZXny3hoKj7VZDGhpOS011oKUXtMw8UNMykg0nkYHmkRxNuj3AJOp4RbyqlrrSLGVYM9hMRKFLivP58mQBP6/s903/20210223_124003.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="903" data-original-width="677" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCMujgzL9hnPlEXRIHNjfCnUs78sv1iwy-8PdXOw4ty8fep_Ta_ZXny3hoKj7VZDGhpOS011oKUXtMw8UNMykg0nkYHmkRxNuj3AJOp4RbyqlrrSLGVYM9hMRKFLivP58mQBP6/s320/20210223_124003.jpg" /></a></div><br />In his words there is nothing different that happens when you're 13:<p></p><p>- you can't drive</p><p>- you can't vote</p><p>- you can't play the lottery</p><p>- you can't drink </p><p>So ... nothing changes. I guess he has a point! <br /><br />A lot has changed <a href="https://mdbeau.blogspot.com/2020/02/birthday-number-twelve.html">since his birthday last year</a>. We were in Myrtle Beach for Kayla's archery tournament where even his great-grandpa (who lives in WI) attended! He had his birthday party at Stars and Strikes for a bowling/laser tag/bumper car/arcade celebration ... and that was a week before our state shut-down. Birthdays are a much quieter affair since then. </p><p>He's no longer Kayla's 'little' brother as he's outgrown her by several (about 10!) inches; we make sure to say 'younger' brother now, haha! The way he's been growing over this last year I was sure he would be taller than me by his 13th birthday, but I'm still hanging on to a quarter inch of height! I'm sure by my birthday I'll be looking up to him though!</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBQYF20NuPGV8Gf0ZPpAQHB1yTh3_HBKrvh7EeROMi5rRJZf8KM3VFH8HrubExdgcYmTrCobl8vEgGPdzwHDDVjjtne1tPjMihb26jmavQIX2Lv_N7qrp7ZxLvOl_OAn0mjrFh/s2048/20210118_144158.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1152" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBQYF20NuPGV8Gf0ZPpAQHB1yTh3_HBKrvh7EeROMi5rRJZf8KM3VFH8HrubExdgcYmTrCobl8vEgGPdzwHDDVjjtne1tPjMihb26jmavQIX2Lv_N7qrp7ZxLvOl_OAn0mjrFh/s320/20210118_144158.jpg" /></a><br /></div><p></p><p>He still has his hobbies of soccer, chess, reading, Lego-building, and Minecraft-playing. He's been experimenting with creating stop-action movies with his Lego creations. And since he's homeschooling this year he's giving archery a try. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZtARHlx51gr-gc5qQd634TVcF8rEeNQ3hfac-4UYNHFaprKZnYWQosZZIpY815qYYlh-6ydonJleY3uKe7kswrQ9SiPsLiLEtQ6Qnc8oeXxcCu3C_3A_o5DN3hs44btQ4ZQtG/s2048/20201018_122746+-+Copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZtARHlx51gr-gc5qQd634TVcF8rEeNQ3hfac-4UYNHFaprKZnYWQosZZIpY815qYYlh-6ydonJleY3uKe7kswrQ9SiPsLiLEtQ6Qnc8oeXxcCu3C_3A_o5DN3hs44btQ4ZQtG/s320/20201018_122746+-+Copy.jpg" /></a></div><p>It's been nice having him home this year and spending that extra time with him watching him grow and learn; especially because I know the day will come all to fast when he's out on his own. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJV1X61mVdwjcHwJWSNrUUamSLlTcdBJe70AWhgwBtm-vyTDItMxHELttvboT9kBTgoyG5uwK8jGWiJADJGd8aTsRC5Y7vQIspmINi9wVw3GV3os0Y-5QMaxWrvH_SUTf7ZHs4/s2048/20201214_143633.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJV1X61mVdwjcHwJWSNrUUamSLlTcdBJe70AWhgwBtm-vyTDItMxHELttvboT9kBTgoyG5uwK8jGWiJADJGd8aTsRC5Y7vQIspmINi9wVw3GV3os0Y-5QMaxWrvH_SUTf7ZHs4/s320/20201214_143633.jpg" /></a></div><br />I just can't believe he's a teenager now!<p></p><p>Happy 13th birthday to Lucas!</p>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02441176684416139172noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24014954.post-39528539829861922032020-07-15T21:47:00.000-04:002020-08-13T22:21:14.352-04:00A Quar-seven-tine Birthday<div>Last year's <a href="https://mdbeau.blogspot.com/2019/07/sweet-16-to-remember.html" target="_blank">Sweet 16th birthday</a> was the best ever. Nothing could compare to that magical day. However, who would have predicted what birthdays would look like come 2020?! This year said it wasn't even going to attempt to match last year's birthday!</div><div><br /></div><div>Kayla woke up on her birthday (last month, I'm late in posting!) so excited to be SEVENTEEN! She came downstairs and saw the little bit of decorations I put up in the kitchen and declared it the "best birthday ever!"</div><div><br /><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Gwqk65NtJjRpEwQA4lLFAjz_ZXVUOo3syCA9gGwhZyEe1lWOrvOff6SrfQxLs9Pu9kaE7nZiB1smgKSSfyt_5FNKFUxknkPeRk2ggQgNxoDBYsDlVMAtvi-_3m_ngM0KlQtx/s640/20200715_140746.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br /></div><div>I was like, "Ummm...Kayla? Better than <i>last year?</i> Really? Your Sweet 16 going to Boston, seeing the Red Sox, getting a ball from <b>Mookie Betts</b> (we won't talk about the fact that he's with the Dodgers now!)? Wasn't that your best birthday ever?</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW9se_ZfFvrRecT09H2zYunqFz0HbICpFpRAm5xB9XY-KHQg_kNMfz2hRjwSLPoissA5GOTxKauPSLLv5tO3fCiqzNCBcOFQObpwYxDN_uZrszXq3650NASHc_18GukjhIu85i/s2048/20200715_140711.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW9se_ZfFvrRecT09H2zYunqFz0HbICpFpRAm5xB9XY-KHQg_kNMfz2hRjwSLPoissA5GOTxKauPSLLv5tO3fCiqzNCBcOFQObpwYxDN_uZrszXq3650NASHc_18GukjhIu85i/s640/20200715_140711.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br />She paused and said, "Best family birthday at home ever!" Haha! I somehow think the birthdays spent at home when she was actually able to have a sleepover with her friends and go to the water park were better birthday celebrations, but I'm glad she she is easy to please! She picked breakfast (pancakes) and dinner (pizza) and she had a fun <a href="https://www.tribute.co/kaylah/" target="_blank">video birthday tribute</a> which she enjoyed seeing all the birthday wishes sent her way. <br /><br />Birthdays in this covid-world are definitely different, but you just make the most of it and make it as special as you can!<br /><br />Happy 17th birthday to my beautiful girl! </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiukw2VMnIxn6_tfLcADz9XoYUqm97Vj-bA5utZF-40B0kbr0kAWUfH7ZtGmcrZ_v1OCFktgAi1ioFuW7PzsMyNwptJImO0-jtM-dPkAbLMKz5pHJkdelEqhy2FUJ4NQebVo9Tz/s640/20200715_154349.jpg" style="text-align: left;" /></div><br /><br />Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02441176684416139172noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24014954.post-18186803990095390172020-06-05T17:10:00.000-04:002020-06-05T20:42:01.084-04:00A Sibling's LoveI've seen a meme floating around social media every once in a while with various pictures and the caption:<br />
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<i>If you want to know how to treat someone with a disability just watch their siblings, they will show you.</i><br />
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I thought about Lucas and all the times he has shown how thoughtful and caring he can be towards Kayla. Even back when he was in preschool and early elementary school he seemed to always put her first. He frequently would <a href="https://mdbeau.blogspot.com/2012/03/treasured-moment.html">pick something out of the "treasure box" for Kayla.</a> (It goes both ways, if Kayla was at a medical appointment she would always ask to get a lollipop or sticker or toy for Lucas).<br />
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There was the time he wanted to recreate the Shoulder Buddy she l<a href="https://mdbeau.blogspot.com/2014/09/meet-flat-fetti.html">ost/left at sleep-away camp</a>.<br />
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I've blogged about the time we were at a banquet and there wasn't a real option for a gluten-free dessert and Lucas told me, <i>"I know what I can do with the $5 I got from the tooth fairy. Tomorrow I'm going to buy Kayla a gluten-free cupcake from that truck. Well first I was thinking I could get her a bracelet (from one of the vendors in the exhibit area), but then I thought she doesn't really wear bracelets. So then I thought about getting something for myself. But then she didn't get to have anything last night or tonight and I did, so next I thought about buying her a cupcake." </i>At the end of that post I wrote,<i> "May he always be this concerned and caring and have such a big heart."</i><br />
