Offering More Than Pumpkins

On Sunday we went pumpkin picking at Riverbend Farm in Midland, NC. It was our 5^th year visiting this same farm. It features the usual activities like animals, pumpkins, hay rides and photo opps on tractors, but it also has something a bit different – slides made from old silos. And the slides are high and slick, making the ride fast and furious. I usually avoid them because they are a bit too fast for me.This year, I helped Ben up the stairs, but that meant I had to go down too. Ugh!

As we drove up this year, we saw it was even more crowded than years past. We stopped to ask where we could go for handicap parking. They showed us to a spot near all the action. After we unloaded, a woman came running up to us. In my guilt ridden mind, I thought she was going to tell us we could not park there. But instead, she introduced herself as one of the owners of the farm and told us that if there was anything we needed, to let her know. It was said with such sincerity and kindness, it left both my husband and I feeling so welcomed. That old saying, 'we felt touched' would be an appropriate way to explain the warmth we both felt inside.

Words of kindness really do go a long way.

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How I Make Being a Mom and Volunteer Work at this Group Home

In September, Ben celebrated three years living in a group home in Charlotte, North Carolina, with five other men. Ben lives 20 minutes from our house, and we see him several times a week for doctor's appointments, to drop off supplies, for group home events and sometimes because I just miss him. Ben occassionally sleeps over, and he often spends a weekend day hanging out on his favorite couch, watching videos at our house. This Easterseals PORT Health home is Ben's second placement. The first placement through another agency didn't work out, and he left after six months . We were wary of trying a new place, but it's worked out well. My husband, Ryan, and I have developed a partnership with ESPH. Over time, we've built mutual respect and trust with the residents and staff. Here's what's worked for us: 1. Get involved with the group home. Ben lives with five other men in a six-bedroom house in Charlotte. On move-in day, Steven, one of the residents, made ...

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Last August, we moved Ben into an alternative family living (AFL) placement, about 90 minutes from our home in Charlotte. It was a three-bedroom house and Ben was given the largest bedroom with its own bathroom. A typical AFL in North Carolina operates like this: a person with disabilities, the client, moves in with another family, couple or an individual. The client lives in the family’s home and the family receives payment in return for housing, feeding and caring for the client. Ben’s AFL was unusual: A couple with extensive caregiving experience wanted to run a three-bed group home but needed to apply for the license through the state. They were willing to take Ben as the first resident in a house, separate from the one they lived in. The plan, according to the couple, was to get approval for the group home within a couple of months. We ordered Ben a double bed, headboard, 54-inch television, new sheets, towels and blankets. Friends helped us move him in....

eSpecially Ben

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