Special Needs Mutual

Last May, we learned about Special Needs Mutual. It is a young men, young women program for those with disabilities. The "kids" (and I use the term loosely) range in age from 12 to about 60! Each kid is assigned a teenage "buddy" who will work with them for the year. When we heard about the program we wondered if it would be a good fit for Sierra, who struggles fitting in with her peers. Sierra started attending in May and it has been the best thing for her. There are weekly activities and once a month the kids put on a sacrament meeting for a local ward. I always bring a truckload of tissues to these meetings! The kids that attend Special Needs Mutual are amazing.

Let me just say that some very funny things happen at Special Needs mutual too. Last week I was sitting in the foyer waiting for Sierra, when a young man with Down's Syndrome came and sat down on a chair next to me. He had his "Megamind" coloring book and a pen in his hand. He immediately opened the book and started coloring very neatly in the lines with the pen. I asked him why he wasn't in the gym doing the activity with the other kids. He ignored me! I asked him the same question a couple more times and got the same response. I then asked him where his "buddy" was. He didn't even look up from his book when he said, "I don't talk to girls!" Well, that started our conversation. I found out that Jordan, is 24 years old. We talked for about 20 minutes. Our conversation ended with him pulling his cell phone (which was much nicer than mine) out of his pocket and him asking for my number! Hahaha.... So cute!

Last night we had the opportunity to attend a production of the nativity put on by the Special Needs Mutual. It was so fun. The narrator was a cute girl, who looked to be about 18. All was going well, when she said the following, "To be taxed with Mary his exposed wife, being great with child." I was silently laughing so hard :) The rest of the production went off without a hitch. At the end, 4 kids were asked to bear their testimonies. Larry, a 50+ year old, was the last one. During the production of the nativity he was a cow in the manger. He was giving a touching testimony when he ended with the following comment, "As for being a cow, it was udderly ridiculous."

Good times!

To blog or not to blog....

Who knew that deciding to actually start posting on my blog regularly would turn into such an adventure? I found myself jealously browsing other friend's blogs on a regular basis. They looked so cute and well put together. Blogging. For something that so many people do, they sure make it hard to make your blog look "cute". Are you even allowed to have a non-cute blog :) I don't think so. It was time......that is, time to bring in the experts (or in this case, the expert). Besty Fox to the rescue! It is thanks to Betsy that I will no longer be ashamed to share my blog with the blogging community. My banner is centered. I have a "cute" background. Do I have more to learn? Duh!

On to the events of the day. Today Sierra started her first day of middle school. I'm officially done with elementary school and the joys (not) of year-round school. Hurray!!!

Other exciting news....I'm famous. Well, ok, can you be famous by association? Sierra and I took a fun trip to California in July to see my brother, Eric in Les Miserables. He is in a traveling Broadway show that is celebrating the 25th anniversary of Les Mis. It was AMAZING! While we were there, the cast recorded a live performance on America's Got Talent. Therefore, I am famous by association :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqYq0P9Dnxw

Grandma & 40 all in a week!

This week has been absolutely crazy. On Sunday at 1:36 a.m., Megan gave birth to my first granddaughter, Oaklie Maxine Dart. She was 6lbs. 6oz. and 18 inches long.

At about 11:00 p.m. on Saturday night Megan came into my room and told me she was bleeding a bit and she thought she was having a few contractions. After about 20 minutes of trying to decide whether she should go get checked, she and John headed to the hospital. We got a phone call at about 12:00 a.m. from Megan. When she arrived at the hospital she was dilated to a 4+. She told us that the hospital wasn't sure that she was in labor, but they were going to monitor her for an hour to see if she would progress. Well, she called us about 20 minutes later and said that she was now at a 5+, so they would admit her. Brad and I arrived at the hospital around 1:00 a.m. or shortly after, assuming that we had plenty of time. This was her first time giving birth after all! By the time we arrived, her water had broken on it's own. We sat in the room with her for about 10-15 minutes when Megan suddenly said, "I feel like I have to poop really bad." Having given birth to 3 babies myself, I figured that the baby was coming, so I went out to get the nurse. Brad and I stepped out into the hall while the nurse checked her. We heard the nurse say that Megan was complete and soon people were coming and going out of her room constantly. Approximately 10-15 minutes later we heard Oaklie start to cry! Megan ended up giving birth with no epidural and no doctor!!! The doctor walked in about 10 seconds after we heard the baby cry.

Megan suffered some severe complications, including surgery, hemorrhaging, and a blood transfusion following the birth. The baby was briefly sent to the NICU. I am happy to report that through lots of prayers and support from family and friends, Megan and Oaklie are home now and recovering nicely.

I've become a grandma at age 39, the same age that my mother became a grandma. This is going to take some getting used to! Grandma Rupp is my mother-in-law, not me :) On Monday, I'll reach the ripe ole' middle age of 40. That being said, I'm choosing to embrace 40 and being a grandma, with the hope that I'll occasionally be mistaken for Oaklie's mommy!

First time for everything!

I've had many firsts in my life. My first time riding a bike on Cherrywood Lane. My first kiss with Geoff Walden in the halls of Kennedy Jr. High. My first real date, which incidentally was a disaster. My first job at Dan's grocery store where I was a bagger. That first turned out to be one that would effect the rest of my life for good! It was there that I met my first (and only) husband, Brad. The birth of my first child, Brittany, who is now having many firsts of her own.

Well, today I am embarking on another first. Blogging!