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So he's not so little anymore ... he just finished his first year of middle school (!). How are things between them now? Does he still show concern and caring for her? Does he still have a big heart? Is he still an example of how you treat someone with a disability?<br />
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Well let me give you an example of just how big his heart for Kayla is ... something that truly shows the love that only siblings can have for one another.<br />
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Lucas' school participates in a secret gift exchange over the holidays and last December Lucas came home with a gift of ... a rubber chicken. A rubber chicken that squeaks. That annoying kind of squeak like a dog's chew toy; who knows maybe it came from the pet section of the store. I pretty much told Lucas that chicken was banned from the downstairs and he could squeak it all he wants upstairs in his room, haha!<br />
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Needless to say Kayla is not a fan of this chicken either. She will tell you in no uncertain terms that she hates that chicken. If Lucas is playing with it you can hear a deep loud groan/sigh from Kayla, "Ugh! I HATE that chicken! I hate that squeak noise!"<br />
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One day Lucas went outside to play and Kayla was in her room. All was quiet upstairs and then I heard Kayla open her bedroom door, pause, exclaim something about that chicken, and SQUEAK. Again came the SQUEAK of that chicken. Joe and I looked at each other in confusion. "Isn't Lucas outside?" I asked him. He replied that he thought so. I said, "Well there's no way Kayla would be playing with that chicken, she doesn't like it."<br />
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Then Kayla yelled out in frustration something about HIS WEIGHT!<br />
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I'm a little more confused than before. I ask her what she's talking about.<br />
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"Lucas put this weight on the chicken!"<br />
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Me, "There is a weight on the chicken?"<br />
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K, "YES! Outside my door! I don't like this chicken!"<br />
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Turns out Lucas squeezed/deflated the chicken, placed it on the floor in front of Kayla's door and put a hand weight on top of it. The weight was to keep it depressed so when she would pick up the weight to move the chicken it would of course SQUEAK.<br />
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In essence he set a booby-trap for her.<br />
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Because he loves her so much and knows how annoyed she is by the squeak of the chicken.<br />
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So there you have it ladies and gentlemen. Watch how someone treats their sibling with a disability and you will see that special love siblings have for each other.<br />
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Yes, Joe and I had a good chuckle about this conniving and devious plan of Lucas' to sabotage his sister - after all - isn't that what siblings are for whether they have an extra chromosome or not?Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02441176684416139172noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24014954.post-54917528076712616562020-02-23T22:30:00.000-05:002020-02-23T22:30:44.770-05:00Birthday Number TwelveMy not-so-little kiddo is now twelve! Lucas is almost as tall as me now; I wouldn't be surprised if he's taller than me by his 13th birthday!<br />
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<br />Kayla had an archery tournament in Myrtle Beach, and just like a few years ago, it fell right around his birthday. My mom, stepdad, sister, and grandfather met us in Myrtle Beach for Kaya's tournament and an early birthday celebration. So glad we were able to get together.<br />
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When we got back home we had a fun time roller skating on his birthday, and in a couple weeks he'll have his friend birthday party. </div>
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He continues to enjoy soccer, chess, reading, Legos, Minecraft, and playing outside. He's a pretty great kid with a kind heart and big dreams ... and I can't wait to watch them all unfold.<br /><br />Happy 12th birthday Lucas! Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02441176684416139172noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24014954.post-41755021145778524482019-10-14T21:39:00.001-04:002019-10-14T21:39:44.377-04:00I Am ... A fellow mom from the Down syndrome community put together a wonderful video for National Down Syndrome Awareness Month.<br />
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This video features teens with Down syndrome sharing what they are - i.e. swimmer, kind, smart, strong, a star.<br />
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Kayla, my *fearless* girl, makes an appearance at :58 seconds in. Check her out!<br />
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<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ecPJCXwfVok" width="560"></iframe>
Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02441176684416139172noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24014954.post-72267831718706228032019-10-02T21:14:00.000-04:002019-10-02T21:14:09.739-04:00On Her Own TimeKayla recently joined the Special Olympics Track team. She also recently got a fitness watch. The watch can track walking, running, biking, and sleeping. She likes to press the "bike" icon before we head out on our usual morning bike ride (PE time!) even once coming to a sudden stop in front of me and yelling "I forgot to start my watch! (on bike mode)"<br />
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Oh this child of mine cracks me up. At this most recent track training session she was lined up to run ... and she got distracted making sure she was putting her watch to the "run" setting. She completely ignores the "GO" and instead stands at the line making sure she is getting her watch set correctly. It's not that she didn't hear the "GO", it's not that she couldn't hear the "Kayla, go!" ... it's that she wouldn't go until her watch was ready for "RUN". She is definitely on her own time, haha! Good thing this wasn't an actual competition!<br />
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<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8JR6kJJX-FY" width="560"></iframe>
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As much as that first video makes me laugh, this next video warms my heart. As she is concentrating on her own run she makes sure to encourage and cheer on the runners coming the opposite way.<br />
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<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gMbCjFuowVY" width="560"></iframe>
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This is her first year on the track team (she has previously been on the Running Clubs at her elementary and middle schools) but she generally doesn't seem to have a lot of stamina to keep running ... she's more like a short sprinter and then a walker. So I was surprised when I saw her go the distance during this training run and not stop to walk at all (twice). I was also surprised when I asked her if she wanted to join the track team and she enthusiastically responded with, "Yeah, I love to run!" Cue to me giving her the side-eye look.<br />
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I'm excited to see how far she'll progress during training and what she'll do at Spring Games!Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02441176684416139172noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24014954.post-89626865469918683152019-10-01T21:25:00.000-04:002019-10-01T21:25:23.869-04:00Down Syndrome or Trisomy 21Today, Oct 1, is the start of National Down Syndrome Awareness Month.<br /><br />For 10 years I participated (and later hosted) the annual 31 for 21 blog challenge. I didn't do it last year and I doubt I will put up 31 posts this month.<br /><br />I do miss doing it, but over the years interest and participation waned; and most people now just use FB, Twitter, and/or Instagram to post a daily picture or fact about Down syndrome.<br />
