Challenger Baseball – Senior Edition

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Our community just created a division of Challenger Baseball for adults; a fun, inclusive baseball league for adults with disabilities. Each player has a buddy to help and cheer them on, run the bases, hit the ball, and enjoy the game in a relaxed, supportive environment. The focus is all on fun, teamwork, and smiles!

Josiah played Challenger Baseball when he was much younger.  He ‘played’ and I use that term loosely, for 4 years.  He didn’t really enjoy it.

I just looked back at a blog post I wrote in 2015.  Here’s what I said then:

One year ago, Josiah was an active participant in our town’s Challenger Baseball League, willing to step up to the plate each week and knock one out (okay, more like graze one off of the tee) for his team, the Heroes.  It only took us 4 years to get him to that point.

The first year mostly he just cried. The second year we bribed him with beads. The third year he tolerated it with lots of encouragement, plenty of praise and a little bit of bead bribery. This year we can’t get the boy to put on his uniform; not the shirt, not the pants, not the socks and most certainly not the shoes.

It only seems fitting then, without a moment’s hesitation, I signed Josiah up for this new league the instant I learned about it.

I signed up to be the Team Mom.

Here’s the thing. I’ve been trying as best I can not to sign Josiah up for all the things.  He doesn’t really enjoy them.  Change is a challenge and transitions are very difficult for him.  He seems content with his life as it is and doesn’t seek adventure.

I’m the one that wants to do all the things.  I’m the one that wants Josiah to want to do all the things too.  So, I took a leap of faith and now I’m asking everyone and their brother to pray it all goes well.

It’s been 11 years since Josiah ‘endured’ Challenger Baseball.  What was I thinking? Read more…

Guardianship Should Be the Last Resort—Not the First Conversation

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As parents, we are entrusted with protecting our children. But there comes a point, especially as they approach adulthood, when protection must be balanced with dignity, respect, and a deep belief in who they are capable of becoming.

If you are raising a child with a disability, odds are you have been told, often repeatedly, that guardianship is what you will need when your child turns 18. I heard it so often that I assumed it was simply required. It was presented as a given, not a choice.

What many parents are never told is that guardianship is not just support. It is a legal declaration that an adult is incapacitated. It removes fundamental rights, often permanently, such as the right to vote, to marry, to make medical decisions, to sign contracts, and to decide where or with whom to live. Once those rights are taken away, restoring them is incredibly difficult. Read more…

What 24 Years of Being Josiah’s Mom Has Taught Me

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We’ve walked a long, windy, bumpy road with Josiah since 2002.  I vividly remember not being alarmed when we learned he would have Down syndrome.  I truly felt Josiah would just have a few extra hurdles to jump over.  With four typically developing siblings as built-in role models how hard could it be?

I love a challenge.

But, had I known how overwhelming, turbulent and exhausting life would become I don’t think I would have been so optimistic.

Here are some key takeaways that may help others just beginning this journey:

Read more…

Dancing in the Rain

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One of my all time favorite quotes, the one that helped me through countless days like the one I’m about to describe for you sits in a prominent place in our home.  I put it there for a reason.  At least 500 times a day I walk past it and have the constant reminder that I am not in control over much of what happens in this life.  However, I am able to choose how I respond. And that is only by the grace of God.  I most certainly am not able to do any of it in my own power!

Around here we have lots of stormy weather.  I think it all started when Josiah was just about 5 years old.  Seemingly out of the blue, our sweet little guy decided to crank up the noise.  He went from cuddly, loving and curious to becoming explosive almost overnight. Looking back though, those were just heavy rain showers.  As he’s gotten older we’ve endured gale force winds and frequent flash flooding much more often than I’d care to admit.

There were no warnings, no Space City Weather guys preparing us for the impending doom.  It was just us, fumbling our way through with a house full of kids, trying to figure it all out.  Most of the time it was not pretty. Read more…

Today’s Episode – WHAT Were We Thinking?

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I enthusiastically mentioned to Rick this morning that a visit to the Houston Museum of Fine Arts might be a great thing to do with Josiah today.  Since Josiah hasn’t been attending many activities with our local Down syndrome group or with any of the other amazing disability groups in our area I suggested we make a plan to do a new and exciting adventure each weekend.  Gradually exposing Josiah to different environments will open up his world a bit more and get him (and us) out of the house.

He recently spent a week on vacation in San Antonio with the Josiah Whisperer.  Just the two of them.  They explored every mission, restaurant and art show within a 20 mile radius, not to mention a trip to the Japanese Tea Garden and a hike (up hill at times) through the Natural Bridge Caverns.

The Whisperer blew up our phone with pictures of Josiah staring intently at art pieces and smiling at sculptures, meandering through art installations as if an art connoisseur.

So, surely a trip to our local Art Museum would be right up his ally.   I was actually quite proud of myself for even thinking of such a great idea.  Read more…