Dear Blog: May 2017

Dear Blog,

May was so busy that I hardly had time to take pictures!

Memorial Day we visited Ft. Snelling National Cemetery

where my maternal grandparents are buried together. The last time I was there

was my grandmother's funeral when I was 13 years old. 

The biggest event of May was Angela's graduation from her transition training program. Students with disabilities can attend school until age 21. At 18 Angela graduated from high school with a certificate of completion, then attended two years of the transition program and received her diploma. This was such a bitter-sweet day. All these friends in the pictures we have watched grow and learn. We have watched the struggles in their lives, and we parents have supported one another through the good and the bad. There were a lot of tears on this day!! 

Standing next to Angela is her good friend Laura. 

Angela's friend Karl. 

her friend Jasmine

And this is Angela's friend Eric. They have been friends since we moved to the area, when Angela was 7. When Angela was younger and having a lot of behavior problems, she would often go help out in  Eric's classroom. She ADORED Eric! ADORED!  And Eric...for years staff had said whenever Angela walked into the room Eric would light up.  When Angela went to middle school, Eric went to a different school and she lost touch with him. She talked about him often. Then the first day of her transition program, Angela came home from school BEAMING!!!!  

"Mom!! Mom!!! It's ERIC! He is BACK!!! He is at my school mom!!!" She was soooo very happy to have her friend back. 

At her 20th birthday she said "When I turn 21 Eric and I are getting married." She never changed this story. Not once.

Then our summer was very busy, and the 21st birthday came and went.  The kids graduated from their programs and went their separate ways. Angela often wanted to visit Eric, but I never made it happen.  I never had time. Or it wasn't convenient. I didn't make it a priority.  I am so sad to report that Eric passed away on November 25 2017. Angela was so very sad to hear this. And we couldn't make the funeral.  

I hope Eric knows how much Angela adored him. And I know that some day, when they meet again in Heaven, he will be one of the first to receive one of her amazing hugs. 

Angela's teacher Jennie. 

Waiting for her very last school bus!! 

Angela's favorite driver Daryl. This guy was so special.

When Angela was very sick from her liver, he was very concerned

about her. Angela misses Daryl a lot! 

One of the other things I did this year was 

start running again. The last time I ran seriously was before Angela was born.

So here I was...turning 50...and running! 

I started "Running for Amos" in an attempt to raise funds

toward Amos' adoption. Some of you were a 

huge blessing to us once again, and helped us raise

$2500. We are so very grateful for your help and love! 

So one day I got an idea. We had a small above ground pool. We really wanted to put in an in-ground pool, but we can't on this property. So I found a huge, used, above ground pool. But, I struggled with where to put it. This was one of those projects where Dean said, "You're on your own with this one!"

So...one day I decided the steps on the deck needed to move. My son Tyler and his friend took them off for me. The steps used to be where that piece of plywood is nailed to the railing.

And then we had no stairs on the deck until I could figure out the next step. ;-) 

And that's the end of May!!