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After 10 years of 31 for 21 and 13 years of blogging in general I'm not sure what more I can blog about anyway. What more about Down syndrome can I write about? How much more awareness and acceptance can I preach about? And aren't I just preaching to the choir anyway?<br />
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I did read an article in a local magazine that was timely enough for me to put up at least this post for the start of National Down Syndrome Awareness Month.<br /><br />
This paragraph got me thinking about a few things:<br />
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This describes the latter two of Trisomy 18 and Trisomy 13 being caused by extra chromosomes but it doesn't mention anything about what Down syndrome is. It also seems to separate Down syndrome as one thing and T18 and T13 as a different type of condition when they are all essentially very similar and they are all caused by having a third copy of their respective numbered chromosome. So it's not just the 'latter two" that stem from an extra chromosome.<br /><br />It also got me thinking about the language used to describe each condition. Down syndrome is also Trisomy 21 but very rarely referred to as such. Trisomy 18 and 13 are also called Edwards and Patau syndromes but seem to be more frequently referred to by their trisomy diagnosis. I wonder why that is. Is it because Down syndrome is more widely known because it's more common?<br />
<br />I noticed even national (and international) organizations all use Down syndrome. I don't know of all the organizations for T18 and T13, but did find the <a href="https://www.trisomy18.org/">Trisomy 18 Foundation</a> (and most of the search results for other websites more often than not use T18/13 instead of Edwards/Patau syndrome).<br /><br />I got curious and started digging a little more.<br /><br />Down syndrome is named after Dr John Langdon Down who, in 1876, described a similar set of characteristics that people had, but it was Dr Jerome LeJeune who discovered, in 1958, that people with those characteristics all had a third copy of chromosome 21.<br /><br />Patau syndrome was first observed by Thomas Bartholin in 1657 (!!) but the third copy of the 13th chromosome was discovered by Dr Klaus Patau in 1960. I wonder if it ever called Bartholin syndrome and later changed to Patau syndrome? Or even though it was observed by Bartholin was there never any specific medical diagnosis name given to it until Dr Patau discovered the third copy of that chromosome?<br />
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All I could find out about Edwards syndrome is it was first described by John H. Edwards in 1960.<br />
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Language can and does change throughout the years. Dr Down used the term "Mongolism" to describe what we now know is Trisomy 21. It wasn't until the early 1970s that Down syndrome was more widely accepted - even though 12 years before that Dr LeJeune discovered the extra chromosome! So why start calling is Down syndrome at all by the 1970s; why not call it LeJeune syndrome, or, as with Trisomy 18 and 13, refer to it as the trisomy that it is?<br /><br />I also wonder if years from now the term Down syndrome does fade away and it simply becomes more commonly known as Trisomy 21 will there not be as many preconceived notions/ideas? Will people think of something else when they hear "Trisomy 21" than when they hear "Down syndrome"?<br /><br />Lots of random thoughts from that one little paragraph!<br /><br />Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02441176684416139172noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24014954.post-91483363555827896152019-09-07T21:29:00.000-04:002019-09-07T21:29:44.198-04:00The Root Beer Float ChallengeOver the summer I received an email about a new game coming on the market from <a href="https://www.playtacular.com/">Playtacular</a> called <a href="https://amzn.to/2ZFOqSl">The Root Beer Float Challenge</a>.<br />
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I was intrigued, but I admit I was also thinking our game closet really doesn't need another board game! I'm glad I decided to take a chance on this game (disclaimer: I received a complimentary game) because this isn't just any board game - it's not a "board" game at all. This is a get-out-of-your-seat and complete challenges game. I like that this is an active game as it puts a new spin on a traditional family game.<br />
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The object of the game is to be the first person to collect all the pieces for your root beer float: ice cream, root beer, cherry, and straw. The pieces are cards with those images. You collect the pieces by succeeding in various challenges using the ice cream "ball", cherries, straws, and tin canister that everything stores neatly inside. and the challenges are either done solo, head-to-head (you pick someone to compete against) or cooperative (you pick someone to do the challenge with).<br />
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There are 120 challenge cards and much hilarity follows! Try placing the ice cream ball between your knees/thighs and walk so many steps to squat and drop the ball in the canister! I looked so funny waddling over to the canister trying not to drop the ball and everyone was laughing so hard I almost peed my pants!<br />
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We brought this game on our road trip this summer (easy and compact to travel with) and played at my mom's house; everyone had a great time and got a lot of laughs out of it. When we were home Lucas had a couple friends over and couldn't wait to show them and play a game.<br />
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This is a great family game geared towards ages 8+ and for 2-8 players. It would be great for a birthday party!<br />
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<br />Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02441176684416139172noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24014954.post-29931340226800948762019-08-19T22:03:00.000-04:002019-08-19T22:03:06.362-04:00Another School Year ... Another DecisionLast year when we made the <a href="https://mdbeau.blogspot.com/2018/08/the-high-school-decision.html">decision to homeschool Kayla</a> it was mostly with the intent of doing it for 9th grade. Our plan was to then re-apply to the Catholic high school we had thought she would attend in 9th grade and hope that she would get in this school year.<br /><br />The application process opened last Oct/Nov. It was just a couple months into the new school year and our new adventure of homeschooling, but I wanted Kayla's input. I asked her if for 10th grade she wanted to continue homeschooling or go to this other school. She immediately said "Keep homeschooling!"<br /><br />I really wasn't sure if she realized what I was asking, considering it was about 9 months away ... and did she really understand that I was talking about something so far in the future. Not go to the high school <i>now, </i>but <i>next school year</i>. Thinking that far ahead is kind of abstract for her. I kept emphasizing I was talking about 10th grade. She kept saying homeschool.<br /><br />This really did surprise me because she has always enjoyed going to school and being around her classmates. Kayla is usually not consistent with her answer either - if you keep asking her the same question she'll give you different answers. Over the next several months, some times several times a week (ok even several times in one day) I would ask her what she wanted to do. 90 percent of the time she said homeschool (and she's usually never consistent like that). The few times she said she would go to the high school it was with a sigh, like she was resigned to going, or that she thought that was the answer I wanted to hear since I kept asking the question. She never said it like she was excited about it.<br /><br />I tried having conversations with her about what she liked about homeschooling, or why she didn't want to go back to a school building. Conversations like that are hard for her, it's hard for her to articulate exactly what's going on in her head. She did tell me that "there are too many kids, it's too loud and I can't concentrate and get frustrated." She's never expressed that before. Ever. I wonder if once she was out of the school environment and it was just us at home doing school work if she realized the difference.<br /><br />
