Austin Wins Hearts at School Track Meet

At Magrath Elementary School, yesterday was track meet day for all Gr. 4-6 students. There are 8 events that all the children have to participate in, and the longer running events, 400, 800, and 1500 m are optional. I have long dreaded this day for Austin, because, of course, he is at a significant disadvantage and I was worried that if he participated the experience would be devastating for his self-esteem. The teacher gave us an option that he could sit out and help with announcing or some other job, but Austin decided to participate.

Austin handled the day surprisingly well, and the gr. 4 boys he went with from station to station were supportive and encouraging. The remarkable moment of the day was the 400 m. This race was supposed to be optional, but the person at the starting line told Austin he had to run. So he did. When the race was over for the other kids, Austin wasn't quite half way around. Once the crowd realized Austin was running, nearly everyone at the track meet, regardless of what events they were participating in, started cheering for him and chanting Go, Austin, Go, and so on. Then, as Austin came to the last 50 m of the race, about 20 other kids poured out onto the track and ran it with him, all the while cheering for him.

What an incredible manifestation of the supportive atmosphere at that school and what a tribute to Austin who, though he doesn't win many races, has learned how to win hearts.

The 'Van' of my dreams!

Those of you who know us know that we have long aspired to own a van converted for wheelchair use. For several years, we have taken Mark out of his wheelchair, buckled him in a carseat then stowed his wheelchair in the back of the van. Now, thanks to an additional settlement from our car accident, we were able to get a new 2008 Honda Odyssey EX-L with a VMI Northstar wheelchair conversion.It was delivered today and we are just pumped.
It has lots of toys with it...6 CD changer, heated leather seats, backup camera, built in garage door opener, steering wheel controls, power everything, etc.

Normally, the middle row of seats is taken out in these converted vans, but in this case, they put a bucket seat back in on the middle row that will go beside the wheelchair.

We had a DVD player installed. It has cordless headphones. Mark can watch a movie in the back while I listen to something totally different on the stereo.

The exterior. It's raining today, so I took pictures in the garage. In fact, within a few hours of getting the van it hailed and I had to hustle to get it in the garage.

Check out the power sliding door/ramp and kneeling hydraulic. Sorry, I didn't get a very good angle.

They're Done! for Now Anyway

Finally my May PAT's are done!!! On Wednesday I had to sit in my desk for three hours and write I did very well considering writing is my weakest subject my teacher was amazed and maybe I will post my story. Today I had to write write a timed math test where you have 30 min. to do 30 questions that ranged from multiply decimals to rounding to dividing and everything in between my teacher marked it and I only made one MISTAKE! 

Moving

Pacing around the room I thought I couldn't believe it my parents yet again were ruining my life, I wanted to scream, I wanted to rip my hair out. I thought I would rather die than move.

 

            Charlotte and I hugged for a real long time before letting go this was the last day of school, I was leaving her and all my other friends behind. The bell was as a death bell it's ringing pierced my ears like a knife piercing a deer in the prime of it's life, killing the animal. Tomorrow, I would be moving.

 

             As the movers hauled all of my belongings to the truck my body became stiff my eyes seemed to turn dark I felt like my body had just died. My face was grim as though I had never seen light. I made faces at my parents as I hooped in the truck. I took one last good look at my house, my neighbor hood, and my tree as the truck rolled away. 

 

             The car ride felt like an eternity, it felt like we kept passing the same grass and cows over and over and over again. My brothers and parents felt jolly and happy as we drove but I did not, I kept picturing my friends my house and my old school, the boy I had a crush on. They were memories now I kept feeling like I would never see them again.

 

             Night grew heavy and before I could comprehend I was asleep.

            I felt a sharp pinching on my arm I arose with a start.

 

            "Were here!" my brother Austin excitedly whispered. On that note I shoot up like a bull in a rodeo.

 

            I looked around I saw my big new house, my room was blue with a big window, I saw some kids playing down the street then I smiled as I thought this might no be so bad after all.

 

 there is the story I wrote I made some parts up but it is also kind of true. 

This is just a random poem I wrote-

There once was a fellow named Jack

Who was scared he had lost his pack

He looked all a round

You know what he found

It was sitting right there on the rack 

 

 

Happy Mother's Day

This Mother's Day morning, I would like to thank my mom for bringing me into the world and loving and raising me. Like Abraham Lincoln "All that I am or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother." I love you mom!
I would also like to thank my husband and children for their loving thoughtfulness. I woke up to breakfast in bed today and gifts and cuddles. Rob even brought Marky down to cuddle up his mom in my bed. I feel like the luckiest mom in the world to have such a loving family.
Last night I went with Alyssa and Granny (i.e. Rob's mom, Sheron) to see Mothering Heights, a dinner theatre production put on by the cultural arts society in Magrath. It was a very nice evening and the play explored various aspects of motherhood from postpartum blues, to adoption to empty nesting, to helping with a paper route, to a teenager taking grandma to bingo, etc. It was funny and touching. It was nice to spend the evening with Sheron and Alyssa.
It is such an honor to be a mother and be part of the Lord's work in bringing children to Earth and nurturing them. It is a noble responsibility and I want to send out my thoughts of admiration to all of you who are in difficult stages of motherhood.