The Note

While I was at school on Tuesday night, Jena wrote Gary this cute note.  It was so sweet that I posted it on Face book to share.  However I wanted to include it in our family blog as well. 

When you adopt a child with Down syndrome or any significant syndromes, you must consider the "worse case" situation and feel confident in your decision based on that. (Side note:  Actually in Jena's case, once it became clear she belongs to us, it was so clear that there seemed no longer to be a choice at all.)  So we weren't sure that Jena would ever read or write.  How lucky we are that she does.

And she and Gary did go to Artic Circle where she had a cookie dough milkshake.

(Side note: This format for notes is the one that I usually use.  I will put a little wave line after the person's name then draw a heart and sign it "Me" or "Mom" or put the heart and then a "U".  One early morning when Scott was sick during the night, he wrote a note for his car pool and hung it on our front door saying he wouldn't need a ride because he was sick and he signed it the same way with a drawn heart.  I loved it.  His defense was that was the way he thought all notes were signed.  This was before blogs and digital cameras or I would definitely have a picture of that note. Lucky Scott!)

Friday "Fun"

As I have confessed many times, I don't keep a journal so sometimes I like to record a week or a day of events to show how crazy life can sometimes be and it is okay and you can get by.  My Friday was actually one of those types of days.  I am not sure how so many things got piled on one day but they did and it actually was quite a good day.

9:00-10:40  Met with Aubrey Meyer, Family Preservation and Post Adoption director for the Division of Child and Family Services (DCFS).  It was the final interview for a position as an intern with them next year.  It is rare they take a first year intern but one of the people in my class is a supervisor in the area and he encouraged them to meet with me.  Plus they know my professor who is also very supportive of the plan.  Hopefully I will not be in over my head.  I left with books to read, more books to get and a suggestion to start reading the policies and procedures for the department.  That won't happen until the break between terms.

11:12:30  Meeting up at Weber State (25 minutes northeast)  with two professors who are charged with the task of setting up a "Think College" program on campus for individuals with cognitive delays.  Exciting times.  I had offered to get some parents together as a focus group and they took me up on it.  We had 15 parents at this meeting.

Talked in the halls with some parents and then zoomed back to Syracuse to get my hair cut and colored.  1:30-3:00

Had about an hour at home to touch bases with Gary, Ben, and Jena and then do some emails.  Then into the car again to run Jena and Emily down to theatre class in Centerville (25 minutes south).  Read homework for 45 minutes while they sang and danced.

Hopped back in the car to drop Emily home and then Jena and speed back up to Weber State for my second parent focus meeting with the professors (Northwest 33 minutes-rush hour-to Syracuse and then 25 minutes north east to Weber State).  We had 8 more parents who came that night.  Again it was another great opportunity for people to put in ideas as this program begins to take shape.  Done at 8ish and headed back home.

With all of the miles I put on the car that day, I felt like I should have done somewhere fun with Gary.  Luckily the weather here has been mild and beautiful so driving was good. 

Got home around 9:15 p.m.  It was a productive day but a crazy one.  Thank heavens for Gary manning the home front and making sure that things were okay and people got fed.

(Historical note: The weather is actually way too warm for this time of the year.  We have made some records for the warmest days in February ever and also the highest low temperatures at night.  We have had bits of rain which have included some snow in the mountains but not enough to prevent water concerns for the summer.  Some of the early spring flowers are starting to peek through the ground.  Might be a bad year for tulips if they start coming up and then get slammed with winter weather.)

And the Preference fun begins.............

When we were considering adopting Jena, I felt very strongly that we would not be alone as we raised her but that her life would be filled with angels to help her.  Kate Meyer is one of those angels.  I am not sure exactly when they first met but they have been friends throughout high school for sure and probably before.  She helped me as I was trying to help Jena decided on a date for Sadie's Dance in the fall and this week she reached out to me to see if Jena was planning on going to Preference.  Jena and I had just started having those conversations (started by Jena, of course. She is glad to have some control in these things.) Kate invited Jena and her date to join with their small group for the day date and dinner/dance.  Jena is thrilled.

She has asked Gareth Williams:

"Save the Date
Feb. 14
Will you go with me?
Jena
Check the Pig!"

All of these things were packed up in the blue bag with lots of tissue paper.  The pig was filled with candy as well.  We had planned on putting the coins in the pig as well but they were too big.  Hard to read but they just say "Gareth, Preference 2015, Jena).  Gareth and Jena were in seminary class together and he often joins Kate and Jena for lunch at school.

And we have found a short fancy party dress (black and dark teal)  for her to wear which she loves.  We are renting it from a local shop where she rented her Prom dress last year.  Pictures will follow when the big day arrives. Now the decision is what to do with her hair!!!  Jena is going to make sure she gets all of the fun out of high school and being a senior as she can. 

What happened to January 2015?

The speed by which that month flew by was shocking.......is this a feature of getting older or is our planet spinning faster these days?

One thing that makes time seem to be flying is the rate at which Scarlett and NIki continue to grow.  Week to week as I watch Scarlett in person and Niki by pictures and phone calls, you see those real changes they are making in development--it is awesome to watch!

Niki is just over five months and working on his "girl crazing charm" already.

Light is a bit off but look at this awesome smile!

Love those big brown eyes!

Happy Boy off on a ride

He is sitting up like a pro and now trying to pull himself up onto things.  



Toes are always good for something when you are a baby!

 

When Scarlett came for the day this week she was excited to share her new talents--pulling herself up on things--anything.

 



 

The we played "Peek-a-boo" and she was delighted to show her new talent:

Sometimes you would see a cute smile.....

Other times her "new talent"--sticking her tongue out!

She was very proud of herself!

We did have some additional busyness with two weeks of performances for Jena, a pinewood Derby, a conference for me, school and lots of stuff for the UDSF.  I was scrambling yesterday to at least talk to two of my three ladies I visiting taught and was able to drop off a treat--how lame is that on the last day of the month.  Going to do better this month especially as it only has 28 days in it!