I continued with the application anyway; I didn't want to fully close that door in case the closer we got to the end of the school year she might change her mind.<br /><br />And she did get in. She was offered a spot for the incoming freshman class. She steadfastly maintained that she wanted to homeschool - even after being told her BFF would be going there.<br /><br />This decision ate at me for months. Just like it did last summer when we were trying to figure out what we were going to do. I went back and forth, pros and cons. Do we just go ahead and enroll her since she got in? She has always adjusted well to transitions and new changes and I'm sure that if we talked it up and were encouraging about it and once school started she would have jumped right in and probably enjoyed it.<br /><br />
But the truth is, I found that I was enjoying the homeschool thing, too. It was ... relaxing. No more stressing about homework (which was a big stressor through middle school and I knew it would only get more so in high school).<br /><br />So we are continuing on with our homeschool journey. I do second-guess myself, I always will. I always do about everything! I worry that she's 'missing out' - on what exactly that is I can't say, but just the whole experience. But she's involved in things in our community. The homeschool archery team, an acting class she took all last year (and will again this year), a new Fit Kids class and monthly art class she'll do this year.<br />
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She's happy about homeschooling, and that's important to me. So here we go again ... welcome to 10th grade!<br />
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I also offered to homeschool Lucas (as I did last year, too), but he wanted to continue going to his school. He said he would miss his friends there! It's a good fit for him and he's happy with his school choice as well. This school year brings new beginnings and more responsibilities for him as he is now in MIDDLE SCHOOL! I can't even believe it.<br />
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6th grade here he comes!<br />
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<br />Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02441176684416139172noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24014954.post-21326615347116035342019-08-12T22:33:00.000-04:002019-08-12T22:39:53.329-04:00PLAY Campaign at Fenway ParkOne of the reasons <a href="http://mdbeau.blogspot.com/2019/07/sweet-16-to-remember.html">we went to Boston</a> was for Kayla to participate in the 3rd Annual <a href="https://pbats.com/ruderman-family-foundation-joins-play-campaign/">PLAY Campaign</a> (Promoting a Lifetime of Activity for Youth). This campaign is from the Professional Baseball Athletic Trainers Society (<a href="https://pbats.com/">PBATS</a>), the <a href="http://taylorhooton.org/">Taylor Hooton Foundation</a>, <a href="http://www.hscaresfoundation.org/">Henry Schein Cares</a>, and the <a href="https://www.ndss.org/play/health-promotion-and-resources/play-program/">National Down Syndrome Society</a>.<br />
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This program takes place at several Major League Baseball parks across the nation and brings together kids of all abilities for an inclusive, on-field, educational and athletic clinic with the PBATS.<br />
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When I first heard about the program a couple years ago and realized the Red Sox were one of the participating teams, I was so tempted to jump on a plane and take Kayla! However, she was at camp so the dates just didn't work out. This year when I saw the email about the upcoming campaign I wasn't really expecting that we would go, but just for fun I checked the schedule to see when they would be at Fenway ... and it was July 15, Kayla's birthday. The Red Sox were also in town and would be playing a game that night. Everything was telling me to GO! Don't miss this opportunity!<br />
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It's no secret that I'm a huge Red Sox fan (and of course raising my kids as such!) and I've wanted to take them to a game (we did see the Sox play the Braves in Atlanta a few years ago, and we also went to a Greenville Drive game - minor league team of the Sox here in Greenville, SC). But, FENWAY! This would be not only going to a game at Fenway, but getting to experience Fenway up close and personal.<br />
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A road trip would also give us a chance to stop in CT and visit with my dad's side of the family (which, again, timing was perfect for this as the day we stopped by was the day after the 7th anniversary of my dad passing away. It was so good to be with his family).<br />
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So! PLAY Campaign! It was such a neat experience and I'm so glad we made this opportunity happen for both Kayla and Lucas (siblings were able to join in on some of the activities) ... and I lived vicariously through them :)<br />
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We made it! Fenway Park!</div>
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Another bonus was getting to hang out with a friend I met via blogging years ago; she signed her daughter up to participate too!</div>
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She's on the field at Fenway! And there's the Green Monster!</div>
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Doing some warm-ups</div>
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Only my girl ... cartwheels at Fenway!</div>
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Lucas catching a few fly balls</div>
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Taking some batting practice</div>
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Warming up in the bullpen </div>
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I might have been a liiiittttle bit excited to be on the field at, did I mention, Fenway Park!</div>
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With pitcher Brian Johnson who was there with pitcher Marcus Walden for Q&A session</div>
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What a fun experience for everyone, and a fun way for Kayla to spend her birthday!Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02441176684416139172noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24014954.post-66070712080326544892019-07-28T22:26:00.001-04:002019-07-28T22:26:27.673-04:00Sweet 16 To RememberKayla turned 16 on July 15th. Sweet 16! I know, right? How did this happen? It was a magical sweet 16 and one that I hope she'll always remember.<br />
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We took a road trip to Massachusetts with stops in Maryland and Connecticut. We had a visit with my dad's side of the family and a birthday celebration for Kayla and my cousin's daughter (who turned 18 two days after Kayla turned 16).<br />
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One of the main reasons we made this trip was for Kayla to participate in the National Down Syndrome Society's PLAY Campaign with MLB (more on that in another post). When I saw the date for the event at Fenway Park was on July 15 - Kayla's birthday - and that the Red Sox were in town and playing a game that night, I knew I wanted to make this happen. I've been wanting to take my kids to a game at Fenway Park and this provided a perfect opportunity!<br />
