Pumpkin carving

Pumpkin carving fun.  Thank goodness their desired design is within my limited capabilities.

had higher aspirations for her pumpkin than I could offer

So proud

Isnt there supposed to be candy in here?

This is great!

Ok I'm looking, take the shot all ready and leave me alone!

Teen triumph....sort of

Family Foundations

Sometimes you have to revel in the cute as it is the only thing that holds you together when the doodoo hits the fan as it inevitably does in adolescence.  Sometimes when we are in the thick of things with the physical labor of caring for a family (of any size) it can be easy to miss out on what is important.  Not that I'm saying groping a poster of a set of tatas is important but it was the laughing together.  The being in the moment.   There is a lot of tough times in parenting and I would say that it is in the home stretch that will make or break you.  There has to be a foundation from which to draw on that allows you to plow forward and essentially not kill each other.  Laughter for sure along with an abundance of love and empathy are some of the foundation I have built my family on.  Well that and the big stick I swing on a regular basis.....

She's not really sleeping but actually refusing to leave the store

read...discuss amongst yourselves....

I have a lot to say but not the time to put it down nor the clarity at this time to have anything I write make sense however I leave you with this.
If only those who continually degrade whether intentionally or not especially those with "power" could have the intellectual and emotional capacity to see the error of their ways.  Hard however when generally these folks have their heads up their own asses...

← Budding Young Athlete Growth in Special Olympics Nippon

An Open Letter to Ann Coulter

Posted on October 23, 2012 by Tim Shriver

John Franklin Stephens

The following is a guest post in the form of an open letter from Special Olympics athlete and global messenger John Franklin Stephens to Ann Coulter after this tweet during last night’s Presidential debate.

Dear Ann Coulter,

Come on Ms. Coulter, you aren’t dumb and you aren’t shallow.  So why are you continually using a word like the R-word as an insult?

I’m a 30 year old man with Down syndrome who has struggled with the public’s perception that an intellectual disability means that I am dumb and shallow.  I am not either of those things, but I do process information more slowly than the rest of you.  In fact it has taken me all day to figure out how to respond to your use of the R-word last night.

I thought first of asking whether you meant to describe the President as someone who was bullied as a child by people like you, but rose above it to find a way to succeed in life as many of my fellow Special Olympians have.

Then I wondered if you meant to describe him as someone who has to struggle to be thoughtful about everything he says, as everyone else races from one snarkey sound bite to the next.

Finally, I wondered if you meant to degrade him as someone who is likely to receive bad health care, live in low grade housing with very little income and still manages to see life as a wonderful gift.

Because, Ms. Coulter, that is who we are – and much, much more.

After I saw your tweet, I realized you just wanted to belittle the President by linking him to people like me.  You assumed that people would understand and accept that being linked to someone like me is an insult and you assumed you could get away with it and still appear on TV.

I have to wonder if you considered other hateful words but recoiled from the backlash.

Well, Ms. Coulter, you, and society, need to learn that being compared to people like me should be considered a badge of honor.

No one overcomes more than we do and still loves life so much.

Come join us someday at Special Olympics.  See if you can walk away with your heart unchanged.

A friend you haven’t made yet,
John Franklin Stephens
Global Messenger
Special Olympics Virginia

hmmm....

Something seems a little wrong with this picture....

It is my new thought that the term teenage depression could very appropriately used to describe the parental experience during these years.

It's not all wine and roses in the Hood...the MuthaHood that is. Speaking of wine

There has been a lot of crap going down here in the hood over the last week none of which can be blogged about.  I will say however that there is a lot that is not fun, desirable, tolerable or bearable in the hood....the MuthaHood that is.

It was definitely by design that babies are born cute, darling, sweet and adorable who love you unconditionally as you do them.  They are fun to be around and even when they lose their s#$% as they say it for the most part is manageable and often times resolved by hugging it out....and you still want to hug it out even though they may have just terrorized an entire WalMart store with their screaming.

