We got the court order in the mail today. Elijah gets to start school with his new name! Yay!!
Monday, August 31, 2009
It's Official!!
Elijah Nikolai Lucas
We got the court order in the mail today. Elijah gets to start school with his new name! Yay!!
We got the court order in the mail today. Elijah gets to start school with his new name! Yay!!
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Friday, August 21, 2009
Thank you Jimmy
This little bird is loving the bird feeder Jimmy made! :) (If you click on the photo, you can see the bird up close)
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Jimmy's Day
Monday through Friday, Jimmy goes to a Young Adult Program that is part of our school district. He and his friends start their day by taking the bus (public transportation) to the Recreation Center. Here, they alternate days with swimming and cardio workouts. Once they are done, they take their showers and head to the school to prepare for their day. They go over current events, the weather, calendar, their daily schedules, prepare their snack and lunch to take to their job sites....Then it's off to work. The students work all over our city at different businesses, restaurants, bowling alley, grocery store, golf course.....Our community has been wonderful working with our kids. One of the pictures below shows Jimmy working at ACO hardware. He really enjoys working there and also enjoys the people he works with. Earlier this week, Jimmy also interviewed for a job at the car wash. He is supposed to start working there soon.:) He is really excited about it!
In the afternoons, the students work on a variety of skills that are determined by their IEP goals and objectives, such as:
Banking, grocery shopping, cooking skills, money skills, communication skills (phone and email), reading a map, household management (cleaning, doing laundry...), safety around the community (street signs, emergency numbers..) Leisure activitiy participation (reading, games...), Computer/Technology skills, using public transportation, community outings to the theater, museums, restaurants, skating, bowling, golfing, using the public library, volunteering.....
I love this program and the people that work with our kids are fantastic! It is not uncommon for them to plan something for the weekend and to include the students too. (going out to eat, the movies, baseball games,.....) In Michigan, individuals with disabilities are able to receive an education provided by the public school system until the age of 26. So once Jimmy completed 12th grade, he moved on to the Young Adult Program.
Enjoying good times at the Bowling alley.
Jimmy and James (a friend and also an aide in his program) at a Detroit Tiger's baseball game.
Jimmy showing off his Bulldog necklace that matches the Bulldog ice sculpture. This is one of the many community trips that his class takes on a weekly basis.
Jimmy doing his weekly grocery shopping. Every Tuesday they take public transportation to the grocery store to shop for the food that they would like to prepare and eat for lunch during the week. Each student has his own grocery list. (Jimmy and I go over his list on Monday night). Then they pay for their own groceries using their debit card or cash.
Jimmy and Brian working at Aco Hardware.
Jimmy swimming at the Rec center.
Jimmy working out. He really loves to do this and he is proud to show off his muscles.:)
Jimmy and his good buddy Brad. They go to the movies, out to eat...on the weekends.
Jimmy and one of his teachers, Chelsea.
Jimmy and friends!
In the afternoons, the students work on a variety of skills that are determined by their IEP goals and objectives, such as:
Banking, grocery shopping, cooking skills, money skills, communication skills (phone and email), reading a map, household management (cleaning, doing laundry...), safety around the community (street signs, emergency numbers..) Leisure activitiy participation (reading, games...), Computer/Technology skills, using public transportation, community outings to the theater, museums, restaurants, skating, bowling, golfing, using the public library, volunteering.....
I love this program and the people that work with our kids are fantastic! It is not uncommon for them to plan something for the weekend and to include the students too. (going out to eat, the movies, baseball games,.....) In Michigan, individuals with disabilities are able to receive an education provided by the public school system until the age of 26. So once Jimmy completed 12th grade, he moved on to the Young Adult Program.
Enjoying good times at the Bowling alley.
Jimmy and James (a friend and also an aide in his program) at a Detroit Tiger's baseball game.
Jimmy showing off his Bulldog necklace that matches the Bulldog ice sculpture. This is one of the many community trips that his class takes on a weekly basis. 
Jimmy doing his weekly grocery shopping. Every Tuesday they take public transportation to the grocery store to shop for the food that they would like to prepare and eat for lunch during the week. Each student has his own grocery list. (Jimmy and I go over his list on Monday night). Then they pay for their own groceries using their debit card or cash. 
Jimmy and Brian working at Aco Hardware.
Jimmy swimming at the Rec center.
Jimmy working out. He really loves to do this and he is proud to show off his muscles.:)
Jimmy and his good buddy Brad. They go to the movies, out to eat...on the weekends.
Jimmy and one of his teachers, Chelsea.
Jimmy and friends!
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Wiggles and Giggles
Caleb and Elijah were being very wiggly and very giggly today. I love it, they are becoming the best of buddies. Elijah thinks everything Caleb does is funny. They are too cute together!
Elijah after eating a chocolate chip cookie. He still has the giggles!
Friday, August 7, 2009
I heard God yesterday
We went to the beach again yesterday and the weather was great and the water was warm. And the boys did well most of the time but about the last 1/2 hour Caleb decided he was going to throw sand on everything and then on everyone. By the time we left, Caleb was on my last nerve!