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A quick birthday celebration with a few gifts before heading into Boston for the PLAY Campaign in the morning and the game that evening.<br />
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Her favorite player is Mookie Betts. When we first told Kayla what we were doing for her birthday she was so excited and said she wanted to meet him; I told her I wasn't going to promise that would happen and knew it was unlikely, but that we were sitting in the right field section so she would at least get to see him play.<br />
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In between the PLAY Campaign and the game we explored a little bit of Boston. We took the water taxi across to the North Side and the USS Constitution. On the way back we got on the Green Line at Government Center and the train almost immediately started getting crowded. Joe and Kayla were holding on to a pole at one side by the door and Lucas and I were on the other side. At each stop more and more people kept squeezing on. Kayla was getting anxious and there was a lady who seemed to notice and started talking to her, trying to distract her. She noticed Kayla's Sweet 16 headband and was asking if it was her birthday and then she got everyone on the train to sing Happy Birthday to Kayla. It was pretty cool to have a car full on the MBTA sing to her! This was my view - nothing but armpits, ha!<br />
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At the top of every inning Kayla would go down to the wall and wave and try to get Mookie's attention as he was warming up with someone from the bullpen. People in the crowd took notice of her and started cheering and calling his name, trying to help her get his attention. One guy who had a ground foul ball thrown to him from the Toronto right-fielder gave Kayla the ball. <br />
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We had seats about 5 rows from the front of this wall, but the people sitting here left early and told Kayla and Lucas they could have their seats. One of the guys managed to finagle a ball from the bullpen (at least we think that's what happened because no foul or fair balls were hit in our section) and he gave it to Kayla on his way out. So now she snagged TWO baseballs! But it didn't stop there.<br />
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The usher for our section let me know that at the top of the 9th inning after Mookie finishes his warm up, he comes over to find someone to give the ball to ... so he was saying make sure Kayla would be up waving her arms.<br />
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AND IT HAPPENED!! Mookie Betts, her favorite player (and one of mine if I'm being honest!) and all she wanted to do was meet him AND SHE DID! He came over and gave her the ball, shook her hand, and said "Nice to meet you."<br />
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It made her night. It made all of ours night. The crowd around us were cheering and clapping and yelling, they were so happy for Kayla.<br />
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Here is the video from Joe's phone and from a lady who was behind us in the stands.<br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gxYNKyKQnFM" width="560"></iframe>
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We all signed Pesky's Pole after the game. Kayla wrote Mookie's name, and her own.<br />
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Lucas wrote "Lucas wants red socks" haha!<br />
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He also ended up with a baseball given to him by the usher, and it was scuffed up, so it was used in the game at some point!</div>
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Then Kayla signed the bottom part of the pole with "Mookie to (the) best player. I said hi. Kayla" </div>
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What a magical birthday! Going to her first Red Sox game at Fenway Park, seeing a grand slam by Michael Chavis, the Red Sox won 10-8, 4 baseballs between Kayla and Lucas, and shaking Mookie Betts' hand!Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02441176684416139172noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24014954.post-58984811694039984052019-04-29T21:23:00.000-04:002019-04-29T21:23:45.322-04:00The Insane Inflatable 5KThis weekend Kayla and I joined Lucas and Joe in participating in a 5K run ... ok it was mostly a walk! We (Kayla and I) are not runners, haha!<br />
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This was my kind of 5K though since running wasn't the main part of it; having fun was. The vast majority of people seemed to be walking this 5K. Along the route were several large inflatables and that is where the fun came in: <a href="https://insaneinflatable5k.com/">The Insane Inflatable 5K</a><br />
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One of Lucas' teachers was there and caught the start of the 5K - no one realized Kayla was going to get up the inflatable as fast as she did - she was in beast mode!<br />
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Even when we were walking Kayla lagged behind as her pace is not as fast; Lucas was encouraging her to walk faster with little spurts of runs.<br />
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We had fun and I'm sure we'll be doing this again next year!</div>
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Speaking of running ... Lucas ran in his third <a href="https://bridgerun.com/">Cooper River Bridge Run 10K</a> earlier this month. His goal was to beat his time from last year and finish under 48 minutes and he did it! He finished in 47:05! He also represented <a href="https://www.lumindrds.org/">LuMind IDSC</a> raising money for Down syndrome research. Donations are <a href="https://www.crowdrise.com/o/en/campaign/cooper-river-bridge-10k-down-syndrome-research">still accepted!</a></div>
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Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02441176684416139172noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24014954.post-17100933083780742552018-08-17T21:26:00.001-04:002019-08-19T22:03:34.659-04:00The High School DecisionKayla has graduated from 8th grade and is now a high schooler! How did that happen?!<br />
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She was so proud to get her diploma ... mile wide smile!</div>
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Mr T taught her for 6th grade social studies and Lit, 7th grade SS, and in 8th grade was the principal. Wonderful, encouraging educator to all his students!</div>
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Our intent was for Kayla to go to the Catholic high school that all the local Catholic elementary/middle schools 'feed' into. They have a great inclusion program that would continue the same type of educational setting she had at the middle school. They also have an archery club so we were excited she would be able to continue with that.<br />
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Unfortunately things just didn't work out for that to happen; the stars didn't align and all that. They only accept 4 students each year into this program and Kayla was on a waiting list.<br />
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Once we realized she most likely wouldn't be going to that high school the hunt was on for where she would go to school. It was like the million dollar question. A question I didn't have an answer for because the choices were ... almost nil.<br />
