eSpecially Ben

This year, the new principal at Ben's school started an awards program based on character traits such as hope, courage and citizenship. The award is given monthly to a student on each grade level and one child in the Special Academic Curriculum, in which Ben is a student. Ben received the award for January's Principal's Award based on the character trait determination . The nomination form read: Ben shows determination in everything he does! Whether he is determined to walk down the hall or to sit in his favorite chair, he perseveres. He also shows determination in his work by choosing answers of his choice and working hard until he is successful. I am proud of Ben and very glad the school includes the SAC program in these activities. I am even more astonished that I caught this photo at the very moment before Ben tried to rip the certificate out of the assistant teacher's hand. He looks so angelic holding his certificate...but if I had taken subsequent shots,

World Winter Games - Special Olympics Read Rory's story and be sure to watch the video on the right hand-side. It is a commercial for Special Olympics - truly remarkable.

Between illness, babies being born, ice storms that never truly hit, grandma and uncle visits, swim meets and life, it has been crazy around here. I know some of you have asked about Ben's school dance experience...I will get to all of it. Just need a moment to catch my breath. Here's a photo of the USA Developmental Sled Hockey Team (they are hoping to get on the US Paralympic Sled Hockey Team). They lost against the Russian team on Saturday night. Great game!

Let's dance, put on your red shoes and dance the blues...* Ben's school is having a dance for 3rd-5th graders this afternoon. Rather than make the decision for him to attend, we posed the question and then gave him the choice on his NOVA Chat. The overwhelming response, 100% of the time, was YES. His Occupational Therapist asked the question a few different ways to be sure his answer was consistent. It was every time. Ben's wonderful new community worker is attending the dance with him. Luckily, she is very excited to go and with her outgoing personality, Ben will have his dance card filled. *Words are from David Bowie's Let's Dance,  1983

Inspirational and beautiful story. The Long Brothers

In the last week, my husband lost his jacket and cell phone and Logan lost his winter coat. I have looked in lost and found at Logan's school, called lost and found at Ryan's school and I have grumbled and mumbled quite a bit over these missing items. Today I went to the YMCA's lost and found, hoping to find Logan's jacket. As I complained to the person at the service desk about my family's great skill for losing things, I watched her take out items from the large bin. Something caught my eye. No, it could not be. "Uh, could I take a look at that gray jacket? I think that one is mine." Sure enough, my gray zip-up hoodie was in the lost and found bin. As always, I am humbled...and glad to find my favorite jacket.

I have so much to write, but I think I have been afraid that if I do put it down, it will be real and perhaps too overwhelming for me to deal with right now. It has been almost 2 months since Ben has started using the NOVA Chat 10 , a communication device on an Android platform. Like an iPad, but different. The results we are seeing from Ben using the device have been incredible. He is making choices about his meals, activities and location. Having these options and ability to choose must be liberating for him. When we decided to order it for him, this independence was all I had in mind. Then, a few weeks before Christmas, Ben did a curious thing: using his hands and feet, he put down his two foot plates on his wheelchair deliberately. From then on, I asked him to do the same thing and he would. This piece of communication resulting in an action started me thinking. We added reading comprehension questions to the device. We read a children's board book and then asked Ben a