Pumpkin Picking with Church Friends

Our family has a new routine on Wednesday afternoons this year.  The kids and I meet at church for the afterschool program! Hope and I go early and set up snack for anywhere from 35-40 children and a dozen or so youth. Kyle walks to church from school for youth group and David rides the church bus from his school to church.

I will admit that I was kind of worried about taking on this responsibility each week and planning a lesson on top of all the lesson planning I do for preschool. I have been surprised about the blessing that I have received by participating in this program. I am one of the four or five faithful teachers that have committed to being there each week and I LOVE IT! I love greeting the children when they get off the bus, I love setting out their snack, and I love talking about Jesus with that many kids. 

Yesterday we took a break from our regular bible rotations to visit the Connor's pumpkin patch with all the afterschool kids. 

This was Hope's second visit to the patch!

Most kids are on the hunt for a big pumpkin, but David was on the hunt for a small one that he could carry. 

We had to get a picture of the two red heads matching the pumpkins with their gorgeous red hair!  Baby Sage LOVED the pumpkin patch and of course she was dressed oh so cute for her visit to the pumpkin patch. Dave loves Baby Sage so much! 

David's sweet friend, Ally was helping him find a pumpkin that he could carry.  She is such a sweet girl and they have been friends since preschool.

The Connor's land is gorgeous and to see all these beautiful children runnng through the patch on a gorgeous fall day in Virginia was a sight to see.  Mr. and Mrs. Connor are such kind and generous souls to allow so many church children to pick a pumpkin.  Happy Fall Y'all!

Our Special Day at UVA!!!

Yesterday we had a wonderful day at UVA thanks to Special Spectators!  They are a non-profit group that invite children that have serious medical issues to have an awesome fan experience at college football games.  We all five headed to Charlottesville Friday night to get ready for the big day. 

We arrived at the stadium around nine and met the other families that were invited.  We met a sweet family from Richlands whose daughter McKinna just had a heart transplant a month ago at UVA. 

It was a beautiful morning to throw football and tailgate at the stadium.  Here are Hope and David in their Wahoo blue and orange!

Our first stop was the locker room which was way nicer than I expected it to be!  Wow-it was pretty swanky! 

The players were due to arrive soon so all their gear was perfectly laid out in their locker for them.  I was worried that David would start grabbing gear and trying it on!  Ha!

Then we got to walk through the tunnel and go on the field.  Here is our official family photograph on the field that they actually put on the jumbotron during the third quarter.

After our trip to the locker room and on the field we went to the Wahoo Walk where the players walk on their way into the stadium.  The cheerleaders and Cav Man were there.  David and Cav Man really bonded! 

Sweet Hope was terrified of Cav Man and would not get off of her Daddy while he was visiting our tailgate!  Ha! 

David was not shy about high fiving the players and saying "hey man" to get them to come over and high five him! 

David even yelled out for Coach London who came over and gave David a high five! 

David really did not want Cav Man to leave our tailgate so he wanted a picture with Kyle and Cav Man that he jumped in! 

After the Wahoo Walk the cheerleadrs and Cav Man visited our tailgate to meet the children.  What a sweet and beautiful group of cheerleaders! 

 

It was freakishly hot here in Virginia this weekend and Hope and I got so hot that we left during the third quarter to cool off in the car.  I do not think it was truly 99 degrees but it was mid-nineties at least. 

 

Today we are home resting after church and our big day overnight stay in Charlottesville.  Mike had to be in Charlottesville Friday for a meeting so we had both of our cars there.  He took the kids on home after the game and I drove myself home and lingered at the Green Valley Book Fair by myself!  What a treat-Mike was certainly speaking my love language yesterday:) 

 

I am so thankful for this opportunity we had yesterday thanks to Special Spectators!  It is so nice to go to Charlottesville for a fun reason and not to have to visit the hospital for treatment or ouchies. So many of my fall UVA memories involve scary things since David was diagnosed with his cancer in the fall.  All five of us had a wonderful day meeting new people, cheering on the Wahoos, and making new and happy memories in Charlottesville.  What a wonderful gift!

Special Games Day 2013

This week has been a full one with lots of appointments and life.  Yesterday I did take a few hours to go cheer on my favorite Special Games day athlete!  Our county is blessed to have a special lady named Susan Kilby who organizes a day of athletic events that every child with an IEP is invited to attend.  David has been going since he was two and we love this event every year. 

David loved hanging with his friends!  Amber and Adam also came to cheer him on.  This was the first year that Ashley had to miss and she was super sad.  If you have been to this event once you never want to miss it again! 

At the opening ceremony there is always a time where special white balloons are released to remember those students and teachers who are no longer with us.  Here was David releasing his balloon and having a praise moment!

Being silly with Daddy!  Mike was there not only as the  Superintendent but as a Daddy as well:) Last year I bawled like a baby praying and hoping that David was not going to be represented on a white balloon this year. 

By God's amazing grace David was there running his heart out with a full mop of red hair!!  He was "in it to win it" and was VERY competitive.  We really need to pursue opportunities for him to continue with true Special Olympics because this boy is athletic and competitive!!

Being a special needs Mom is one I do not feel worthy of often.  This is never a life I would have signed up for, but now that I am nine years into parenting David I am overwhelmed.  I am overwhelmed how God continues to walk with us in this parenting journey with this amazing child.  I am overwhelmed with pride and love for David who never ceases to amaze us.  I am overwhelmed in thanksgiving that God has used David to make the rest of our family better people.  I am so thankful that God chose me to be David's Mommy.

I must end this blog post with a funny David story.  The other night David and I  were snuggling in bed.  I was nuzzling his cheek and telling him how much I loved him and how proud I am of him.  He got very quiet so I assumed that he was drifting off to sleep.  After a few minutes of silence David all of a sudden whispered "well, this is awkward."  I guess maybe he is getting too old for Mom's snuggles??!!!  I just rolled with laughter-that is our David!