Don't ask me how, but the school year is over. Amanda has her last day on Wednesday. Thursday we go to the Texas State Special Olympics so she doesn't even have to attend the official last day of school. She loves the idea.
We have several trips planned this summer and the pool is cleaned, so we should be kept pretty busy until August 23. Yes, I'm counting down to the first day of school like a kid does for Christmas, but every parent does that.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Like Sands Through The Hour Glass
So I turned 41 yesterday. It was bound to happen and I'm glad it did. I celebrated by initiating a merger between my local sheltered workshop and the area Easter Seals affiliates. I have come a long way in 20 years when I went in and bought a bottle of Crown Royal with my real ID. Two months later I bought Amanda's mama an engagement ring. Progress is what it is but ain't what it used to be.
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Parents just do understand
It was Friday night at our house and dinner guests had just left. It had been a great evening with fajitas, birthday cake and the proper assortment of beverages.
I was getting ready for bed while Tina was giving Amanda her antibiotic that she had been prescribed that day for an ear infection. The sweet child had been a real trooper about dinner, mostly because our guests were best friends.
I'm walking down the hall when I hear a sound no parent wants to hear. A bowel movement that could go through a screen door. Tina is saying, "OK, OK, OK. Just stop honey, just stop." She isn't upset or grossed out. But Amanda is wearing new Nikes and standing on the new rug in the kitchen.
We clean her up quickly and I take her back to the bathroom when I hear Tina say, "Ah man, Amanda got gum on her shoe."
So what I'm saying is this, after twelve years of being a parent, a child dropping a cow paddy in the kitchen doesn't bother us. That is why we have tile and a couple boxes of latex gloves in the house. But nobody, and I mean nobody, wants to scrap gum of the bottom of a shoe.
I was getting ready for bed while Tina was giving Amanda her antibiotic that she had been prescribed that day for an ear infection. The sweet child had been a real trooper about dinner, mostly because our guests were best friends.
I'm walking down the hall when I hear a sound no parent wants to hear. A bowel movement that could go through a screen door. Tina is saying, "OK, OK, OK. Just stop honey, just stop." She isn't upset or grossed out. But Amanda is wearing new Nikes and standing on the new rug in the kitchen.
We clean her up quickly and I take her back to the bathroom when I hear Tina say, "Ah man, Amanda got gum on her shoe."
So what I'm saying is this, after twelve years of being a parent, a child dropping a cow paddy in the kitchen doesn't bother us. That is why we have tile and a couple boxes of latex gloves in the house. But nobody, and I mean nobody, wants to scrap gum of the bottom of a shoe.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
MVP
I always say that her games are the best hour of the week and this one will be the best game of the year I'm sure.
Our little team has so much fun. The young woman playing first base caught a pop up for the first out of the game. In our league, that is a huge deal. Then our short stop caught one. The third baseman threw out a runner at first and it was a rare three up and three down inning
The opposing team had nine infielders and their helpers. It looked like a marching band had lined baselines between 1st and second and second and third. Amanda hit the ball too well and was thrown out at first. When I told her she was out she gave me her, "Out, ah crap!"
Our team still scored four runs that inning.
The second inning Amanda and I made a play in the out field. I scoped up a grounder and handed it to her. She threw it in the ten feet to second base.
She got a hit in the bottom of the second. The next batter advanced us to second base. But the batter after that hit the ball far enough where Amanda did something she has never done before. She scored from second base.
The top of the third we were playing deep left field, a very good player hit the ball almost to to the fence. I caught it out of instinct, he is safe because helpers don't make outs. But Amanda took the ball into the in field and held the runner to a double.
The spirit of the challenger league happened then. We moved up to play shallow outfield. A friend of ours on the other team who uses a reverse walker and is helped by both her parents was thrown out at second. Our short stop who is actually fast enough to be on a varsity track team said he was so sorry he did that. She told him it was okay, that is how the game is played.
