Buddy Walk!

Thanks to everyone who was on Team Joe. We had about 35 people who joined us for the walk through the zoo. What a great day! What a great team!

At school

Mrs. Olance has posted more images from Joe's class this week. The class took a field trip to Sparrow Hospital and they have been getting back into the swing of work. Check out the cute picture of Joe and Tri holding hands while working on the computer! Click HERE.

New Favorite Website

If you haven't seen Disability Scoop: check it out HERE. Thanks Stacy for forwarding this site!

Seen Through Loving Eyes

Click HERE to read Beverly Beckham's most recent Boston Globe article about her grand daughter Lucy. Lucy is the same age as Joe.

One week left!

There is only 1 week until our 8th annual Buddy Walk. Team Joe has raised 68% of its goal! You can still contribute to this great cause. Thanks to everyone who has participated and who will walk with us in Sunday.

Horseback riding

First soccer game

The East Lansing soccer season has begun. Emma had her first game to day at 9 AM in Haslett. She had been to a party last night so she was a little sleepy before the game began. Once it started, she played really well and scored two goals for her team. There she is (black shorts on the left) making a run for the ball.

First week of school

This summer I helped Joe's teacher, Mrs. Olance, set up a class blog. She is a quick learner! Stop by Mrs. Olance's classroom by clicking HERE and leave a message for Joe, his terrific teacher, and his fabulous classmates. I love to see all of the learning that is happening in Mrs. Olance's classroom. You can see that Joe is part of a trio this year with Marquis (who is the newest class member but an old friend from the early childhood class) and Tri. Three boys, ready to go.

Apple Picking

Greek of the Week

Tutu and Papou have just returned from their cruise to Rome and Greece and sent us beautiful gifts. Emma put on her outfit from Greece and necklace and when she came downstairs Chris pronounced the he is naming her "Greek of the Week." This surprised all of us, since this is an honor he usually only bestows on himself, Bob Costas, and (strangely) George Clooney.

Poem of the Day: Halleluiah

Halleluiah

Everyone should be born into this world happy

and loving everything.

But in truth it rarely works that way.

For myself, I have spent my life clamoring toward it.

Halleluiah, anyway I’m not where I started!

And have you too been trudging like that, sometimes

almost forgetting how wondrous the world is

and how miraculously kind some people can be?

And have you too decided that probably nothing important

is ever easy?

Not, say, for the first sixty years.

Halleluiah, I’m sixty now, and even a little more,

and some days I feel I have wings.

---Mary Oliver, from her book, Evidence (Boston: Beacon Press, 2009) 19

Thanks to my pal John Lanci for sharing this beautiful poem with me today.

Tire swing

First Day of School

Ready for school: kindergarten & fourth grade

Can't wait to see Mrs. Olance

Rick the bus driver is on time at 8:10 AM

Time to go!

Emma & Colleen resume their safety positions from last year.

End of Summer

The end of summer is officially here. The kids are in bed ready to begin school tomorrow. Emma will be in Mrs. Remington's 4th grade class and Joe will be in Mrs. Olance's basic classroom and plugged into Ms. Dunn's kindergarten class (second times a charm!) for meaningful activities. We have Joe's IEP written so that he will shoot to achieve all of the kindergarten goals this year. He has worked hard this summer on reading and numbers. He also did a lot of OT tasks to strengthen his fingers and improve his small motor skills. He continued seeing Miss Kim for ST and I think that he is talking more everyday. His big successes this summer were learning to ride a bike (with training wheels) and swimming without a life jacket. Emma continues to be very active and is looking forward to soccer starting again on Wednesday. She decided to continue with choir this year too. It looks like it will be as busy this school year as it was last year.

It's raspberry season!

New furniture

Like mother, like daughter.

Joe is finally in a big boy bed and Emma has changed her Princess themed quilt to a more "tween" style of polka dots. Emma also now has a big desk and Joe has a dresser that has enough room for all of his clothes! Joe had a tough time sleeping the first couple of nights but now he has the hang of it.

Chalk on the patio

New Pals

My new colleague has arrived with her 3 terrific kids (and 1 spouse). Clara, Inga, and Carl went to the Y camp with Emma and one day after camp we all went to the MSU pool and then they came over for a cookout. Here is Emma, Inga, Joe, and Clara and the kids table. Where is Carl?

Please sponsor Team Joe!