Transition to adult life part two

It is now may 6 and school gets out in less than 30 days and I am getting more woried by the day. I do not understand why help if you are in inculsive education has to end when we are 18. I am soo not ready.


It also makes me frustrated that there is only two ways of life for someone like me. Sheltered workshops or day care or collage life with limited support. i got into a program today however it is totally special ed classes on a collage campus. i am not sure i want this there has to be a better way to ease into adult life If anyone has any suggestions how to help please leave a comment.

happy birtdays

I say birthdays because there are two special men that are turning a year older (or celebrating it today

and Uncle L my uncle who is my mom youngest brother turns a year older today

Lm My friend with DS. His birthday was yesterday but his party is tonight at a local bowling ally

I wrote the fallowing a few years ago about LM.

Spending time with LM is like opening a Christmas present and being pleasantly surprised because it was not on your list, but you enjoy it all the same. L M is a year my junior. He has blonde hair and blue eyes. His name might be L but he prefers to be called Michael Jordan. Needless to say, he is a huge basketball fanatic. Surprisingly, L and I did not meet on a basketball court. We met at Judo class where he is now an orange belt. L an easy-going kid, but that does not mean to say he is always happy. He gets grumpy and angry and he doesn't like to admit his defeat. L lives near my school, but unfortunately for all the students and staff will merely be a name without a face. L will live through the stories and the essay I am about to tell you. But chances are, you will never meet the Michael Jordan of San Mateo. The reason being is that L has to go to our rival school because he has Down Syndrome and attends a special program there.

The summer before the eighth grade I was invited to the M's house to spend time with L. Although the intention of my visit was to have fun on a summer's day I learned a lot by going to his house. He gave me a quick tour of his house before leading me down to his room that he shared with his brother who is a year my senior. Stacked up along his wall were video boxes. The video boxes took me back to when I was young because there were Disney movies. L had a wide range of selection which ranged from Mulan to Aladin. It looked to me that he had all the collection. "Lets watch Mulan two." L said bring out the DVD box. I was not so sure about that . I mean I did not want to tell L that my personal collection was gathering dust because I had grown out of them. L did not want to take no for an answer so after playing outside L played the video. As the movie was playing L pointed to Mulan and said " That is my sister. " He proceed to do this and it hit me that L was using his imagination to put himself and his friends inside the movie. At the time I did not think much of the move. I do not remember much of it except Lu sat entranced by the story and sang along with the songs.

L has taught me that it's ok to do whatever it is that makes you happy. Even if it goes against the trends and thoughts of society. L has taught me that it's ok to be different and that everybody matures differently. Some people might mature faster than others but in the end they do. L has taught me that a childhood hobby can carry on into teenage years even if it is only for kids. The most important thing that L has taught me is to not assume that a person is incapable of doing anything.

L was thirteen at the time of our play date but yet he still loved watching Disney movies. Some people might just write him off as less capable but mankind can learn a thing or two from him. Mankind's favorite saying is the grass is greener on the other side, whether it is adulthood or a different job or classroom. Humans can learn to enjoy their side of the grass and if you happened to get on the other side it would merely by an unexpected Christmas gift instead of a dream. Adults are always telling little kids that " they are such a big kid" we should not say this because it's impression is that being little is not okay. Instead of growing up being like the 50 meter dash man should slow down to enjoy the sights and sounds of childhood. It is surprising what someone with an intellectual disability can teach you about life.

Honorable mention again

Hi guys I want to let you know that I won an another award for my poetry. This is the same contest I won last year. I do not have a copy of that poem so in the mean time here is the one i won last year
Dare to dream big

When I was little
I had big dreams.
I wanted to be a construction worker,
Teacher,
High school sport star.
I dreamed, and I thought
If I made the good dreams big enough ,
I thought
Just maybe
Just maybe
It could come true.

When I got older,
Just shy of ten,
I began to question
If I could control
my destiny.
I realized that I was different somehow
From the rest of the kids on the playground.
I had two acronyms attached to my name
They were
CP, and NLD
I began to realize this and sometimes felt ashamed.


Then there came middle school.
That was the worst.
Kids teased me and I got my feelings hurt.
I sucked.
I was a loner.
The worst kid in the entire seventh grade class.
What made it worse was that CP was in my face.
I always got cut from team sports,
The games I loved most.
The things that made papa boast,
Like he did for the baseball king,
My elder brother.

Around this time
My dream came to me
And whispered softly into my ear to
“Please do not let me leave your side
Let me stay and let me help you as a guide:
For new stories,
New songs,
New programs,
That I long to belong to.
Programs that saw inclusion as key
To opening the doors for all kids,
Even those with disabilities.”

All in all
I want to leave you with this:
Reach for the stars,
But when you land on the stars
Go for the moon.
Make your future yours
Despite what others think you can do
Whether you are short, or way too tall,
Or have some type of disability
or none at all.
With hard work
And a little money ,too,
They might
Just might
Come true.
The choice of a future is up to you.
I dare you to dream big and see it through.
After all dreams are among the few things that are up to you.

Same place same time same contest

I won honorable mention in city arts again. Sorry I have not been around will post more stuff soon In the mean time here is the poem I won in 2009

Dare to dream big

When I was little

I had big dreams.

I wanted to be a construction worker,

Teacher,

High school sport star.

I dreamed, and I thought

If I made the good dreams big enough ,

I thought

Just maybe

Just maybe

It could come true.

When I got older,

Just shy of ten,

I began to question

If I could control

my destiny.

I realized that I was different somehow

From the rest of the kids on the playground.

I had two acronyms attached to my name

They were

CP, and NLD

I began to realize this and sometimes felt ashamed.

Then there came middle school.

That was the worst.

Kids teased me and I got my feelings hurt.

I sucked.

I was a loner.

The worst kid in the entire seventh grade class.

What made it worse was that CP was in my face.

I always got cut from team sports,

The games I loved most.

The things that made papa boast,

Like he did for the baseball king,

My elder brother.

Around this time

My dream came to me

And whispered softly into my ear to

“Please do not let me leave your side

Let me stay and let me help you as a guide:

For new stories,

New songs,

New programs,

That I long to belong to.

Programs that saw inclusion as key

To opening the doors for all kids,

Even those with disabilities.”

All in all

I want to leave you with this:

Reach for the stars,

But when you land on the stars

Go for the moon.

Make your future yours

Despite what others think you can do

Whether you are short, or way too tall,

Or have some type of disability

or none at all.

With hard work

And a little money ,too,

They might

Just might

Come true.

The choice of a future is up to you.

I dare you to dream big and see it through.

After all dreams are among the few things that are up to you.

Milestone ahead

I am going to prom on Friday wish me luck

basketball 2010 part two

From the time I was little I always wanted to knoww what it felt like to be on a school team for my school. That has not happend since sizth grade but flash forad to last year. Mr C bailed on the soccer team ( but we are still great friends ). I dicieded I would bite the bullet and ask coach G if I could help out. I had perepared my slef by saying there was a 99% percent chabce the coach would say no and a ONE PERCENT CHANCE THAT SHEE WOULD say yes. Ms G said yes and I became a ball kid for the varsity basketball team. I had to be in charge of the balls at the home games and got to sit on the bench and shake hands after the game. I got to be a manger on the basketball team and although I never suited up to play in the game I was apart of the team.

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Happy Easter

laid back athlete dad and me 1994

AZ book gal princess in matching dress at
Grandma's house

my mom dad my sisters and I

From my family to yours and do not forget to wish Brady happy birthday I am just waiting for my mom to come home from Chaigo so we ( princess , mom and me) can begin the celebrations.