Jena's summer

This has been a crazy summer for me with two difficult classes and my internship continuing through the summer as well.  I was worried that Jena wouldn't have enough to do to keep herself busy and happy.  She had her mission last summer but this year, there really wasn't anything to fill that spot.

But never fear---this summer is going great for Jena.  She and Gary bought Lagoon season passes and have used them especially on evenings when I had lots of studying to do.  That has been great and fun, but she has bigger news than that this month (July) -----

First, THE BIG NEWS-  Since Jena was released from her mission and people asked her what she was doing to do next, she would answer, "Go to college."  That has always been her plan since she was a little girl.  We figured that we would audit classes on a campus and take her with us or something like that.  Then "Think College" programs started popping up around the country for individuals with delays and Utah State started one called "Aggies Elevated" and then I thought maybe something like that will work out.  I have learned that Jena knows her life plan better than me, because in July, she found out that she was going to be part of a pilot program called Wonderwood College Bridge program and she is going to take two classes at BYU--how exciting is that!  She is thrilled.  She will be a part of a five person group in this pilot which is part of Special Education graduate project.  She will take two classes on Tuesday and Thursday mornings as an audit student. She will be accompanied by a BYU student who is called the shadow. In between classes they will attend the devotionals and forums, hang out on campus, attend art shows, or whatever. Then in the afternoon they will go off classes and have reading, math, speech and computer classes from 1-4:30 with Wonderwood.  It is expensive but even if it is just for a semester or a year, she will have the experience that she wanted and I think knew all along was coming her way.

We have known that the classes at BYU was in the works for a few months, although we didn't tell Jena until July when it was confirmed.  The other exciting news for her is that an opportunity has come up which will allow her to stay down in an apartment with two other young women with Down syndrome and 3 BYU students from Tuesday through Thursday night.  One of the girls is her good friend, Emily and they will likely be sharing a room.  I don't know if we are ready for us, but it looks like it is happening (final paperwork not yet signed but looks good).  Jena can't wait to buy things for her apartment in Provo.

So to get her ready, we stopped by BYU after visiting Ben in the middle of July and walked around.  I am sure she didn't care about our memories as we walked around a very changed campus and talked but it was fun for Gary and I.

She did like our stop at the Science Museum where I had to remind them I took chemistry there as a freshman and had to walk on crutches from my dorm to this building for a test shortly after I sprained my ankle during a "dating" activity----A lot has changed inside but they still have the pendulum which shows the rotation of the earth.

And they still have dinosaur bones.......

But there are more interactive displays than when we attended school.  There were several families there with young kids, checking out the different things.

As we walked around campus, I was telling Jena what the different buildings were.  As we passed the Harris Fine Arts building, I told her that is where they had art and theatre classes.  Immediately she said, "I am taking classes there."  I hope so, my sweet one,  that would be amazing.

We parked in the law library where I parked most of my masters program in the early 80's as it was in between my classes in the Education building on the west part of upper campus and the Clinical building at the very far east of campus.

This is the view of the Clinical building nestled in the trees on the left corner of the picture.  It is still the far east part of campus although so many more buildings have been built within the campus itself and roads are changed and even my dorm is no longer there.  That's progress for you.

Then a few days later, we had the opportunity to attend Hadley Burton's bridal shower,  She is one of Jena's good friends from our neighborhood.  How lucky Jena was to have her as a friend during high school.

On Tuesday, July 18th, Scarlett turned three and we stopped by after school to celebrate with her. Jena had picked out a bat and ball for her gift.  I tried to talk her out of it because I really didn't think Scarlett would like it....wrong, she LOVED it and right away wanted to swing her bat and hit the ball. Not really an indoor activity, but it was fun to watch her try to figure it all out.

a little fuzzy but isn't she cute!!

And Jena's fun kept on coming in July as she attended Horse Camp at Camp K in Emigration Canyon which is to the east of Salt Lake City.  She had a great time.  They got to ride horses every day and they also learned all about horses and got to help take care of them.  She was there for five days and four nights.

Jena and her counselor, Guzy
They always have fun names for the counselors.

We didn't know that one of Jena's friends, Rachel,
was there at horse camp, too.  Rachel will also be part
of the College Bridge program.

 Camp K is a beautiful spot and here we are picking her up on the last day.

Jena rarely allows the counselors to do anything with her hair other than put it in a pony tail.  I guess this week, she let them braid her hair every day.

Another change for Jena is that she has begun to attend the Young Singles Ward in our stake. She is growing up.

She still have a few more weeks until her adventures in college, Wonderwood and school get started again, but she will be busy---shopping, learning new things, organizing her room, and visiting BYU campus to get to know it better.  Plus we have a family reunion in Bear Lake this weekend.  I think she is having a great summer.