doctor appointment

Took Shelbi (and Sadie) for her post-op appointment at the Children's Hospital alone without help today (took a lot of courage). I complimented Shelbi on all her help with Sadie and she said, "Weeelllll Mom...I didn't want you to freak out." I about fell out of my seat as I was pinning Sadie between my knees and holding her arms, while the Doc was trying to examine Shelbi. HAHA We made it home without too much stress...More allergy medication and nasal spray for Shelbi due to fluid in her ears.

Surfing for the first time...

Surfers Healing Camp was in our area yesterday.  (click here for the History of Surfers Healing)

Our plans for the day included watching a friend's daughter surf in the morning and going to a Virginia Zoo event in the evening.  A full day ahead, I had no idea our day would be so rewarding and exciting.

Eager to get there on time to see our 7 year old friend surf, we started our 10 min walk to the beach. We hustled to the beach and walked to the Team Hoyt Tent , telling the volunteers we were there to watch, but weren't participating in Surfers Healing.

Immediately, I saw a friend who said the surfers will take some of the extra kids out to surf if there's time. I thought, that's pretty cool, but really didn't expect for Sadie to go out.

With in minutes, Sadie's dad walked over to the line and asked if they had room for Sadie.  With in seconds, they were putting a life jacket on her and walking her to the surfer and board on the beach.

It all happened SO fast...one minute we were getting settled on the beach to watch and hang out, and the next I'm scrambling to get my camera out to take photos.

The view of your child sitting on the end of a surf board, as a professional surfer (volunteer) is paddling her out to the break...so surreal and so emotional.  It was one of the most amazing events to witness. Watching them sit in the calm water rolling with the ocean.

It was a moment in time where I had no fear, only joy that she was able to sit out there and feel the breeze, feel the water, and experience something new and exciting.

We stood at the waters edge with the volunteers lining the coast to help, watching as the surfers in orange rash guards paddled out to the break and sat calmly on their boards, while children with disabilities lay happily on their stomachs protected by a team of passionate surfers.  Each hoping to give a child with a disability an experience they would always remember.

Watching from the water's edge, it looked calm and peaceful.  Living so close to the beach all my life, I have never surfed, but I felt absorbed by the moment and emotional.  I felt secure too, as if I was letting go a little bit, that someone else was able to keep her safe.

Sadie's surfer (I wish I knew his name) took her out 3 times, and only wiped out once.  He had amazing strength, as he pulled Sadie up with one hand as they were riding the wave.  When he lifted her up, she tucked her feet under her and didn't put her feet on the board.  He was able to hold her in the air.

In the end, she was given a medal, and her family a moment to feel grateful and joy for the memories that this day brought to us.

It really was one of those times in your life where you know you will remember every moment and cherish the volunteers, surfers, and organizations that care so much and offer so much to people with disabilities. Thank you Surfers Healing!

Sadie's enjoying the kiddie pool on our deck on this 102 degree evening. HOT!

Another missing tooth

Sadie eating her first ice cream cone

I ordered Sadie her first Ice Cream cone from McDs yesterday. I only asked them to fill it to the top of the cone. She was so cute, she mostly ate the bottom first with it upside down.

Sadie's First Tooth

Sadie lost her first tooth this evening. Awe, so cute with that little gap.

the retard word strikes my heart again.

A FB friend, who I would consider an acquaintance more than an actual dear friend, posted this comment last night, which was directly after asking people to visit her little country store in the rural area of our city. 

"I am so tired of dealing with socially retarded people. They just go through life with no filter on their mouth. They say whatever is on their minds without thinking of how it might be hurtful to others. I never know quite what to say to these people. Do you call them out right then and there? Ignore them? Shoot them? " ~ "FB friend"

I guess that's the danger in facebook.  We read thoughts and post from "friends" who don't actually know they post words that are hurtful to our family, most directly hurtful and painful to Sadie and others who are offended by the r-word (most of my real friends are extremely offended by this word).


Her post has been bothering me all night and all morning, as I see people "LIKE" her comment, and even comment, with little regard to her use of the r-word.  


I get it, so called "normal" people who act like jerks, or assholes, or flat out just don't give a hoot if they offend someone.  But my FB friend did the ultimate, she associated intellectually disabled people with jerks, by directly calling them socially retarded.  


But even so, I find it extremely ironic that she is actually contradicting herself by posting such an ugly statement about people in general.  What is "socially acceptable" about posting a comment like this on facebook, when she has over 300 friends, and her business page has over 1000 "Likes."


Here is a link to one of my favorite bloggers...he says it pretty well... http://www.schuylersmonsterblog.com/2011/05/just-word.html

Here's another powerful message from Glee.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T549VoLca_Q&feature=youtube_gdata_player

"Not Acceptable" is a powerful and compelling 30 second television PSA which gives voice to a variety of diverse communities each of whom expresses that it is not acceptable to call them by what were once common words, but are now recognized as offensive slurs. It culminates in actress and self-advocate Lauren Potter from "Glee" stating that it is not acceptable to use the word 'retard' and she and "Glee" co-star Jane Lynch make a call to action to stop using the word and to promote the acceptance and inclusion of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and to make their pledge online at http://r-word.org.

The bottom line...find a better word to describe what you want to say, or better yet, If you don't have anything nice to say...say nothing at all.  People are offended.