Blogging about life in Minnesota, raising our six kids with Down syndrome while battling Breast Cancer.

Be the kind of woman that when your feet hit the floor in the morning the devil says, "Oh shit! She's up!"
Showing posts with label Special Olympics Minnesota. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Special Olympics Minnesota. Show all posts

Thursday, May 16, 2013

Special Olympics Area Track Meet

Last week was our area track meet for Special Olympics. Angela and Axel were really excited, and Asher got to compete for the first time!

There were a few problems with the meet this year. I don't know if there was a different group running it, but the meet started late, nobody was standing at the finish, nor was it marked so athletes didn't know where the line was.  Because of this, some athlete times were not recorded and others didn't get their awards.

Still the kids had a great time! I'm really thankful that the night before Tyler came into town (he lives about an hour away and doesn't have a car.) so he joined us for the day. In hindsight I don't know how we would have managed the day without his help! Abel still has a hard time with large crowds and there was a lot of running around to be done getting kids to various events!

It was one of the coldest days in May in Minnesota's history. We arrived dressed for WINTER, wearing winter coats, gloves, hats, etc. Later in the day it sleeted hailed. Eventually the sun came out but by then it was time to go home!

We stripped the kids of their winter coats so they could run. 

Watch little Ashie "run" the 50 meter!!! Oh he was so cute!

Axel and Asher getting their awards. This year Axel wasn't happy standing on top of the podium.


Way down there, in the 1st place spot, is Angela. We could hear her whooping and hollering in the stands. LOL

As she does every year, Angela did the long jump. This is the first year she seemed to understand the purpose. Some years she has only jumped 5 inches! This year were her best jumps ever! 



Abel had fun bonding with big brother Tyler. He had so much fun that Tyler was struggling to get Abel down, so two seconds after taking this picture I went to help. Well, Abel was over stimulated by that point, and when I went behind him to lift him down, he threw his body back, catching me in the nose with his head. The impact caused me to see stars and dropped me right to the ground. My four front crowns felt loose (though now they're fine so I think it was just the impact) and the point where my nasal septum joins my upper lip/jaw was broken! Inside my mouth my palate is black and blue and the upper part of my mouth is as well. 

Axel also did the softball throw and Asher did the tennis ball. They both threw really well (Axel's throwing "well" is about 6 meters) and we'll find out their results next week.

In the end, Axel came home with a 1st and 2nd, Asher came home with 4th, Angela brought in a 1st and 7th. We're very proud of our kids! The good outweighs the bad, ALWAYS!!! Thank you God for giving me this day to enjoy five of my kids at once, for brining three boys from the other side of the world, for giving me one amazing daughter to keep me company in the mist of all the maleness, and a partner to share it all with!


Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Special Olympics 2012: Misc

Here are miscellaneous pictures from the Special Olympics track meet last weekend. Some of my favorites out of the several hundred I took!

Lunch with the team.

One of her relay teammates. The girl in blue used to swim with Angela. 

Love this picture: Dean with his ducks.

 Handsome Axel.

My favorite man in the world. 

They have an Olympic Village, where there are all kinds of things for the athletes to do. One of the biggest hits is always Karaoke. Angela had a song in mind but they didn't have the music for her. She didn't really seem to care. For those going to the NDSC conference in DC, she'll be performing there. LOL

Asher defying gravity. He is ALL BOY, always climbing whatever he can. His feet are 2 ft off the ground here. LOL


Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Special Olympics 2012: Axel

This is the 2nd time Axel has competed in Special Olympics. The first time was a month ago and he really had NO CLUE what was going on. But on this day, after watching all of Angela's races the day before, he finally got it. Suddenly it all made sense to him, all of our explaining "pump your arms and RUN." was for a purpose! 

Hi all you people! (I know my mom is out there somewhere. I can hear her.)

There she is, pointing that camera at me again. 

Runners on your mark...

Running running running...

Look at all those people cheering for me! HI PEOPLE!!!!!

While I was at the starting line taking pictures, Dean was at the finish line taking video. :-) Axel is the very last green shirt. 


Woo! That running is hard work!

Alex...I mean Axel getting his first medal EVER! (and clearly he has been watching Angela too much.)

Look Papa! I got a silver medal!



Leaving with one of the coaches for his next race.

He looked so small out there on the field!

Keeping his eyes on the finish line.

Here I go! Pumping my arms like Mama showed me.

This running business is SO FUN!



See the orange cones? Yea that would be the finish line, but he's still running. LOL


(whistling to himself)

As I was watching him walk to the awards stand, I had to capture this face. You have to wonder if he thinks about how different his life was 18 months ago. There were no races, no Special Olympics, nobody cheering for him. Life was very different then....

Now he has this: A big sister who is more proud of him than anyone else could possibly be!



Monday, June 25, 2012

Special Olympics 2012: Angela

Although this past weekend was quite difficult as we said goodbye to Destany, it was also a weekend of smiles as we focused much of our attention on the Special Olympics Minnesota Summer Games. Since we have two kids competing now I took several hundred pictures!  I will spare your eyes and only post some of my favorites, and divide them up into two (or three?) separate posts.

Getting ready to run the 100 meter. (she's looking for her mom. ;-) 

Runners on your mark!

And she takes the silver! 

She's awesome and she knows it!

4x100 relay  handoff

This was at the end of a long, hot day and Angela was totally wiped out. She only had to run 100 meters but that did her in. 

Crossing the finish line. She ALWAYS cheers for herself at the end, but not this time. Instead she sat down. BAD SIGN for the kid with anhidrosis!!! She did it though! 

Her relay team took 5th place. 

Sunday, nice and cool, perfect for a track meet! We've always said Angela is her own best cheerleader. You'll see why in some of these pics. This was on her way out to complete her standing long jump.

If you know Angela, you can almost her her "Woooo!!!" in this picture! As in "Wooo! It's my turn!"

ONE.....TWO.....

THREE!!!!!!


See mom? I DID IT! 

WOO HOO! I got a ribbon!