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The first, obvious, choice would be going back to the public school district. That was choice #73 ... let's just say it was way, way, down on our list. We knew what kind of placement the school district would recommend; it would be the same fiasco we had transitioning to middle school. It would have been 3 steps back from what she just had for 3 years. It would have been more restrictive. We also know how this whole game works. We know the school she is zoned for, but we know there would have been a meeting to determine if that school had the services/placement to educate her (and we know that school doesn't have an archery team). There is only 1 school in the district that has an archery team that we thought might be a possibility, but again, we know the placement there would have been restrictive.<br />
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Another issue is I was told that if I registered her for the local school district she would have to have full testing, to include IQ, again. She has had her IQ tested 3 times and the results haven't varied much, and they aren't going to change now. Her IQ is what it is, and I take that with a grain of salt (or try to anyway). I didn't want to put her through that battery of testing again, and honestly, I didn't want to sit through another meeting hearing what her IQ is. They don't make typical students take an IQ test for placement in the general education classroom, why do students with disabilities constantly have to be subjected to this test and reduced to this number?<br />
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So, no, public school was not something we wanted to entertain any real thought about.<br />
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We considered having her repeat 8th grade; although not at the school she was just at. We thought it would be a little strange for her since she just graduated from there and went through the whole ceremony and everything. I did some research on the other Catholic schools (at least 4!) and found one that was a possible fit, and they have an archery team. (I know archery isn't the make or break for school, but it is something I felt was important for her to continue with - and she wants to). I thought it might help her "priority" when applying for the Catholic high school next year (coming from a Catholic school). However, I talked with the admissions person at the high school and she told me it is in Kayla's records that she did graduate from one of their partner Catholic schools and that would 'count' even if she was at a non-Catholic school for 9th grade.<br />
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Since it wouldn't really benefit her to repeat 8th grade and go to a new school for only one year, we decided not to repeat 8th grade. We also found out that more than likely, no matter where she was for 9th grade, if she gets into the Catholic school next year she would have to repeat 9th grade. I'm not thrilled with that aspect, because she's already repeated Kindergarten, so to repeat 9th grade she would then be 2 years older than her peers. We will cross that bridge when we get to it.<br />
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SC has scholarships for students with disabilities to attend approved schools that have classes/programs so I looked at the approved list for all the high schools in the towns all around us. I called several of them to inquire about their 'programs' since they accept this scholarship. What I found was that "students with disabilities" meant students with learning disabilities like ADHD, dyslexia, dysgraphia etc ... <i>not </i>students with intellectual disabilities. So these other schools pretty much said they did not have the resources to educate students like my daughter. Needless to say, that was a disappointment.<br />
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So where did this leave us after all of that research and scramble to figure out what to do for Kayla?<br />
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Homeschool.<br />
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That was really the only option I could see that would work. I asked Kayla several times, as I wanted her to have input on this decision, whether she wanted to go to a new/different Catholic school and repeat 8th grade, or try homeschool. I also explained, over and over, what homeschool would mean and look like. She consistently chose homeschool. I was actually surprised as in the past she has always said no to homeschool. She loves going to school and having the routine of school.<br />
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So yeah, I feel like a fish out of water as we embark on this new adventure! I know there are <i>so many</i> resources out there for homeschooling, and that is the problem! It's overwhelming! I did the most important thing though - I registered with a homeschool accountability group so I could make sure I was legal! Haha!<br />
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I know there are resources where I can order a whole curriculum, but I'm not sure how well that would work. It would work for me because it would have everything we should be doing and the lesson plans and all of that - but I would want a high school curriculum to keep her exposed to what she would be doing if she had gone to the Catholic high school (or public school). However she needs a bit of modification so I'm not sure it would be worth it to get a whole curriculum if I'm going to have to modify the lesson plans and coursework anyway.<br />
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Right now we are just taking it day by day, (and Khan Academy is my friend!) and see what we can do and work on. I will be getting involved in local groups and hopefully have her take some classes etc so she's still getting the social aspect I know she likes from school.<br />
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On the plus side there is a homeschool archery team - so yay! - she will be able to continue with archery.<br />
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So please pray for us as we start this new journey that will be a big adjustment for both of us!<br />
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<br />Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02441176684416139172noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24014954.post-81152343436151122112018-07-15T13:45:00.000-04:002018-07-16T16:53:05.896-04:00The Golden Birthday My little girl is 15.<br />
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Fifteen years old on the 15th. The Golden Birthday.<br />
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When I think of fifteen years it sounds like such a long time ago; yet it has passed by in the blink of an eye.<br />
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My mom will appreciate this picture and memento from fifteen years ago. She (and my sister) were in GA visiting her sister when Joe called with the news that we were heading to the hospital. They hurriedly packed their bags and got to the airport with fingers crossed they could get on a flight to NM with stand-by tickets. While in the air my aunt received this note from the co-pilot and nonchalantly walked it back to my mom. She didn't say anything to my mom except, "Read this."<br />
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And then somewhere in the skies between GA and NM my mom found out that she became a grandma. (I'm sure the timing was a bit of a surprise since it had been less than 2 hrs since Joe called to say we were going to the hospital!)<br />
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The print is fading, but I think if you click on it you should be able to read it. One thing that has always stood out to me is statement "All is well."<br />
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I certainly did not feel that "all is well" at that time; but I can now certainly say that "all is well" indeed. </div>
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Our local water park hosts a few special needs swim nights over the summer. It is after-hours and only for families with disabilities. One of their dates usually falls around the time of Kayla's birthday and for the past couple of years we've tried to incorporate this into her birthday party - but the weather has canceled (darn summer thunderstorms!) it each time. Thankfully, this year, on her golden birthday, it was golden. She finally had her "water park birthday party."<br />
