Mixed Nuts: Braille Awareness

Quotes

"There is no better way to thank God for your sight than by giving a helping hand to someone in the dark." - Helen Keller
When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, "I used everything you gave me." ~Erma Bombeck
You may never know how strong you are, until being strong is your only choice.- Unknown
Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see a shadow' ~Helen Keller
Promise me you'll always remember: You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.
Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened."- Dr. Seuss
"Life is 10% what happens to you, and 90% how you react to it."
"God doesn't give children with disabilities to strong people: He gives them to ordinary, everyday people, then He helps the parents to grow stronger through the journey. Raising a child with special needs doesn't TAKE a special family, it MAKES a special family."Author Unknown
I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go – Abraham Lincoln
Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man. ~ Benjamin Franklin
There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as if everything is a miracle - Albert Einstein
The journey of a 1000 miles starts with a single step
Sometimes in the middle of an ordinary life, love gives you a fairy tale
Where there is great love, there are always miracles - Willa Cather
The Difficult we can do immediately, the impossible takes a little longer
Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness
There are two lasting bequests we can give our children. One is roots. The other is wings.
Be the change you want to see in the world
Don't tell God how big the storm is, tell the storm how big Your God is..........
Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it
Fall down seven times - get up eight - unknown
Despite our differences, we sink or swim together
Life may not be the party we expected, but while we are here, we might as well dance
"The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones." -Confucius

Saturday, June 19, 2010

Braille Awareness

Yesterday was the LAST day of school for my district. We all waved goodbye to the kids and had a nice staff party before parting ways for the next 10 weeks. I have great co-workers. We are all in need of a break from the kids, but we do enjoy being together. I was sad to see my diabetic go for the last time. He is off to middle school next year. I am really going to miss him.

So begins summer. Arlington has one more day of school, and I will be going to work that day as well to clean up the office and make sure everything is in place. I will be returning here and there an hour or so a time just because we have to put in a few extra days than the teachers. But I won't officially be back until the 26th of August - so yay!!

Today we took the kids to a local beach/park for a Braille Awareness day.

It was offered by the National Federation for the Blind.

We ate food, and played at the park, and played in the waves, the kids had a great time.

We were there for a few hours.

They gave the kids all little gift bags full of fun stuff. They got a kick out of that.

It was hard to see all the blind people, though. Harder than I thought.

I had given myself a pep talk before I went.....

But when I saw them - struggling to get around by themselves in a unfamiliar area, I panicked a little.

I saw a lot of people with seeing eye dogs, but more with canes.

I did see a sweet old couple - both blind - both holding hands and guiding each other around. We spoke in line. They were very natural, and easy to talk to.

I said a small prayer that someday Finley finds someone to be with her like that.

I know she is going to be fine. That she speak up for herself.

But this isn't what I want for her. For anyone. I saw a gentleman bend down and feel the ground so he could see where the grass ended and the sidewalk began. That was tough to watch.

But he never said a word. He did his thing, got the information he needed, and moved on.

I was having a hard time dealing with how frightening it would be to not be able to see were you are going. Ever. That you can't open your eyes and make the darkness go away.

Anyway - it was different than I thought it would be. I don't want people to look at Finley and see her handicap first. I don't want them to stare at her, and pity her.

I want them to walk up to her and have her give them her amazing smile, and strike up a conversation.

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This coming week I am taking a tour of our local elementary school with the superintendent and the building committee. Our local school is in desperate need of repairs, but we are not sure that the town feels the same. Our building is not properly equipped for kids like Finley, so I am "sticking my nose in" and making sure that I am heard.

So far that is going well. We are forming a little parent committee that feels the same way I do, and we hope it makes a difference. If nothing else - we can say that we tried.

I will always advocate for my kids. If I don't feel like the school is meeting Finley's needs (or Cainan or Arlington) I will go to bat for them any day. It isn't always in my comfort zone to speak up, but I won't back down if I think something could be better.

Tomorrow is Father's day. Mat is the best dad in the world. He dotes on his kids, and I am very lucky to have him. We are celebrating with gifts and lunch where ever he wants to go (Heave help me because he loves Thai food). And also happy Father's day to my dad, my father-in-law, and my grandfather. All proud, strong men. I am lucky to have them in my life.