In the bottom of the third, Amanda got another hit. The next batter advanced us to second. And the batter after that repeated his hit from before and we scored. Amanda couldn't believe it, she said it was "AWESOME!"
After the game she high fived everyone on both teams and the umpire gave her the game ball.
Now that is softball.
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Friday, May 7, 2010
Sweet Thursday - NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It's Friday, and this Friday is so much better than Thursday. Yesterday was one of those days where being an adult was just plain hard.
It started right out of the blocks with my Keurig Coffee Maker not working. So instantly I am chemically imbalanced. In spite of the caffine deficit Tina and I were still able to get Amanda ready and delivered to school. Thank goodness for the close proximety because I wouldn't have made it much further than I did.
After dropping her off I went to McDonalds and bought two large black coffees and an egg McMuffin. I was starving and snarfed it on the drive home. At the house I gave Tina her coffee and I had mine. The chocolate carmel creamer was good enough, but I like mixing it with the German Chocolate Cake flavored coffee. I showevered and dressed but was too tired to shave. Then I had to find my flash drive. I had a few files on it that I didn't back up the night before and I needed them. I know I should back up daily, and most of the time I do, but this time I didn't and that is why I couldn't find my flash drive.
I looked all over the house for it, lost my coffee twice trying to find it, and became some sort of contorsonist looking in my car for the thing. I did not find it.
I had posted on Facebook that I was a quart low on my coffee level. People were saying they wanted to go home and were putting out advice on how to survive the coming calamity, it was embaressing, but at least I now know who fears me.
After my meeting I went home and called Keurig. I spoke with technical support for twenty minutes. After everything failed they offered to sell me a knew one at $130. When they said they couldn't have it to me in an hour I said I would handle it on my own. By that I mean, Tina bought us a new one after lunch.
It was after said lunch where I ate everything I could get my hands on that I returned home and looked through my house one more time for the flashdrive. I was alone so the rising tide of profanities that was spewing out of mouth only injured the ficus tree in the corner. Tina says the plant is a fake so it should be okay.
I looked on my dresser for the fifth time and in the charger station one more time and there it was in the shadow of a corner on its side where I could only see the black edge. My attitude instantly improved as did my language.
The coffee level was still low but I had another cup at work and hoped for the best. I stayed sequestered in my office the remainder of the afternoon because I knew I just wasn't quite level.
The evening went well. Amanda and I watched a couple across the street chasing their 2 year old. The mom asked if we wanted an extra child. I said no thank you. Amanda was blunter than that, "NO NEED WILD CHILD!"
If she would have seen her daddy at one o'clock in the afternoon she would have said, "NO NEED CRAZY DADDY!"
This morning I had GREAT coffee and a lot it. A good workout and a nice day at the office. Plus, everything is backed up.
It started right out of the blocks with my Keurig Coffee Maker not working. So instantly I am chemically imbalanced. In spite of the caffine deficit Tina and I were still able to get Amanda ready and delivered to school. Thank goodness for the close proximety because I wouldn't have made it much further than I did.
After dropping her off I went to McDonalds and bought two large black coffees and an egg McMuffin. I was starving and snarfed it on the drive home. At the house I gave Tina her coffee and I had mine. The chocolate carmel creamer was good enough, but I like mixing it with the German Chocolate Cake flavored coffee. I showevered and dressed but was too tired to shave. Then I had to find my flash drive. I had a few files on it that I didn't back up the night before and I needed them. I know I should back up daily, and most of the time I do, but this time I didn't and that is why I couldn't find my flash drive.
I looked all over the house for it, lost my coffee twice trying to find it, and became some sort of contorsonist looking in my car for the thing. I did not find it.
I had posted on Facebook that I was a quart low on my coffee level. People were saying they wanted to go home and were putting out advice on how to survive the coming calamity, it was embaressing, but at least I now know who fears me.
After my meeting I went home and called Keurig. I spoke with technical support for twenty minutes. After everything failed they offered to sell me a knew one at $130. When they said they couldn't have it to me in an hour I said I would handle it on my own. By that I mean, Tina bought us a new one after lunch.