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This year before blowing out her candles, Kayla put her hands together (as if in prayer) and said, "I wish my grandfather is in heaven." I don't recall her ever making a wish (we've never really done the 'make a wish before you blow out your candles" thing before) before, much less saying it out loud. The nature of her wish caught me off guard as well (and July 12th was 6 years since my dad passed away). I think my dad's way of saying he's still around is through Kayla.<br />
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She finished a great birthday weekend at the <a href="https://www.milb.com/charleston">Charleston RiverDogs</a> baseball game (please ignore the fact that they are a NY Yankee affiliate - I have to every time we attend a game!) where the theme of "15" continued with her seat number! This was completely unplanned as we didn't have our seats until we got to the ticket booth and didn't look at our tickets until walking to our section.<br />
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This picture cracks me up. She doesn't usually get her head in the right position on these cutout boards, and she often has her hands up by her head so her fingers are sticking out ... but this ... actually looks hysterically realistic!<br />
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I'd say she had a pretty great 15th birthday!</div>
Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02441176684416139172noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24014954.post-69355224095400758852018-06-12T21:19:00.000-04:002018-06-12T21:19:22.614-04:00Snow Much FunYes it is summer here in SC - this post is 5 months late! I thought I posted about the snow we got that extended the kids' winter break, but it was sitting in my drafts all this time.<br /><br />So, yeah, snow. It's a rare event here in the Lowcountry, so we had to take advantage and have all the fun we could while it lasted. The day before the snow hit the forecast for our area was less than an inch so I figured all we might see were some flurries.<br />
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Turns out those flurries accumulated to 6-8 inches in some areas! So we got out for snowball fighting, snow angels making, snow tasting, attempted sledding, snowman building, and walking around our block.<br />
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The only 'sled' we had - a boogie board!</div>
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How thick the ice was on our driveway</div>
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My Lowcountry snowman's nose, mouth, and buttons were made with seashells. The eyes were actually made with some kind of coal Lucas had from some school project!</div>
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Pure joy on his face at finally getting to experience snow (he doesn't really remember the snow when we lived in Maryland since he was only 1 and 2 years old.</div>
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The pond froze over</div>
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The entrance to the drainage pipe was the only place that wasn't frozen</div>
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Smashing snowballs on the frozen pond</div>
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Almost 5.5 inches in our driveway</div>
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Taking a walk around our neighborhood to see everything covered in white - it'll probably be another 10 years before this happens again!</div>
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<br />Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02441176684416139172noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24014954.post-8036682563913447142018-03-19T12:46:00.002-04:002018-03-19T12:46:51.058-04:00Lucas' Second 10KLucas is running in the Cooper River Bridge 10K for the second time. He wants to beat his time from last year and finish in under 50 minutes.<br />
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He also wants to continue raising money for <a href="http://www.lumindrds.org/">LuMind RDS</a> and support Down syndrome research.<br />
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Last year he raised almost $700 so this year his goal is to hit $800.<br />
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All donations will be matched 3:1 (!!!) through March 21 - World Down Syndrome Day. A $25 donation will turn in to $100 donation.<br />
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Will you please consider <a href="https://www.crowdrise.com/cooper-river-bridge-run-10k/fundraiser/michellehelferich">supporting Lucas with a donation?</a> He will be so appreciative!<br />
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Thank you!<br />
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<a href="https://www.crowdrise.com/fundraise-and-volunteer/donate-desktop/project/cooper-river-bridge-run-10k/michellehelferich" id="crowdriseStaticLink-fundraiser-825051" title="Fundraising Websites on Crowdrise">Cooper River Bridge Run 10K on Crowdrise</a><script src="https://cdn.crowdrise.com/widgets/donate/fundraiser/825051/?utm_source=YOURSITE.COM&utm_campaign=widget" type="text/javascript"></script>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02441176684416139172noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24014954.post-81658930373766618832018-03-01T13:07:00.000-05:002018-03-01T13:08:55.681-05:00Her Face = PricelessLast Friday, yes on Lucas' birthday, Kayla had a regional archery tournament in Columbia, SC.<br />
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Kayla's highest score was the 151 she got in Worlds last summer in Orlando. So far this season she hasn't been close to that score. Her best has been a 103.<br />
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I don't know what it was for this tournament, but she was on fire! She shot her best score yet - blowing away her 151. She came away from Regionals with a 165! She did so great with her shots; it was exciting to watch her.<br />
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After one particular round she was especially pleased with herself. She was excited to end that round with a 9 (she might have thought it was a 10; sometimes it's hard to tell until they go to the target to score their round) but we're all really excited for her when she gets that arrow in yellow!<br />
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Anyway, she was pumped coming back from the line and threw in a fist pump to herself. I'm so glad I caught this picture of her. Pure joy. Pure excitement. Elation. Self-confidence. Pride.<br />
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That's her coach behind her - just as happy for her as she was ... her excitement can get contagious!<br />
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Look at her face!</div>
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This was her "yes!" before the above picture, but of course someone waked right in front of me as I was taking the picture!</div>
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Her coach is the best! He's so great with all the kids. </div>
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<br />Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02441176684416139172noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24014954.post-1944756565560068382018-02-23T08:00:00.000-05:002018-02-23T08:00:18.870-05:00Double Digit Birthday Ten. Lucas is ten. How is it even possible that a decade has passed <a href="http://mdbeau.blogspot.com/2008/02/ok-you-can-all-breathe-now-waiting-is.html">since I gave birth</a> to this sweet boy of mine?<br />
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But it's true. I blinked and he's ten years old today.<br />
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<span style="text-align: start;">Our annual birthday pancake tradition at IHOP</span></div>