(Just the other night after another challenging moment with Caleb, I prayed to God to please "speak" to me during those moments when I have had it. Help me to respond to the situation the way that He wants me to.)
Well as we were leaving the beach yesterday we walked by an older gentleman that we have seen every time we've gone to the beach these last couple weeks. He was very tan, was bald with a white goatee, and had smiling blue eyes. He was sitting in his beach chair, listening to his radio and enjoying his day.
As we got closer, he motioned for me to come to him. So I walked over carrying Elijah with Caleb not far behind. Now, I am exhausted from the sun and the sand throwing but I had to smile as I approached this man. He made me feel like smiling. He introduced himself as Andy. He told me that I was a special person, like many people tell us parents of children with special needs.:) He went on to talk about how my children were such good little boys and that they weren't any different than any other children. He asked me how their father handled them having Ds? I told him that I was a single Mom and had adopted them from Russia. His eyes got big and he said, "You are a strong woman." (God knew I needed to hear that during this moment when I felt weak as a Mom) And then Andy called Caleb over to him. Caleb went up to him and smiled and they exchanged high fives. Then he took Caleb's hand and began talking to him. "You are such a beautiful boy, what a good boy you are. You are going to do big things in this world. You don't worry about what anyone says, you can do anything you want to." Caleb smiled and listened while Andy continued to talk to him. He showed Andy his muscles and Andy laughed. Then Caleb did it. He picked up some sand and threw it on Andy's radio. I went to stop him as he picked up some more sand but Andy said "Don't worry Mama, he's not hurting anything." Then he told Caleb "You can throw all the sand you want on Rascal Flatts and they will keep on singing.":) Andy continued to tell us about his kids....and then Caleb did it again. He threw sand at Andy. I was horrified and right away apologized. Andy looked at Caleb and said, "That's not nice." (in a gentle voice)
And then he added, "You know what I am going to have to do now? I am going to have to go back in the water!" he said with a big smile.:):) We all laughed and said our goodbyes.
I told you I heard God yesterday.:) He spoke to me just as I asked and when I needed Him to.
I won't forget Andy and I hope we are blessed enough to see him again next year.
(Just the other night after another challenging moment with Caleb, I prayed to God to please "speak" to me during those moments when I have had it. Help me to respond to the situation the way that He wants me to.)
Well as we were leaving the beach yesterday we walked by an older gentleman that we have seen every time we've gone to the beach these last couple weeks. He was very tan, was bald with a white goatee, and had smiling blue eyes. He was sitting in his beach chair, listening to his radio and enjoying his day.
As we got closer, he motioned for me to come to him. So I walked over carrying Elijah with Caleb not far behind. Now, I am exhausted from the sun and the sand throwing but I had to smile as I approached this man. He made me feel like smiling. He introduced himself as Andy. He told me that I was a special person, like many people tell us parents of children with special needs.:) He went on to talk about how my children were such good little boys and that they weren't any different than any other children. He asked me how their father handled them having Ds? I told him that I was a single Mom and had adopted them from Russia. His eyes got big and he said, "You are a strong woman." (God knew I needed to hear that during this moment when I felt weak as a Mom) And then Andy called Caleb over to him. Caleb went up to him and smiled and they exchanged high fives. Then he took Caleb's hand and began talking to him. "You are such a beautiful boy, what a good boy you are. You are going to do big things in this world. You don't worry about what anyone says, you can do anything you want to." Caleb smiled and listened while Andy continued to talk to him. He showed Andy his muscles and Andy laughed. Then Caleb did it. He picked up some sand and threw it on Andy's radio. I went to stop him as he picked up some more sand but Andy said "Don't worry Mama, he's not hurting anything." Then he told Caleb "You can throw all the sand you want on Rascal Flatts and they will keep on singing.":) Andy continued to tell us about his kids....and then Caleb did it again. He threw sand at Andy. I was horrified and right away apologized. Andy looked at Caleb and said, "That's not nice." (in a gentle voice)
And then he added, "You know what I am going to have to do now? I am going to have to go back in the water!" he said with a big smile.:):) We all laughed and said our goodbyes.
I told you I heard God yesterday.:) He spoke to me just as I asked and when I needed Him to.
I won't forget Andy and I hope we are blessed enough to see him again next year.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Yesterday
Here's Caleb at the beach. While we are there Caleb tells me, "Fun at beach" several times. He actually says, "Bun at beach" since he has trouble making the "F' sound.:) It makes my heart smile when he tells me he is having fun.
Elijah loves the sand, but he has started to really enjoy the water too!
And here is my picky eater actually eating spinach and crab dip last night. I had to take a picture since I knew no one would believe it!! I was very excited to see him eat something new!:)
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Today:)
After an afternoon at the beach, what could be better than "Donalds?"The boys had fun today at the beach. Elijah kicked his feet in the water and also had fun splashing Caleb!
Elijah is walking pretty much most of the time now. He has tried jumping too which is really cute! I can't believe how much he has grown and changed in just the last few months.
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