It was after said lunch where I ate everything I could get my hands on that I returned home and looked through my house one more time for the flashdrive. I was alone so the rising tide of profanities that was spewing out of mouth only injured the ficus tree in the corner. Tina says the plant is a fake so it should be okay.
I looked on my dresser for the fifth time and in the charger station one more time and there it was in the shadow of a corner on its side where I could only see the black edge. My attitude instantly improved as did my language.
The coffee level was still low but I had another cup at work and hoped for the best. I stayed sequestered in my office the remainder of the afternoon because I knew I just wasn't quite level.
The evening went well. Amanda and I watched a couple across the street chasing their 2 year old. The mom asked if we wanted an extra child. I said no thank you. Amanda was blunter than that, "NO NEED WILD CHILD!"
If she would have seen her daddy at one o'clock in the afternoon she would have said, "NO NEED CRAZY DADDY!"
This morning I had GREAT coffee and a lot it. A good workout and a nice day at the office. Plus, everything is backed up.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
A great couple of days
We're back form the Area Special Olympics. To say it was a great time is to say Christmas and Thanksgiving are kind of fun. This is better than both.
Amanda has been practicing her two events: the fifty meter dash and the tennis ball throw and the work paid off.
What I thought was so great was how serious she was about the competition. She stretched her arms and legs and even practiced her throwing motion. She placed for a silver medal with her personal best throw of 22 feet.
She loved receiving the medal, but more importantly, she loved that a policeman gave it to her. She loves cops.
Later that evening she had her fifty meter dash. She did an outstanding job. She pumped her arms and kept in her lane and ran all the way to the end.
After the race she was walked by a volunteer over to the awards tent. The girl, I believe to be a high school student, spent about a minute and a half with Amanda and then made a point to tells us, "She is such a sweet heart. You are so blessed." That made my trip.
The next day was the actual opening ceremony. Amanda found a friend on the team who held her hand and walked around the track with her. We sat in the stands and watched with pride.
The national anthem was sung by a special needs middle school boy who gave it more than his all. Half way through the nearly four minute version of the Star Spangle Banner I looked over at Tina who was just balling her eyes out. She said, "Thats the best I ever heard."
We spent the rest of the morning watching friends compete and then headed home about one. Amanda was so worn out she fell asleep in the car. The last time that happened was 2005. She went to bed at 8:30 last night and slept twelve hours, only because I woke her up for church.
We have two more Special Olympics this month. One is for the county and the second is for state. this will be our first trip to state, so we are very excited about it.
Amanda has been practicing her two events: the fifty meter dash and the tennis ball throw and the work paid off.
What I thought was so great was how serious she was about the competition. She stretched her arms and legs and even practiced her throwing motion. She placed for a silver medal with her personal best throw of 22 feet.
She loved receiving the medal, but more importantly, she loved that a policeman gave it to her. She loves cops.
Later that evening she had her fifty meter dash. She did an outstanding job. She pumped her arms and kept in her lane and ran all the way to the end.
After the race she was walked by a volunteer over to the awards tent. The girl, I believe to be a high school student, spent about a minute and a half with Amanda and then made a point to tells us, "She is such a sweet heart. You are so blessed." That made my trip.
The next day was the actual opening ceremony. Amanda found a friend on the team who held her hand and walked around the track with her. We sat in the stands and watched with pride.
The national anthem was sung by a special needs middle school boy who gave it more than his all. Half way through the nearly four minute version of the Star Spangle Banner I looked over at Tina who was just balling her eyes out. She said, "Thats the best I ever heard."
We spent the rest of the morning watching friends compete and then headed home about one. Amanda was so worn out she fell asleep in the car. The last time that happened was 2005. She went to bed at 8:30 last night and slept twelve hours, only because I woke her up for church.
We have two more Special Olympics this month. One is for the county and the second is for state. this will be our first trip to state, so we are very excited about it.
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