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He still enjoys all the same things he has for the past several years: reading, Harry Potter, Minecraft, soccer, and chess.<br />
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<span style="text-align: start;">(First place in a tournament a couple of weeks ago!) </span></div>
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He's still my little boy with a heart of gold. He's still caring, empathetic, self-less, friendly, social, and sometimes still wise beyond his years. We still contribute to the "<a href="http://mdbeau.blogspot.com/2016/01/spreading-kindnesskid-style.html">donation jar</a>" that he started a couple years ago. Regularly donating what's been collected and starting over.</div>
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A couple months ago he ran in a 5K to begin his training for the Cooper River Bridge again. <a href="http://mdbeau.blogspot.com/2017/04/he-got-over-it.html">He ran this race last year</a> (finished 3rd in his age group) and has a goal to beat his time and finish in under 50 min.<br />
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He's also, again, running for a purpose. He's raising money for <a href="http://www.lumindrds.org/">LuMind RDS</a> Foundation, as he did last year. If you'd like to <a href="https://www.crowdrise.com/cooper-river-bridge-run-10k/fundraiser/michellehelferich">make a donation and help him reach his goal</a> I know he will be so thankful.<br />
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I can't wait to see where he'll go and what he'll accomplish in the future; but I'm also in no hurry for him to grow up. Time, slow down a little.<br />
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Happy 10th birthday Lucas!<br />
"I love you more!"Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02441176684416139172noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24014954.post-56284352711707283332018-02-21T15:20:00.000-05:002018-02-21T15:20:21.143-05:00Christmas in Helen, GAWe spent Christmas (I know, it was 2 months ago already) in Helen, Ga. It's a quaint little Bavarian-themed town in the mountains. We were hoping for snow, but that didn't happen (at least not until later).<br />
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We had a fun week away exploring a new-to-us area.<br />
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Night-time mini golf with Christmas lights/decorations all around</div>
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We did some geocaching in the surrounding area</div>
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Had to visit Babyland, home of the Cabbage Patch Kids!</div>
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And Kayla used some Christmas money to adopt her very own Cabbage Patch Kid. </div>
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Sharing a Bavarian pretzel</div>
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A nice hike to the twin Anna Ruby Falls</div>
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Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02441176684416139172noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24014954.post-21833084507866460052017-12-14T14:48:00.000-05:002017-12-14T21:18:26.308-05:00Love You ForeverDuring my grandmother's funeral Mass one of my uncles read the children's book "<a href="http://amzn.to/2ktes40">Love You Forever</a>" by <a href="https://robertmunsch.com/book/love-you-forever#">Robert Munsch</a>.<br />
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I don't think there was a dry eye in church as he read through the familiar images of a mother rocking her baby and singing<br />
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<i>"I'll love you forever, </i><br />
<i>I'll like you for always, </i><br />
<i>as long as I'm living, </i><br />
<i>my baby you'll be"</i><br />
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through her child's life. And of course as the story goes the one night she doesn't go to her son's house he goes to her house and returns the sentiment to her ... and then starts the tradition anew with his own newborn child.<br />
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After the service we gathered for a luncheon and that's where my own version of rocking my baby played out.<br />
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Lucas wasn't feeling well - lingering headache from a possible migraine the day before or sinus issues from flying and/or allergies from pollen in a different state affecting him - and I could see the energy drain out of him.<br />
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He tried to curl up on that cold, hard, metal chair and let his eyes and his head rest, but I knew he couldn't be comfortable like that.<br />
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I've told him before that he's too big to fit in my lap anymore even as he insists he isn't. I tell him there isn't any room for those legs and arms to go when I hold him.<br />
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But I also know that the time will come, too soon, when he won't want to sit in my lap, or be held in my arms, and so I relish those moments when they happen.<br />
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So I took him in my lap, even though he's all arms and legs now, and let his legs dangle off the sides of mine, and I tried to make him as comfortable as I could while he slept it off.<br />
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As I held him I thought of the book my uncle read. I looked down at this face, growing up when I'm not looking, and thought of the verse that parents everywhere have repeated to their kids, thanks to Robert Munsch, and how true the words are:<br />
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<i>"I'll love you forever,</i><br />
<i>I'll like you for always,</i><br />
<i>as long as I'm living,</i><br />
<i>my baby you'll be"</i><br />
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<br />Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02441176684416139172noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24014954.post-51616865982539936632017-11-29T13:50:00.000-05:002017-11-29T13:50:20.535-05:00Honor Roll!Kayla made the Honor Roll!<br />
<br />Academics do not come easily for her, at all, so this was definitely hard-earned. I was not able to be at the ceremony but I heard she was just beaming and so proud when her name was called.<br /><br />
Requirement is 86 and above and she had a couple 85/84 last year so she was soooo close! So proud of her during this first quarter marking period!<br /><br />
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Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02441176684416139172noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24014954.post-7001019576994840382017-11-09T14:56:00.001-05:002017-11-09T15:02:24.067-05:00Chess Accomplishments As I mentioned in <a href="http://mdbeau.blogspot.com/2017/09/the-game-of-chess.html">this post</a>, Lucas is really enjoying the game of chess and becoming quite a decent player (if I do say so myself!).<br />
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A few weeks ago the library chess club had a small tournament among their members and he came in third.<br />
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A few weeks after that he participated in the Charleston Fall 2017 Chess Scholastic tournament that was an official <a href="https://new.uschess.org/home/">US Chess</a> event. There were 21 players in his ratings bracket.<br />
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This kid took 2nd place! So proud of him!<br />
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There is another tournament this weekend that I wish he could participate in, but he has a soccer game (and he missed a game the weekend he participated in the chess tournament); the joys - or conflicts - of having interests that overlap!<br />
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<br />Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02441176684416139172noreply@blogger.com2