Fifth Grade Camp

I've spent the better part of seven years fighting to keep Isaac (and Mila) educated with their general ed peers.  The needs of every child are different, but Isaac has consistently shown that with with right supports he is quite successful in a typical classroom. He loves learning with his friends and his wildly motivated by them.  This school year has been particularly hard in safely keeping Isaac where I have felt he learns best and there was discussion early in the year as to whether he would be 'able' to attend the annual Fifth Grade overnight camp. Of course he can!  I took the appropriate time off work to be able to drive him to and from every day and be there to give him as authentic day-camp experience as possible.  

Day 1: Dropped off at school and took the yellow school bus with the rest of his friends and his sweet para.  I think he was most excited about the bus!

He legit CLIMBED a mountain, his little legs keeping up with everyone else. I lost track of the actual steps we took, but whatever the number is I'm trippling it--it was a MOUNTAIN. 

Isaac opted to lead the Zip Line Cheerleading Team.

Helping coach a teamwork activity:

Can they work as a team on the 'whale watching' teeter board?

With his buddy B.  B turned around and said "Mrs Isaac's Mom, did you know Isaac is my BEST friend?"  💓

This took me by utter surprise. Generally, Isaac does not appreciate anything small that moves, that includes wind up toys, small animals and/or toddlers. ;)  He sat and observed quietly while his friends enjoyed the reptiles then asked if he too could touch the snake....say what now??  (uh, no. WE are definitely 100% scared of critters, there is no need to touch, hold or otherwise be near them, thank you very much). Um, sure bud. 

He wasn't too sure about holding this reptilian thinga-ma-jig but he was happy to observe. 

He CRASHED hard less than 10min into the ride home.  

Day 2: We were up early for the 45min drive to meet his camp friends in time for breakfast. 

Squid dissection!  Again, I did not think Isaac would be up for this but he surprised me. He was fully engaged identifying squid anatomy and carefully dissected the abdomen/mantle to find the ink sacks.  He even got to write his name with the squid pen and ink!  (This was a special moment for me. For 30min I got to nerd out with my boy and share my medical life with him AND he fully understood. I didn't think I'd ever get to have that with my precious kids 💕)

Helping his para touch the squid--she was scared to death!

FOUR grilled cheese sandwhiches and TWO bowls of soup later, he whopped his friends at arm wrestling. 

Back to the reptiles! This time an albino corn snake, a gray nope rope, and a bearded dragon. 

Before any of us knew what had happened, Isaac KISSED the dragon!  That's seven years of good luck or something, right??

We left after his group tested a hypothesis about hermit crabs in the marine lab and he again CRASHED hard in the car. 

Day 3:

We didn't quite make it through the half last day of camp.  His little legs just couldn't keep up any longer. "No more walking, Mom. All done walking!"   That was ok with me, we had two FANTASTIC days at camp and I counted every minute a success.  I loved being able to make these memories with my 5th grader. <3 

Happy 18th Birthday, Mila!!

Kamila Naomi is EIGHTEEN years old!    Officially, there is another adult in our home--CRAZY!

For parents who birth their children, birthdays offer a lot of memories of the happy day their child came into the world.  I didn't get to be part of that day for Mila and the parts that I do know would not be considered joyful or celebratory.  Which, in my mind, makes Mila's subsequent birthdays all that more miraculous.  Her birth was not celebrated. The following two birthdays were in a hospital baby unit. The next eleven, while safe and with many adults who cared for her, were without a family.  Then she was plopped across the planet to have her first real birthday party with us at the age of 14. So we celebrate birthdays BIG: We reclaim the birthdays that were missing; we redeem the day that was not met with joy; we look to a future that is bold with health and goodness and hope; we praise the Lord for the sweet flower of hope that is Kamila Naomi and all the gifts & talents she has to offer this world, and all that has been done in her life, especially in the last 4 years.  

This girly brought Wendy's frostys to school for her classmates because that's how we roll. 

And when I asked her what she wanted to do to celebrate her special day she had three requests: hotel, pool, and "cheeeeeseburgers at da astronaut" (restaurant). Because she didn't get to pick anything for the first 13 birthdays of her life, AND this is the first time she has asked me for something specific for her birthday, we made it happen...

Such a cool hotel in Downtown Seattle...

Unbeknownst to me, the hotel had a cool kids activity center...

Pool time!

And then the magic happened...Momma flipped the jets on in the hot tub!  I have ALL THE POWER!!! 😂😂

I didn't get a photo of our killer burgers (thank you Daniel's Broiler on South Lake--delicious!) but we ate our body weight in hotel waffles in the morning then found our way to the Ballard Locks to watch the boats go in and out of the "water elevator". This was actually a lot of fun!

Then as a final treat, a surprise tour of the Theo Chocolate Factory.  Mila will do just about ANYTHING for a chocolate (a factoid I've used to my advantage more than once) and this seemed like a great way to end her special weekend. 

(For the record, the tour guide lost a lifetime supporter when he gave Mila a piece of 85% cacao chocolate to try. While I was savoring the complex flavors of nearly perfect chocolate, my daughter spit hers out in my hand...then asked for a Wendy's frosty, so there is that.  She did agree that the 50% 'tasted like real chocolate' and I suspect no one should ever try to convince her otherwise). 

Officially, there is A LOT of paperwork that I get to do now that I have an adult daughter with Down syndrome in my home.  I have to apply to be her permanent guardian (which requires lawyers, courts & judges). I also get to work on trust funds, social security income, after high school planning and possible caregivers. In one of these processes, I actually have to provide references that I am an appropriate applicant to provide ongoing care for Mila *deep eyeroll*.  In the piles of paperwork that are reminiscent of the stacks of adoption files, I am reminded of the blessing and security that comes with a forever family. So many kiddos with special needs who are not adopted are released from whatever orphanage or institution that they reside in and end up homeless, trafficked or worse. As much as I dislike the paperwork, I appreciate that we live in a country that has resources available to keep my child in her forever home...forever.  

Happy Birthday, Kamila Naomi.  You are worth it.  You are loved <3