Skip to main content

Warning: You May Laugh


The operative word in the title is "may". Only people with a certain sense of humor will find this funny, and who are not Vanessa and Steve.

Before Christmas, we received a large box in the mail addressed to "Vanessa and Steve". My husband's name is Ryan, but a simple mistake was not going to stop us from opening up a present.

Although excited to rip open the package, we slowed down to read the card. It read, "Hope you have a wonderful holiday! And good luck on that happily ever after stuff." It was signed by Ryan's long-time friend and jokester, John.

We receive packages and letters from John every so often. One year, he wrote an entire letter in Old English. Another time he sent a brochure of a building he and Ryan had renovated 20 years ago with captions about memories they had during the project.

We had no idea what to think when we unwrapped the bubble wrap and saw, a large pottery plate painted with a bride and groom and the words, "And they lived Happily ever after" and Vanessa (heart) Steve written along the rim. Then a $1 sticker caught my eye. Then I got it. 



The plate is on display in our dining room.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Parenting an Adult Child with Disabilities

  "Parenting an Adult Child with Disabilities" is a series on eSpeciallyBen. As Ben approached 18, it was clear our role changed as parents. We needed to help Ben transition into adulthood. These stories are meant to assist other families who face, or will face, some of the same challenges. Talking About the Future Guest Post - Matt Wilson Legal Guardianship, Medicaid and SSI Researching Group Homes Questions to Ask at a Group Home Visit Referral Packet for Group Homes Getting Assistance from a Care Manager From Group Home Placement to Discharge Reaching for Independence
  Ben is thriving in his group home in Charlotte. I wrote about what he's been up to in this story in Southpark Magazine:  Givers: All together Happy Holidays! Photo Credit Grant Baldwin Photography

Parenting an Adult Child with Disabilities: From Group Home Placement to Discharge

  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....