There comes an age where even though you might think your kids are still cute and you can on occasion  catch glimpses of the preschoolers they once were, being in the same room with them let alone getting close enough to hug it out almost seems repugnant.  They can hurl insults like an adult, finding every button you have and soft spots too all the while tantruming like a five year old.  Let me tell you it doesnt quite hold the charm that it once did.  Bodies and vocabularies of adults, maturity level typical to the teens they are make it far more difficult to find the resources within yourself to stay the course, not take things personally and most of all not stoop to their level.

I am frustrated and war weary. My feelings are hurt.  I have been fighting the war on a chronic condition that is multi system that hardly anyone knows about and on top of that some added bonuses as side effects of living with a chronic debilitating condition.

Babies, toddlers, preschoolers, grade school kids....love them hard while you gottem.  Make loads of memories and really dont sweat the small stuff.  You're going to need to recall the good times once the teen years come to play.  A lot of the early years though trying are mainly a lot of physical labour but with so much pay off.  The joys outweigh the trials.  The rubber meets the road with the teenage years.  Grow a thick skin and learn how to not engage in warfare with a terrorist.  You might think you hold all the power but really....do you?

This is rambling...maybe its the ativan talking I dont know.  Take heed anyway.

Ballerina Dreams

Practicing for her first adapted dance class. She was so excited.  The best news...no dance teachers or volunteers were harmed during the class.  Epic.

Poor quality of my videotaping however....

The quality is poor but the subject pure beauty

Can never have too much Ailish (well at least I can't!)

Can never get too much of this girl!  I would love to do more videos with the hundreds upon hundreds of pictures of Ailish.  Maybe there will be a time in my life that organizational skills will develop.  Not holding my breath however but a girl can dream!

Just a reminder

Just a reminder....she was here.  She was outstanding.  She was loved beyond measure.  She lived a life worth living.  SHE was worth living for.  She is missed by everyone in her family.  

 She had a smile so bright you could read by it.  She had the voice of an angel.  She laughed with abandon and though it might not have happened daily when it did there wasnt one person that wouldn't come to be a part of whatever was so funny and to share the joy.

 She was a treasure.  She left an indelible mark on all our hearts.  She gave a glimpse into the purity of Heaven.

SHE was and will always be our AILISH

What it is and what it isn't

What maintains her place in the family.  It sure isn't her sock and underwear eating, garbage pillaging, window blind breaking, crazed barking ways that does it.  Just sayin...

I promise

I think I can say with the utmost certainty and sincerity that should we be so fortunate as to be placed with a new baby that this will not happen.  Should it be a burning question in a potential birth mothers mind as a deciding factor in placing with us I have stated to all of the universe that this is my solemn vow.

Baby waiting song

I just discovered this song.  I am not a Twilight fan so it is new to me.  It is completely and totally my baby waiting song!  Love it love it.  Enjoy!

Could be our lucky day!

October 2 seems to be one of those days where a bunch of stuff is happening.  You the know the kind...all appointments that needed to be scheduled with everyone wanting this one day.  That is what has happened for today October 2.  We are entered into two draws, one for a smart brailler and one for an iPad 3.  Completely different unrelated draws.  Because I think a little on the magical side I thought we would win at least one of these.  There was another "sign" regarding the brailler but I can't really say what that was.  

The luck abounds here today so far...I got up on time after nearly falling back to sleep after turning off the alarm, everyone was cleaned, dressed and coifed on time for their buses and best of all....only one out of seven diapers was poopy!  That my friends is HUGE!  

I'm thinking if my luck continues today then not only will we win one or both prizes but I could get a call about a baby needing us to be their family!  Shut Up!  It could totally happen!

With her it's always something...

"You're squishing me with your BOOBS!  You have big BOOBS dontcha Mom?!  Thoses are such big BOOBS hey Mommy?!"

Silence from me, the school taxi driver and other child in the car.

Isn't it nice for me that with her vision impairment things seem to appear larger than they really are.  It would be unfortunate however should she decide to make comment on my butt....